Job Description:
Position Name: PSEAH Specialist
Required staff: one Person
Duration: 8 months, renewable, aligned with the BPSI Phase IV project cycle
Starting from: Asap
Duty Station: Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, or Baghdad (Iraq), with regular travel to field sites in Baghdad, Anbar, Salahaddin, Nineveh, and Kirkuk governorates
Closing date of the vacancy: August 03, 2026
Line management :Country Representative (CR), Iraq
Technical/functional supervision: HQ Protection, Gender & Safeguarding Advisor (Italy)
Type of contract: Employment Contract- Full Time
Project: Building Peace and Stability in Iraq (BPSI) Programme — Phase IV, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)
Background
Un Ponte Per (UPP) is an Italian non-governmental organization established in 1991. The organization has been working in Iraq since the early 1990s to promote peacebuilding, human rights, social justice, and civic participation.
UPP works in partnership with Iraqi civil society organizations, community actors, and national institutions to support access to justice, protection of civic space, gender equality, and inclusive governance.
As part of its programmatic engagement in Iraq, UPP is implementing the project “Building Peace and Stability in Iraq”, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) aimed at strengthening access to justice, civil society participation, and the protection of human rights, while supporting dialogue between civil society and institutional stakeholders.
The Project
Building Peace and Stability in Iraq is a programme funded by FCDO (The UK Government’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office) implemented in Kirkuk, Salahaddin, Nineveh and Anbar. BPSI aims to support the reintegration of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees from Northeast Syria in areas of return. The programme is currently implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and six local NGOs (Peace and Freedom Organization, Tahreer Association for Development, House of Co-existence, Justice Center, Legal Clinic Network, and Investigator Organization for the Rule of Law) managed by the International Rescue Committee (IRC). The programme component delivered by IRC has been running since 2023. Due to IRC’s planned departure from Iraq in 2026, Un Ponte Per-ETS (UPP) is taking over the leadership of this component during 2026-2027 Fiscal Year in partnership with Agency for Peacebuilding who will be acting as technical and advisory support.
Project Purpose: To ensure safe return and sustainable reintegration of conflict-affected Iraqis, fostering stability and resilience in communities
Outcome I: Community groups engage to identify specific drivers of conflict, promote social cohesion, and reduce discrimination.
Outcome II: People impacted by displacement can access justice and exercise their rights to achieve durable solutions
Outcome III: Government actors, civil society, and community leaders are equipped with knowledge and skills to promote achievement of durable solutions and social cohesion
Job Description
UPP is looking for a PSEAH Specialist mainly based in Erbil, Baghdad or Sulaimaniyah, but available to travel to field sites throughout the BPSI Phase IV target governorates, if required.
The position ensures that UPP's Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH) and Child Safeguarding systems are implemented, followed up, and adapted to the Iraqi context in a professional, survivor/child-centred, and confidential manner, in line with UPP's safeguarding policies, FCDO PSEAH and Safeguarding standards, and other applicable international standards. He/she works under the day-to-day line management of the Country Representative and the technical supervision and mentoring of the HQ Protection, Gender & Safeguarding Advisor, who provides independent oversight, quality assurance, and escalation support for sensitive cases.
The PSEAH Specialist acts as primary contact for the day-to-day implementation, prevention, capacity building, mentoring and first-line case management. The level of involvement in investigations will depend on the nature of the allegation, the parties involved, and any potential conflict of interest, in accordance with UPP Safeguarding Policies and Procedures.
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
PSEAH Specialist
Technical Backstopping
- Conduct organizational and field-level safeguarding capacity needs assessments with UPP teams and, where relevant, partner organizations.
- Carry out beneficiary/community needs assessments to tailor the Feedback, Response and Complaint Mechanism (FRCM) and to understand context-specific PSEAH and Child Safeguarding (CS) risks.
- Build, roll out, and monitor PSEAH and Child Safeguarding Action Plans for UPP and partner organizations.
- Carry out regular safeguarding monitoring visits to field sites and partner offices.
- Provide ongoing mentoring and technical support to UPP staff and partner focal points on PSEAH and Child Safeguarding implementation.
- Conduct safeguarding due diligence assessments of new partners prior to sub-grant agreements, and periodically review and update PSEAH/CS policies, SOPs, and FRCM tools in light of monitoring findings.
- Provide technical guidance on safeguarding risks in higher-risk programme components (e.g. activities involving children, cash/voucher assistance, participant transport).
- Ensure all relevant project related aspects are in line with UPP policies, FCDO standards and CHS Allaince best international practice adapted to the local context.
Capacity Building
- Support and train UPP staff and partner-identified focal points on safeguarding and on safe, ethical reporting and referral procedures.
- Draft capacity-building plans and materials on safeguarding topics in collaboration with the HQ Safeguarding Advisor, HR, and the Protection Department.
- Support the consortium's six local NGO partners to strengthen their own safeguarding systems — governance, Codes of Conduct, PSEAH policies, and FRCM — in line with UPP's institutional capacity-building objectives under BPSI Phase IV, and mentor partner focal points on their practical application.
- Support safe recruitment checks for UPP and partner staff, including misconduct disclosure reference checks.
- Facilitate after-action reviews and lessons-learned exercises on safeguarding to inform training and Action Plan priorities.
Prevention and Awareness
- Promote safeguarding, including PSEAH and Child Safeguarding standards, across all offices, partners, and contractors.
- Support the localization and adaptation of safeguarding materials into Arabic and Kurdish, ensuring cultural relevance and accessibility.
- Support HR and management to strengthen local safeguarding standards and procedures, including safe recruitment, staff induction, and disciplinary measures.
- Support compliance with PSEAH policy implementation in UPP and partners, including Code of Conduct and policy dissemination and acknowledgement, in line with FCDO PSEAH and Safeguarding standards.
