General Functions:

Under the overall supervision of the Protection and Resilience Officer in Gaziantep and direct supervision of the Project Field Coordinator in Mersin, the incumbent will be responsible in providing community support counselling services and socio-cultural activities in the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Social Cohesion Centre (Centre). In addition, the incumbent will be responsible for supporting the implementation of the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Social Cohesion Centre in close cooperation with IOM Turkey programme teams.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Identify individual and family needs, specifically for disadvantaged groups, through, individual interviews, and focus group discussions conducted at the Centre.
2. Conduct activities including awareness raising, information sessions, social activities, basic counselling services on topics identified and also requested by communities.
3. Where relevant, refer beneficiaries to the relevant counselling Units in the Centre including health, education, vocational guidance, and social services counselling units as required.
4. Identify vulnerable migrant and refugee groups through outreach in neighborhoods and agricultural areas to increase access of children with disabilities or disadvantaged to the Centre.
5. Prepare materials and implement sessions on family support, recreational and rights-based activities for children, community mobilization, informal education, and working with disabled persons, among others.
6. Organize socio-cultural activities in coordination with Centre staff, municipal and other local public authorities, and civil society organizations. Improve activity modalities in close coordination with Project Field Coordinator and IOM Protection and Resilience Unit.
7. Coordinate activity implementation beforehand including beneficiary selection, procurement and logistics needs and follow up the activities with IOM support units such as Logistics, PI, MEAL, IT, Procurement, QC etc. environment.
8. Participate in relevant field visits undertaken by the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Social Cohesion Centre and/or organize field visits if required,
9. Report weekly, monthly, periodic achievements, progress, challenges, actions taken, lesson learned in realization of activities and duties,
10. Provide necessary statistics, information, feedback, documentation regarding the requests.
11. Meet and liaise with relevant local public authorities and civil society organizations to improve access to social and educational activities for migrants and refugees,
12. Work closely with other counsellors and interpreters of the Centre,
13. Perform other duties as may be assigned.

Required Qualifications:

Education:

• University degree in Psychology, Special education, Guidance and Counselling, Social Work, Sociology, or a related field from an accredited academic institution, with two years of relevant professional experience.
• Completed High school degree from an accredited academic institution, with four years of relevant professional experience.

Experience:

• Experience in relevant field and in working with vulnerable groups;
• Proven experience in facilitating community support activities and social activities for migrants;
• Proven analytical, interpersonal, mediation and organizational skills;
• Excellent level of computer literacy;
• Experience in liaising with governmental authorities, other national/international institutions.
• Prior experience working with migrant children and adults will be an advantage.

Languages:

• Fluency in English and Turkish is required.  
• Working knowledge of Arabic is advantageous.

Required Competencies

The incumbent is expected to demonstrate the following values and competencies:

Values

• Inclusion and respect for diversity:

Shows respect and sensitivity towards gender, culture, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, political conviction and other differences.

• Integrity and transparency:

Upholds and promotes the Standards of Conduct and Unified Staff Regulations and Rules.

• Delivers on commitments; manages the organization’s resources reliably and sustainably.

• Embraces and encourages transparency, balancing this with the need for discretion and confidentiality as appropriate.

• Professionalism:

Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter and willingness to improve knowledge and skills.

• Shows self-control and persistence when faced with difficult problems and remains calm in stressful situations.

• Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results.

Core Competencies – behavioural indicators level 1

• Teamwork: Establishes strong relationships with colleagues and partners; relates well to people at all levels.

• Is fully aware of the team purpose, respects and understands individual and collective responsibilities.

• Willingly puts in extra effort without being asked and adopts a "hands-on" approach whenever necessary to achieve team objectives.

• Coordinates own work with that of the team to meet agreed priorities and deadlines.

• Delivering Results:

•Produces quality results and provides quality services to clients.

• Meets goals and timelines for delivery of products or services.

• Shows understanding of own role and responsibilities in relation to expected results.

• Managing and sharing knowledge:

• Shares knowledge and learning willingly, and proactively seeks to learn from the experiences of others.

• Accountability:

•Accepts personal responsibility for quality and timeliness of work.

• Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules.

• Accepts and gives constructive criticism; acknowledges and corrects mistakes and apply lessons learned for improvement.

• Communication:

• Presents information using language and sequence of ideas that is easy for recipients to understand.

Other:

Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this vacancy notice is subject to funding confirmation.

Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

Only candidates residing in either the country of the duty station or from a location in a neighbouring country that is within commuting distance of the duty station will be considered. In all cases, a prerequisite for taking up the position is legal residency in the country of the duty station, or in the neighbouring country located within commuting distance, and work permit, as applicable.

Please be advised that this is a local position and as such only applications from candidates with a valid residence / working permit residing in Turkey will be considered.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates are requested to submit their application including the most recent CV with a cover letter in English with contact details (name, position, phone and e-mail details) of three references by indicating  name of the position applied with its VN number in the subject line of the e-mail or to IOM Birlik Mahallesi Sehit Kurbani Akboga Sok. No:24  06610, Çankaya, Ankara Turkey by the end of 03 November 2021.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.