Area Coordinator - Southern Iraq

Job Summary:

The Area Coordinator - Southern Iraq will lead the coordination, implementation oversight, representation, and operational follow-up of CARE’s programming in Southern Iraq, with a primary focus on the Strengthening Climate-Resilient and Inclusive Agricultural Livelihood Systems project in Dhi Qar.

The role will act as CARE’s main field-level focal point in the south, ensuring that project activities are delivered on time, within budget, and in line with CARE’s program quality standards, donor requirements, approved workplans, and the project’s Theory of Change.

In addition to overseeing day-to-day implementation in Dhi Qar, the Area Coordinator will maintain regular roving presence across southern areas as required, support coordination with local authorities and stakeholders, monitor contextual and operational developments, and ensure strong communication between field teams, partners, communities, and CARE’s Country Office.

The role will work closely with consortium partners, local authorities, farmer groups, women-led producer groups, private sector actors, financial institutions, and community structures. The Area Coordinator will also ensure strong coordination between Program, MEAL, Finance, Operations, Procurement, Security, Communications, and technical teams to support high-quality, inclusive, safe, and accountable implementation.

The role will be responsible for tracking progress, identifying field-level risks, supporting budget and procurement follow-up, strengthening stakeholder engagement, documenting learning, and promoting sustainable approaches that strengthen food security, climate resilience, women’s voice and leadership, and inclusive agricultural livelihood systems in Dhi Qar and other relevant southern areas.

Key Responsibilities and Tasks

1. Project Coordination and Implementation

• Lead the day-to-day coordination of project activities in Dhi Qar, while providing roving coordination and follow-up support across Southern Iraq as required..
• Prepare and regularly update detailed activity plans, implementation trackers, procurement plans, field visit schedules, and monthly progress updates.
• Coordinate with CARE internal teams, including MEAL, Finance, Operations, Procurement, Security, Communications, and technical advisors, to ensure smooth and timely implementation.
• Support the planning, organization, and follow-up of trainings, Farmer Field and Business Schools (FFBS) sessions, demonstration farm activities, farmer field days, community dialogues, market linkage events, learning events, and stakeholder meetings.
• Track implementation progress, identify delays or risks early, and propose practical solutions in coordination with the Head of Programs and relevant teams.
• Ensure project activities are implemented in a safe, inclusive and responsive, climate-responsible, and community-sensitive manner.
• Maintain complete and accurate project documentation, including attendance sheets, meeting minutes, field reports, training reports, distribution records, photos with consent, procurement documents, and other supporting files.
• Support the documentation of lessons learned, good practices, challenges, and opportunities related to climate resilience, women’s economic empowerment, women’ voice and participation, social analysis and action (SAA), private sector engagement, market access, and financial inclusion.

2. Technical Support and Program Quality

• Work closely with CARE senior technical advisors, consortium partners, local agricultural experts, and relevant government directorates to strengthen project quality and technical relevance.
• Support the implementation of climate-smart and nutrition-sensitive agriculture activities with smallholder farmers, with a particular focus on women farmers and women-led groups.
• Coordinate the implementation of FFBS activities, including group formation, training sessions, demonstration farms, farmer field days, coaching, and farm business planning.
• Support farmers and producer groups to apply sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural practices, including improved soil and water management, crop diversification, salinity management, post-harvest handling, and adaptive production techniques.
• Support the integration of FFBS and Climate Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment (CVCA) tools within community and farmer group activities to help farmers and community members identify climate risks, local capacities, vulnerabilities, and practical adaptation options.
• Support the integration of SAAand Engaging Men and Boys (EMB) approaches to address barriers that affect women’s participation, leadership, mobility, decision-making, access to resources, and economic opportunities.
• Ensure project activities are technically sound, context-appropriate, and responsive to the needs of women, men, youth, and at-risk groups from farming communities
• Contribute to adaptive management by sharing field observations, community feedback, and technical implementation challenges with CARE and partner teams.

3. Partner and Stakeholder Coordination

• Coordinate closely with consortium partners, to ensure clear roles, regular communication, joint planning, and timely follow-up on agreed actions.
• Support effective collaboration between partners working on community mobilization, FFBS implementation, market systems development, private sector engagement, and women’s economic empowerment.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with local authorities and relevant directorates, including agriculture, environment, water resources, women’s empowerment, local administration, and other relevant government bodies.
• Engage community leaders, farmer representatives, women-led groups, private sector actors, financial institutions, universities, civil society organizations, and other local stakeholders.
• Represent CARE professionally in local coordination meetings, technical discussions, field-level forums, and stakeholder events when requested.
• Support local ownership and community acceptance of project activities, especially those related to women’s economic empowerment, climate adaptation, market access, and changes in social norms.
• Promote transparent, respectful, and accountable communication with communities, partners, and stakeholders.

