Deputy Chief of Party Protection – Basic Assistance and Protection Programme

Starting date: 1 March 2023 (pending funding decision)

Contract duration: 12 months full time position (3 month probationary period), with the possibility of extension based on future funding

Based in: Damascus, Syria, with travel inside Syria when/where possible and applicable

BACKGROUND:

The Syria crisis has been described as the largest humanitarian crisis of the 21st century. 6.8 million Syrians were displaced internally and over 5.5 million Syrians fled outside the country. The humanitarian and economic decline continues. Collapsing basic services, an ongoing outbreak of cholera and climatic shocks impacting a traumatised population already exhausted after 11 years of crisis. In 2023 UNOCHA estimates 15.3 million people will require humanitarian assistance: for the first time, every sub-district in Syria is assessed as experiencing humanitarian stress. Caritas Austria, through its implementing partners, has provided humanitarian assistance in Syria and neighbouring countries since 2011. Today, Caritas Austria continues to be actively involved inside Syria with a work focus on basic assistance, protection, education and livelihoods. Caritas Austria is currently developing the 3rd phase of its successful basic assistance and protection programme, CARMA3, expected to be funded by EU’s DG ECHO and will, once confirmed, be implemented by two national NGOs in Syria.

PURPOSE & RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Deputy Chief of Party-Protection will play a key role in developing and monitoring Caritas Austria’s country protection strategy inside Syria. Responsibilities include programme development including needs and response analysis, building and maintaining partnerships, sector coordination, and providing technical guidance and capacity building to implementing partners. The post-holder will help ensure protection mainstreaming principles are embedded in programmes, including do no harm, meaningful access, accountability to affected populations and participation and empowerment. The successful Deputy Chef of Party will support the Chief of Party with consortium management and donor relations to achieve project and organisational goals and targets. All aspects of the position are governed by a strong commitment to humanitarian standards and Caritas Internationalis’ Partnership Principles.

The Deputy Chief of Party – Protection will be part of Caritas Austria’s Middle East/ Asia team, based in Damascus, Syria and will report to the Chief of Party (based in Damascus, Syria).

SPECIFIC TASKS:

Protection Strategy and Programme Development:

• Lead on the development of a country protection strategy, which will guide the further development of the protection programme in Syria.
• Lead on technical aspects of the protection programme in Syria, including programme design, adaptation and contextualisation, in line with international and national standards and best practice.
• Ensure that the protection programme initiatives are survivor-centred, technically sound and effective, drawing on evidence-based strategies and, where appropriate, innovative approaches.
• Develop and revise standard operating procedures, tools and guidance for protection programming, including case management, referrals, protection awareness, cash for protection and protection monitoring, in close coordination and cooperation with partner organisations.
• Ensure programmes are guided by protection mainstreaming principles, including safety and do no harm, meaningful access, accountability to affected populations and participation and empowerment
• Liaise with consortium partners to develop and update referral pathways, tools and databases in consultation with national Protection sector actors.
• Support and lead in writing management and donor reports. Ensure compliance with internal and external reporting requirements.

M&E and Information Management:

• Conduct regular quality assessments of programming (case management, referrals, etc.) to ensure that services are provided according to relevant international and national standards and organisational SOPs and guidelines.
• Ensure a protection context analysis is in place and is updated regularly to inform programme design and implementation, and engagement with donors and other 3rd parties.
• Support and ensure the safe and ethical collection of information and use of information management systems. Conduct regular audits of Protection Information Management (PIM) databases to ensure the accuracy of data and maintenance of tools. Support partners to ensure the safety and confidentiality of the collected information in accordance with relevant protection case management guidance.
• Develop programme monitoring tools and support the monitoring of outcomes and outputs in coordination with MEAL colleagues. Liaise with the MEAL team to develop and implement a MEAL plan for protection activities, develop the community feedback mechanism, map lessons learned and identify opportunities for evaluations and quality improvement.

Technical Accompaniment and Partner Capacity Strengthening:

• Provide technical accompaniment and capacity strengthening support to partners and staff. Provide technical direction and oversight to staff and partners to guide programme implementation, including protection case management services and protection mainstreaming.
• Facilitate training and capacity strengthening activities in key technical areas, to include for example case management, safe identification and referral of GBV and child protection cases, and protection monitoring.
• Support partners in the development and strengthening of staff care protocols and procedures for frontline case management service provider staff, to include individual, confidential staff support and supervision sessions for service providers working within the protection programme.

Representation and Coordination:

• Deputise for the Chief of Party as and when necessary to support programme delivery, maintenance of quality and standards, reporting, monitoring, organisational effectiveness and donor and consortium relationships.
• Represent Caritas Austria at relevant coordination meetings such as the national protection cluster and coordination mechanisms

Skills, Ability and Experience:

• Be a resident of Syria, with the ability to work inside Syria;
• 3 years of practical experience in the Protection programming in a UN/NGO context with experience in Protection Case Management, Protection Monitoring and/or Community Based Protection.
• Experience and understanding of EU/ institutional donor requirements including log frame matrices, MEAL, reporting and KPIs.
• Knowledge of Protection Mainstreaming.
• Good command of Arabic and English with ability to produce excellent written and oral reports/ presentations to a range of audiences.
• Experience in producing high-quality protection technical material (training material, programme tools, proposals, strategic documents, etc.).
• Ability to develop positive professional relationships with a range of stakeholders including partner organisations, donors, authorities, sector partners, coordination mechanisms and UN agencies with experience of doing so.
• IT proficiency (Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Ability to be flexible and handle multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment, set priorities, and meet deadlines; organizational and management skills including organisational and time management skills.
• Strong understanding of humanitarian standards.
• Ability to travel within Syria, (and internationally) if required.