Protection Officer at International Rescue Committee

Sector: Protection and rule of law

Employment Category: Fixed Term

Employment Type: Full-Time

Open to Expatriates: No

Location: Yobe, Nigeria

Job Description

The International Rescue Committee has been in Nigeria since October 2012 and came in response to a widespread flood disaster. IRC’s Emergency Response Team, with local partner, Civil Society Coalition for Poverty Eradication (CISCOPE), implemented projects to support food security, livelihoods, nutrition and WASH in Kogi State. Beginning of January 2014, IRC shifted geographical location to the North East, in Adamawa state to provide humanitarian response to the conflict-affected populations. In the North East, IRC has three operational offices: Yola and Mubi field offices in Adamawa state and Maiduguri field office in Borno state-with the latter office opened in October 2015. In both states, IRC is providing humanitarian support to internally displaced populations hosted in IDP camps, camp like settings, host communities and returnee populations. Both Adamawa and Borno states have a combined IDP population of 1,658,030 people.

The IRC Nigeria country program is implementing multi-sectoral interventions in the sectors of: Health and Nutrition; Environmental Health; Child Protection; Education; Women’s Protection and Empowerment; Food Security and Livelihoods and Protection. Most of these programs are driven in partnership with strategic local NGOs.

Job Overview/Summary:

The IRC is implementing a protection program featuring strengthening of community based protection structures, capacity building, protection monitoring, information dissemination and referral services. The IRC will also building capacity of government authorities, local organizations and local communities around protection mainstreaming and protection monitoring. The IRC will also include legal assistance and counselling services. The protection program is currently implemented in the NE states of Adamawa and Borno.

Under the supervision of the Protection Manager, the Protection Officer 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 Youth and Protection Development Coordinator and the Food Security team to strengthen the integrated nature of IRC’s protection and assistance programs in Nigeria. The Protection Officer will be the focal point in conducting protection monitoring in target areas and will conduct case intake for individual protection cases. The Protection Officer will also ensure the smooth formation and running of community based protection structures and mechanisms.

Major Responsibilities:

• Take lead in conducting protection monitoring (community and individual level) visits in target communities in order to identify protection trends.
• Establish, oversee and ensure the smooth running of Community Based Protection Structures or Protection Action Groups (PAGs).
• Identify, document and report on key protection issues, concerns and threats in target location.
• Ensure that minimum standards of protection are consistently applied through community-based protection methods.
• In coordination with the Legal officer and Assistant, oversee and manage individual protection cases.
• Support and participate in the organization and facilitation of Protection trainings at the community and state level.
• Identify and refer most vulnerable individuals to appropriate services and assistance.
• Prepare a periodic program reports in consultation with the Protection Manager, Reporting/Database Assistant and other IRC Protection staff.
• Take part in the design, planning, execution and monitoring of protection activities.
• Take lead in budgeting and accountability for all community based protection activities.
• Take part in developing monthly work plan and visit the field sites, regularly hold FGD and community meetings
• Develop and maintain good working relationship with relevant stakeholders such as government authorities, community leaders, INGO staff etc.
• Carry out other tasks as assigned by the supervisor

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to:  Protection Manager
Position directly supervises:  Protection Assistant, Community Based Volunteers

Indirect Reporting: Protection and Rule of Law Coordinator.
Other Internal and/or external contacts: describe the nature of departments or groups the position influences or requires support from to accomplish objectives.

Internal: Country Program

External:  INGOs, Government Authorities and UN

Qualifications

Education:

• University degree in Law, Political Science, Social Works, Psychology or any other related field.

Work Experience:

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

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Demonstrated experience using international human rights standards in protection programming
• Good communication skills (written and verbal), 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
• Experience in working in remote and hard to reach areas with limited amenities.

Knowledge of the local language will be an added value

• Strong computer skills require (word and excel).

Language Skills: English, Hausa and Kanuri language clearly

Working Environment:

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional 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, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

IRC et les employés de IRC doivent adhérer aux valeurs et principes contenus dans le IRC WAY (normes de conduite professionnelle). Ce sont l’Intégrité, le Service, et la Responsabilité. En conformité avec ces valeurs, IRC opère et fait respecter les politiques sur la protection des bénéficiaires contre l’exploitation et les abus, la protection de l’enfant, le harcèlement sur les lieux de travail, l’intégrité financière, et les représailles