Protection Manager (Country Technical Lead)

The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights, and strengthen their opportunities for a brighter future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along the displacement routes, and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive for responsible and sustainable solutions. We work toward successful integration and – whenever possible – for the fulfillment of the wish to return home.

The Danish Refugee Council was founded in Denmark in 1956 and has since grown to become an international humanitarian organization with more than 7,000 staff and 8,000 volunteers. Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced.

All of our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency.

In 2003, following the start of foreign military operations in Iraq, DRC became one of the first organisations to provide humanitarian assistance in the country and now operates in 11 governorates, including Anbar, Baghdad, Babel, Diyala, Duhok, Erbil, Karbala, Kirkuk, Najaf, Ninewa and Salah-al-Din.

The overall purpose of the role: DRC is recruiting for a highly qualified Protection Coordinator to lead and coordinate DRC’s overall protection activities across the large and diverse humanitarian operation in Iraq. S/he will be able to work with diverse teams, and external stake holders such as local government authorities, UN agencies, I/NGOs and other partners. Reporting to the Head of Programme, the Protection Coordinator will provide strategic vision, guidance, and sectorial technical support to DRC Protection Teams and Area Managers, with a view to ensure that DRC provides a high-quality Protection response across its intervention areas. One of the key roles of the Protection Coordinator is to constantly improve programme quality and relevance. DRC is a leading protection actor in Iraq, and the Protection Coordinator ensures close collaboration and strong relations, as required, with coordination mechanisms, donors, and other Protection partners.

Responsibilities:

Programme Strategy and Development

• Lead the contextual revision and roll out of the DRC Iraq protection strategy, aligned with the DRC Iraq Strategic Plan and Global Strategy and responsive to the changing context in Iraq
• Lead the technical design and review of protection related concept notes, logical frameworks, budgets and full proposals in coordination with the HoP and area teams, and with the Legal, GBV, and Protection Specialists.
• Map donor priorities within given sector and identify new opportunities
• Lead on developing and strengthening methods and tools for country-level protection analysis, including assessments and activity-based data collection, to inform evidence-based program design and implementation
• Propose innovative project design ideas and explore their feasibility.
• Foster and ensure integration of Protection activities with other DRC sectors, particularly Economic Recovery and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (HDP)
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge and understanding of the evolving context in Iraq, the specific dynamics impacting the protection environment, and protection risk patterns across the country and specific to particular areas.
• Maintain close working relationships with with DRC Regional and HQ counterparts to ensure that DRC Iraq’s programmatic priorities align with and respond to regional and global priorities.

Quality Assurance and Learning

• Ensure DRC Iraq’s protection program is relevant to the evolving context, in-line with global protection sector standards and DRC’s relevant guidance, and that it is consistent across all areas of operation
• Ensure all Protection tools, SoPs and guidelines are regularly updated, provide sound and coordinated revision when needed, and ensure all relevant staff are trained and are implementing as per the standards.
• Lead in developing approaches and tools and ensuring relevant staff are trained accordingly to mainstream protection and age, gender and diversity throughout the protection programm, and support mainstreaming in other sectors
• Facilitate contextual and programmatic learning processes related to protection, and ensure learning is documented and shared with relevant colleagues
• Provide technical supervision and guidance to country-level Legal, GBV, and Protection Specialists, and to area-level Protection Managers
• Oversee the development of harmonized job descriptions and structures for protection teams across all areas and support recruitment of technical protection staff
• Regularly visit programme activities and provide support and feedback to staff and implementing partners on programme approaches and methodological issues.
• Identify technical gaps and support capacity building for protection teams, and contribute to setting performance objectives and performance appraisals of Protection Managers and Specialists
• When necessary, and with approval of HoP, provide stop-gap support in absence of Protection Managers
• Provide oversight and monitoring of overall sector budget, in coordination with PMs and Area Managers or Base Managers, monitoring for timely sector-level spend, and initiate corrective action, including internal and donor budget realignments
• Provide oversight of overall protection program implementation progress and quality; identification, resolution and/or escalation of issues affecting implementation;
• Support the MEAL department in rolling out qualitative and quantitative monitoring and evaluation approaches aiming to build contextually grounded learning into programme activities; as well as developing harmonized tools and databases to monitor and track efficiency and quality of programming and improve information management

External Representation, Coordination and Partnerships

• Represent DRC in relevant coordination forums and technical groups, and provide high-quality technical inputs to maintain DRC’s reputation as one of the leading protection actors in Iraq
• Directly attend the national-level protection-related coordination meetings and supervise DRC’s representation at the sub-national level
• Act as the main sector-level point of contact with donors as requested by HoP, including providing protection program updates and supporting donor visits to the field
• Liaise with local, regional, and national government authorities and relevant stakeholders
• Identify opportunities for partnerships and develop collaborative relationships with local and national civil society actors toward achieving sustainable protection outcomes, in close collaboration with the Partnerships and Localization Specialist
• Take active role in sharing DRC’s protection advocacy messages in relevant coordination forums.

Other

• Ensure adherence to DRC’s Age, Gender, and Diversity policy and AGD programmatic minimum standards
• Ensure compliance with zero-tolerance to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse policy
• Ensure documentation and consolidation of success stories, in coordination with DRC’s communications specialist, which can be communicated externally and to ensure that DRC is able to articulate and document relevant best practice.
• Ensure compliance with DRC guidelines and policies on HR, admin, finance, and supply chain in accordance with the Operational Handbook.
• Perform other relevant tasks as requested by and in discussion with the Head of Programme

Experience and technical competencies:

• Minimum 5 years of experience in humanitarian protection programming at the international level in conflict-related internal displacement contexts
• Strong knowledge of global protection sector standards in DRC’s core specialisations (protection monitoring, GBV prevention, and response, child protection, protection case management (adult/non-GBV), community-based protection, legal aid, psychosocial support);
• Significant knowledge of International Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian Law;
• Strong familiarity with the Results-Based Protection (RBP) approach, Protection Analytical Framework (PAF), and Protection Information Management PIM) standards; approaches and tools to mainstream protection and age, gender and diversity
• Proven communication, interpersonal, representation, negotiation, promotion, and diplomacy skills;
• Proven strong analytical and communication skills;
• Strategic thinker with the ability to quickly develop good insight and understanding of the conflict, the human rights situation and the political environment of the program country;
• Sound understanding of humanitarian architecture;
• Cultural sensitivity and adaptability;
• Experience with managing teams with diverse backgrounds and providing technical guidance and training
• Able to manage high workload, stress and be flexible
• Strong commitment to humanitarian and protection principles, and to DRC’s values.
• Experience in the Middle East Context is highly desirable

Key stakeholders: (internal and external)

• Protection PMs and Area Managers
• Program Development and Quality Unit, MEAL Unit
• UN, fellow NGOs, and INGOs

Education:

Master’s degree or higher education relevant to humanitarian work: preferably in law, social sciences, or humanitarian aid;

Languages:

• Proficiency in spoken and written English is essential.
• Arabic is an asset

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’s five core competencies:

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.

Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.

Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.

Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.

Demonstrating integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment