Protection Manager at Danish Refugee Council (DRC)

Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Reporting to: Head of Programme
Supervised by: Head of Programme
Employment period: 12 months
Type of contract: Expatriate

Background
Danish Refugee Council (DRC), and its Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding technical unit - the Danish Demining Group (DDG), has had an operational presence in Nigeria since 2015. DRC Nigeria is the largest DRC country mission in the West Africa region and one of the largest DRC country missions globally. Currently, DRC delivers life-saving assistance and protection to vulnerable, conflict-affected populations including internally displaced persons, returnees and host communities in the areas of armed violence reduction, humanitarian mine action, livelihoods, nutrition and food security, protection, shelter and non-food items (NFI) and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in 30+ Local Government Areas (LGAs) across Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states in northeast Nigeria.

Purpose:

• The DRC Nigeria is looking to recruit an experienced, highly- qualified and enthusiastic professional Protection Manager to lead the effective implementation of DRC’s protection activities in Nigeria and oversee a consistent integration of a human-rights based approach into all DRC response activities in Nigeria.
• The Protection Manager will be based in Maiduguri but will be expected to spend time with programmes and to visit occasionally at the regional office for strategic reviews/ meetings.
• This position is a technical one, requiring a solid previous experience in a similar position. This position also requires strong ability in safety and safeguarding.. This position also requires full professional proficiency in the English language.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Under the authority of the Head of Programmes and with the close technical supervision of the Regional Protection Coordinator, the Protection Manager contributes to updating and applying the strategic protection and advocacy vision in the country and is responsible to ensure that protection interventions meet relevant quality and normative standards, and are adapted to the emergency context.
• The Coordinator will ensure active participation in relevant interagency fora across the BAY States. in Maiduguri and potentially in Adamawa, Yobe and Abuja.

The main responsibilities and tasks of the Protection Coordinator are the following:
Protection analysis and strategy development:

• Ensure that protection data is collected, stored and shared according to the principles and procedures contained in the DRC Data Protection Protocol and applicable data protection principles, and identify sensitive data in the Nigerian context.
• Assess protection risks and trends, identify problems/gaps and propose/prioritise timely practical actions to respond to clearly-formulated protection problems.
• In collaboration with the RRM team to organize rapid needs assessments to identify risks and vulnerabilities, including those related to gender, age and diversity.
• Produce protection reports of high analytical quality, with concrete and actionable protection recommendations.
• With the support of the Head of Programme and of the Regional Protection Advisor, contribute to the elaboration of country-based strategic documents on protection, and revise the protection strategy as required by the operational context
• Explore new business and partnerships and work closely with the Head of Programme and PDQM to develop quality proposals, concept notes and budgets, ensuring that all new budgets accurately reflect program activities and required staffing levels.

Donors Relations:

• Represent the organization with implementing partners, government, and donor entities.
• Contribute to DRC Nigeria’s fundraising strategy and help build strong relationships with donors and UN agencies to ensure predictable funding for DRC’s protection programming in Nigeria.
• Monitor developments and determine strategic opportunities related to the protection sector
• Ensure that high quality, integrated, and needs-based proposals are developed and according to DRC Nigeria priorities as identified in its country strategic planning.

Capacity Building and Quality Assurance:

• Develop staff capacities on the human rights-based approach, protection assessments, protection monitoring, case management (CP, GBV), referral systems and protection mainstreaming through regular training and refreshers, mentoring and coaching;
• Develop the capacities of duty bearers and external stakeholders on protection
• Provide technical support, advice and backstop on protection to Area Managers and protection field staff to ensure quality delivery on ongoing protection projects;
• Ensure that the design and implementation of protection activities address protection needs of internally displaced people, vulnerable populations, and affected populations, and are adapted and relevant to the emergency context of north-eastern Nigeria;
• Establish and reinforce referral systems and pathways for protection cases.
• Apply DRC regional protection methodologies, training and programme tools and adapt them to the Nigerian context.
• Ensure the mainstreaming of protection in DRC’s wider programmes in Nigeria, according to DRC protection mainstreaming framework and in strong collaboration with emergency response teams
• Ensure that quality assurance systems are applied, with particular reference to upholding CHS (Core Humanitarian Standards) and Age Gender and diversity throughout the protection programme
• Ensure that DRC Protection programmes are implemented in accordance with donors’ regulations and with DRC standard procedures (Code of Conduct, DRC Response Framework, DRC Programme Handbook), and are consistent with the country Strategic Programme Document and Protection Strategy.

