Protection Team Leader

Who are we?

The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights, and strengthen their opportunity 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 6,500. 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.

DRC has been operating in the Middle East (ME) region for over a decade, running a combination of emergency, livelihood, protection and advocacy programmes through Country Offices (COs) in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey with a Regional Office (RO) in Amman.

DRC Yemen’s response

Throughout its nine field offices and a workforce of staff, DRC upholds its main programmatic objectives to provide immediate and life sustaining assistance, to strengthen the protective environment, and to reduce displacement related risks and vulnerabilities by promoting self-reliance at household and community level.

About the Job:

Overall purpose of the role: Under the direct supervision of the Area Manager and technical supervision of the Protection Manager, the Protection Team Leader (TL) will ensure the effective implementation of DRC’s protection intervention in Hodeidah, Hajjah and Sa’ada Governorates. The Protection TL will be responsible supervise protection Case Management (CM) services, Individual Protection Assistance (IPA), Victim Assistance (VA) and legal aid interventions in the assigned areas of operation, as well as maintain effective working relationship with relevant stakeholders including community members, local partners, and private/public hospitals.

The Protection Team Leader is responsible for ensuring excellent organization and coordination of the protection activities under his/her supervision. S/he will provide technical and organizational support of Protection staff through daily guidance, coordination, capacity-building, follow-up, monitoring and reporting.

Main Responsibilities:

Grants Management

• Ensure the successful implementation of protection activities under his/her supervision, including appropriate and timely spending plans for activities to achieve program goals, procurement, use and distribution of supplies and resources;
• Support with project planning including work plans and target tracking to ensure timely implementation of activities and successful achievement of targets;
• Support the monitoring of financial commitments and expenditures against budgets and provide timely feedback on budget follow-up to Area Manager;
• Support Protection Manager by contributing to and providing field-related inputs for protection proposals;
• Monitor and ensure the successful implementation of partners’ activities, including appropriate and timely spending plans for activities and targets tracking to achieve program goals.

Technical Support and Supervision

• Provide technical support, supervision and guidance to the protection team, and ensure that protection activities, including CM, VA, IPA and legal assistance, are implemented in line with DRC SOPs and best-practices;
• Conduct on-the-job coaching by undertaking field visits and providing feedback;
• Identify technical gaps in the activities and identify/implement solutions to address these gaps;
• With the support of DRC Protection Specialist and Protection Manager, provide capacity building to protection team members according to the identified needs and agreed capacity building plans;
• Conduct regular individual and group supervisions with protection staff to ensure that cases receive all the necessary support, that lessons learned and best practices are shared and challenges are mitigated;
• Facilitate and attend case conferences for complex cases and ensure case conferences are called involving relevant stakeholders;
• Ensure and monitor the correct documentation of cases through review of files and databases;
• Ensure confidentiality of information, and that data protection and information-sharing protocols are respected;
• Review staff caseloads to ensure they are manageable and respect sector’s guidelines and share challenges and feedback with Protection Specialist and Manager;
• Supervise activities’ implementation of local partners by providing technical support, job coaching and building capacities;
• Ensure that Protection staff correctly store all protection activities’ documents and tracking sheets, with hard copies matching soft copies on SharePoint, and respecting data protection protocols.

Staff management

• Manage the protection staff providing case management services, IPA, VA, and legal assistance;
• In collaboration with the HR department, participate to recruitment process(es) of protection staff (shortlisting resumes, correcting tests, conducting interviews, etc.);
• Support the protection staff in the implementation of all protection activities, orient new staff to DRC and the protection program in addition to day-to-day management and supervision of the protection team under his/her supervision;
• Ensure that staff implement and respect best-practice and international standards in protection;
• Ensure the respect and implementation of HR procedures in accordance with DRC Policies and Guidelines (i.e. daily management, disciplinary procedures, performance appraisals, leaves management, trainings and capacity building, etc.) in collaboration with the Human Resources department and Area Manager;
• Ensure the adherence of his/her staff to DRC Code of Conduct, policies, rules and regulations.

