Protection Team Leader

We are looking for highly qualified, self-motivated Protection Team Leader who is able to work with diverse teams of both national and international staff as well as local government authorities, UN agencies, I/NGOs and other partners under difficult, stressful and sometimes insecure conditions.   

Who are we?   

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and Danish Demining Group (DDG) is a humanitarian, non-governmental, non-profit organization founded in 1956 that works in more than 30 countries through-out the world, including South Sudan. DRC/DDG fulfills its mandate by providing direct assistance to conflict-affected populations, including refugees, internally displaced people and host communities. Under its mandate, the organization focuses on emergency humanitarian response, rehabilitation, post-conflict recovery and humanitarian mine-action.   

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) in conjunction with Danish Demining Group (DDG) has been operating in South Sudan since 2005 initially concentrating on providing safe and supportive conditions for refugees returning from neighboring countries after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed.   

In 2012 - 2013, DRC opened its operations in Upper Nile and Unity States to respond to the large influx of refugees coming from Blue Nile State and South Kordofan (Sudan). In addition to the refugee response and since 2014, DRC has been then actively engaged in responding to the humanitarian needs of IDPs affected by the internal conflict through the provision of integrated approaches.   

With a total of 450 national staff, 50 expatriate staff, we are currently implementing multi-sectorial interventions through the provision of humanitarian services focused on CCCM, Protection, SGBV, FSL, Shelter and Infrastructure to both internally displaced persons and refugees across 5 field sites (Ajuong Thok, Bentiu, Maban, Malakal and Aburoc).   

Overall purpose of the role

The Protection Team Leader position will ensure implementation of protection programming including coordination activities across the West Bank (Panyikang, Malakal, Fashoda, Manyo) in Upper Nile State and other areas. The Protection Team Leader will supervise national protection staff and oversee all protection activities implementation, support the Programme Manager with reporting, act as focal point for the Protection Cluster when necessary, strengthen the capacity of staff and maintain strong relations with relevant stakeholders, among other tasks. The primary role of the West Bank Team Leader will be to take charge of outreach protection programming, develop high quality protection information related reports and assist in programme development and strategy

Responsibilities

• Take the lead in DRC outreach work across the West Bank of Upper Nile, assist in programme development and strategy implementation.
• Produce high quality protection information products (monitoring reports, snapshots, briefings) on the dynamic context and protection concerns.
• Supervise and support national protection officers and assistants in the implementation of project activities.
• Implement general protection activities, in accordance with agreed strategy, operational plan, budgets, and DRC and donor regulations; including protection monitoring, assessments, trainings as appropriate, identification and support to persons at risk of protection issues, protection case management, and other regular protection activities.
•  Conduct protection assessments and protection analysis to identify protection concerns and respond to the protection risks identified accordingly. 
• Contribute to the strategic direction of the DRC Protection department, in close collaboration with the DRC Protection Coordinator, including initiating strategy planning at field level, and share protection updates and information with DRC Protection Coordinator on regular basis. 
• Prepare and submit monthly protection monitoring reports to Protection Coordinator.
• Prepare and follow weekly and monthly work plans.
• Train protection national staff on a regular basis, at least once a month, on protection principles, guidance, and protection activities, in close collaboration with the Protection Coordinator.
• Work closely with the Protection Coordinator in designing training modules and tools on topics such as human rights and basic protection principles for Community Protection Committees and other community structures.
• Contribute to and support effective monitoring, evaluation, and learning processes and initiatives, and ensure effective data and information management and contribute to regular reporting on protection activities (weekly, monthly, quarterly, mid-year, annual, as required).
• Manage protection database and train national protection colleagues on the use of the database, and ensure referrals and protection cases are followed-up by protection staff.
•  Ensure regular general monitoring visits to the affected community are conducted to identify protection concerns and persons with specific needs (PSNs).
• Attend protection cluster meetings and act as state coordinator when needed.
• Prepare all necessary documentation for each activity (including weekly vehicle movement plans, order requests, payment requests, etc.) and for the reconciliation of the money spent during each activity.
• Liaise and build partnerships with community leaders, and other relevant actors to encourage participation in, support for and a better understanding of the program activities.
• Ensure staff compliance with security management rules and procedures; for example, ensuring relevant documentation and procedures are understood and adhered to by staff.
• Prepare project procurement plans and raise materials/services requisitions and follow up with the respective support departments.
•  Liaise on a regular basis with the Area Manager as well as Malakal and Juba Protection colleagues to flag issues and concerns, and provide protection updates.
• Ensure synergy between protection and other sectors at Area level. 
• Any other tasks as required by the management relevant to the implementation of protection objectives and activities.

Qualifications and Experience required

• A degree in political/social sciences, law, development studies, international development or equivalent degree qualifications;
• At least 2 years protection project management experience, including community-based training experience on human rights and/or protection, and protection monitoring/human rights experience, of which at least 1 year should be at international level and in South Sudan or in geographic or conflict context similar to South Sudan;
• Proven technical knowledge of human rights, protection principles, project cycle management, SPHERE standards;
• Experience in proposal and budget development and project implementation (including budget management);
• Familiar with rule of law;
• Understanding of and experience in engaging the cluster system in IDP sites;
• Ability for rapid analysis of very complex issues, strong decision-making, and translation of programmatic learning and priorities into operational strategies;
• Excellent interpersonal skills, cross-cultural communication and ease in managing a multi-ethnic team;
• Good team leadership and conflict resolution skills, consensus team building, and adaptability; 
• Patience and understanding to work with and develop capacity of national staff;
• Experience delivering programs to tight deadlines;
• Good computer and IT skills and strong communication and writing skills; 
• Ability and willingness to work in remote and isolated location with limited access to services and changing security scenarios;

Languages

• Fluency in written and spoken English language;

Key stakeholders

• UNHCR, IOM and other INGO counterparts

• Local authorities

Duty Station: Malakal (Roving).   

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates; please refer to www.drc.dk under Vacancies. This position will be placed at level A16.   

Application process   

Interested? Then apply for this position by clicking on the apply button. 

All applicants must send a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages). Both must be in English. CV only applications will not be considered.      

If you have questions or are facing problems with the online application process, please contact job@drc.dk      

Applications close 15^th November, 2018.   

 Need further information?   

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