Program Officer (Civil Society Initiatives)

Program Officer (Civil Society Initiatives)

Ref. Nr. 063 / 2017

Location:                                                            Iraq, Erbil

Start of Contract:                                              Immediate

Grade of position:                                             Locally engaged position (L7), not eligible for expatriate allowances

Organization profile

Every year, millions of people around the world go missing as a result of conflict, human rights abuses, disasters, organized crime, irregular migration, and other causes.  Be part of a growing international organization that is dedicated to tackling this global challenge.

The aim of The International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) Middle East and Near Africa (MENA Regional Program) is to establish the foundations for an effective and sustainable mechanism to address the issue of the missing in a future post-conflict Syria. The program will focus on:

• contributing to increased understanding among victims, civil society and key stakeholders regarding processes, standards and rights of victims and survivors who are involved in accounting for missing persons
• establishing the conditions to launch a participative process of data collection that empowers and engages families of the missing
• increasing the capacity of Syrian families, legal experts and other stakeholders to foster an impartial and law-based approach to accounting for missing persons in post-conflict Syria.

To learn more about ICMP click here.

Position Background

The Program Officer works with Syrian families of the missing in Iraq, enhancing their capacity to be engaged in addressing the issue of missing persons and promoting a process of data collection related to missing persons from the conflict in Syria. The Program Officer will be located in ICMP Erbil program Office but will be part of the MENA program. The position will be required to travel in Iraq and throughout the region including to Lebanon, Turkey, and Jordan.

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Head of the MENA Regional Program (based in Beirut), the duties of the Program Officer will include, but may not be limited to:

• Contributing to the identification of key stakeholders and the development of trust and working relationships with community leaders, civil society, and representatives of family associations;
• Designing and organizing capacity-building events and meetings with communities, families of missing persons and NGOs in Iraq; 

• Contributing to the design and implementation of public information and visibility strategies in coordination with headquarters; 


• Designing tools for ICMP staff and relevant partners related to the collection and entry of data, including reference genetic data;
• Providing support to ensure the proper use of ICMP’s data collection applications and modules, including the Identification Database Management System (iDMS) and the Online Inquiry Center (OIC);
• Organizing, supervising, coordinating and supporting field or in-house reference data collection campaigns;
• Contributing to the preparation of relevant reports on data gathered or shared, and to any other internal or external reporting;
• Assisting in the translation of tools, materials and collected data, and providing interpretation support to ICMP's international staff during events and meetings;
• Performing other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary education in political science, sociology, law, or other relevant disciplines;
• At least seven years of experience working with civil society organizations;
• Completion of a Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT), or similar, is desirable;
• Proven record of experience in the field of human rights or humanitarian assistance;
• Experience in documentation of human rights or working directly with victims will be considered an asset;
• In-depth understanding of the Syrian conflict and the region, as well as work experience related to Syrians living in Iraq and the region is desirable; 

• Demonstrable experience organizing events and meetings and handling logistics;
• Excellent public speaking and communication skills;
• Excellent conceptual, analytical, documentation and presentation skills, including frequent report writing; 

• Excellent planning and prioritization skills, including the ability to think and operate strategically.

Additional requirements:

• Proficiency in written and spoken English and Arabic.  Knowledge of written and spoken Kurdish is highly desirable;
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel and Power Point;
• Proven ability to interact positively with colleagues regardless of culture, nationality or gender;
• Willingness & ability to travel outside of Iraq and to work flexible hours including weekends and evenings;
• Capacity and willingness to work in sometimes challenging circumstances and under hardship living conditions.

HOW TO APPLY: If you are interested in this position, please click on APPLY below, visit our website and send us your application by email. By email, send a Curriculum Vitae with cover letter and three work-related references. Please state the vacancy number in the subject line.

APPLICATION CLOSE DATE: Review of applications begins on 22 January 2018. However, the position will remain open until a suitable candidate is selected.

ICMP is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to diversity. We thank all applicants for their interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.