WPE Psychosocial Support (PSS) Officer/ Kirkuk

[Kirkuk,Iraq ]

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, IRC offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in more than 30 countries and in 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted by conflict or disaster. IRC leads the way from harm to home.

 

CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND

The IRC established programmes in Iraq in 2003 to address the overwhelming needs of displaced people in Iraq and the neighboring countries. Since re-establishing its presence in Iraq in November 2007, the IRC has been assisting thousands of internally displaced families in the northern, central and southern governorates in the sectors of protection, gender-based violence (GBV), shelter, education, and emergency humanitarian assistance. Working in coordination with the humanitarian community in Iraq, the IRC’s assistance and emergency programmes address the needs of war-affected Iraqi internally displaced persons (IDPs) and Syrian refugees from several operational bases in the country, and include both camp-based and urban-based assistance. IRC operates throughout Iraq, with the main office in Erbil and field offices in Najaf, Karbala, Baghdad, Tikrit, Sulimaniyah, Dohuk and Kirkuk. The IRC has WPE programming in seven governorates and provides both direct service provision (through women’s and girls’ centers and mobile teams) and technical support to local partner organizations to implement safe spaces and deliver services to women and girls as well as longer term capacity building of local NGOs, government service providers, and other protection actors on GBV related topics.

 

The IRC now has ongoing programming in Ninewa, providing cash assistance and protection services to Iraqis affected by the military operation to re-take Kirkuk which started on October 2016, forcing many into displacement. To ensure the safety, wellbeing and protection needs of vulnerable women and girls are met, the IRC provides GBV prevention and response services through its Women’s Protection and Empowerment team.

 

SCOPE OF WORK

The WPE PSS Officer will be responsible for establishing, developing and running PSS groups and activities for women & adolescent girls, focused on healing and positive well-being, learning, and empowerment, where women can reflect, share, create, imagine, and build supportive networks. The PSS Officer will also work on the set-up of Women & girls’ Committees, promoting women & girls’ solidarity and leadership at the community level.

 

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Program implementation and quality

• Reinforce adherence to the GBV guiding principles throughout all WPE activities, and ensuring confidentiality of survivors, informed consent and respect for their wishes and decisions
• Be proactive in creating and developing WGSS PSS (focused and non-focused) and community engagement activities, ensuring that best practice, WPE guidelines and approaches are being followed
• Work on the start-up and implementation of the women-only groups & girls only groups and activities, ensuring groups are formed in a safe, comfortable, and confidential manner and environment, in line with IRC safe spaces standards, and using IRC WPE programming resources (including Arab Women Speak Out curriculum, Emotional Support Group material& Girl Shine toolkit)
• Ensure PSS activities, in-line with WPE guidelines and best practice and with support from WPE Snr Response Officer, are guided by women themselves and based on their interests, needs and priorities, are age-appropriate and inclusive
• In collaboration with the WPE Case Workers, and WPE prevention officer develop awareness-raising sessions on the types of services available to survivors of GBV, where these services are available, how communities can support survivors to access services, and the consequences of GBV and the benefits of seeking care and support, using a variety of context-appropriate methods
• Support the set-up and running of Women & girls’ Committees, using IRC material guidelines for the development of women’s action groups at community level, promoting women’s voice, leadership and organizing at the grassroots level, guided by mutual support and solidarity
• In collaboration with the WPE prevention officers, carry out monthly safety audits and community consultations to identify and discuss safety and risks faced by women and girls, develop concrete actions for IRC, other actors and the community to address, and ensure follow-up on these actions
• Closely work with female community mobilizers for outreach and awareness raising at community-level, and get their support for in the facilitation of relevant activities
• Seek technical guidance and support from the WPE Snr Response Officer on activity development, implementation and available resources
• In collaboration with other WPE staff participate in kits distribution process for women and girls.
• Work with other WPE staff to complete all the required surveys and assessments when needed.

