Social Worker (Al-Qadisiyyah)

Under the supervision of the Child Protection and Education Officer and the Child Protection and Education Project Manager, the Social Worker will support the day-to-day implementation of education, child protection, and vocational training activities across targeted schools, learning center, and community settings in Qadisiya Governorate. The role involves working closely with schools, learning centers, local partners, and relevant education authorities to ensure activities are delivered in line with project objectives and safeguarding standards. The position requires regular travel between Diwaniya and Al-Hamza Al-Sharqi. The Social Worker is expected to have reliable means of transportation to support daily field movements in coordination with Tdh operational procedures.

The Social Worker will support the organization and follow-up of literacy and remedial learning sessions, while facilitating coordination with Parent–Teacher Associations (PTAs) and School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) to strengthen community engagement in education. In parallel, the role will contribute to community outreach and mobilization initiatives, including Back-to-School activities and awareness-raising sessions targeting children, caregivers, and community members.

The position also requires active engagement with community-based child protection structures, supporting referrals and promoting child protection principles in coordination with schools, learning centers, and the Directorate of Education. The Social Worker will assist in activities related to climate change awareness, teacher capacity-building, and child-centered psychosocial and protection approaches, ensuring that these components are integrated into education programming.

Main responsibilities :

·       Identify, in a systematic manner, the most vulnerable children, including out-of-school children, school dropouts, and children at risk, with particular attention to girls and children with disabilities, and facilitate their enrollment or re-enrollment in coordination with school administrations and relevant community structures.

·       Support the implementation of literacy, remedial education, catch-up classes, and learning support activities delivered by local partners, in line with Tdh and Ministry of Education standards, including contributing to the organization of teacher support initiatives such as TiCC and climate change awareness sessions.

·       Engage and collaborate with community-based protection mechanisms to conduct learning events, Back-to-Learning and Back-to-School campaigns, ensuring targeted outreach to girls and adolescents and supporting access to both primary and secondary education.

·       Strengthen protective environments for children at school and community levels through capacity building and reinforcement of community- and school-based structures, including attentive care groups, Child Protection Committees (CPCs), Parent–Teacher Associations (PTAs), and School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs), and through contributions to ongoing Blue Schools and environmental awareness activities.

·       Promote and support the implementation of child-friendly Codes of Conduct, safe complaint and reporting mechanisms, and school safeguarding procedures by sensitizing school personnel, children, and and community representatives.

·       Contribute to improving the school environment by engaging school management, PTAs, and SBMCs, facilitating linkages with community-based protection mechanisms, and participating in initiatives aligned with Blue Schools and climate-resilient school practices.

·       Work closely with local partners to ensure activities are implemented effectively through regular monitoring, and provide technical support to local partners on the activities outlined in the project.

·       Work in close coordination with the Directorate of Education (DoE) and schools during official DoE visits to project locations, ensuring all logistical and technical requirements are in place to support successful visits.

·       Facilitate and manage peer exchange and reflection sessions among teachers, school personnel, DoE representatives, local partners, and community members to discuss project progress, achievements, challenges, and lessons learned in an open and participatory manner.

·       Support project visibility and advocacy efforts related to Tdh activities, in coordination with local partners, particularly in southern Iraq.

·       Conduct regular visits and coordination meetings with the headquarters of local partners to review implementation progress and follow up on planned activities.

·       Follow up on the establishment of inclusive centers and light rehabilitation activities implemented in targeted centers, ensuring quality implementation and close coordination with the DoE.

·       Participate in and support the delivery of capacity-building trainings for school personnel, and contribute to capacity-building activities provided to local partners.

·       Conduct structured psychosocial support (PSS) sessions and recreational activities with children and youth in supported schools, learning centers, and community spaces, ensuring activities follow Tdh’s psychosocial and child-friendly standards.

·       Fully comply with the Tdh Code of Conduct and ensure that Child Safeguarding Policy principles are upheld and promoted at all times.

·       The position will work closely with the MEAL, Finance, and Logistics teams to ensure proper monitoring processes and follow-up on purchase requests and vouchers.

·       Carry out any other duties related to the project, as assigned by the Child Protection and Education Officer or Project Manager.

Required Competencies:

•       Good command of Arabic is required. Spoken and written English is an advantage. Knowledge of other local languages is considered an asset.

•       Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as Social Work, Psychology, Education, Social Sciences, or a related discipline, or a similar higher diploma level.

•       Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage and prioritize multiple education and protection activities, take initiative, and work with a results-oriented approach and positive attitude.

•       A minimum of two years of humanitarian experience is required. Previous experience in community engagement, education support, case management, or social work is a strong advantage, particularly in contexts involving remedial learning, ECE, or community-based structures.

•       Previous experience working with an international organization in southern Iraq, particularly in Qadisiya Governorate, is considered an asset.

•       Ability to communicate effectively with children and adults, including school authorities, community groups, literacy boards, and partner organizations, and to express ideas clearly and concisely.

•       Demonstrated capacity-building skills and prior experience delivering trainings or awareness sessions for teachers, PTAs, SBMCs, or community-based protection groups.

•       Good working knowledge of MS Word, MS Excel, and other MS Office applications is an advantage.

•       Ability and willingness to travel daily within Qadisiya Governorate using personal transportation, and to travel to other locations in Iraq as required by program activities.

•       Strong cross-cultural communication skills, adaptability, and resilience, with the ability to work effectively in diverse educational and community environments.

Values:

•       The post holder must know, implement, and actively promote humanitarian principles, including child protection standards, safe referral practices, and responsible information management.

•       The post holder is expected to demonstrate politeness, respect, honesty, punctuality, and neutrality in all interactions with children, families, and stakeholders.

•       S/he uses Tdh equipment, vehicles, resources, and premises economically and responsibly and ensures that safeguarding and organizational policies are respected at all times.