Senior Liaison Officer – Dohuk

[Duhok,Iraq ]

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

 

The Program / Department / Team (Program / Department Summary)

The Northeast Syria (NES) NGO Forum was established in July 2016 as the primary coordination body for NGOs in North East Syria – as part of formalized coordination arrangements under the whole of Syria approach. The Forum is currently comprised of over 40 members, and continues to grow, with responsibility for a number of core functions, including operational coordination, representation with external stakeholders, engagement with authorities, information management and policy and advocacy. The forum also oversees the inter-sector working group, consisting of sector coordinators, which are hosted by NGOs in NES. 

 

The Position (General Position Summary)

As NGOs working in Northeast Syria rely on cross-border access from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), the NGO Forum is seeking a strong Senior Liaison Officer/Coordinator in KRI to represent NES-based NGOs. The Senior Liaison Officer/Coordinator will be responsible for representing the NES NGO Forum in KRI and engaging with authorities on issues and impediments affecting NGOs based in NES. This position will be responsible for building positive relationships with local authorities and mapping out key stakeholders, as well as regularly reporting to and ensuring close linkages with authorities on matters that affect NGO operations. The Senior Liaison Officer/Coordinator will develop a good understanding of the NGO response in NES and will spend time ensuring that authorities and other key stakeholders in KRI are fully aware of what the NES Forum is responsible for. As NGOs working in NES have offices in both Dohuk and Erbil, this individual would be expected to travel between the two cities on a regular basis. The Senior Liaison Officer/Coordinator will act as a key focal point for the NES NGO Forum in KRI, both for authorities and other NGOs, and will also support with translation of documents and interpretation during meetings where needed. 

 

Essential Responsibilities 

REPRESENTATION 

• Attending coordination meetings in KRI as relevant to the NES NGO response
• Preparing brief reports and summaries of meetings
• Raising awareness among authorities and other stakeholders in KRI about the profile of the NES Forum, as well as communicating its purpose and work.

LIAISON

• Building mutually-supportive relationships with local authorities
• Mapping out key stakeholders and processes to support understanding within the NES Forum NES NGOs of the authority and permissions structure in KRI
• Engaging with local authorities to address on issues and impediments affecting NGOs, including access constraints relating to the movement of supplies to NES; to facilitate staff access to NES via the Fishkhabour/Semalka border; and to resolve any other operational impediments as they arise.
• Regularly reporting to and ensuring close linkages with authorities on matters that affect NGO operations.

TRANSLATION AND AD HOC SUPPORT TO NGOS

• Providing ad hoc liaison advice for NGOs as needed in KRI
• Supporting with translation of documents and interpretation during KRI-based meetings

 

Supervisory Responsibility None

Accountability 

Reports Directly To: NES Forum Director

Works Directly With: NES Forum team, NES NGOs

 

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills 

• Bachelors’ degree.
• 3 years relevant work experience working with NGOs,
• Effective skills in coordination, organization and prioritization.
• Excellent English and Kurdish (Arabic also desirable).
• Good reporting and writing skills

 

Success Factors 

• The successful candidate will have the ability to interact effectively with national and international staff members and demonstrate ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and provide relevant advice and support in a fluid security environment.
• The candidate will have the ability to build positive relationships with figures of authority and influential stakeholders and should have a proactive attitude to coordination and representation.
• Excellent inter-personal skills, with ability to proactively identify ways of improving linkages and working with a diverse range of NGOs and their staff

 

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

This position will be based in Erbil in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and will be expected to travel between Erbil, Dohuk and other cities in KRI as needed. 

 

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

 

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives. 

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

 

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact. 

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

 

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCES:

Successful candidates should meet the education and experience requirements in the position descriptions for the vacant positions.

S/he must be self- motivated, creative, tolerant, and able to work in difficult, stressful environments and follow Mercy Corps procedures. S/he must respect diversity and gender equality at the workplace.

Interested candidates should submit their CVs to the email address [email protected] before the deadline indicated below.

Please indicate on the subject of the email the title of the position you are applying for, for full position description for the noted posts, please visit websites NCCI and F-Job.

 

ALL APPLICATIONS/ CVs SHOULD BE RECEIVED BY December 2nd, 2021 at 4:00PM

Mercy Corps will review CV’s and applications on a rolling basis (i.e., as applications are submitted).

Potential candidates for the post will be contacted for an interview and processed according to Mercy Corps Human Resources policies and procedures. As soon as qualified candidates are identified the positions will be closed automatically. Please note that only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for potential interview.

Any documents submitted will remain with Mercy Corps and will not be returned to candidates.

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer. Females are highly encouraged to apply.

Female Candidates are encouraged to apply for the position of Operation Assistant.  Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global Impact.  

Mercy Corps Iraq offers a variety of arrangements that enable women to excel in their careers.  Mercy Corps Iraq ensures a safe and inclusive working environment for women and men through field security training and measures to provide secure working arrangements on-site and in the office.