Who we recruit
At Aghsan Foundation, we recruit experts in a variety of fields. Find out more about the profiles and backgrounds we are looking for, our employment opportunities and the guiding principles we follow.
Employment opportunities | Profiles and background | Guiding principles | Values
Employment opportunities at the Aghsan Foundation
- Field staff – local and international: Ninety per cent of our staff are national employees and many were themselves once forcibly displaced. This gives us unique insight into the environments where we work.
- The Aghsan Foundation experts: is our global provider of expertise, with around 10 experts ready to deploy at a moment’s notice to assist in humanitarian crises. Our expert staff are deployed on time-limited contracts to local, national and international partners working with the humanitarian, development and peacebuilding sectors.
- Staff in the Aghsan Foundation’s Head Office and Representative Offices: Our Head Office is located in Baghdad, Iraq. We have representative offices in Al-Anbar, Basra, Erbil, Ninawa and Salah Al-Din Governorates. From these locations we support, coordinate and manage the global strategy for the Aghsan Foundation’s operations.
Profiles and backgrounds we are looking for
- Relevant experience, appropriate education: In recruiting, we focus very much on candidates who have the relevant experience. The required qualifications will always be mentioned in the job offer. We will specify the education level certifications or diplomas that are appropriate for the job and the location.
- English Language: English is our working language, and fluency expectations grow with the increasing responsibility of the position. For some locations, fluency in Arabic or Kurdish is required.
- Travel to the field: Most positions require a willingness to travel to the field.
We are looking for knowledgeable, accountable and empowering leaders:
- who can set the course in unexpected situations, while also taking care of their staff.
- Consult, create, trust and have the ability to influence different stakeholders
with the empathy required for doing humanitarian work and for taking care of staff in stressful situations. - who can engage, support and develop their team to achieve positive results for the people we help
Please be aware that applications that do not meet the minimum standards in terms of experience or qualifications will generally not be considered. Unsolicited applications not related to a specific job advertisement will likewise not be considered.
Humanitarians who share our values
The Aghsan Foundation strives to be dedicated, inclusive, innovative and accountable. To see if you are good fit,
The Aghsan Foundation's guiding principles
Code of Conduct - a binding engagement
The Aghsan Foundation Code of Conduct is an integral part of our employment contract and applies to all staff working for or representing the Aghsan Foundation. We recognise that our work often puts staff in positions of power in relation to both colleagues and the people we help. Staff have an obligation not to abuse this power.
The Code of Conduct is intended to serve as a guide for all staff in how to uphold the ethical foundation of the organisation’s views and actions. It also aims to help staff to ensure that we protect the communities we work with and that our work does not put the people of concern at greater risk. Read the Aghsan Foundation’s Code of Conduct here.
- We are the Aghsan Foundation ambassadors: As an employee of the Aghsan Foundation, you are an ambassador for the organisation and will be seen as the organisation’s representative, both during and outside working hours. Your ability to uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct will ensure the success of our mission to protect and assist displaced people.
- A code grounded in humanitarian standards: The Aghsan Foundation Code of Conduct covers humanitarian and ethical topics such as respect and dignity, abuse of power, conflicts of interest, discrimination, corruption, harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse, safety, and responsible communication.
- A behavioural guide: Our Code of Conduct should serve as a guide for all staff in their professional lives, and at times also in their private lives. It formalises the attitudes and actions that uphold the Aghsan Foundation’s ethical foundation.
Duty of Care
In accordance with the Aghsan Foundation’s duty to take reasonable steps to protect staff, we have identified seven principles to follow.
- To identify hazards and threats and assess risks to our staff in their operational environment.
- To implement mitigating measures to eliminate or reduce foreseeable risks to our staff and have contingency measures to react to and manage any emergency circumstances or events affecting staff.
- To ensure each staff member gives their informed consent, acknowledging that they have been informed of the risks involved in their job, their responsibilities and the environment where they work
- To ensure that line managers have the necessary competencies with regard to our duty of care and that staff receive appropriate induction, training and instruction.
- To ensure that the staff care, safety and security structures and systems function as intended, and that any exception to mandatory standards is approved at the appropriate level.
- To secure that expert assistance and line management are available for staff when facing dilemmas in the field, deviation from established practices or critical incidents.
- And to monitor, respond to and learn from staff experience, including reviewing the relevance of policies, procedures and employment packages
Safety, security and health are an absolute priority at the Aghsan Foundation. As our programmes throughout the world operate in risk areas, it is essential for the Aghsan Foundation to take whatever reasonable steps we can to protect our staff from both physical and psychological harm. This includes among others:
- Providing a secure, safe and healthy working environment in the field.
- Having systems and procedures in place to ensure such an environment.
- Briefing, training and supporting staff.
- Preparing for possible emergencies.
Risk cannot be avoided in our field of work. The Aghsan Foundation recognises that balancing risk management with the humanitarian imperative is often a dilemma. It’s important to acknowledge that not every possible risk can be avoided or eliminated in the difficult areas where we work. As an The Aghsan Foundation employee, you must be aware of the risks that a job like this entails and evaluate whether you are ready to accept them.
Duty of care is a shared responsibility. In the field, all the Aghsan Foundation staff take an active role in applying duty of care standards:
- The Aghsan Foundation managers take responsibility for following up on their teams: assessing risks, providing training and information, supporting employees, ensuring appropriate equipment is available, monitoring experiences and acting on feedback.
- The Aghsan Foundation employees commit to: being aware of existing risks and threats, complying with procedures, understanding the cultural and political environment, preparing for emergencies, reporting issues that may jeopardise safety and raising concerns.
Staff respect of security policies and systems is non-negotiable.
The Aghsan Foundation values
The Aghsan Foundation is driven by four core values.
- Dedicated: Being dedicated means identifying with and being wholly committed to The Aghsan Foundation’s vision, mission, strategies and values. It means being willing to put displaced people first.
- Inclusive: Being inclusive means genuinely involving relevant actors and staff who may be affected by our decisions.
- Innovative: Being innovative means staying open to new directions and being proactive in balancing opportunities and risks.
- Accountable: Being accountable means adhering to what we have committed to do and being able to account for our actions.
