Protection Programme Manager- Iraq

INTERSOS is an independent humanitarian organization that assists the victims of natural disasters, armed conflicts and exclusion. Its activities are based on the principles of solidarity, justice, human dignity, equality of rights and opportunities, respect for diversity and coexistence, paying special attention to the most vulnerable people.

Terms of reference

Job Title: Protection Programme Manager

Code: SR-29-9307

Duty station: Mosul – Ninewa governorate

Starting date: 01/04/2024

Contract duration: 9 months

Reporting to: Country Programme Coordinator

Supervision of: Legal protection officer, MHPSS field manager

Functional Supervisor: Protection Coordinator

Type of duty station: Non-family duty station

General context of the project

INTERSOS has been present in Iraq since 2003 and operates in the governorates of Ninewa, Salah Al Din (SAD), Erbil and Sulaymaniyah with its coordination office based in Erbil. As of early 2024, INTERSOS Iraq employs more than 200 national staff and 13 expatriates, as well as volunteers, and incentive workers.

INTERSOS’ thematic areas of intervention are Protection and Education. Applying an integrated programmatic approach, INTERSOS provides vital services to women, men, girls, and boys from the displaced, refugee and host communities in its areas of operation. In the protection sector, INTERSOS is a major player in Iraq and provides a comprehensive package of protection services. Services include Community-Based Protection, protection monitoring, MHPSS, case management (GBV, child protection), legal assistance, counseling, representation, and social cohesion. In the education sector, INTERSOS supports access to formal and nonformal education for Syrian refugees and displaced Iraqis in camps and urban locations and promotes the integration of child protection and PSS in the education system.

General purpose of the position

The Protection Programme Manager provides protection technical expertise for a sound implementation of INTERSOS protection interventions in Ninewa Governorate and contribute to strong external and internal representation to efficiently ensure protection-programmatic goals and improve the targeted population’s protection situation. In close collaboration with the Coordination team, s/he will define and plan objectives and priorities, identify humanitarian needs, analyse context and protection issues at stake, assess risks and constraints, and calculate human resource and financial needs for project implementation. S/he will lead, coordinate and support the implementation of protection-related activities (Community-Based Protection, Legal Services, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support) to ensure activities meet quality standards in the sector, while supporting protection mainstreaming within other sectors’ projects. S/he will guarantee the overall supervision of the project team involved in protection-related activities and the economic and financial administration of the protection project’s objectives and results, and oversee the capacitation and coaching of protection staff.

Main responsibilities and tasks

Programme Management Duties:

• Ensuring timely implementation of Protection activities in line with proposal targets, budget and work-plan;
• Preparing, managing and regularly updating the protection project work plans (activity and financial) in close coordination with the Country Programme Corodinator ensuring timely and quality delivery;
• Maintaining updated data on achievements through different off-line and on-line tools and platforms, as requested by Country Programme Coordinator and Protection Coordinator;
• Guaranteeing implementation of program activities in compliance with INTERSOS program and protection strategies as well as INTERSOS and donor guidelines;
• Coordinating with logistics, administration and finance staff for funding and support of operations, preparing and revising monthly financial and procurement plans;
• Maintain and support positive team communications and dynamics: organize regular project management meetings and maintain strict collaboration with logistics, finance, and MEAL departments, as well as technical specialists.
• Periodically updating the context-specific protection situation analysis and informing/discussing with relevant colleagues accordingly;
• Working closely and proactively engage with relevant colleagues in ensuring the integration of Protection Mainstreaming principles in other sectors within INTERSOS programming in the Governorate (following IASC global guidelines);
• Undertaking technical assessments of protection needs and gaps in anticipation of potential changes in the protection strategy and implementation;
• Supporting the development, implementation and evaluation of the Mission’s Protection Mission and Protection programs, providing technical inputs and recommendations for new and ongoing interventions;
• Leading and supporting the development of new project proposals (technical and financial).

Technical Management and Oversight:

In her/his function of protection programme manager, s/he will provide technical support to several protection components:

Legal Services:

• Supervise the implementation of legal assistance activities with the support of the Legal Officer;
• Ensure adherence of legal assistance activities to the legal assistance SOPs with the support of the Legal Officer;
• Monitor the quality of legal services including legal awareness, legal counseling, legal services assistance and court representation (including visiting activities in the field);
• Ensure that monitoring of legal services conducted by the MEAL department includes feedback from beneficiaries;
• Review weekly and monthly planning of legal services prepared by the Legal Officer;
• Receive and monitor the PR requests and weekly Liquidity Plan prepared and sent by the Legal Officer;
• Lead, with the support of the Legal Officer, a monthly analysis of the legal protection trends affecting the region for evidence-based advocacy
• Oversee the legal platform and legal database to ensure timely updated inputs and adherence to SOPs.

