Psychosocial/Case Management Officer - Illela

Introduction

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 fulfilment 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 organisation with more than 7,000 staff and 8,000 volunteers. Based in Copenhagen (Denmark) and present in forty countries, the Danish Refugee Council is a non-profit-making, politically independent, non-governmental and non-denominational relief organisation.

Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced. All our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency.

 Background

A country of around 230M inhabitants, with over 129 million currently living in poverty, Nigeria faces one of the world's most complex humanitarian crises in the world. The fifteen-year conflict in the Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY) states, driven primarily by the Boko Haram insurgency and its splinter groups (ISWAP and JAS), has resulted in widespread displacement, violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws, and acute protection needs. More than 2.3 million people remain internally displaced in the northeast, while in the Northwest region an additional 1.3M people have been forcibly displaced due to banditry, kidnapping, and herders -farmers conflict. Northern Nigeria is heavily impacted by climate change, including lengthening lean seasons and erratic rainy seasons and droughts, resulting in food production shortfalls and more population displacements. Severe acute malnutrition is affecting a world-high total of 1.8 million children across BAY and northwestern states.

In 2026 Nigeria’s humanitarian system will be transitioning from UN-led toward nationally owned coordination, with some lack of clarity regarding concrete mechanisms to be it in place and amid a funding crisis.

DRC has been operating in Nigeria since 2016. The Country Office is in Abuja and has 2 area offices in Maiduguri and Sokoto with sub offices in Gusau, Bama and Banki and a mobile team in Katsina. DRC Nigeria's multi-sectoral response addresses core Strategic Priority Interventions: Hard-to-Reach populations, Economic Recovery, Protection, and increasingly climate resilience. The operation focuses on both emergency response and solutions programming with expanding partnerships with local actors.

Purpose/objective of the position:

The PSS/Case Management Officer provides direct psychosocial support and case management services while also offering technical supervision, local PSS and CM assistants of local partners coaching, and quality assurance to local partner teams. The Officer delivers structured PSS, lay counselling, complex case management, and manages all Cash‑for‑Protection/Individual Protection Assistance (IPA) processes in line with DRC protection standards.

The role strengthens local partner capacity, ensures gender‑balanced service delivery, and promotes an integrated approach across safe spaces, health facilities, and mobile outreach teams.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Programming

•  Provide day-to-day supervision of partner PSS and CM Assistants (2 PSS + 2 CM per LGA, gender‑balanced) and ensure quality implementation of structured PSS and case management activities.
• Deliver direct structured PSS sessions for adolescents aged  15 and above, and adults using approved curricula and ensuring adherence to global and DRC standards.
• Identify and refer child protection cases to specialized child protection actors in accordance with established referral pathways.
• Provide individual lay counselling to persons experiencing psychosocial distress, including those identified through outreach, referrals, or at health/nutrition facilities.
• Provide PFA to individuals in acute distress  and ensure timely referral to appropriate services when needed.
• Lead on complex case management, including high‑risk cases requiring multi‑sectoral coordination or specialized referrals.
• Manage the full cycle of Cash‑for‑Protection/IPA cases, including risk analysis, eligibility assessment, documentation, follow‑up, and compliance with protection standards and due diligence.
• Conduct twice‑weekly service delivery at designated health and nutrition facilities, providing integrated PSS and case management under a fixed schedule. During these days, partner staff remain at the safe spaces to ensure uninterrupted community coverage.
• Ensure timely identification, assessment, and safe referral of individuals at risk, maintaining strict confidentiality and data protection.
• Conduct regular coaching visits, joint field mentoring, and technical spot checks to ensure adherence to DRC SOPs, protection principles, and CM steps.
• Support the conduct of community sensitization and awareness on mental health, psychosocial wellbeing, and available protection services to reduce stigma and improve service uptake.
• Facilitate cross‑learning between GBV/CP case management (led by FRAD/CENCEX) and general protection case management (coached by DRC).
• Maintain updated service mapping and referral pathways in each LGA.
• Support partners to integrate PSS and CM into their interventions, ensuring alignment with DRC standards and donor requirements.
• Ensure all case management and PSS services follow survivor-centred, protection-sensitive, and safeguarding principles.

Reporting:

• Maintain strong collaboration with local authorities, community structures, and service providers to strengthen referral pathways.
• Coordinate closely with DRC PSS, CM, CBP, and Protection Monitoring teams to ensure integrated programming.
• Contribute to weekly, monthly, and donor reports with accurate data, analysis of trends, and partner performance updates.
• Ensure partner teams maintain complete, accurate, and confidential documentation of PSS and CM activities.
• Support the PSS/CM Team Leader in producing analytical notes on protection risks, PSS outcomes, and case management trends.