4. Community Engagement and Participant Follow-Up

• Support community entry, participant identification, verification, and selection processes in line with agreed vulnerability and targeting criteria.
• Ensure farmers, women-led groups, and community members receive clear information about project objectives, selection criteria, available support, expected participation, and feedback channels.
• Support the formation and strengthening of eight FFBS and Social Analysis and Action (SAA) groups, women-led producer groups, community-based retail agents, and peer learning platforms.
• Promote meaningful participation of women and vulnerable groups in project activities and decision-making processes.
• Support awareness sessions and community dialogues on climate resilience, environmental stewardship, women’s economic empowerment, shared household responsibilities, and inclusive livelihoods.
• Follow up with farmer groups and producer groups to ensure that training, coaching, in-kind support, and business planning are linked to practical application in the field.
• Ensure community engagement is respectful, culturally appropriate, and sensitive to protection, social, and local power dynamics.

5. Market Systems, Private Sector, and Financial Inclusion Support

• Support coordination of market systems activities, including market mapping, information sharing, business networking, and market linkage events.
• Facilitate communication between farmer groups, women-led producer groups, buyers, traders, input suppliers, financial institutions, and private sector actors.
• Support the establishment and follow-up of community-based retail agents (FFBS Market Groups), prioritizing inclusive participation and women’s engagement where possible.
• Work with partners to support farmers and women-led groups in understanding market opportunities, production planning, pricing, cost-benefit analysis, and buyer requirements.
• Support consultations and information sessions with financial institutions, agricultural banks, microfinance providers, and relevant green finance actors to strengthen access to inclusive and climate-responsive finance.
• Document field-level learning on market access, financial inclusion, private sector engagement, and barriers faced by women farmers and women-led producer groups.

6. Monitoring, Reporting, Accountability, and Learning

• Work closely with the MEAL team to monitor the programs progress against indicators, targets, workplans, and expected results.
• Support baseline, endline, regular monitoring, post-activity monitoring, learning reviews, assessments, and feedback collection.
• Ensure programs data is collected accurately, verified, and disaggregated by sex, age, and relevant vulnerability criteria.
• Support the preparation of monthly updates, donor reports, internal reports, field visit reports, activity completion reports, and partner updates.
• Collect and document success stories, case studies, lessons learned, community feedback, and examples of good practice.
• Ensure accountability mechanisms are clearly communicated to communities, including hotlines, and feedback boxes.
• Follow up on Community Feedback Mechanism in coordination with MEAL, Safeguarding, and program teams.
• Support learning events and reflection sessions to identify what is working, what needs adjustment, and how programs approaches can be strengthened.

7. Budget, Procurement, and Compliance Support

• Support budget monitoring by tracking activity spending, planned costs, and upcoming financial needs in coordination with Finance and the Head of Programs.
• Prepare timely procurement, payment, and advance requests with clear specifications, justifications, and complete supporting documents.
• Coordinate with Operations and Procurement to ensure timely delivery of goods and services, including agricultural inputs, training materials, transportation, venues, visibility items, demonstration farm materials, and field supplies.
• Ensure all programs documentation, including receipts, GRNs, attendance sheets, contracts, distribution records, participant signatures, and verification documents, is complete and audit-ready.
• Prepare BVAs and have overall program budget management for the southern area programs, flag any risks related to delays, under-spending, over-spending, procurement bottlenecks, or compliance issues.
• Ensure all activities comply with CARE policies, donor requirements, safeguarding standards, procurement procedures, and value-for-money principles.

8. Safeguarding, Do No Harm, and Risk Management

• Ensure safeguarding, Do No Harm, protection mainstreaming, and safe programming principles are integrated across all programs activities.
• Promote safe, dignified, and inclusive participation of women, men, youth, persons with disabilities, and at-risk groups.
• Ensure sensitive information, participant data, photos, complaints, and feedback are handled confidentially and ethically.
• Coordinate with the Security team to ensure safe field movement and compliance with CARE’s travel and security procedures.
• Monitor contextual, social, environmental, and operational risks that may affect implementation and report concerns promptly through the appropriate CARE channels.
• Ensure programs activities do not reinforce harmful social norms or expose women and vulnerable groups to additional risks.

9. Communications, Visibility, and Learning

• Support the collection of human-interest stories, field updates, photos, and captions in coordination with the Communications team, ensuring informed consent and dignified representation of participants.
• Contribute to donor visits, learning events, field briefs, presentations, and programs  visibility materials.
• Support documentation of program learning and practical evidence related to climate resilience, women’s economic empowerment, inclusive market systems, and community-based adaptation.
• Ensure donor and CARE visibility requirements are respected in all relevant activities and materials.

10. Other Duties

• Contribute to proposal development, strategic positioning, learning products, and internal planning related to climate resilience, agriculture, livelihoods, and women’s economic empowerment.
• Perform any other relevant duties assigned by the Head of Programs.

Key contacts and collaborators:

Internal: Head of Programs, Program team, MEAL team, Finance, Operations, Procurement, Security, Communications, Senior Technical Advisors, Country Office support teams.

External: local authorities and directorates in Dhi Qar and other southern governorates as relevant, agricultural and environmental actors, water resource directorates, women’s empowerment structures, community leaders, farmer groups, private sector actors, financial institutions, universities, civil society organizations, and relevant coordination platforms.

