Senior Technical Advisor, Women Empowerment, Equity and Inclusion

Job Title: Senior Technical Advisor, Women Empowerment, Equity and Inclusion
Location: Erbil with frequent travel to the field
Reporting line manager: Deputy Country Director – Programs

Contract type: Full time – Expatriate/National

Background:

CARE International has worked in Iraq since the beginning of the humanitarian crisis in 1991. CARE International reopened its programming in Iraq in 2014 after a military offensive in Ninewa, which displaced hundreds of thousands of people into the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Together with local partners, CARE delivered humanitarian and development assistance to the most vulnerable populations.

CARE is registered with both the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi Federal Government.

Operating in Basra, Ninewa, Duhok, Salahaddin, and Anbar, CARE collaborates with local organizations to strengthen their capacities and implement transformative programs. These efforts align with CARE’s global theory of change, which emphasizes building individual agency, reshaping relationships, and transforming structures to create sustainable and inclusive development outcomes. Through this approach, CARE ensures that its interventions address root causes, empower communities, and promote systemic change for long-term stability and resilience.

 Job Summary:

The Senior Technical Advisor, Women Empowerment, Equity and Inclusion leads CARE Iraq’s transition from a humanitarian response approach cantered on protection and violence against women and girls to long-term development programming focused on equity and justice between women and men. The role also proposes new approaches aligned with stabilization contexts to ensure programming remains relevant and forward-looking.

This role emphasizes advancing equity through projects that:
1. Foster individual agency (consciousness, confidence, self-esteem, aspirations, knowledge, and skills),
2. Transform power dynamics to support dignity, and
3. Address discriminatory norms, systems, and practices.

The Advisor will lead the design and implementation of innovative, high-impact programs; provide technical support to mainstream equity and inclusion across sectors; build and maintain strategic partnerships; and enhance CARE Iraq’s role as a thought leader on equity and inclusion. The role requires integrating global standards such as CARE’s Equity Framework, violence against women and girls' guidelines, and inclusive programming practices.

Additionally, the role includes donor engagement, capacity strengthening for national staff and partners, leadership in monitoring and learning, and leading advocacy efforts to influence policies and elevate the voices of marginalized communities.

This position requires a dynamic leader with a deep commitment to equity and inclusion, strong technical knowledge, and a collaborative, adaptive approach to driving transformative change in development and humanitarian settings.

Key Responsibilities and Tasks

Donor Cultivation, Program Design, and Proposal Development

• Cultivate relationships with donors, partners, and stakeholders to position CARE Iraq as a leader in equity and social inclusion.
• Lead the design of innovative programs and high-quality proposals rooted in CARE’s Equity Framework.
• Ensure proposals address intersectional issues like violence against women and girls, women's empowerment, economic inclusion, and leadership.
• Collaborate with HQ and partners to embed theories of change and evidence-based approaches.
• Oversee proposal development including budgeting, equity analysis, and quality review.
• Monitor proposal outcomes and incorporate donor feedback.

Program Implementation Oversight and Technical Support

• Ensure project implementation aligns with strong theories of change and donor obligations.
• Champion the integration of equity and inclusion across CARE Iraq's programs and operations.
• Operationalize global frameworks on violence against women and girls, equality between women and men, and disability inclusion.
• Build strategic partnerships and represent CARE in relevant forums.
• Provide technical guidance using tools like the Equity and Inclusion Marker.
• Capture learnings to inform future program design and donor engagement.

Capacity Development for CARE Staff and Partners

• Provide ongoing technical guidance on equity and inclusion ,mainstreaming and inclusive practices.
• Prioritize national staff leadership through mentorship and tailored capacity-building.
• Promote continuous learning and knowledge sharing.
• Ensure strong understanding and application of CARE’s Equity Framework, Equity and Inclusion Marker, and Theory of Change.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL)

• Lead equity and social inclusion MEAL processes aligned with CARE’s global indicators.
• Champion equity-sensitive data collection and analysis.
• Promote learning loops and adaptations based on evidence and feedback.
• Lead Equity and Inclusion Marker tracking and ensure quality data entry into PIIRS.

Advocacy, Knowledge Sharing, and Learning

• Develop a strong advocacy strategy to advance equity and inclusion in Iraq and beyond.
• Document lessons learned and success stories for internal and external sharing.
• Research socio-cultural and policy barriers to equity and social inclusion and inform programming accordingly.
• Elevate the voices of marginalized communities and integrate their perspectives into CARE’s advocacy and programming.

Qualifications and Skills

• Master's degree in social Inclusion Studies, Social Justice, Development Studies, or related field.
• At least 5 years’ experience in equity and inclusion, violence against women and girls, or social justice programming.
• Strong understanding of Iraq’s equity, legal, and operational context.
• Proven skills in program design, technical leadership, coordination with teams and donor engagement.
• Fluency in English and Arabic
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Experience with Microsoft Office and collaboration platforms.

Additional Expectations

• Actively contribute to CARE’s mission, visibility, and advocacy on social media and external platforms in collaboration with the Communications team.
• Comply with CARE’s policies including Safeguarding, Safety and Security, and promote equity and inclusion and climate responsibility internally and externally.
• Serve as a role model for CARE values of Respect, Quality, Integrity, Sustainability and Diversity.

If you're interested in this role, kindly apply via https://care-international-iraq.jobs.personio.com/job/2440445#apply by 9th January 2026 at the latest. Regrettably, applications received after this date will not be considered.

Notes:

A Strong Call for #Women Candidates: We highly encourage women candidates to apply for this role. At CARE Iraq, we are committed to equity and justice and strive to create a safe, inclusive space where everyone can thrive. Our goal is to build a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve and contributes to meaningful change in the lives of women and girls.

Safeguarding and Ethics:

 At CARE, we recognize our responsibility to promote human dignity and social justice within our organization. At the heart of CARE’s efforts to impact poverty and social justice is our engagement with marginalized communities. We place human dignity at the center of our work. We are aware of the importance of organizational culture and accountability in enabling a safe and supportive environment for programme participants, the communities where we work, our staff, related personnel and our partners.

At CARE, we believe all people have a right to safety and to live their lives free from harm. The Safeguarding Policy is a response to CARE’s commitment and recognition of our responsibilities to protect and safeguard people we work with, and who work for CARE, from any form of abuse, including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, physical and emotional abuse, neglect, and child abuse. 

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. References will only be contacted after the interview.

-For any inquiries regarding this position, please contact CARE Iraq HR Manager through nmirza@care.de