Representation and coordination:

• Represent DRC in LGA‑level protection, PSS, and case management coordination meetings when delegated.
• Maintain strong collaboration with local authorities, community structures, and service providers to strengthen referral pathways.
• Coordinate closely with DRC PSS, CM, CBP, and Protection Monitoring teams to ensure integrated programming and other multi-sectoral teams.
• Facilitate communication and technical exchange between partner teams across LGAs.

Operations:

• Contribute to the effective implementation of all operations support activities, including those related to administration, finances, and logistics, so as to ensure smooth project implementation. In all matters, comply with internal directives and policies as communicated by the Protection Implementation and Partnerships Manager, PSS/CM TL and Programme Manager and/or the relevant support departments. Ensure compliance with DRC policies, PSEA, Child Safeguarding, and data protection standards.
• Coordinate weekly movement plans to guarantee the Officer’s scheduled presence at health/nutrition facilities while maintaining full partner coverage at safe spaces.
• Support partners in planning logistics for field activities, including materials for structured PSS and case management sessions.
• Contribute to procurement planning by identifying activity needs and communicating them to the PSS/CM Team Leader.
• Ensure all IPA/Cash‑for‑Protection documentation is complete, accurate, and aligned with DRC’s protection risk analysis standards before submission and ensure to deliver it according to SOPs and standards

Staff Management, Training & Capacity Development

• Provide daily technical coaching to partner PSS and CM Assistants through shadowing, simulations, case reviews, and bilateral mentoring.Identify capacity gaps and deliver targeted trainings on:
• General protection case management
• Safe referrals
• Lay counselling
• Structured PSS curricula
• Documentation and data protection
• Support FRAD/CENCEX and other local partners to strengthen their internal training systems, including introductory GBV/CP CM modules.
• Promote a culture of learning, accountability, and continuous improvement within partner teams.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Conduct regular monitoring of PSS sessions, case management files, and partner activity implementation and feedback surveys and impact of PSS/CM activities
• Review and sign off on complex case files, including IPA cases, ensuring compliance with SOPs, risk mitigation standards, and donor requirements.
• Ensure all activities conducted are uploaded and regularly updated on the PSS and CM Activity Dashboard.
• Support the development and use of tools to measure the impact of PSS and CM interventions.
• Provide feedback to partners and the PSS/CM Team Leader on quality gaps and recommended corrective actions.
• Participate in case conferences for high‑risk or complex cases.

The responsibilities listed in the JD are not exhaustive and may be readjusted according to operational needs but will remain in line with the overall purpose of the role.

Experience and technical competencies:

Education:

A university degree in Psychology, Social Work, Social Sciences, Mental Health, or a related field is preferred. Relevant professional experience in psychosocial support or protection programming may be considered in lieu of a completed degree.

Languages:

Fluency in written and spoken English. Fluency in locally spoken languages is an added advantage.

Experience and technical competencies:

• Minimum 3 years of experience in protection, psychosocial support, or case management.
• Demonstrated experience providing direct lay counselling, structured PSS, and complex case management.
• Experience managing Cash‑for‑Protection/IPA cases, including risk analysis, documentation, and follow‑up.
• At least 1 year in a supervisory or coaching role for PSS and/or Case Management.
• Strong technical knowledge of structured PSS, lay counselling, and general protection case management.
• Experience working with IDPs, refugees, or conflict‑affected communities.
• Experience supporting or supervising local partners.
• Experience conducting direct interview and providing support to who have experienced trauma.
• Strong skills in documentation, data protection, and analysis and attention to detail
• Ability to work under pressure and in remote field locations.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Desirable

• Experience in GBV/CP case management (introductory level acceptable).
• Experience in project cycle management and monitoring tools.
• Knowledge of DRC protection approaches and Nigeria humanitarian context.

Study in social work and psychosocial support is a very strong asset

General Regulations:

• The employee shall follow DRC instructions on safety, confidentiality and ethical guidelines, including the Code of Conduct and the Humanitarian Accountability Framework
• Employee should not engage in any other paid activity during the DRC contract period without prior authorization
• Employee should not engage in any activity that could harm DRC or the implementation of any project during the DRC contract period
• Employee should not give interviews to the media or publish project-related photos or other material without prior authorization
• Employee shall return all borrowed equipment for the project to DRC after the end of the contract period or upon request.

Application Process

Are you interested? Then apply for this position online: www.drc.dk/about-drc/vacancies/current-vacancies. All applicants must send a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages). Both must be in English.

DRC provides equal opportunity in employment and prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.

DRC encourages all applicants to apply and does not practice any discrimination in any recruitment process.

However, all applicants shall take into consideration that DRC cannot offer an international work contract to a citizen of the country of assignment (in this specific case, Nigeria)

Deadline: Applications close on the 18th of April 2026 at midnight (GMT-time). 

Note: Applications will be reviewed on rolling bases due to the urgency, therefore a candidate who closely meets the requirements may be selected before the above deadline.