Programme Management:

• Provide effective technical supervision to DRC protection team at country level
• Systematically and closely monitor the delivery and expenditure rates of ongoing protection programmes, promptly identifying and correcting under-delivery issues and deviations from workplans
• Ensure that Protection programmes meet stated objectives and indicators within agreed timeframes
• Conduct regular field visits to identify and address programme quality concerns and gain a solid first-hand understanding of protection risks and trends at the community level
• In collaboration with the MEAL team, analyse and report on relevance, outcomes and impact of DRC protection-related activities to provide lessons learnt and to identify best practices
• Review job descriptions and participate in the recruitment process of protection staff
• Line manage international and national protection staff, conducting performance reviews, setting objectives and ensuring expected performance criteria are met
• Include the participation of beneficiaries and communities, particularly those most vulnerable or at-risk, in all stages of the project cycle where appropriate.

Coordination and Advocacy:

• Build effective coordination and synergies with the Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding teams working on Mine Risk Education and Armed Violence Reduction
• Ensure coordination and harmonisation of DRC protection related activities - externally with other agencies and partners, and internally within the DRC regional programme
• Actively represent the DRC at the Protection Sector Working Group (PSWG), Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), Child Protection Working Group (CPWG) and other relevant coordination structures and protection actors (including UN agencies, ICRC and MSF), seeking to develop coordinated protection approaches and responses.
• Facilitate reporting and information management (data collection, analysis, storage, sharing) through protection sector and other coordination mechanisms back to DRC management – provide and collect information to inform the whole response
• Ensure that DRC’s mandate is known and correctly understood by all stakeholders.
• In coordination with the Head of Programme and with the Regional Protection Advisor, work closely with duty bearers, INGOs and civil society to advocate for humanitarian access, and remedies and solutions to protection problems facing internally displaced people, vulnerable civilians, and other affected populations.
• Promote improved understanding of protection issues among all relevant stakeholders and the observance of international human rights and humanitarian law standards.
• Establish strong links and ensure adequate information sharing with the Regional Office and, if required, with other DRC country operations in West Africa.

In addition to the above, the Protection Manager may be asked to carry out other duties requested by the Head of Programmes or the Regional Protection Coordinator but always in the scope of this job description.

Required Qualifications
Required:

• University degree, preferably in Human Rights Law, International Law or related field.
• Minimum of five years’ international work experience with INGO’s, UN agencies, government agencies in IDP/refugee settings in complex emergencies;
• Extensive work experience within the field of human rights protection, particularly in internal displacement and crisis settings;
• Excellent analytical and report writing skills;
• Strong understanding of protection principles and likely protection concerns arising in the Nigerian context as well as conflict sensitivity;
• Solid experience in staff management in a cross-cultural environment required
• Proven ability to build external relationships with diplomacy, tact and professionalism in a complex and demanding environment.
• Experience with capacity building of national staff and stakeholders, and in the facilitation of training events and workshops;
• M&E knowledge and experience, including the understanding of conducting assessments and analysing data
• Substantial project management and budget management skills and experience;
• Experience in community-based protection activities and protection assessments
• Proven commitment to humanitarian accountability and quality standards
• Experience and willingness to work in the field in volatile and insecure areas;
• Experience living and working in a cross-cultural, multi-sector, team environment
• Ability to work well under pressure and in adverse conditions;
• Proficiency in common computer packages i.e. Word, Excel, Power point etc
• Excellent written and spoken English. 

Desirable:

• Previous experience in Nigeria or similar conflict context
• Working knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods
• Experience in cash and voucher protection programming

Required Skills & Qualities:

• Core Competencies of DRC:
  • Striving for excellence
  • Collaboration
  • Taking the lead
  • Communication
  • Demonstrating Integrity
• Ability to work in a multinational and multicultural environment
• Proactivity, with a sound commitment to teamwork and with a spirit of genuine collaboration
• Excellent communication skills, as well as patience and politeness, are required
• Multi-tasking and organizational skills is a must
• Adaptable and Flexible
• Proven analytical and critical thinking skills
• Exemplary sense of ethics in the workplace
• Team-oriented & good sense of humor

General Regulations:

• The employee shall follow DRC instructions on safety, confidentiality and ethical guidelines, including the Code of Conduct and the Humanitarian Accountability Framework
• Employee should not engage in any other paid activity during the DRC contract period without prior authorization
• Employee should not engage in any activity that could harm DRC or the implementation of any project during the DRC contract period
• Employee should not give interviews to the media or publish project-related photos or other material without prior authorization
• Employee shall return all borrowed equipment for the project to DRC after the end of the contract period or upon request

Salary & Benefits
Management F, level 1, unaccompanied position