Monitoring and Reporting

• Submit to the Area Manager weekly and monthly reports on all protection activities, developments in the external context and humanitarian situation, and on project implementation progress;
• On a monthly basis revise all protection’s activities tracking sheets, remove confidential data and share a compiled version with Area Manager and Protection Manager for revision and approval;
• On a monthly basis submit report on Activity Info;
• Regularly coordinate with MEAL team to ensure PDM and PSM are conducted in a timely manner, ensuring respect of confidentiality and following DRC SOPs and best practices;
• Revise on a monthly basis partners’ report and submit them to the Area Manager.
• Coordination and representation
• Develop and maintain effective working relationship with relevant stakeholders including community members, local partner/s and public/private hospitals;
• Advocate for the needs of vulnerable individuals both internally and through coordination mechanisms through evidence-based advocacy;
• Maintain an up-to-date service mapping of the service providers operating in the area and share with the case management team;
• Attend Protection Cluster/s and coordination meetings as requested by Protection Manager.

Other

• Any other duties relating to the nature of the job as directed by the Area Manager and Protection Specialist/Manager;
• The TL may be requested to attend emergent call for duty during emergencies, upon the decision of line-manager;
• Maintain positive work relationship within the team, and promote team-building efforts in coordination with the Area Manager;
• Comply with DRC's Code of Conduct, program requirements and operational policies at all times and report any concerns through the appropriate mechanism;
• Must treat all partners and beneficiaries with dignity and respect.

About you

To be successful in this role you must have:

Experience and technical competencies:

• Relevant professional experience of not less than 3 (three) years;
• Experience in management of a team with proven leadership qualities;
• Familiarity/prior experience with DRC and its persons of concern (including internally displaced persons, returnees, refugees) would be a distinct advantage;
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of local communities and customary rules;
• Full respect for client/organization confidentiality;
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills and respect for people with specific needs and other vulnerabilities;
• Ability to work in a multicultural context as a flexible and respectful team player;
• Ability to provide technical support, trainings and supervision to Officers and Assistants;
• Excellent writing, reporting, and analytical skills;
• Familiarity with international protection and human rights legal standards would be a distinct advantage;
• Strong written and oral communication skills, effective in representation and liaison with external parties;
• Excellent organizational and planning skills as well as communication and inter-personal skills;
• Punctuality and respect for applicable rules and procedures;
• Strong ability to organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, work independently and prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail;
• Self-motivation, goal/result-orientation and team work;
• Flexibility, creativeness, tolerance and maturity;
• Computer/IT literacy (OS Windows, MS (Word, Excel in particular), etc.

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

• Striving for excellence: Focusing on reaching results while ensuring efficient processes.  

• Collaborating: Involving relevant parties and encouraging feedback.  

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

• Communicating: Listening and speaking effectively and honestly.  

• Demonstrating integrity: Upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

Moreover, we also expect the following:

Required qualifications:

Education:

Essential Qualification :

• University degree in social/political sciences, international development, or similar field; proven field experience can be accepted in lieu.

Languages:

• Arabic - Fluent, reading and writing
• English - Fluent, reading and writing

Key stakeholders:

• Protection Staff Members
• Other DRC Departments (GFD, FSL, etc.)
• Community members
• I/NGOs and government services
• Private and public hospitals
• Support teams (logistics, finance, HR)
• Protection Cluster

We offer

DRC will offer the successful applicant a contract until June 30, 2026, renewable dependent on both funding and performance. You must be available to start work as soon as possible and be willing and able to work in Hodeida.

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s National Terms of Employment. This position will be placed at Band (G2 Manager) and will report to the Area Manager – North.

Application process

Interested? Then apply for this position by clicking on the apply button or the link below.
All applicants must send a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages). Both must be in the same language as this vacancy note. CV only applications will not be considered.

Applications close on 16th November 2025. the written test /interviews are expected to take place, a maximum of two weeks after the closing date.  

If you have questions or are facing problems with the online application process, please check Need Support? or contact HR.

Need further information?

For more details on this position, please contact yem-recruitment@drc.ngo.

Please note that applications sent directly to [yem-recruitment@drc.ngo] will not be considered.

For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our website www.drc.ngo