 

Monitoring and reporting

• Provide the WPE Snr Officer with regular updates on your work (daily/ weekly)
• Ensure that participatory monitoring and evaluation is conducted for all PSS women & adolescent girls activities
• Provide timely and accurate information to the WPE Snr Officer for weekly/monthly WPE program reports; contribute to writing reports against indicators relevant to the position

 

Collaboration & Representation

• Work with WPE Case Workers to exchange non-confidential information and ensure that WPE programs are responding to the evolving needs of women and girls
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with relevant stakeholders including community members and other humanitarian partners and service providers.

 

Other

• Ensure all activities are carried out in accordance with IRC Operational policies
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor to ensure successful implementation of WPE programming.

 

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Position Reports to: WPE Senior Officer

Position directly supervises: N/A

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal: WPE Case Workers; IRC Iraq team including other programmes (ERD, Child Protection, and Protection/Rule of Law), Grants Department, Supply Chain, HR and Finance Departments

External: Close collaboration with other humanitarian actors, local NGOs, UN agencies, government service providers.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, IRC offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in more than 30 countries and in 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted by conflict or disaster. IRC leads the way from harm to home.

 

CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND

The IRC established programmes in Iraq in 2003 to address the overwhelming needs of displaced people in Iraq and the neighboring countries. Since re-establishing its presence in Iraq in November 2007, the IRC has been assisting thousands of internally displaced families in the northern, central and southern governorates in the sectors of protection, gender-based violence (GBV), shelter, education, and emergency humanitarian assistance. Working in coordination with the humanitarian community in Iraq, the IRC’s assistance and emergency programmes address the needs of war-affected Iraqi internally displaced persons (IDPs) and Syrian refugees from several operational bases in the country, and include both camp-based and urban-based assistance. IRC operates throughout Iraq, with the main office in Erbil and field offices in Najaf, Karbala, Baghdad, Tikrit, Sulimaniyah, Dohuk and Kirkuk. The IRC has WPE programming in seven governorates and provides both direct service provision (through women’s and girls’ centers and mobile teams) and technical support to local partner organizations to implement safe spaces and deliver services to women and girls as well as longer term capacity building of local NGOs, government service providers, and other protection actors on GBV related topics.

 

The IRC now has ongoing programming in Ninewa, providing cash assistance and protection services to Iraqis affected by the military operation to re-take Kirkuk which started on October 2016, forcing many into displacement. To ensure the safety, wellbeing and protection needs of vulnerable women and girls are met, the IRC provides GBV prevention and response services through its Women’s Protection and Empowerment team.

 

SCOPE OF WORK

The WPE PSS Officer will be responsible for establishing, developing and running PSS groups and activities for women & adolescent girls, focused on healing and positive well-being, learning, and empowerment, where women can reflect, share, create, imagine, and build supportive networks. The PSS Officer will also work on the set-up of Women & girls’ Committees, promoting women & girls’ solidarity and leadership at the community level.

 

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Program implementation and quality

• Reinforce adherence to the GBV guiding principles throughout all WPE activities, and ensuring confidentiality of survivors, informed consent and respect for their wishes and decisions
• Be proactive in creating and developing WGSS PSS (focused and non-focused) and community engagement activities, ensuring that best practice, WPE guidelines and approaches are being followed
• Work on the start-up and implementation of the women-only groups & girls only groups and activities, ensuring groups are formed in a safe, comfortable, and confidential manner and environment, in line with IRC safe spaces standards, and using IRC WPE programming resources (including Arab Women Speak Out curriculum, Emotional Support Group material& Girl Shine toolkit)
• Ensure PSS activities, in-line with WPE guidelines and best practice and with support from WPE Snr Response Officer, are guided by women themselves and based on their interests, needs and priorities, are age-appropriate and inclusive
• In collaboration with the WPE Case Workers, and WPE prevention officer develop awareness-raising sessions on the types of services available to survivors of GBV, where these services are available, how communities can support survivors to access services, and the consequences of GBV and the benefits of seeking care and support, using a variety of context-appropriate methods
• Support the set-up and running of Women & girls’ Committees, using IRC material guidelines for the development of women’s action groups at community level, promoting women’s voice, leadership and organizing at the grassroots level, guided by mutual support and solidarity
• In collaboration with the WPE prevention officers, carry out monthly safety audits and community consultations to identify and discuss safety and risks faced by women and girls, develop concrete actions for IRC, other actors and the community to address, and ensure follow-up on these actions
• Closely work with female community mobilizers for outreach and awareness raising at community-level, and get their support for in the facilitation of relevant activities
• Seek technical guidance and support from the WPE Snr Response Officer on activity development, implementation and available resources
• In collaboration with other WPE staff participate in kits distribution process for women and girls.
• Work with other WPE staff to complete all the required surveys and assessments when needed.

