Protection Assistant Katsina / Borno State at Smiling Hearts Initiatives International

Job Type: 6 Months with possibility of extension

Role Purpose

The Protection Assistant will support in implementing gender-sensitive community-level protection activities, protection monitoring, and information dissemination for managing information and relevant professional standards in protection work

Key Outcomes

• Ensure the delivery of protection activities in the Humanitarian response
• Undertake regular field visits with the Small Holder Farmer and FSL teams to identify and address, along with the sectorial teams.
• Prepare for and organize community consultations and community-based orientation sessions, in coordination with other partners
• Participates in developing and updating the mapping of services for threats and abuses (including GBV) that IDPs and Host Community members face in SHI areas of operation
• Lead and supervise assessment teams during thematic surveys, needs assessment and data collection for protection-related research
• With support of the Protection Officer, follow-up with humanitarian actors about requests and invitations for community sessions
• Monitors protection issues affecting IDPs and host population in areas of operation
• Support the teams to strategize, plan for and ensure appropriate integration and mainstreaming of protection through all programme activities
• With support from SHI Protection Officer, develop and update relevant Information, Education and Communication tools (leaflets, brochures, posters etc.)
• Coordinate and organize regular internal mapping of services available in the area of intervention
• Working in Support of SHI Protection Officer to develop safe programming and conflict-sensitive approaches to the humanitarian response
• In collaboration with the Protection Officer, ensure program staff are fully trained on existing referral systems and relevant SOPs
• Facilitate referral of protection issues to relevant service providers.
• Conduct awareness raising and sensitization of relevant Protection messages and beneficiary’s rights
• Assist in any other related matters necessary for the execution of the project

Role Context

• The Protection Assistant will carry out all Protection activities and will be responsible for the day-to-day implementation of the various protection activities in the field locations under his/her responsibility under the supervision of Protection Officer.
• She/he will also coordinate local communities, in close coordination with SHI’s Protection Officer and field teams.

Analytical Skills:

• Works on complex issues. Problems and issues, risks and benefits may have implications across several project components.
• Required to develop new ways of doing things to better meet program goals requiring creative or analytical ability.

Qualification and Experience:

• University Degree in a relevant discipline (Law, Political Science, Social Science, Psychology or any other relevant education profile),
• Experience, 2 years working with communities in humanitarian / development contexts.
• Capacity and willingness to reside in the field location assigned to and regularly travel to other field locations where SHI operates
• Very good interpersonal skills, particularly in networking, working with communities, local civil society and local authorities.
• Good understanding and knowledge in application of do no harm, conflict sensitivity principles and IASC standards and ethics for protection work.
• Good understanding of protection concerns, including GBV issues in displacement, human rights, and international humanitarian law
• Understanding of monitoring processes, learning, adaptation and evaluation
• Good knowledge of spoken and written English, Hausa and Kanuri
• Commitment to humanitarian principles and action and to SHI’s equal opportunity and gender policies
• Excellent skills of using Microsoft word, power point and excel
• Considerable knowledge and experience in Child Protection is an added advantage.