Program Officer

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 Mercy Corps Iraq Team

Mercy Corps has worked across Iraq’s 18 governorates since 2003. Mercy Corps Iraq has a whole-of- Iraq approach and operates across nine governorates: Anbar, Basra, Duhok, Baghdad, Erbil, Kirkuk, Ninewa, Salah al-Din, and Sulaymaniyah with an experienced team of nearly 250 national and international staff. Through our extensive portfolio, Mercy Corps Iraq has formed strong relations with the communities and local authorities where we operate and has an in-depth understanding of the security and cultural context in the areas where we work. Mercy Corps Iraq is currently implementing seven programs in Ninewa Governorate, with a demonstrated track record of working together with local stakeholders – from government directorates, as well as community leaders, women’s associations, local councils, Municipal Councils, Provincial Councils, Ninewa and Mosul Universities, and local and international NGOs. Mercy Corps has an especially strong background in designing and enacting social cohesion activities and peacebuilding with communities.

Program Summary:

Mercy Corps in order to harness the potential of local CSOs, Mercy Corps is implementing the 18-month, Building Resilience of Iraqi CSOs (BRICS) program to facilitate subgrant funding to local CSOs whose mandates and activities seek to improve the human rights landscape in Iraq, with Mercy Corps providing technical and organizational capacity training and mentorship. Through this project, Mercy Corps will act as a connector and enabler for local CSOs to elevate their role in promoting human rights in Iraq. Mercy Corps is requesting the full funding amount in order to support funding flows to local organizations for maximum impact, and to adequately resource the requisite capacity strengthening for CSOs to manage those funds. We will achieve this goal through the following two objectives:

Objective 1: Iraqi CSOs implement projects that elevate human rights issues.

Objective 2: Selected Iraqi CSOs improve their technical and organizational capacity to deliver high- quality programming that elevates human rights

General Position Summary

The Program Officer will assist the Program Manager in carrying out the day-to-day activities of the Building Resilience of Iraqi CSOs (BRICS) program in a particular region in Thiqar.

Mercy Corps will function as a connection and facilitator for local CSOs to raise their role in supporting human rights in Iraq through this project. Mercy Corps is proposing the entire grant amount to maximize financial flows to local groups and appropriately resource the capacity development required for CSOs to administer those monies.

Essential Responsibilities

• Conduct and coordinate program activities in the designated province in accordance with the work
• Ongoing site visits to program implementation areas to monitor program activity
• Collaborate with local government and community partners to enable and coordinate program activity implementation.
• Collaborate closely with local partners to recruit program participants and local partners based on selection criteria and to enhance their capability.
• Submit to the Program Manager a monthly and weekly activity status report for program
• Assist in the documenting of program
• As needed, prepare extra reports/presentations/statistics.
• Participate in project-related meetings and
• Comply with all security
• Disseminate and document program success stories
• Conduct himself/herself professionally and in such a way that Mercy Corps’ humanitarian objective is not
• Any other responsibilities delegated by the supervisor

Supervisory Responsibility None

Accountability

Reports Directly to: Program Manager

Works Directly With: MEL Unit, Program staff, Local Partner, field-based logistics and finance teams, and other members of the MC team

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically toward partners, 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 and Transferable Skills

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent; and at least two years of professional experience in peace building programs with an INGO or local
• Previous experience presenting training/events is
• Successfully collaborated with many stakeholders in complicated situations, including the private sector, local governments, and partners, in an effective and polite
• Proven negotiating, communication, and organizational abilities Computer skills (Word and Excel preferred)
• Language skills – Arabic and English preferred
• The ability to work and engage with a varied team of various nationalities and
• The ability to conduct oneself with sensitivity and respect for

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 and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. 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.

 Female Candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. 

ALL APPLICATIONS/ CVs SHOULD BE RECEIVED BY February 24, 2024

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 This Position. 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.