Protection Team Leader at Oxfam

Location: Gwoza, Borno
Job Grade: C2
Job Family: Programme Technical
Reporting Lines: Post holder reports to: PM, matrix line to Protection Coordinator
Staff reporting to this post: Protection Officers

Job Purpose

• To support the development and implementation of Oxfam s humanitarian work by providing specialist advice and support on humanitarian protection.
• This will include implementing mainstreaming protection in the humanitarian response, supporting safe programming and undertaking gender-sensitive community-level protection activities in particular, protection monitoring and information dissemination and referrals guided by Oxfam’s policies and guidelines for managing information and the relevant professional standards in protection work.

Dimensions:

• Coordination of and delivery of agreed plans or strategies. Input to strategic plans and processes at country, region and global thematic level (e.g. protection strategy).
• Representation in coordination meetings and external relationships.
• Impact and influence in own and country teams across sectorial specialities. This includes Working along with WaSH, EFSVL, MEAL and other departments to ensure integrated protection activities are correctly planned and implemented throughout the project.
• Manages projects and people. Providing specialist advice or specific skills to the teams. Collaborates with other teams and departments.
• Management tasks are complex and non-routine within a specialised function.
• Requires the ability to analyse and communicate complex information to a wide audience in a relevant and meaningful way that is easy to grasp and understand.
• Role is variable with well-defined targets and/or minimum standards and is both proactive and reactive.
• To play active role in lobby and advocacy on issues related to programmes through personal contacts and co-ordination of allies.
• To support fundraising efforts and produce clear and quality reports (financial and narrative) that demonstrates good accountability.
• Works with similar post holders and advisers across Oxfam affiliates and the Global Humanitarian Team. 

Key Responsibilities
The situation in Maidiguri, NIgeria is highly changeable and this job description is subject to change as the situation evolves. As such the post-holder will be expected to be flexible as to working location, however should security conditions allow, we would expect the post-holder to be based in Maidiguri and travel where possible.
 
Programme Implementation:

• Ensure the delivery of protection activities and provide technical support to the Protection Officers to undertake their responsibilities in line with their role and responsibility.
• Join field protection officers in monitoring and analysing protection issues affecting populations in area of Oxfam operations.
• Provide specialist protection advice and support to Oxfam’s humanitarian response in Northeast Nigeria, including regarding engagement with armed non-state actors and ensuring independence and impartiality in providing services.
• Support the Protection Coordinator in mainstreaming protection across Oxfam’s humanitarian response in North-east Nigeria.
• Provide technical support to WaSH, EFSVL and MEAL teams in integrating protection within their programmatic tools, such as targeting criteria or PDM.
• Prepare for and organize community consultations and community based orientation sessions, in coordination with Oxfam team(s) and other partners.
• Lead and supervise assessment teams during thematic surveys, needs assessment and data collection for protection-related research.
• Monitors protection issues affecting IDPs and host population in areas of operation.
• Support the Protection Coordinator, Programme Managers and Team Leaders to strategize, plan for and ensure appropriate integration and mainstreaming of protection through all programme activities.
• Support the Protection Coordinator and Programme Manager in developing safe programming and conflict-sensitive approaches to the humanitarian response.
• In collaboration with the Protection Coordinator and the Programme Manager, ensure program staff members are fully trained on existing referral systems and relevant SOPs. 

Advocacy and Research:

• Support protection-related advocacy researches and surveys in coordination with the Protection Coordinator and the Policy, Media, Advocacy and Campaigns department.
• Support Program Team for preparing written protection updates for Oxfam situation reports.

Coordination:

• Develop lines of communication and close collaboration with the PHE, PHP and EFSVL teams and contribute to a coordinated humanitarian response.
• Liaise with logistic and procurement to ensure protection activities have the required resources in good time. Complete and keep records of the necessary paperwork.
• Represent Oxfam with key protection actors such as ICRC, UNHCR, IOM, OCHA and actively participate in the Protection Cluster and relevant Areas of Responsibility.
• Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEAL) and reporting:
• Produce gendered protection updates that will be included in field visit reports.
• Organise and prepare protection analysis if and when required.
• Contribute in Sitreps, monthly reports, donor reports and proposals.
• Support and coordinate with MEAL Officers and assistants for baseline survey, postdistribution and other monitoring activities.  Other duties and responsibilities required by the line manager.

Qualification, Skills, & Experience
Essential:

• A minimum of 3 years involvement in humanitarian response work, preferably in fieldbased protection work in conflict or insecure environments;
• University degree at Masters level in a relevant discipline (law – including international law –, political science, social science, peace and conflict studies, or any other relevant education profile);
• Strong conceptual and practical understanding of protection issues and specifically Oxfam’s approach to and role in protection work including advocacy;
• Understanding of the Protection Cluster and other protection coordination mechanisms and the roles and mandates of key protection actors.
• Analytical skills and strategic thinking.
• Strong understanding of gender-related aspects of protection work. Commitment to gender equity, diversity and equal opportunities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English.
• Experience managing diverse staff/teams including in complex and challenging environments.

Desirable :

• Experience of capacity-building and training of colleagues and partners.
• Experience in using participatory research and participatory assessment methodologies.
• Project management
• Very good interpersonal skills, particularly in networking, working with communities, local civil society and local authorities.
• Previous experience in using and adapting community-led approaches.