Protection Monitoring Officer

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 fulfillment 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 organization with more than 8,000 employees and also 8,000 volunteers, while managing a turnover of over 400 million Euro. 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 organization. The Danish Refugee Council is Denmark’s largest humanitarian NGO and has been ranked the 3rd best NGO in the world in 2018 (for the six consecutive years, the organization is among the top five of the NGO Advisor Annual List).

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.

1.Background

The Danish Refugee Council initiated its activities in the island of Lesvos in November 2015 due to the unprecedented influx of asylum seekers. Following new political developments and displacement dynamics in early 2016, DRC expanded its activities to the mainland to support the people living in several sites across the country. With offices in Athens, Larissa and Thessaloniki, it currently implements a wide range of activities, including Site Management Support, legal assistance, identification of individual needs and protection of highly vulnerable persons, access to services within and outside the hosting sites through cultural mediation, and non-formal education. DRC works closely with the refugee communities, the Greek authorities and other humanitarian actors to ensure a protective environment for refugees and asylum seekers in Greece.  

2.Purpose

DRC Greece is looking to recruit a qualified, flexible and enthusiastic professional to work for its Office in Thessaloniki as Protection Monitoring Officer. Under supervision of the Protection Monitoring Team Leader and in close cooperation with other protection colleagues, DRC field units and other relevant actors in the area of North, the Protection Monitoring Officer will be 100% field-based, will develop and maintain good relations with the persons of concern and will support the implementation of DRC’s protection objectives and activities to provide timely and effective protection to persons of concern under DRC projects in the emergency reception sites.

3.Duties and Responsibilities

Responsibilities will include, but not necessarily be limited, to the following:

• ​Participate in the implementation of general protection activities in accordance with agreed objectives
• Continuously monitor and document the needs of the persons of concern.
• Monitor and analyse trends in the protection situation within and affecting the area of deployment for programme, advocacy and management purposes. 
• Maintain an oversight of services provided and available to persons of concern with whom the protection team is working in the area of deployment. 
• Continuously monitor the provision of services on the site and report on findings, to ensure Protection considerations are mainstreamed across all sectors.
• Regularly review and adapt vulnerability criteria; identify vulnerable individuals and facilitate appropriate action, including referrals to specialized services.
• Conduct vulnerability assessments, so as to Identify social, legal, psychosocial, socio-economic and administrative needs of Persons of Concern (PoC) and/or support related exercises.
• Ensure that DRCs protection activities are delivered on time and to agreed standards and are flexible and responsive by participating in (joint) assessments, identifying protection concerns and reporting for follow-up.
• Provide appropriate and relevant information to refugees and migrants regarding their rights and services available to them
• Provide support in designing and implementing awareness raising sessions and information sessions for persons of concern.
• Support the design and implementation of population profiling and verification exercises to ensure site population data is regularly updated.
• Ensure that DRC approach to protection is consistently applied through community – based protection methods.
• Encourage, support and monitor community-based protection networks in the DRC sites.
• Draft protection monitoring reports and provide input in designing protection monitoring tools and formats.
• Document case studies, best practices and lessons learned from each of the activities implemented.
• Undertake planning and provide feedback to the Protection Team Leader on procurement and logistics needs.  
• Provide translation/interpretation as necessary.

Coordination and Representation 

• Liaise with local authorities, service providers and humanitarian actors to support mapping of services and development of effective referral pathways.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with external stakeholders, including government authorities, UNHCR, KEELPNO well as persons of concern in the area of deployment. 
• Act as a focal point for contact between DRC protection management, other DRC North protection team members (e.g. Protection Monitoring Team Leader, RCMs, Legal Aid team, Protection manager, other DRC protection officers in other sites, etc.), between the DRC protection team in the area of deployment and other DRC units, and with other agencies in the area of deployment. 
• Refer protection cases to relevant partners; including updating relevant databases on referrals and feedback.
• Represent DRC in Protection meetings on site level as required.

Collaboration and supervision

• Report any major issues to the protection management

• Collaborate with DRC colleagues to resolve problems and issues as they arise

• Ensure the observance of the DRC Code of Conduct throughout activity implementation.

In addition to the above, the Protection Officer may be asked to carry out other duties requested by the Field  Protection Manager.

4. Required qualifications

• University degree and especially in Social sciences, Law, Refugee and Migration studies, International Relations, Psychology is highly appreciated.
• Strong verbal and written language skills in Kurdish (Kurmanji or Sorani) and/or Arabic and/or Farsi/Dari are requiredl for the position.
• Professional fluency in written and spoken English is required
• Strong languages skills in one or more of the following languages are considered an added value: Greek, French, Urdu.
• At least one year working experience in a related field: previous experience working with refugees and asylum seekers is required.
• Strong computer skills are required.
• Experience of community-based or community mobilisation work in a humanitarian context and/or experience with protection tools and monitoring is an asset.
• Previous working experience with local or international NGOs  is considered as a strong advantage.
• High professional ethics.

5.Required Skills & Qualities

• Core Competencies of DRC:
  • Striving for excellence
  • Collaboration
  • Taking the lead
  • Communication
  • Demonstrating Integrity
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Dynamic personality and ability to work under pressure
• Commitment to the values, vision and mission of DRC
• Commitment and respect of the DRC code of conduct
• Strong initiative and self-motivated, with a strong commitment to teamwork and humanitarian principle
• Flexible, enthusiastic and willing to learn from others
• Ability to multitask and cope with competing demands under tight deadlines
• Ability to cope with high workload and stress and identify priority activities and assignments, and adjust priorities as required
• Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary environment

6. Terms & Conditions

• The contract will be under the Greek Labor Law (this is a national position)
• All allowances will be provided to the employees (Christmas, Easter, Vacation bonus)
• DRC provides training opportunities to develop and strengthen the quality of its services as well as its staff members’ professional and personal development.
• The position will be based in the broader area of Thessaloniki (Greece) and national terms and conditions apply

7. Application Process

Are you interested? Then apply for this position on line: 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, applicants must be aware that DRC cannot systemically sponsor non-EU citizen or non-Greek resident for all the steps of legal process to get a work permit and/or a residency permit in Greece.

Applications close on the 5th  of July 2020. Applications submitted after this date will not be considered.

Due to the urgency of the position, DRC has the right to recruit a candidate who matches the required profile before the above deadline.