Re-advertise : Shared Future Peace-Building Technical Advisor I

About CRS 

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

CRS Iraq is supporting conflict-affected people to live in dignity through the provision of critical relief items, upgrades to shelter conditions and improved access to water and sanitation facilities, educational and psychosocial (PSS) support for children, and livelihoods support. Through the Shared Future project, CRS Iraq’s social cohesion component seeks to build mutual understanding, tolerance, and trust among religious and ethnic groups in seven project locations in Ninewa: Bartella, Bashiqa, Qaraqosh, Telkeif, Telskof, Nimrod and Wanna.

Job Summary:  

The Peacebuilding Technical Advisor will provide high-quality technical advice and support to the Shared Future Peacebuilding Program Manager and the Social Cohesion team members. The position will support with a range of program design and implementation issues in the area of peacebuilding and social cohesion in line with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) program quality principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices to Country Program (CP) teams to advance the delivery of high-quality programming to the poor and vulnerable. The Technical Advisor’s advice, knowledge, and support will contribute to determining how effective, adaptive and innovative CRS’ peacebuilding programming is across the globe.

Roles and Key Responsibilities: 

• Support the development and contribute to the implementation of agency-wide strategies, standards, tools and best practices in peacebuilding that effectively engage partners, donors, and governments. Help ensure a cross-cutting approach by integrating conflict sensitivity, gender and protection mainstreaming into social cohesion programing in Iraq.
• Develop, adapt, review, translate, and pilot curricula & resources for social cohesion programming, capturing local perspectives and ensuring content is culturally appropriate, conflict-sensitive and grounded in the local realities.
• Support capacity strengthening initiatives in peacebuilding and social cohesion programming for Shared Future and local partner staff through developing training strategies, facilitation guides and agendas, and conducting workshops, trainings and coaching, including Training of Trainers (ToTs).
• Provide ongoing support and monitoring of the delivery of social cohesion trainings to youth and community and religious leaders across project locations in Iraq.
• Coordinate with and provide technical oversight of the work of the Shared Future Peacebuilding Advisory Committee.
• Support monthly community engagement processes in the project locations, ensuring information is fed back to the Shared Future management and the members of the Peacebuilding Advisory Committee.
• Collect and analyze program data, capture and share lessons learned and best practices for specific projects to facilitate improvements in decision-making and contribute to the peacebuilding and social cohesion learning agenda.
• Provide technical solutions to CP teams, remotely and on-site, for strategic planning and how to best apply standards, best practices, partnership principles, tools and M&E, helping to ensure high-quality implementation.
• Contribute to the development of the technical design for proposals. Support the process of preparation, design, submission and approval of project concepts and full-fledged proposals. As needed, act as a technical writer on proposal development teams. Advise project teams on integrating donor strategies, priorities and technical requirements into CRS’ approach.
• Contribute to maintaining relationships with donors, peer organizations, research and other institutions in Iraq and the region, participate in forums in the area of peacebuilding to collect and share best practices and promote CRS’ work. Represent CRS in monthly meetings of the Ninewa Peace and Reconciliation Working Group and other peacebuilding groups and forums, as needed.

Basic Qualifications 

• Master’s Degree in Peacebuilding, Conflict Analysis and Resolution, Mediation or a related social sciences degree is required. Significant experience may substitute for some education.
• Minimum of three years of relevant work experience with progressive responsibilities, ideally with an international NGO, with minimum of two years relevant field-based experience in peacebuilding and social cohesion programming in Iraq.
• Excellent knowledge of technical principles and concepts in peacebuilding. Familiarity with CRS’ peacebuilding methodology will be considered an advantage.
• Good knowledge of other related disciplines, such as gender, protection, conflict sensitivity, MEAL, to ensure proper cross-sectoral approach.
• Knowledge of capacity strengthening best practices.
• Experience and skills in networking and relations with donors, peer organizations, and faith-based and civil society partners. Understanding of partnership principles.
• Experience in project design and writing content for proposals will be considered an advantage.

Required Languages – Fluency in spoken and written English and Arabic is required. Knowledge of Kurdish, Assyrian, Shabaki or Turkmen is a plus.

Travel – The position can be based in Erbil, Duhok or Mosul, with priority given to candidates based in Erbil. Candidates must be willing to undertake up to 50% travel to Duhok and project sites in Ninewa, as allowed by local and national health regulations. Minimal regional and international travel for training or project activities, as needed.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities  

• Strong relationship management skills with ability to influence and get buy-in from people not under direct supervision and to work with individuals in diverse geographical and cultural settings
• Good strategic, analytical, problem-solving and systems thinking skills with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment
• Excellent technical writing skills
• Presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills
• Proactive, resourceful and results-oriented

Preferred Qualifications 

• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information and budget management systems, knowledge-sharing networks.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)  

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.  

• Integrity  
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation 
• Builds Relationships  
• Develops Talent 
• Strategic Mindset 
• Accountability & Stewardship 

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Key Working Relationships:  

Internal: Peacebuilding Program Manager; Project Director; Social Cohesion Project Manager, Senior Project Officers, Project Officers, Field Assistants, MEAL Program Manager; Head of Programming; HQ Senior Technical Advisors for Justice and Peacebuilding

External: Caritas Iraq; project partners; other operational partners; local government; UN agencies and relevant sector leads; peacebuilding groups and actors across the Ninewa Plains and other governorates in Iraq

***Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.  

Disclaimer:  This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.  

CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation. 

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Please submit your CV as a PDF, other formats rather than PDF will consider corrupted and will lead to neglect application.

You can apply via the link below:

Shared Future Peace-Building Technical Advisor I