WoS Protection Advisor

Position: WoS Protection Advisor

Location: Amman with frequent travel to the field

Reports to: WoS Deputy Country Director Program Quality

Direct Reports: PSS Coordinator, GBV Coordinator, CP Coordinator

Duration: 12 months (renewable).

Critical interface: with DCD PI and Area Directors, Protection managers in the hubs as well with other SMT members.

About Relief International.

Relief International (RI) is a leading nonprofit organization working in 16 countries to relieve poverty, ensure well-being and advance dignity. We specialize in fragile settings, responding to natural disasters, humanitarian crises and chronic poverty.

Relief International combines humanitarian and development approaches to provide immediate services while laying the groundwork for long-term impact. Our signature approach — which we call the RI Way—emphasizes local participation, an integration of services, strategic partnerships and a focus on civic skills. In this way, we empower communities to find, design and implement the solutions that work best for them.

Relief International includes the four members of the RI Alliance in the USA, UK, France, and Belgium. Under our alliance agreement, we operate under a single, shared management structure with one CEO and one Board of Directors.

About our Programs

RI is active in 15 countries around the world, including some of the most fragile: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen. Often, RI is the only organization providing assistance to highly vulnerable communities.

• RI employs 7,000+ staff and auxiliary workers
• 97% of staff are in-country nationals
• We only have some 90 ex-pat staff out of 7,000+
• RI spent $125 million in 2019 on our programs.

RI invests in four broad program sectors: Economic Opportunity, Education, Health, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). We design our programs to incorporate The RI Way: local participation, integrated programming, the development of civic skills, and partnerships including with local NGOs, governments, and the private sector.

RI supports solutions that reinforce and improve upon existing in-country systems. Where such systems do not exist or are chronically underperforming, RI’s crisis response lays the foundation for long-term, sustainable change.

Position Summary:

The WoS Protection Advisor will be based in Jordan-Amman with frequent travels to support the program teams in Syria and Turkey as required. He/She will in charge of the overall design and management of the WoS funded protection program(s), ensuring strategic vision and development of the programme, with strong focus on the technical elements and innovative programming. He/She will also ensure objectives are on track, work plans in place and program progress is on track. The position will report to the WoS deputy country director for program quality, and will supervise the technical team based in Amman, while providing support to the protection manager and their team in the hubs. He/She will be also responsible for the introduction of new activities and services, development of technical SOPs and guidance notes in line with international standards, as well as develop and deliver technical training and provide technical support to the teams in Amman and in the hubs. The WoS Protection Advisor will be responsible for the identification and development of new funding opportunities, update the country Protection strategy and represent RI in coordination and donor meetings.

This position requires a detail-oriented critical thinker who is accustomed to the pace of emergency response programming, has experience in successfully leading a diverse team, does not require close supervision or direction, is flexible and highly responsive, and can work well under pressure with minimum supervision or direction, is flexible and highly responsive, and has excellent organizational skills. The WoS Protection Advisor must be able to rapidly identify and anticipate problems and issues related to the day-to-day implementation of program activities, assists the program managers of the hubs and coordinate closely with WoS DCD Program Quality and departments leads to address challenges ensuring quality and timely implementation of activities in the field.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

