Protection Officer

Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, is currently looking for a highly qualified Protection Officer to be based in Chisinau, Moldova.

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 on the basis of humanitarian principles and human rights. DRC is implementing a multi-sector response to support Ukraine refugees, IDPs, and host populations both within Ukraine and in the neighboring countries of Poland, Romania and Moldova, and wider Europe. Due to the ongoing conflict that began in February 2022, Ukraine is experiencing one of the largest humanitarian crises in Europe since World War II. Currently, there are an estimated 6.3 million displaced people who have crossed the international border, with 549,333 crossing into Moldova to date and with between 70 to 90,000 remaining in Moldova.

DRC Moldova will respond in three pillars:

1. Establish partnerships agreements with national NGOs engaged in the response and enhance their coverage

2. Provide technical support to partners, the wider civil society, and state actors engaged in the response

3. Implementation of humanitarian interventions in various sectors (Protection, Mine Risk Education, and Site Management Support).

About the Job

Under the supervision of the Protection Manager and in close coordination with other DRC field units, the Protection Officer will support the daily operations in the area of intervention of DRC operations and Partners. The Officer will be 100% field-based and will develop and maintain good relations with the Persons of Concern (PoC), and relevant stakeholders, and will support the implementation of DRC’s protection objectives and activities to provide timely and effective protection to persons of concern under DRC projects in the open accommodation sites. The Protection Officer’s responsibilities will include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:

Responsibilities:

• Monitoring and reporting on the refugees’ situation at various locations
• Identifying protection cases and other service needs and ensure timely referral and follow up, documenting all cases referred by DRC to other service providers, as per DRC standards for referrals and data protection
• Monitoring and ensuring the effective outreach for persons with protection needs, prioritizing the most vulnerable and those difficult to identify
• Work with women and girls and children in the Safe Spaces to identify their needs, interests, and priorities, and where possible, adapt activities according to these to ensure activities offered are culturally appropriate and meet the needs of women and girls.
• Take a lead in the direct implementation of the activities and support partners through life-skills and resilience building and organizing community feedback meetings.
• Identify and promote culturally appropriate/relevant interventions geared towards improved physical and reproductive health, social skills (conflict resolution, problem solving, empathy and relationship building) and self-sufficiency of target beneficiaries.
• Support in the identification of extremely vulnerable cases for appropriate referral to other actors for services.
• Conduct comprehensive report and documentation of lessons learnt and best practices to achieve project goals and activities.
• Contributing and supporting effective monitoring, evaluation and learning processes and initiatives, ensure effective data and information management and contribute to regular reporting on protection activities, including reporting on general and major protection issues, as well as protection incidents. Collaborate with DRC colleagues to resolve problems and issues as they arise.
• Organize joint events with refugees and host communities for community harmonization.
• Support partners’ implementation of activities, provide feedback and relevant necessary training.
• Participating in (joint) assessments, identifying protection concerns and reporting for follow-up.
• Identify vulnerable individuals and facilitate appropriate action, including referrals to specialized services and protective accompaniment as necessary.
• Provide appropriate and relevant information to asylum seekers and refugees regarding their rights and services available to them.
• Participate in awareness raising sessions and information campaigns for persons of concern.
• Draft protection and activities’ reports and provide inputs in designing protection monitoring tools and formats.
• Provide inputs on case studies, best practices and lessons learned from each of the activities implemented.
• Provide translation/interpretation as necessary.
• Planning and conducting Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) as facilitator and/or note taker and drafting the relevant reports.
• Planning and conducting Information Sessions as facilitator and often in cooperation with external actors and specialists on different issues, based on needs and information gaps identified on site among the female population, including reporting duties and drafting relevant reports.
• Ensure timely submission of daily, weekly and monthly reports.
• Define psychosocial activities to be implemented according to the children’s ages and situation and contribute to the development of a child friendly space curriculum.
• Deliver the CFS curriculum and other recreational activities to the children with/or without their parents and/or ensure partners’ activities
• Prepare and implement recreational activities for targeted children (large events or small groups)
• Identify within the activities the children in need of further assistance. Act in the best interest of the child.
• Ensure partner’s activities include recreational activities and CFS curriculum for targeted children and they act in the best interest of child. Identify potential gaps and relevant trainings

Collaboration and supervision

• Ensure that correct procedures are followed when responsible for any focal points.
• Report any major issues to the protection management.
• Collaborate with DRC colleagues to resolve problems and issues as they arise.

Ensure the observance of the DRC Code of Conduct throughout activity implementation.

Experience and technical competencies: (include years of experience)

• Minimum one year of previous experience in working with vulnerable individuals.
• Previous working experience with local or international NGOs will be considered as a strong advantage.
• Experience of community-based or community mobilisation work in a humanitarian context is a strong advantage, especially work experience with women and girls.
• Strong computer skills.

Education: (include certificates, licenses etc.)

• University degree in Social sciences, Social Work, Law, Refugee and Migration studies, Human Rights, International Relations, Psychology, Gender studies or a related field is preferred.
• At least 1 year of previous experience (including volunteer) with vulnerable people, refugees and/or migrants (ideally with women) Languages: (indicate fluency level)
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required.
• Strong language skills in Romanian and Russian or Ukranian.

Key stakeholders: (internal and external)

• DRC field teams and program units.
• Persons of Concern in the site of operation.
• Ad hoc external partners.
• Other external actors (NGOs and/or International Organizations).
• Local and/or Public Authorities operating in the field.

We Offer

• Contract type: National Contract
• Contract length: 05 months, with the possibility of extension depending on funding.
• Band: Non-Management, H
• Number of Positions: 1
• Duty base: Chisinau
• Start date: 01.08.2023
• We offer a competitive salary and benefits in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for National Staff.