Country Protection Manager

Background

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) assists refugees and displaced persons around the world: we provide them with emergency aid, fight for their rights, and help them gain access to a better future. We are present in conflict zones, along displacement routes, and in countries where refugees settle. We work in cooperation with local communities to identify responsible and sustainable solutions. We work to promote the successful integration of refugees and, where possible, to help them return home.

In the DRC, DRC has been involved in humanitarian aid since 2009. Initially operating in Ituri Province, DRC has gradually expanded its scope of action to North Kivu. The country office is based in Goma.

Overall purpose of the role:

The Country Protection Manager is one of the country-level points of technical leadership for ensuring high-quality protection programming and effective management across the protection sector. The role is line managed by the Head of Programs and its part of a Protection management unit that works across Area Offices and Project Teams to establish systems and approaches and directly implement them in close collaboration with.

The role provides the technical lead with the opportunity to engage the field team to enhance accountability in the management of protection activities : overseeing protection sector projects/programmes and directly managing protection staff within geographic or thematic areas, coordinating the protection sub-sectors (Legal Aid, Community-Based Protection, Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence, Child Protection, Protection Information Management, and Mental Health and Psycho-Social Support); leading the protection project/programme cycle, people management of direct reports, and achievement of DRC’s strategic protection goals; providing technical advice, direction, and the authority to instruct; ensuring adherence to DRC policies, MOPs, standards, and quality assurance; maintaining internal and external coordination and representation; and budget holder responsibilities.

At the country level, the Country Protection Manager leads protection analysis and strategy development and implementation, provides sectoral technical advice and support, supervises protection staff and interventions throughout the programme/project cycle, ensures compliance with sector standards and monitoring and evaluation efforts, and leads capacity building, development of protection tools and approaches, and protection-related coordination and representation efforts. the Country Protection Manager contribute to DRC’s protection programming across the same core components—Legal Aid, Community-Based Protection, GBV prevention and response, Child Protection, Protection Information Management, and Mental Health and Psycho-Social Support—while operating at different organizational levels to ensure cohesive, effective protection outcomes.

The Country Protection Manager will also actively contribute to the country’s localization strategy of transitioning responsibly towards a partner-implemented approach where DRC will support local civil society to design and deliver high quality humanitarian protection programs.

DRC highly encourages qualified female applicants.

Applications will be reviewed on a regular basis and shortlisted candidates will be contacted to complete additional steps.

Duties and Responsibilities

Protection Sectoral Technical Responsibility

• Lead protection analysis efforts and the development and implementation of the country level protection strategy,
• Technically responsible for the overall protection portfolio subsectors
• Oversee and lead the development, harmonization, adaptation and rollout of internal policies, guidelines, protection related tools, Standard Operating Procedures, related to DRC’s protection interventions, also with local partners and their teams
• Act as a reference point for other sectors’ colleagues for Protection Mainstreaming

Management

• Manage and technically oversee implementation of all protection projects in area of responsibility, both by DRC teams and by our partners, in alignment with agreed strategies, principles, implementation plans, and donor requirements.
• Responsible for budget management, including monitoring, forecasting, and performing budget holder responsibilities for protection projects in area of responsibility; for projects implemented in partnership with local actors, this includes supporting partner focal points in budgeting and budget monitoring, also through the organization of joint project cycle meetings.
• Responsible for line managing protection staff in daily work and project activities to ensure adherence to work plans and quality standards; for projects implemented in partnership with local actors, this includes supporting partner focal points in work planning, activity follow-up and compliance.
• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, and performance appraisal; set clear workplans and objectives and promote ongoing professional development through targeted capacity-building opportunities as well as on-the-job coaching.

Protection Programme Development and Oversight

• Lead and contribute to the design and finalization of all protection sectoral interventions in proposals and projects, prioritizing opportunities with local civil society and ensuring co-design with local partners as relevant.
• Provide technical review of all proposals that include protection interventions.
• Oversee compilation of project related internal and external reports and communication.
• Maintain oversight of overall protection program implementation, including budgets and indicators, in close collaboration with HoP, HoO, area managers and protection managers, as well as local partners counterparts.
• Participate in protection programme / project review meetings, including grant opening, grant review and close out meetings, ensuring local partner equitable participation.
• Responsible for ensuring Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) and Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) is mainstreamed into protection projects and programmes under their area of responsibility; support local partners in mainstreaming AGD and APP upon request.