Technical Quality/Program Management

• Provide strategic direction, leadership and overall technical and management assistance to protection program(s) in Syria;
• Provide support to technical coordinators and programme managers in the hub to ensure quality development and implementation of the protection programme, as well as proper and innovative integration among sectors;
• Conduct regular field visits to the hubs to meet staff (RI and local partners focal points) to assess progress toward objectives, discuss issues and assist in finding solutions to identified challenges;
• Work closely with and provide ongoing technical support to the technical coordinators to develop training materials/processes and the delivery of trainings to RI and partners staff;
• Coordinate closely and liaise regularly with relevant departments to ensure quality management and compliance to donor requirements;
• In collaboration with the DCDs and hub leaderships, ensures close management of project work plans, indicators, budgets (budget forecasting, development of spending plans and budget follow-up), timely recruitment, and accurate reporting in accordance with RI and donor regulations (for both direct and indirect implementation);
• Work with RI protection and program teams to ensure projects are implemented in conformity with the RI program and protection mainstreaming frameworks, international law and protection standards, and national policies;
• Maintain effective working relationships with all stakeholders in Jordan, Turkey and other hubs, including I/NGOs, local authorities, UN agencies, NGOs forum, Protection Cluster, etc., and ensure effective coordination/working relationship between RI protection team and local partners;
• Work closely with relevant clusters/working groups/ coordination bodies and Humanitarian Trends and Analysis Unit focal points to develop and continuously revise a protection network sustainability strategy, coordinating closely with the relevant Technical Advisor and providing targeted feedback to the DCD programme quality;
• Play a key role, together with the DCD programme quality, in the development of proposals and fundraising strategies to ensure continued programming.
• Work closely with the RI’s GSO-based Technical Units (MEAL and Protection) and in-country M&E unit and IT to review and recommend/apply appropriate technologies (electronic data collection, web-based applications, etc.) into the protection programs and to ensure coherence of technical quality and strategy of approaches.
• Ensure that registries, assessment methods & other sources of information about affected people are age gender and diversity-sensitive (for both RI direct and indirect implementation).
• Review human resources & administration issues: work with the protection team, HR and WoS protection program manager to ensure balanced recruitment and deployment of staff; appropriate working conditions provided for both male & female staff; staff aware of RI safeguarding policies and codes of conduct duly signed; personal needs, security & risk considerations of staff.
• In coordination with the WoS DCDs, manage core projects, project staff, and budgetary resources for successful achievement of strategic outcomes and timely fulfillment of deliverables in support of collaborative and collective NGO efforts, including by closely follow up on the implementation, anticipating challenges, and adapting implementation plans as appropriate.
• Perform leadership role in sector strategy development, program design, liaison with the donor and coordination with other implementing agencies.
• Work closely with the M&E unit/accountability officers (WoS and hubs as required) to ensure complaints response mechanism, is up to date and all issues are closely followed up
• In coordination with the hubs PMs, monitor level of project risk and the success of risk mitigation plans and report to WoS DCDs to identify areas of concern in advance and mitigate effectively.
• Ensure that necessary and appropriate SOPs are developed/in place and are implemented in line with RI and donor procedures.
• Ensure compliance to Donor and RI policies and procedures relevant to the program implementation.
• In coordination with WoS grants unit and the technical team, contribute to donor reports and ensure timely and quality reporting on project activities and progress on targets per set deadlines, and conduct regular on-track/off-track assessments with program team.
• In collaboration with the Grants Unit, organize and lead program kick off meetings, grant review meetings and grant closeout meetings and lead in the development and oversight of the RI mobilization plan for the first 3 months of program implementation.
• Ensure that capacity plan is in place for all the programs unit in line with the career development objectives for the program staff, and work closely with the HR to ensure training opportunities are identified and utilized (both internal and external) based on the needs, and ensures constructive feedback, performance appraisals, and ensure the direct reports are applying the same for their own direct reports.
• In coordination with budget holders work on realistic and accurate spend down plans and regularly communicate any under-overspend and plan mitigation measures
• Any other tasks requested by the line manager.

Culture and Leadership:

The organization promotes inclusiveness, transparency, agility, collaboration, and sustainability, fostering a diverse and open-minded team that values innovation, teamwork, and long-term impact. Leaders are expected to demonstrate strategic thinking, effective communication, solution-oriented and positive thinking, organizational and planning skills, and a commitment to continuous professional development. They should uphold humanitarian principles, collaborate with stakeholders, ensure gender sensitivity, manage budgets effectively, build team capacity, and maintain ethical conduct, including preventing sexual exploitation and abuse.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

This position demands a dynamic individual with a demonstrated ability to achieve results in a demanding and fast paced environment. Female candidates are highly encouraged to applied.

Key desirable qualifications:

• Master’s degree or equivalent years of experience in development studies, social sciences or related field;
• Minimum of six years professional experience leading, managing, and implementing protection programs, preferably in a conflict setting;
• Demonstrated technical background in protection, GBV, CP and/or PSS interventions in humanitarian emergencies.
• Demonstrated background and knowledge of major humanitarian donors.
• Demonstrated experience in monitoring and evaluation and results-based management
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, public speaking, and strategic planning skills required;
• Fluent English speaking and comprehension skills required, Arabic language skills preferred,
• Strong English writing skills required;
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and tasks efficiently;
• Strong budgeting and budget monitoring skills including a high level of proficiency with MS Excel.
• Demonstrated experience in successfully managing a multicultural team, and a commitment to capacity building;
• Excellent time management skills and resourcefulness with strong attention to detail;
• Demonstrated experience of upholding humanitarian principles and actively engaging the most vulnerable communities. Committed to promoting RI’s focus on accountability, innovation and partnership building.

Key competencies:

• Adaptable and flexible
• Strategic thinking
• Strong writing and analytical skills
• Solution oriented and positive thinking
• Solid organizational and planning skills
• Self-critic, curious and eager to develop further professionally
• Communicate with impact and respect

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Relief International is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Relief International (RI) is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to RI’s Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

RI Values:

We uphold the Humanitarian Principles: humanity, neutrality, impartiality and operational independence. We affirmatively engage the most vulnerable communities.

We value:

• Inclusiveness
• Transparency and accountability
• Agility and innovation
• Collaboration
• Sustainability