Protection Assistant (Female Only)

Position Title: Protection Assistant (Female Only)

Position Type: Full Time     

Contract Type:  Fixed Term     

Reports To: Program Manager

Location: Kirkuk  

Closing of Application Date:  18 January 2024

About Heartland Alliance International 

Heartland Alliance International’s (HAI) mission is to secure the rights and well-being of marginalized people and communities. HAI envisions a world in which those whose rights have been violated are safe and empowered to actively engage in their communities and be at the forefront of social change.In Iraq, HAI provides holistic services focusing on psychosocial support, legal aid, violence prevention, livelihoods strengthening, and social cohesion to diverse vulnerable populations. 

Position Summary 

HAI in partnership with UNHCR is conducting one-year project to support the Refugees and Asylum seekers and IDP/Returnees through Case management – PSS – MHPSS and Access to Justice, community engagement and participation plus protection monitoring and advocacy, whereas The protection assistant will be based in Kirkuk, Iraq with frequent travel to project target locations as security allows, and will work directly under the supervision of the Accountability & Outreach Team Leader and Program Manager. The protection assistant is a member of the Community based protection team and will be responsible for conducting protection monitoring at the level of Key informants KIs, Focus group discussion, FGD and House to House and identification of protection concerns in target locations. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

• Monitoring and identifying protection concern and appropriate solutions. 
• Conducting protection-monitoring assessments with Key informants KIs, Focus group discussion, FGD and House to House. 
• Conducting protection awareness sessions to project participant. 
• Provide general information and counseling support to IDPs, Refugees and refer cases to services both internally and externally. 
• Ensuring effective advocacy for the protection of IDP, Refugees rights and reporting protection violations with relevant stakeholders. 
• Providing daily, weekly and monthly reports as requested by the supervisor. 
• Keep records through the digital system of the urgent protection needs identified and the actions taken to assist affected project participant. 
• Under the guidance of direct supervisor, facilitate one-on-one interviews and focus group discussions with returnee, IDPs, Refugees, and host community members, state actors and service providers in the field on selected protection concerns. 
• Directly upload protection data to produce a clear, protection-focused report and translate and follow-up on protection risks-related issues. 
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the line manager. 

Languages  

English Proficiency Level Required: ​Advanced​ 

Arabic Proficiency Level Required: ​Advanced​ 

Kurdish Proficiency Level Required: ​Advanced​ 

• A bachelor’s degree in sociology or social work, counseling, or other relevant field is required. 
• Bachelor degree in social science, international law or another related field. 
• Minimum 4 years of relevant experience working with NGOs in humanitarian settings. 
• Demonstrated understanding of protection principles. 
• Demonstrated experience in prevention and response to protection cases. 
• Experience with Windows platform, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc. 
• Good knowledge on Kirkuk context and preferred to be from Kirkuk. 
• Experience with online data collection (Commcare – Assist – Kobo – ETC) 
• Excellent oral communication skills. 
• Excellent negotiation and relationship management skills, with the ability to proactively problem solve and find solutions 
• Proven ability to calmly, professionally, and successfully manage multiple priorities 

Interpersonal and Technical Skills: add the required competencies and desired software knowledge 

Computer Skills:  

• Experience providing psychiatric services to survivors of torture and/or war violence strongly preferred. 
• Previous experience with international or local NGOs preferred. 
• Experience working on an interdisciplinary team. 
• Strong interpersonal and intercultural skills. 
• A demonstrated commitment to human rights, high professional ethical standards and humanitarian values. 
•  Knowledge and understanding of Monitoring and Evaluation concepts. 

Work conditions  

Physical Demands: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.  
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; use hands to handle or feel and reach with hands and arms.  
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.  
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds.  

Work Environment:  

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. 

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. 
• The employee may be required to travel frequently to insecure and limited-resource environments. 

Sometimes the candidate may be required to work for extra hours to deliver emerging unprecedented priorities 

Please send you CV to:

https://heartlandalliance.bamboohr.com/careers/1039

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you do not hear back from us within 2 weeks, please consider your application unsuccessful.

Heartland Alliance makes all hiring and employment decisions without regard to race, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, sexual identity, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, ex-offender status (depending on the offense and position to be filled), unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of living conditions and human relations, or HIV infection, in accord with the Organization’s AIDS Policy Statement of September, 1987. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodation should contact the Human Resources and Administration Office at (312) 660-1431.