Staff Risk Management Responsibilities

CARE believes that personal risk management is crucial for staff; however, risk management cannot be achieved unless each staff member fulfills the following responsibilities. Failure to do so can not only endanger their own safety but also compromise the entire team and organization.

• Maintain Situational Awareness:
• Staff must maintain a high level of situational awareness at all times. This includes being vigilant about their surroundings, recognizing potential threats, and understanding the local context and culture.

• Stay Informed:
• Staff must stay informed about the security situation in their area of operation and avoid complacency. They should promptly read and understand information shared by the organization in relevant communication channels.
• Comply with Protocols:
• Staff must strictly adhere to the risk protocols and guidelines established by their organization. This includes following travel advisories, checking in regularly with designated security contacts, and complying with curfews or movement restrictions.
• Emergency Preparedness:
• Staff must be well-prepared for emergencies by knowing the location and contact details of local emergency services, the nearest hospital, and their organization’s security focal point. They should carry essential emergency supplies, such as first aid kits, communication devices, and personal identification, and participate in regular safety drills and training sessions.
• Maintain Reliable Communication:
• Staff must ensure they have reliable means of communication at all times and keep their phones charged and operational. They should keep the team informed of their whereabouts, especially when traveling or working in the field, and establish check-in routines to confirm their safety regularly.
• Respect Local Norms:
• Staff must understand and respect local customs, traditions, and social norms to avoid unnecessary risks and foster good relations with local communities.

• Additionally, all staff members must:

• Take Reasonable Care:
• Staff must take reasonable care for their personal health, safety, and security and ensure that their actions do not harm other staff members.
• Comply with Instructions and Policies:
• Staff must comply with the orders/instructions of the Risk focal points as required, and adhere to any workplace policy/procedure aimed at increasing the safety of all staff, including Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) as laid out in the Risk Management Plan.
• Ensure Equipment Readiness:
• Staff must ensure that all radios, Track24 units, Satphones, helmets, body armour, trauma/first aid equipment, and any other personal protective equipment and items used in field operations and elsewhere are in a safe and serviceable condition and used in accordance with their operating instructions. All damages must be paid for personally.
• Supervise and Train:
• Supervisors of other staff have a Duty of Care to ensure that their staff are not put at risk and are adequately supervised while performing their work. Managers, supervisors, and staff must ensure that before they, or their staff, work in field-based locations, they receive adequate training in security, field health and safety, and risk management.
• Report Incidents Promptly:
• Staff must promptly notify the Risk focal point of any field/operational Risk, health, safety, and security incidents that occur.

Representation of CARE Mission and Values:

• Actively communicate and promote CARE’s mission, values, and goals to all stakeholders, partners, and the public.
• Utilize CARE’s logo and branding materials appropriately in all professional activities, ensuring donor acknowledgment and visibility.
• Wear the official CARE identification material such as vest, badge and/or pin at all business settings including meetings and events to clearly represent the organization.
• Employees are expected to engage in business related video/photo shoots, interviews, or audio recordings to promote CARE and its projects, enhancing organizational visibility.
• Employees are encouraged to re-share CARE’s social media posts and follow official CARE channels on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram to help amplify the organization’s message.
• Ensure the organization’s logo and online presence are used professionally, with misuse potentially leading to disciplinary action.

Promoting Equality, Justice, and Climate Responsibility

Employees at CARE Iraq are expected to embody the organization's core values of equality, justice, and climate responsibility. This includes fostering equity between men and women, promoting climate justice, and embedding these principles into the organizational activities and work culture overall. A key focus internally and externally is on empowering women through leadership opportunities, professional growth, and meaningful participation in decision-making, while addressing workforce imbalances and amplifying women's voices to drive transformative change.

Equally, all employees of CARE Iraq are expected to prioritize climate responsibility by encouraging sustainable practices, reducing ecological footprint, drive positive environmental impact, and supporting climate-affected communities. Integrating resilience and sustainability into all operations and actions will ensure a just and equitable future.

These principles are central to CARE Iraq’s vision for justice, fairness, and environmental stewardship.

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. To find further details about our Safeguarding Policy commitments, please click on this link CARE International Safeguarding Policy - October 2023_EN.pdf

• Languages: Fluency in both Arabic and English is required
• Experience:. Minimum 5-6 years of relevant experience in area coordination, field coordination, project coordination, or project management within development, resilience, agriculture, livelihoods, food security, climate change, market systems, women’s economic empowerment, or community-based programming. Experience working in Southern Iraq, particularly Dhi Qar and/ or other southern governorates
• Technical Skills: Strong experience in field coordination, stakeholder engagement, community mobilization, and implementation follow-up. Familiarity with working with farmer groups, women producers, community groups, and local authorities is required. Experience in agriculture, climate resilience, community empowerment, and social inclusion is highly desirable.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, climate change, environmental science, rural development, livelihoods, social sciences, public administration, or a related field

If you're interested in this role, kindly apply via https://care-international-iraq.jobs.personio.com/job/2705315#apply  by 22th July 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.

-Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. 

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