- Support the security and programmes department in conducting safeguarding risk assessments and prevention plans for field activities.
- Ensure safe, accessible, and confidential reporting mechanisms for communities and staff, in collaboration with HR, Programmes, and MEAL departments, with particular attention to women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
Coordination and Reporting
- Liaise regularly with HQ Safeguarding Advisor, Country Representative and HR to ensure consistent implementation of organization and donor safeguarding procedures and reporting, including FCDO PSEAH and Safeguarding standards.
- Maintain direct, confidential communication with the HQ Safeguarding Advisor for any concern involving conflict of interest, pressure, or sensitivity that could compromise handling at field level.
- Participate actively in relevant coordination platforms in Iraq.
- Track and report on safeguarding cases, trends and prevention activities to the Country Representative and the HQ Safeguarding Advisor.
- Represent safeguarding within consortium steering committees and technical working groups, ensuring PSEAH and child safeguarding are mainstreamed across the programme.
- Provide safeguarding input to regular project reports (interim and final) and to technical reports and annexes, as required by the donor.
- Support integration of safeguarding indicators into project's MEAL framework and preparation of donors safeguarding audits or compliance reviews. Provide technical input into safeguarding-related proposal development for future funding.
Case Management, Intake and Referral
- Is the first point of contact in Iraq for PSEAH. Receive and maintain records documentation of child safeguarding in accordance with UPP safeguarding procedures and agreed case management protocols guarantying confidentially.
- Ensure confidential, survivor/child-centred intake and documentation of concerns, maintaining secure case files in compliance with UPP procedures and data protection principles.
- Refer survivors and other persons of concern for immediate assistance, in collaboration with the HQ Protection, Gender & Safeguarding Advisor and relevant service providers.
- Escalate promptly sensitive, high-risk or complex concerns to the HQ Safeguarding Advisor for independent oversight, risk assessment, and guidance on next steps, including referral for formal investigation where warranted.
- Where formally assigned and in accordance with UPP Safeguarding policies, support safeguarding investigations involving consortium partners or community-related safeguarding referents, except investigations involving UPP personnel, senior management or cases presenting significant organizational, legal or reputational risks.
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENT :
Qualifications & Experience:
- Bachelor's degree in law, Social Work, Psychology, Humanitarian Affairs, or a related field, and/or relevant safeguarding certifications
- Minimum 4 years of relevant experience in safeguarding, protection, or accountability roles in humanitarian or development contexts
- Solid understanding of PSEAH, GBV, Child Safeguarding, and Code of Conduct standards, including donor requirements such as FCDO PSEAH and Safeguarding standards
- Knowledge of referral pathways and psychological first aid
- Experience in delivering training and capacity building on safeguarding topics, including to local partner organizations
- Familiarity with humanitarian coordination mechanisms, safeguarding networks and survivor/child-centred approach
- Strong knowledge of the Iraqi context, including cultural sensitivities and operational challenges across the targeted governorates
- If the candidate has five years of relevant experience in this field, it may compensate for not holding one of the specific degrees mentioned above.
Language Requirements
- Proficient level of written and spoken Arabic and English
Additional Requirements
- Ability to write professional reports
- Flexibility to travel between different governorates in Iraq when required
Core Competencies:
- Strong analytical and decision-making skills
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Inter-cultural and gender sensitivity, integrity, and respect for confidentiality
- Ability to manage complex and sensitive matters under pressure
- Capacity-building and delivering safeguarding training
- Ability to work independently while maintaining close, transparent coordination with HQ technical supervision
- Ability to exercise sound judgement in determining when safeguarding concerns require escalation and higher-level organizational decision-making
Desirable Skills
- Certified training in safeguarding investigations, CHS or equivalent
- GBV, CP and /or MHPSS case management experience and qualifications
- Experience working with local partners and community-based complaint mechanisms
Recruitment at UPP (Ethical Conduct and Safeguarding)
- UPP is an Equal Opportunity Employer. UPP 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.
- UPP : upholds all the minimum standards in terms of Ethical Conduct and strives to increase its standards over the minimum. Zero tolerance is reserved to Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH), and to Child Abuse, ,Violence, Harm, Injury and Negligence, and Physical/Emotional Harm, including online abuse, as well as to Anti-Corruption, Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism. By applying, the candidate assures that s/he has never breached any standards of SEA, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Corruption, Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism and that s/he won’t in the future.
- Upp is committed to recruiting only those suitable to work with children and the communities we serve.
- As a participant in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS), UPP systematically requests information from previous employers on any substantiated findings of SEAH or serious breaches of child safeguarding during employment, reserves the right to contact any organization a candidate has worked for, and requests data on investigations ongoing at the time of their departure. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of this recruitment procedure.
- All posts are subject to vetting checks, including criminal records disclosure and screening against anti-terrorism, anti-money-laundering, anti-corruption, and anti-fraud sanctions lists. Shortlisted candidates must provide a criminal background check certificate issued no more than three months before the job offer; candidates are encouraged to obtain this in advance as processing times vary.
- By submitting an application, candidates confirm their understanding of these procedures, authorize UPP to conduct all mandatory inquiries, and declare that they have never committed or been subject to findings of SEAH or Child Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation, or Physical/Emotional Harm. All selected candidates are expected to work in accordance with UPP's Code of Conduct and all PSEAH and Child Safeguarding policies.
More information related to how to apply:
- Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
- Applications will be screened on a rolling basis. UPP reserves the right to recruit a candidate who matches the required qualifications before the mentioned deadline.
- Please name the files attached to your application as follows: Name_Surname_CV, Name_Surname_CL
- CVs and cover letters that are not in PDF format will not be considered.