Strategic Engagement Coordinator

About CARE International:

CARE International is a leading global development and humanitarian confederation committed to fighting poverty and social injustice in over 100 countries. CARE is a non-religious, non-political working alongside communities for over 80 years to drive lasting, transformative change through locally led solutions.

Our initiatives tackle social injustice while prioritizing women and girls to foster sustainable, positive change in vulnerable communities. We believe that poverty and injustice cannot be eradicated without equal rights and opportunities for all. When women have access to the right resources, they become powerful agents of change, helping entire families and communities break the cycle of poverty.

We believe that everyone has the right to live on a healthy planet. We support households and communities on the frontlines of the climate emergency to prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change. We plan and deliver projects that help people, especially women and girls, to adapt and become more resilient to climate shocks sand stresses.

About CARE International in Iraq

CARE began its operations in Iraq in 1991. After a hiatus from 2003 to 2014, it resumed activities with a focus on humanitarian response and development assistance for vulnerable displaced populations across multiple governorates. In 2022 CARE Iraq commenced the journey of transition from core humanitarian aid to a nexus and development approach, emphasizing equity and justice between women and men, as well as climate justice.

Recognizing Iraq’s climate vulnerability and the increasing trend of climate-induced displacement, CARE Iraq is expanding its efforts into the southern governorates of Thi Qar and Basra while maintaining its programming capacity in the north. This strategic shift broadens our impact beyond immediate relief to address long-term development needs, reinforcing our commitment to climate justice and the empowerment of women and girls.

CARE Iraq is officially registered with both the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi Federal Government. The organization operates from its main office in Erbil, with satellite offices in Duhok, Ninewa, Basra, and Baghdad, ensuring a widespread presence to support communities across the country.

CARE Iraq is a place where staff are supported to grow both personally and professionally. Our team environment promotes collaboration, diversity, and open communication, ensuring that every voice is heard and valued. Our workplace culture is designed to encourage innovation, creativity, and respect, making it a supportive environment for all.

About the Project

CARE Iraq, in partnership with Lotus Flower, is implementing an ECHO-funded protection project in Iraq that follows a nexus approach, bridging humanitarian aid, development, and stabilization. With the deactivation of the Protection Clusters in 2022, the country has transitioned from emergency response to long-term, sustainable solutions, requiring a shift in protection programming. Among other key activities, over the past two years, CARE Iraq has provided technical oversight and capacity-building support as part of this project, ensuring quality implementation.

This year, in response to evolving contractual obligations and the sector-wide shift toward durable solutions, CARE’s role has expanded to not only support but lead and strengthen technical coordination within relevant working groups at both local and national levels. This includes taking a proactive role in shaping strategic dialogue, providing thought leadership, and positioning CARE and its partners as key contributors to systemic change in protection and women’s empowerment efforts. As a result, CARE is now at the forefront of sector coordination and influence, promoting more sustainable and locally owned approaches to equity and justice between men and women in Iraq.

About You:

You are a strategic and forward-thinking professional with a strong grasp of the nexus approach and a clear understanding that Iraq has moved beyond traditional humanitarian frameworks. Since the deactivation of the Protection Clusters in 2022, the country has entered a new phase—one that demands stabilization and development-oriented responses. You are equipped to navigate this shift with confidence, reframing protection efforts in ways that align with government systems, localization goals, and long-term stabilization and sustainability.

You bring expertise in Training-of-Trainers (ToT) and have a demonstrated ability to lead capacity-strengthening efforts that go beyond standard UN interagency guidelines and standard humanitarian training packages. Rather than simply replicating emergency response models, you are ready to introduce new approaches, such as trauma-informed and context-adapted approaches that reflect Iraq’s evolving stabilization needs.

You thrive in roles that require high-level engagement with government actors and coordination bodies, not as a participant—but as a driver of collaboration and influence. You take initiative to fill coordination and leadership gaps left by phased-out protection actors, ensuring CARE and the project are not just present in the landscape, but proactively shaping and advancing protection efforts in Iraq’s current evolving context. You are someone who communicates with clarity and builds meaningful partnerships that elevate the project’s visibility and impact across the sector.

Key Responsibilities and Tasks:

1. Stakeholder Engagement and Leadership

• Proven ability to cultivate strategic relationships and support the positioning of CARE Iraq as a thought leader in equity and justice.
• Lead high-level coordination with government stakeholders, GBV working groups, and protection actors.
• Take initiative to fill coordination and leadership gaps left by phased-out protection actors, ensuring CARE and the project are not just participants, but proactive drivers of protection work in Iraq’s evolving context.
• Strengthen partnerships to advance project visibility, strategic advocacy, and cross-sector collaboration.
• Represent CARE Iraq in relevant protection forums, taking a leadership role in shaping and contributing to the protection priorities.
• Monitor and respond to shifts in protection coordination structures and governmental engagement.
• Ensure that coordination mechanisms and discussions reflect the shift from emergency response to stabilization, building alignment with national priorities.