Mental Health and Psycho-Social Support:

• Ensure that all MHPSS activities are implemented in line with INTERSOS guidelines and standards;
• Oversee and guide staff to ensure that MHPSS needs are identified, and appropriate responses planned, with cases treated and/or referred following principles of trauma-informed care, confidentiality, and empowerment.

Community-Based Protection:

• Ensuring that all activities are designed and implemented in light of a community-based approach; facilitating empowerment of project participants;
• Monitoring the establishment and the availability of support for community groups while ensuring proper planning of support for community-based initiatives and groups;
• Establish/maintain good relationships with community leaders and community members.

Monitoring and Reporting:

• Collaborate with the MEAL Department to ensure quality standards of implementation and collect/process feedback and complaints from beneficiaries.
• Lead preparation of narrative activity and donor reports for Protection projects, according to INTERSOS and donor requirements;
• Guiding and reviewing technical reports prepared and compiled by the Protection project staff to be sent to the MEAL Department and/or to the Protection Coordinator;
• Ensuring staff capacity building in the use of the INTERSOS Management Platform (IMP);
• Undertake monitoring field visits of protection activities to provide technical guidance and supervision as well as conduct regular monitoring of the progress of Protection activities;
• Ensure close monitoring of Protection activities including case audits, field visits and shadowing of activities as needed;
• Provide updates to the SMT on the progress of the project and make recommendations for necessary actions if required.
• Elaborate the institutional memory of projects, including maintaining and archiving project documents, MOVs, and progress reports.
• Undertaking appropriate filing system for Protection program-related documentation is in place for project compliance and donor audits.
• Ensure lessons learnt are documented and capitalize best practices while providing relevant feedback for new program development.
• Contribute to regular protection trends analysis.

Coordination and representation:

• Contribute to set programming strategies for INTERSOS Iraq concerning the Protection sector;
• Closely collaborate with the Mission Protection team including Protection Coordinator, technical specialists, and other protection programme and project managers to ensure harmonized approaches, experience-sharing and mainstreaming of best practices;
• Conducting regular meetings with donor representatives and facilitating field visits as needed;
• Establish and maintain regular and collaborative relations with relevant stakeholders (partners, donors, other organizations, local authorities and institutions);
• Proactively participate and represent INTERSOS in relevant working groups and relevant inter-sectorial coordination meetings at the field level to contribute in the development of guidelines, standards, tools, and strategies, both at the regional and national level;
• Proactively engage in bilateral meetings with other INGOs and NGOs active in relevant geographical areas to avoid duplication, ensure coordination and referral and work for complementary efforts.

Human resources:

• Support the recruitment and selection of Protection staff;
• Coordinate and supervise Protection staff and evaluate their performances;
• Train protection staff on protection concepts and related issues, the guiding principles underlying the response approach, and ensure that national staff has access to external protection training.
• Contribute to ensuring staff strictly follow safety and security protocols in the field, in coordination with the security department, HR department, and other relevant departments; promptly report any security concerns or incidents to the relevant security staff and Head of Mission; make recommendations on security gaps, needs or implementation of policies.
• Contribute to ensuring, in close collaboration with the HR department, the proper application of HR policies and associated processes (recruitment, training, briefing/debriefing, evaluation, staff development and internal communication) in the field.
• Ensure that the project staff, with the support of key protection staff, are duly trained on INTERSOS PSEA/CP Policies, and that the PSEA/CP Policies are fully implemented in the area of responsibility.

Required profile and experience

Education

• University Degree in human rights law, international relations, international development or equivalent.

Professional Experience

• Five years of relevant work experience in protection within a humanitarian context (including experience with Refugees and IDPs)
• Very good understanding of protection, human rights law, and international humanitarian principles
• At least 3 years of experience in a managerial role

Professional Requirements

• Strong technical experience in protection (with key thematic areas being Community-Based Protection, legal services and MHPSS)
• Experience in managing protection projects (including management of budget, procurement, logistics, HR)
• Experience with and commitment to community-based approaches, conflict sensitivity and gender responsiveness
• Computer literacy (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, GBVIMS, CPIMS);
• Excellent analytical and reporting skills on protection and human rights;

Languages

• Fluency in English (written and spoken) mandatory
• Proficiency in Arabic highly desired.

Personal Requirements

• High degree of flexibility and ability to work in insecure, stressful and hardship environments;
• High confidentiality, respect and non-discriminatory attitude;
• Self starter with ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines;
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.