Coordination and Representation

• Represent DRC and actively contribute to protection sector coordination fora at the country level; ensure DRC’s local partners in the protection sector have access and are represented in these fora.
• Lead DRC’s and our partners’ protection sector coordination and collaboration efforts with relevant stakeholders including government, civil society, NGOs, and UN
• Actively engage and contribute to DRC and partners’ protection related advocacy efforts.
• Promote integrated programming and ensure internal coordination and harmonisation of DRC protection interventions across sites and with other core sectors, as relevant; upon request, support local partners in mainstreaming protection across their programming.
• Act as sector level point of contact with donors; promote local partners’ access to donors and ensure local partners get the credit for their contributions to our projects in donor reports and meetings.
• Ensure other sectors’ protection mainstreaming efforts

Partnerships Development and Collaboration 

• Maintain partner mapping of civil society actors engaged in the protection sector in collaboration with DRC's Partnership manager.
• Act as the technical and management focal point for DRC's partners in the protection sector.
• Participate in partners’ organizational capacity assessments and analyze assessments to identify specific capacity strengthening and organizational development needs in the protection field.
• Develop and provide and/or coordinate training and targeted capacity strengthening support to partner teams in line with their capacity sharing plan.
• Provide training to the DRC teams and support the capacity development of staff;

PERSONAL SPECIFICATIONS

Required Experience and Technical Competencies: (include years of experience)

• Education: (include certificates, licenses etc.)
• University Bachelor degree (e.g. social work, law) or above
• Proven experience of at least 5 years working in the protection sector and management of protection programmes
• Proven experience in working with local partners in the protection sphere, and strong commitment to supporting local civil society.
• Bachelor of Arts degree, preferably in a field directly relevant to humanitarian protection, or appropriate level and combination of expertise and experience
• Expert knowledge of International Refugee Law, International Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian Law
• Strong understanding of global protection sector standards, protection analysis, and Results-Based Protection
• Knowledge and experience designing, implementing, and monitoring and evaluating protection intervention within two or more of DRC’s Protection sector components: Gender-Based Violence, Child Protection, Protection Information Management, Community-Based Protection, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, and/or Legal Aid.
• Proven communication, interpersonal, representation, negotiation, promotion, and diplomacy skills
• Strategic thinker with the ability to quickly develop good insight and understanding of humanitarian, political and human rights situation in the relevant context.
• Proven strong analytical thinker and problem solver
• Experience with technical management of teams
• Experience in providing technical guidance and developing and providing learning activities
• Sound understanding and experience in protection mainstreaming and Age, Gender, and Diversity (AGD) mainstreaming, conflict sensitivity, and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and abuse (PSEA)
• Experience in project development (including proposal writing), implementation and MEAL for protection programmes
• Experience in advocacy and policy development, and cluster / working group coordination in the humanitarian sector
• Cultural sensitivity and adaptability
• Previous experience working in DR Congo is an advantage
• Ability to manage a high workload and manage stress

Languages: (indicate fluency level)

• English (fluent)
• French (Fluent)
• Swahili (Advantage)

All DRC roles require the post-holder to master DRC’s 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.

What we offer

• Duration: 6 months, renewable subject to performance and funding.
• Contract:  Salary and conditions in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council's terms of employment
• Band F/Manager.
• Start date: As soon as possible
• Duty station: Goma
• Reporting line:  This position reports to the Head of Programs

Application and CV

Interested candidates must submit a complete application file containing the following items:

• Curriculum Vitae, maximum 3 pages
• Cover letter explaining why you want to work for DRC and the skills and abilities that make you the ideal candidate for this position, maximum 1 page
• Photocopies or scans of school or academic qualifications
• Certificates from all previous employers and positions held;
• Photocopies or scans of your identity card (front and back);
• ONEM card/candidate's telephone numbers and address;
• Any other documents required for the application

The DRC only accepts applications sent via our online application form at www.drc.ngo under Vacancies/JOB.

Please submit your application and CV in French or English by midnight on December 19, 2025.