2. Strategic Program Support

• Contribute to the overall strategic direction of CARE Iraq’s protection and nexus programming.
• Ensure that programmatic approaches are aligned with stabilization goals and promote long-term stabilization outcomes.
• Collaborate with CARE Iraq program team, technical advisors and partners to support innovation and continuous learning.
• Facilitate alignment of project activities with broader localization and sustainability agendas under the nexus framework.
• Move beyond humanitarian response mechanisms and approaches—such as the standard UN interagency humanitarian or emergency response guidelines—by applying context-specific, forward-looking strategies tailored to Iraq’s stabilization and development landscape.

3. Project Management

• Able to follow structured project management approaches and tools, with a strong ability to use technology to stay organized and ahead of deadlines.
• Able to develop clear, visually appealing dashboards, use RACI charts, trackers, and workplans to keep everything on track, and ensure the whole team stays aligned and informed.
• Brings a disciplined and proactive approach to project planning, with the ability to efficiently organize and deliver activities—especially key events and trainings—without unnecessary delays or last-minute scrambles.
• Has a proven track record of executing well-established activities with speed, clarity, and structure.
• Ensure timely implementation of project activities in accordance with donor requirements.
• Coordinate with MEAL to integrate feedback and lessons learned into project delivery.

4. Financial Oversight and Reporting

• Serve as budget holder for the project, overseeing financial management and compliance with donor regulations.
• Monitor expenditures, forecast budget needs, and ensure cost-effective use of resources.
• Contribute to high-quality donor reporting by compiling data, verifying partner inputs, and drafting narrative reports.
• Maintain alignment between donor reporting and project objectives.

5. Capacity Building and Training Leadership: Training of Trainers Model

• Conduct needs assessments to identify training gaps and needs among partner staff and relevant stakeholders.
• Lead and deliver Training of Trainers (ToT) sessions on protection topics aligned with nexus, stabilization, and development priorities.
• Redefine training content by moving beyond core GBV concepts and mainstreaming to address longer-term protection strategies within a stabilization or development context.
• Introduce innovative training approaches, such as trauma-informed approaches, to improve impact and sustainability.
• Ensure that ToT activities promote knowledge transfer through a cascade model, enabling trained participants to become trainers within their own organizations and communities.
• Develop tailored training materials responsive to Iraq’s evolving protection landscape and government policies.
• We need someone who can go beyond the standard humanitarian training packages, bring fresh ideas, and add real value that reflects where Iraq is today and where it’s headed.

Key contacts and collaborators: Internal:

• CARE Iraq program team
• MEAL, Finance, and Operations Units

External:

• Lotus Flower (partner organization)
• Government ministries and local authorities
• National protection actors
• GBV and protection working groups
• Local and international NGOs

Accountability within CARE:

Staff Risk Management Responsibilities

CARE believes that personal risk management is crucial for staff; however, the risk management cannot be achieved unless each staff member fulfills the following responsibilities. Failure to do so can not only endanger their own safety but also compromise the entire team and organization.

• Maintain Situational Awareness:
• Staff must maintain a high level of situational awareness at all times. This includes being vigilant about their surroundings, recognizing potential threats, and understanding the local context and culture.

• Stay Informed:
• Staff must stay informed about the security situation in their area of operation and avoid complacency. They should promptly read and understand information shared by the organization in relevant communication channels.
• Comply with Protocols:
• Staff must strictly adhere to the risk protocols and guidelines established by their organization. This includes following travel advisories, checking in regularly with designated security contacts, and complying with curfews or movement restrictions.
• Emergency Preparedness:
• Staff must be well-prepared for emergencies by knowing the location and contact details of local emergency services, the nearest hospital, and their organization’s security focal point. They should carry essential emergency supplies, such as first aid kits, communication devices, and personal identification, and participate in regular safety drills and training sessions.
• Maintain Reliable Communication:
• Staff must ensure they have reliable means of communication at all times and keep their phones charged and operational. They should keep the team informed of their whereabouts, especially when traveling or working in the field, and establish check-in routines to confirm their safety regularly.
• Respect Local Norms:
• Staff must understand and respect local customs, traditions, and social norms to avoid unnecessary risks and foster good relations with local communities.

