Protection Monitoring Team Leader

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading protection agency with a mandate to promote and protect durable solutions to conflict and displacement-affected populations based on humanitarian principles and human rights. DRC is implementing a multi-sector response to support Ukraine refugees, IDPs, and host populations both within Ukraine and the neighboring countries of Poland, Romania and Moldova, and wider Europe. Due to the ongoing conflict that began in February 2022, DRC opened offices in Poland, Moldova, and Romania to provide support to the displaced population in partnership with civil society organizations and national NGOs, duty bearers, and other actors. DRC continues to implement in these three countries through partnerships, technical assistance and capacity exchange, and direct implementation in some cases.

DRC Poland is looking for qualified and enthusiastic professionals to lead the mobile protection monitoring teams in several locations in Poland – Warsaw, Lublin, Wroclaw, and Gdynia, and roving within the respective voivodship. Under the supervision of the project manager, the protection Monitoring Team Leader will be responsible for implementing protection monitoring activities aimed at regularly identifying protection risks to conflict-affected people and people at risk of exclusion in the locations appointed and through this, support the implementation of DRC’s protection objectives.

About the Job

Under the supervision of the Protection Project Manager (Protection Monitoring), the Protection Team Leaders will be expected to conduct extensive travel within the voivodship together with the monitoring team most days of the week using a combination of DRC contracted vehicles and public transportation. At times overnight stays in field locations will be required. This role will have a base focus and will ensure compliance with DRC procedures and guidelines at the base level. The role will also contribute to the development of base strategies, which will be translated into action plans and day-to-day tasks.

Management, Programming, and Operations

• Lead and manage the Protection Monitoring team consisting of protection monitors and officers i.e. prepare monthly and weekly monitoring visit schedules, divide responsibilities, manage teams workload and travel plans, and participate in recruitments.
• Lead the implementation of protection monitoring in line with agreed guidelines and SOPs.
• Identify locations for protection monitoring activities and engage with local authorities and other key stakeholders to introduce monitoring activities.
• Provide technical support to protection monitors and officers: updating service mapping, identifying referral pathways, guidance on referrals based on needs, revision of submitted data, and review of IPA submissions.
• Lead the consultations with affected communities when it comes to the design of protection monitoring activities.
• With the support of the protection team, organize joint analysis events at the area level.
• Identify sites/locations where protection monitoring activities will take place, and engage with local authorities and other key stakeholders to introduce monitoring activities to enable access to them.
• Prepare weekly and monthly work plans and movement plans for the mobile protection monitoring team in collaboration with DRC implementing partners.
• Ensure daily and periodical (monthly/quarterly/annual) reporting on the protection monitoring activities in the assigned location in line with project reporting requirements.
• Contribute to drafting of narrative reports.
• Support monitoring and evaluation exercises as advised by the Programme Development and Quality Assurance team.
• Support area-specific training.
• Identify and share recommendations on required project adaptation and timely inform about challenges in implementation

Coordination and Representation

• Collaborate with DRC partner organizations ensuring smooth delivery of project activities considering the specific needs of partners vs project deliverables.
• Contribute to the development of tools and SoPs in support to the design and rollout of DRC- led protection monitoring.
• Participate in donor meetings upon request.
• With the support of the Country Protection Team, maintain relations and share information with relevant stakeholders upon location.
• Represent DRC in Protection meetings as required.
• Engage with local authorities and other relevant protection stakeholders.
• Ensure integration and collaboration with other DRC sectors (CCCM, Economic Recovery).

Accountability

• Guided by the DRC Programme Handbook, continuously monitor and suggest relevant accountability initiatives in the field as well as strengthen the effort to document the impact of DRC activities in the area.
• Ensure that protection monitoring staff adhere to general protection, child protection, and GBV best practices and professional standards and principles through capacity-building and on-the-job support.
• Support programmatic learning based on project implementation and lead the generation of lessons learned and best practices at the area level.

Logistics/Finance

• Closely collaborate with support services staff to support timely procurement and delivery of necessary project equipment and supplies to partners, HR, and administrative procedures.
• Support the monitoring of financial commitments and expenditures against the project budget and provide timely feedback on budget follow-up.
• Plan and coordinate proactively logistics and movements of staff from and to different operational areas.
• Initiate procurements and ensure their execution.

About You

To be successful in this role we expect you to have a minimum of 3 years of proven, practical experience in a sector area working for an NGO or in the field of social work/support to persons at risk. Moreover, we also expect the following:

• A University degree in social sciences, humanities, or a research-related field (sociology, social work, psychology, international relations, etc.).
• A minimum of 2 years experience in a managerial position.
• Documented skills in project planning and design, drafting, calculation, and technical writing.
• Excellent skills in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and mobile data collection.
• Experience in protection programming.
• Experience working with national partners, local/government authorities, and UN organizations.
• Full professional proficiency in English and very good command of Polish. Additional language skills especially Ukrainian and/or Russian will be considered 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 act in line with DRC’s vision and values.

We Offer

Contract Type: National Contract

Contract length: November 2022 – April 2023, with the possibility of extension depending on the availability of funding.

Band: Management, G

Positions: 4

Duty base: Warsaw, Lublin, Gdynia or Wroclaw with extensive travel.

Start date: ASAP

We offer a competitive salary and benefits in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for National Staff.