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Project Director / Humanitarian Liaison - Iraq

5:22:00 PM
Iraq Humanitarian Information Service (HIS)
Position: Project Director / Humanitarian Liaison (PD/HL)
Reports to: MENA Regional Director
Location: Erbil, Iraq
Duration:6 months initially
Anticipated start date: ASAP depending on confirmation of funding
Deadline for applications:Applications will be reviewed as they are received
Position subject to confirmation of funding
BACKGROUND:
For the first time in an emergency response, an inter-agency team comprised of UN, NGOs and a media development agency carried out a rapid community consultation with displaced people in camp and non-camp settings, including host communities to understand information needs, access and preferred communication channels for populations affected by the crisis in Iraq.
This exercise (Aug 17-22, 2014) included discussions with aid agencies, local authorities, local media and telecommunication providers to understand current activities and the capacity to meet the information needs of affected populations. A team comprised of OCHA, UNHCR, World Vision International and Internews carried out the field exercise in Erbil, Dahuk and Suleymaniyah Governorates with support from NRC and IOM.
Preliminary findings are concerning. Displaced populations only have access to conflicting and broken information regarding the provision of basic services, creating confusion, isolation and mistrust.
To date, IDPs are mostly relying on mobile phones to keep connected to family members left behind and to follow security developments in their areas of origin.
Populations affected by crises need more than physical necessities. Information and communication are forms of aid in its own right, “people need information as much as water, food, medicine or shelter.” See 2-minute animation at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6bB0y8DdYY
As part of a Communications with Communities (CwC) Working Group Appeal lead by OCHA, humanitarian partners are mobilizing resources to start working with preferred communication channels, such as face-to-face communication, mobile phones, print materials and local media.
Internews, pending confirmation of funding, wants to strengthen the 2-way communication between displaced communities, host communities and humanitarian agencies through print (i.e. weekly newspapers) and audio products (i.e. daily humanitarian podcasts) that will:
  • Provide communities access timely, accurate, well-targeted humanitarian information.
  • Improve the capacity of media partners to produce and disseminate quality humanitarian reporting by better understanding relief operations, liaising more effectively with aid agencies and managing and sharing audience feedback.
  • Increase the effectiveness and accountability of the humanitarian response as communities gain understanding of how to access relief services, understand aid operations, its limitations and challenges, and can communicate with aid agencies.
  • Assist in mitigating potential conflict between host communities and internally displaced people through communication.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Project Director (PD) / Humanitarian Liaison (HL) will play a vital role in the set up, roll out and implementation of this 6-month Humanitarian Information Service by managing all aspects and components of this operation and reaching out to the humanitarian community about how to best leverage the HIS and local media in general and the different types of platforms available to transmit their messages and, equally important, engage in 2-way communication with local communities.
Specifically, the PD/HL will support the project in the following capacities:
  • Provide project management services to all different components of the project (i.e. production and distribution of print and audio outputs, training programs, relationship with implementing partners, with the humanitarian community, security, admin/HR and logistics), including financial tracking and leading in donor reporting and liaison as required.
  • Facilitate project set-up, including necessary infrastructure, accommodation, transport, procedures, etc.
  • Develop, maintain, and establish excellent working relationships with a wide range of humanitarian organisations and government representatives. This will ensure they understand the project, the role of Internews and what the project has to offer them in their daily work, fostering regular participation and support to the project.
  • Represent the coordination and liaison work of the HIS and actively participate in all relevant humanitarian coordination fora to identify critical information needs of camp and refugee populations.
  • Propose story ideas for print and radio production as required (e.g. sourcing stories and information from different stakeholders and assisting production team in arranging interviews; helping with the production when necessary; and arranging logistics and meetings/visits for the production team, as required).
  • In coordination with the rest of the project, ensure that feedback gained from project activities is made available to humanitarian organizations (i.e. brief presentations at coordination meetings and other relevant fora, etc.), and government officials, as required.
  • Maintain and update a database with all the relevant contacts (i.e. spokespersons and focal points) from the different organizations and government departments involved in humanitarian response.
  • In close coordination with the Humanitarian Reporting Advisors for PRINT and RADIO, liaise with relevant humanitarian agencies in the production of humanitarian news and information to disseminate important messages, news and information for affected communities (e.g. regarding food/water/shelter material distribution points, medical facilities and mobile medical clinics, registration processes, announcements, etc.), as required.
  • Produce regular multimedia materials (i.e. blog posts, photos, photo slideshows, etc.) documenting the life of the project for external audiences, as required.
  • Lead/oversee the overall written program reporting, as required.
  • Contribute to fundraising efforts including, but not limited to, proposal writing.
  • Liaise with international media and promote the project and Internews' work, as required.
  • Any other duties as required.
QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Fluency in spoken and written English. Arabic will be an asset.
  • Extensive experience working in relief operations in challenging environments, preferably in the MENA region. Previous experience in Iraq will be an asset.
  • Very good working knowledge of the mandates and modalities of the international humanitarian sector.
  • Significant experience using media and communications in humanitarian contexts.
  • Proven interpersonal and networking skills to liaise authoritatively with figures from the aid and donor communities and host governments.
  • Sensitivity to cross-cultural dynamics in the work place.
  • Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team in a challenging and a highly fluid environment.
  • An understanding of the vision/mission, core values and objectives of Internews.
  • Understanding of and passion for the area of communications with disaster-affected communities.
  • Excellent communication and reporting skills, both written and oral.
  • Excellent administrative and organizational skills.
  • Knowledge of mobile technology, crisismapping and social media as a way of engaging with audiences will be an asset.
  • Psychological resilience and a sense of humor.
Learn more about Internews' Humanitarian Communication Programs online and follow our work also on Twitter: @jqg @internews and @internewseurope#commisaid
How to apply:
TO APPLY:
Please visit Internews' website to apply:

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