Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, is currently looking for a highly qualified Protection Officer-Caseworker

About the job

The Protection Officer – GBV Caseworker will lead field-level implementation of the Protection component in Ceel Buur, with primary responsibility for delivering confidential, survivor-centered GBV case management and supporting Protection Monitoring, referral systems, community-based Protection, safety audits and Protection mainstreaming. The Officer will serve as the main field-level Protection focal point for the SHF area-based response, provide technical guidance to the General Protection Assistant and community/outreach structures on safe identification and referral, and coordinate with relevant service providers and humanitarian actors. GBV case management will be undertaken under regular technical supervision from the Country GBV Coordinator, while other Protection concerns will be safely identified and referred in line with relevant SOPs and staff competencies.

Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

GBV case management and direct response

  • Provide direct, confidential and survivor-centered GBV case management in line with DRC SOPs and inter-agency standards, including intake/assessment, informed consent, safety planning, case action planning, referrals, follow-up and case closure.
  • Independently manage complex/high-risk GBV cases under regular technical supervision, provide first-line emotional support/PFA, and facilitate timely access to health/CMR, MHPSS/PSS, legal and other specialized services.
  • Maintain appropriate caseload prioritization, intake cut-off and closure/step-down planning; promptly escalate urgent ethical, safety or service-access concerns to the Country GBV Coordinator.
  • For non-GBV Protection concerns, including Child Protection concerns, support safe identification and referral to qualified services; do not undertake specialized case management, investigation, verification or formal MRM functions unless separately trained and authorized.

Case-management quality, IPA and referral systems

  • Participate in confidential case review and case-file audits with the Country GBV Coordinator and implement agreed quality-improvement actions.
  • Assess Protection barriers requiring Individual Protection Assistance (IPA), prepare case-based requests/documentation, and support delivery and follow-up in line with DRC Somalia C4PO/IPA procedures and authorization thresholds.
  • Lead field-level maintenance of verified GBV and multi-sector referral pathways and support implementation of the Referral Management System (RMS), including service mapping, referral follow-up and identification/escalation of service gaps without compromising confidentiality.
  • Provide practical guidance to the General Protection Assistant, outreach workers and Community Protection Focal Points on safe identification, first-line support and referral boundaries; community structures and untrained staff must not collect survivor case details or undertake GBV case management.

Protection Monitoring, mainstreaming and community-based Protection

  • Lead/coordinate field-level Protection Monitoring in assigned Ceel Buur locations, supported by the General Protection Assistant and community structures, ensuring safe data collection, monthly review of trends and use of anonymized findings for programme adaptation and coordination.
  • Conduct/support safety and accessibility audits, inclusive consultations, Mobile Protection Desks and GBV/CP risk-mitigation activities at DRC WASH and relevant partner service points, following up agreed mitigation measures.
  • Support community-based Protection mechanisms, including coaching Community Protection Focal Points/outreach workers on Protection principles, PSEA, confidentiality, safe reporting and consent-based referral.
  • Provide field-level Protection mainstreaming support to DRC WASH and relevant SHF partners, including guidance on safe identification/referral, confidentiality, inclusion, AAP/PSEA and protection-sensitive service delivery.

Documentation, coordination and reporting

  • Maintain complete, accurate and secure GBV case files using DRC-approved case-management systems, including Activity Info where rolled out, applying coded identifiers, need-to-know access and secure storage; keep case-management data separate from routine Monitoring, MEAL and donor datasets.
  • Coordinate with the Protection Team Leader, Galkayo Protection Officer and country technical team so anonymized Protection trends and service gaps inform broader implementation, ABC/Cluster follow-up and corrective action.
  • Coordinate with local authorities, humanitarian partners, community leaders and service providers, and represent DRC in relevant Protection/GBV/ABC coordination forums as delegated.
  • Contribute to workplans, 5Ws/PITAR and donor/technical reporting using aggregated, non-identifying information, and support training/orientation of frontline staff and partners on safe disclosure, informed consent, confidentiality, data protection, RMS/referral pathways and Protection mainstreaming.

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to have:

Required

  • Minimum 3 years of relevant Protection experience, including at least 2 years of recent hands-on GBV case management in humanitarian, displacement or conflict-affected settings.
  • Demonstrated ability to independently and safely manage the full GBV case-management cycle, including informed consent, risk/safety assessment, case planning, referrals, follow-up and closure.
  • Strong technical understanding of GBV guiding principles, survivor-centred practice, CMR and MHPSS referral pathways, confidentiality, data protection, safeguarding and safe disclosure handling.
  • Demonstrated experience in broader Protection programming, preferably including Protection Monitoring, referral systems, safety audits, community-based Protection and/or Protection mainstreaming in integrated humanitarian responses.
  • Experience with case review/case-file quality assurance, IPA or case-linked Protection assistance, referral mapping, coordination with specialized service providers/humanitarian actors, and coaching frontline staff on safe identification/referral is strongly preferred.
  • Strong documentation, analysis, judgment, communication and problem-solving skills; ability to work with significant autonomy in hard-to-reach locations. Familiarity with GBVIMS/Activity Info or another secure case-management system is an asset
  • Strong documentation, analysis, judgment, communication and problem-solving skills; ability to work with significant autonomy in hard-to-reach locations. Familiarity with GBVIMS/ActivityInfo or another secure case-management system is an asset

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

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process. 

Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback. 

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

Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly. 

Demonstrating integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer

Contract length: 6 months, Possible of Extension

Band: H2

Work location: Dhuusamareeb, Somalia, with frequent travel to Ceel Buur and surrounding project locations

Start date: September 2026

Reporting to: Protection Team Leader   

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for

employees on national contract.


Application process

All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English. Applications sent by email will not be considered. This position is open to female candidates only. Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Closing date for applications: 28th September 2026

For more information about the Danish Refugee Council, please visit our website drc.ngo.

Danish Refugee Council is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and positive work environment based on mutual respect for all employees. All applicants are considered for employment regardless of personal characteristics or attributes.

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Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.