Protection Rule of Law Coordinator

SCOPE OF WORK: The IRC is implementing a protection program featuring protection monitoring, information sharing, community based protection protection case management referral services, capacity building and access to justice/rule of law. The Protection Coordinator will be responsible for the development and implementation of protection programming in all three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe where the IRC has humanitarian presence. He/she will lead the design of protection monitoring methodology, M&E systems, and training materials for protection and information project staff, set up and scale up of access to justice/rule of law interventions and Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) regarding the sharing of data with other actors. The Protection Coordinator will ensure the quality of protection data collection and analysis and ensure that succinct and accurate protection reports are utilized to inform programming and advocacy both internally and externally. The Protection Coordinator will also be responsible in contributing to increasing the IRC’s presence and potential leadership role in the Protection sector by attending relevant working group meetings, networking with state and NGO actors in the protection sector and identifying potential partners for future programming. The Protection Coordinator will directly supervise various  protection managers and information management officer who will also support the program.

The Protection Coordinator will work extensively with other sectors, to ensure that protection principles are being incorporated into the Nigeria sector programs, and in particular with the Women’s Protection and Empowerment Coordinator, the Child Protection Coordinator to strengthen the integrated nature of IRC’s protection and assistance programs in Nigeria. 

S/he reports to the Senior Program Coordinator (SPC) and will have access to technical guidance from the IRC Protection Rule of Law technical unit..

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Program management

• Provide strategic direction and vision to the IRC’s Protection programming in Nigeria, with an emphasis on maintaining program quality during a period of expansion.

• Ensure that all interventions are in compliance with the IRC’s protection mainstreaming framework, international law and protection standards and national policies.

• Oversee implementation of the Protection Monitoring and Information Dissemination through managing project work plans and budgets (budget forecasting, development of spending plans and budget follow-up), ensuring timely recruitment, quality implementation and accurate reporting in accordance with IRC and donor regulations.

• Ensure that monitoring and evaluation systems are effectively designed and integrated into all stages of the project; that output and impact data are captured and that data is used to optimize program quality.

• Participate in cross-departmental collaboration and coordination in order to ensure that linkages between programs are made and programs gain from protection best practice; in particular with regular contact and coordination with Coordinators and Managers in WPE, CP, Food Security (ERD), and Education.

• Participate in grant opening, midterm review and grant closing meetings for all PRoL grants and ensure that the same process is implemented in the field.

• In collaboration with program and grants staff, set up a budget tracking system and review Budget vs. Actual expenditure for PRoL programs on a monthly basis with staff.

• Review all reports prepared by the field staff and provide appropriate feedback to the concerned staff, and ensure that reports are written and submitted to concerned bodies in a timely manner.

• Liaise regularly with the relevant HQ technical units. 

• Ensure all designed protection projects use to the IRC theories of change and that outcomes are evidence-driven and evidence-generated.

New business development

• Develop the Protection sector strategy for Nigeria in close collaboration with the Protection Managers, DDP/SEP, other protection sector staff, and the VPRU Technical Unit

• Identify opportunities for, design and develop concept notes and proposals for further protection programming and other protection programming as requested

• Develop and/or input into protection assessments and protection reporting analysis for the purpose of program development

• Provide Protection input on proposals from other sectors to ensure protection is mainstreamed across IRC programming

Staff Support

• Provide technical guidance, on the job mentoring and coaching for the senior manager and managers.

• Ensure ongoing training and targeted capacity building of PRoL staff. This includes staff training in program management areas such as reporting, budgeting, monitoring, evaluation, and supervision.

• Support Field Coordinators/Managers to ensure that the senior manager/managers put capacity development plans in place for the national protection teams based on documented capacity needs assessments exercise.

• Provide continuous support to and ensure targeted capacity building of staff.

• Review performance of PRoL staff in the field and provide supportive approaches to address issues identified.

Representation, coordination and advocacy

• Coordinate with DDP, DDFM and SPC to forge connections with key government counterparts at the ministerial level, UN, I/NGOs, human rights actors, municipal and other sub-national government actors.

• Represent the IRC in high level and strategic meetings involving protection actors such as protection working group meetings, inter-agency coordination meetings, and bi-lateral meetings.

• Regularly coordinate with internal program and operational stakeholders, the Protection/Rule of Law Technical Advisors, Women’s Protection and Empowerment, Children’s Protection, Education and other IRC colleagues.

• In collaboration with the DDP/CD and regional advocacy team, ensure that the protection program delivers on advocacy goals as articulated in the country wide advocacy strategy.

• 3-5 years’ experience implementing protection programming including experience in emergency or post-conflict project management

• Demonstrated experience using international human rights standards in protection programming

• Demonstrated experience implementing M&E programs

• Strong strategic thinking and proposal writing skills

• Strong leadership, staff and budget management and capacity building skills.
• Excellent communication skills, cultural sensitivity, flexibility, ability to improvise, team player.
• Ability to live and productively work under stress and in insecure and harsh environments while maintaining a sense of humor.

DESIRED

• Experience implementing integrated programming which focuses on meeting the unique needs of children, women and girls is desired.
• Experience in implementing programming that utilizes ICT, including in the management and monitoring of SMS based systems.
• Regional experience and fluency in English

SPECIFIC SECURITY SITUATION/HOUSING

The Protection Coordinator will be based in Maiduguri, Nigeria with travel throughout the country. The security situation in Nigeria continues to be volatile in the NE with the security level at 3 (orange). The candidate should be prepared to implement programming in insecure environments. This is a non-accompanied position. The Coordinator will live in shared housing. 

Standards of Professional Conduct

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.

Gender Equality & Equal Opportunity

We are committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer generous benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances. We welcome and strongly encourage qualified female professionals to apply.

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