 

Monitoring and reporting

• Provide the WPE Snr Officer with regular updates on your work (daily/ weekly)
• Ensure that participatory monitoring and evaluation is conducted for all PSS women & adolescent girls activities
• Provide timely and accurate information to the WPE Snr Officer for weekly/monthly WPE program reports; contribute to writing reports against indicators relevant to the position

 

Collaboration & Representation

• Work with WPE Case Workers to exchange non-confidential information and ensure that WPE programs are responding to the evolving needs of women and girls
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with relevant stakeholders including community members and other humanitarian partners and service providers.

 

Other

• Ensure all activities are carried out in accordance with IRC Operational policies
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor to ensure successful implementation of WPE programming.

 

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Position Reports to: WPE Senior Officer

Position directly supervises: N/A

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal: WPE Case Workers; IRC Iraq team including other programmes (ERD, Child Protection, and Protection/Rule of Law), Grants Department, Supply Chain, HR and Finance Departments

External: Close collaboration with other humanitarian actors, local NGOs, UN agencies, government service providers.

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field (Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, Gender Studies, etc.).
• Experience in counseling, social work, women’s health, or other related field (minimum one year).
• Proven experience and skills working with/engaging women, using highly participatory, creative/innovative, inclusive and sustainable approaches
• Demonstrated ability to motivate, mobilize, energize, and inspire others
• Excellent practical individual and group facilitation skills, that respect professional boundaries, with diverse individuals and groups
• Clear understanding of and interest in the wellbeing of women and girls, and supporting their healing after the experience of violence; human rights, gender
• Understanding of case management, psychosocial support and life skills programming to promote
• Demonstrated understanding of and ability to maintain confidentiality and respect for beneficiaries.
• Excellent listening and effective communication skills
• Computer literate, particularly in Microsoft Word and Excel
• Fluency in Arabic required, knowledge of English would be an asset.

 

Working Environment: 

• The position will be based in Kirkuk and frequent travel to field sites.

Standards of Professional Conduct: 

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct.  These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability.  In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

 

Gender Equality:

IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including maternity leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances. Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Attention Returning National Candidates:

IRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified national staff in our programs. We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a national of the country in which this position is based and are currently located outside of your home country and possess over two years of international work experience, IRC has introduced an attractive remuneration package. The package includes competitive compensation, return flight to post, shipping allowance, temporary housing and a relocation allowance. Certain restrictions may apply.

 

Notice to all Job Seekers

IRC implements an equal employment opportunity policy
and our recruitment process is based on merit.

Applicants and/or successful interview
candidates (both internal and external) are not required to pay any fees at any
stage of the recruitment process.

If anyone asks you for any financial or
non-financial favors to help you secure a job at IRC, kindly report to [email protected]  

 

ملاحظة لكل الباحثين عن وظيفة

تعتمد لجنة الانقاذ الدولية سياسة فرص عمل
متساوية و ان عملية التوظيف لدينا تعتمد على الجدارة.

لايتوجب على المتقدمين لاي وظيفة او المؤهلين للمقابلات
(سواء كانوا موظفيين حالين او متقدمين من خارج المنظمة) دفع اي مبلغ مالي خلال اي
مرحلة من مراحل التوظيف.

اذا قام اي شخص بطلب اي خدمة مالية او غير مالية لقاء
مساعدتكم في تأمين فرصة عمل داخل المنظمة ،يرجى الابلاغ عن ذلك الى [email protected]

 

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.

 

 

 

Click on the below Link:

https://rescue.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/21136?c=rescue 

closing date: 12-Nov-2021