• Additionally, all staff members must:

• Take Reasonable Care:
• Staff must take reasonable care for their personal health, safety, and security and ensure that their actions do not harm other staff members.
• Comply with Instructions and Policies:
• Staff must comply with the orders/instructions of the Risk focal points as required, and adhere to any workplace policy/procedure aimed at increasing the safety of all staff, including Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) as laid out in the Risk Management Plan.
• Ensure Equipment Readiness:
• Staff must ensure that all radios, Track24 units, Satphones, helmets, body armour, trauma/first aid equipment, and any other personal protective equipment and items used in field operations and elsewhere are in a safe and serviceable condition and used in accordance with their operating instructions. All damages must be paid for personally.
• Supervise and Train:
• Supervisors of other staff have a Duty of Care to ensure that their staff are not put at risk and are adequately supervised while performing their work. Managers, supervisors, and staff must ensure that before they, or their staff, work in field-based locations, they receive adequate training in security, field health and safety, and risk management.
• Report Incidents Promptly:
• Staff must promptly notify the Risk focal point of any field/operational Risk, health, safety, and security incidents that occur.

Representation of CARE Mission and Values:

• Actively communicate and promote CARE’s mission, values, and goals to all stakeholders, partners, and the public.
• Utilize CARE’s logo and branding materials appropriately in all professional activities, ensuring donor acknowledgment and visibility.
• Wear the official CARE identification material such as vest, badge and/or pin at all business settings including meetings and events to clearly represent the organization.
• Employees are expected to engage in business related video/photo shoots, interviews, or audio recordings to promote CARE and its projects, enhancing organizational visibility.
• Employees are encouraged to re-share CARE’s social media posts and follow official CARE channels on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram to help amplify the organization’s message.
• Ensure the organization’s logo and online presence are used professionally, with misuse potentially leading to disciplinary action.

 

Promoting Equality, Justice, and Climate Responsibility

Employees at CARE Iraq are expected to embody the organization’s core values of equality, justice, and climate responsibility. This includes fostering equity between men and women, promoting climate justice, and embedding these principles into the organizational activities and work culture overall. A key focus internally and externally is on empowering women through leadership opportunities, professional growth, and meaningful participation in decision-making, while addressing workforce imbalances and amplifying women’s voices to drive transformative change.

Equally, all employees of CARE Iraq are expected to prioritizes climate responsibility by encouraging sustainable practices, reducing ecological foot print, drive positive environmental impact, and supporting climate-affected communities. Integrating resilience and sustainability into all operations and actions will ensures a just and equitable future.

These principles are central to CARE Iraq’s vision for justice, fairness, and environmental stewardship.

Safeguarding and Ethics:

 At CARE, we recognize our responsibility to promote human dignity and social justice within our organization. At the heart of CARE’s efforts to impact poverty and social justice is our engagement with marginalized communities. We place human dignity at the center of our work. We are aware of the importance of organizational culture and accountability in enabling a safe and supportive environment for programme participants, the communities where we work, our staff, related personnel and our partners.

At CARE, we believe all people have a right to safety and to live their lives free from harm. The Safeguarding Policy is a response to CARE’s commitment and recognition of our responsibilities to protect and safeguard people we work with, and who work for CARE, from any form of abuse, including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, physical and emotional abuse, neglect, and child abuse. To find further details about our Safeguarding Policy commitments, please click on this link CARE International Safeguarding Policy – October 2023_EN.pdf

 

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, mental health, women rights, international development, or a related field. Master’s degree preferred.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of progressive experience leading protection monitoring and programming, with a proven ability to guide strategy, implementation, and quality assurance in complex contexts.
• Strong understanding of Iraq’s evolving context and the shift toward stabilization; proactive in introducing new approaches that reflect current realities, rather than repeating standard humanitarian approaches and training packages.
• Demonstrated leadership in stakeholder engagement, advocacy, and coordination with government actors and protection working groups.
• Proven ability to position projects as key actors in the protection landscape, rather than just participants
• Proven ability to design and lead Training-of-Trainers (ToT) initiatives, ensuring sustainable capacity-building and local ownership.
• Strong skills in financial management, with experience serving as a budget holder and ensuring compliance with donor requirements.

Technical Skills:

• In-depth understanding of nexus programming and the transition from humanitarian to development-focused protection.
• Knowledge of new stabilization or development approaches, such as trauma-informed training practices.
• Strong facilitation, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Familiarity with donor compliance, reporting requirements, and monitoring systems.

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required in addition to Arabic and/or Kurdish.

Technology:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Teams, and email platforms.

 

If you’re interested in this role, kindly apply via Strategic Engagement Coordinator tendersglobal.net Jobs at CARE International in Iraq by 26 May 2025 at the latest. Regrettably, applications received after this date will not be considered.

Notes:

A Strong Call for #Women Candidates: We highly encourage women candidates to apply for this role. At CARE Iraq, we are committed to equity and justice and strive to create a safe, inclusive space where everyone can thrive. Our goal is to build a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve and contributes to meaningful change in the lives of women and girls.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. References will only be contacted after the interview.

-For any inquiries regarding this position, please contact CARE Iraq HR Manager through nmirza@care.de