Protection Team Leader - PSS at Danish Refugee Council (DRC)

Overall Purpose of the Role: 

The Protection Team Leader - PSS manages a team of PSS professionals which consist of PSS officers and assistants and is accountable for organizing, planning, monitoring, and overseeing structural and non-structural PSS activities. The Team Leader also focuses on developing the team's capacity through training and coaching while assessing the impact of PSS programs through regular monitoring and evaluation. 

He/She will also give clear instructions to teams on how to implement PSS programming with a strong technical focus making sure activities are delivered according to international guidelines and in line with international standards and principles. He/She will be responsible for guaranteeing high quality and timely PSS interventions under the managerial guidance of the protection manager and through the technical support of the protection coordinator related to DRC approach regionally and globally.

He/She will present suggestions to complement the PSS strategy for Adamawa state where DRC has programs and support the protection manager and coordinator in identifying key components where the teams need to be strengthened which will help shape the PSS strategy for Nigeria. In collaboration with the protection manager and protection coordinator, he/she will mentor the team daily at field level, make suggestions to develop and revise PSS interventions, when necessary, support design of standard indicators and tools to monitor the quality and impact of PSS programming.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Programmme and Operations

• Oversee all structural and non-structural psychosocial support service activities, ensuring they align with organizational goals and are implemented in a timely and effective manner.
• Manage and provide leadership to a team of PSS officers and assistants, including organizing, planning, and monitoring their activities to ensure quality standards are met.
• Develop the capacity of the PSS team through training, mentoring, and coaching, and ensure that they have the necessary skills to provide effective psychosocial support services to clients.
• Conduct regular monitoring and evaluation of the impact of PSS programs, and adapt programs based on identified needs to ensure they remain relevant and effective.
• Ensure compliance with organizational policies and procedures, as well as local laws and regulations governing the provision of psychosocial support services.
• Maintain accurate records and documentation of PSS activities, including data collection and reporting.
• With consultation with the protection manager and coordinator, represent the organization in meetings and forums related to psychosocial support services in Adamawa State.
• Provide reports to protection coordinator and protection manager on the status and progress of PSS programs, including any challenges or opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure that the PSS team provides services that are culturally sensitive, non-discriminatory, and meet the needs of the target population.
• Collaborate with other departments and stakeholders to promote an integrated approach to service delivery that aligns with the organization's mission and objectives.
• Conduct regular training and capacity-building activities for other staff, volunteers, and partners to raise awareness of psychosocial support and promote its importance.
• Stay up to date with current research, trends, and emerging practices in the field of psychosocial support, and apply this knowledge to improve PSS service delivery and give suggestions to protection coordinator and manager for the Nigeria protection strategy.
• Develop relationships with key stakeholders, government agencies, and other organizations and ensure an effective referrals pathway.
• Coordinate and facilitate regular team meetings, consultations, and other activities that promote collaboration, learning, and continuous improvement.
• Contribute to the effective implementation of all operations support activities, including those related to administration, finances, and logistics, so as to ensure smooth project implementation. In all matters, comply with internal directives and policies as communicated by the Protection Manager and Protection Coordinator and/or the relevant support departments.
• Participate in relevant networks, conferences, and other forums to share knowledge and experiences and stay abreast of the latest developments in the field of psychosocial support.
• Strengthens existing community-based PSS and peer support group activities, where such exist and help to develop them where none currently exist.
• With support of Protection coordinator and protection manager, suggest M & E tools to measure impact and effectiveness of PSS interventions for children, adults and people with disabilities and ensure piloting and standardization of these tools.

Staff Management, Training & Capacity Development

• Provide technical and programmatic leadership for PSS officers, assistants and community-based mechanisms in operational areas as needed.
• Conduct regular field visits or as required to ensure tasks are going on as planned and mentoring - through technical backstopping and training of duty bearers and local authorities.
• Ensure objectives for staff are set and that evaluations and performance reviews are conducted on a regular basis for all staff managed.
• Take responsibility for planning and management of leave for all staff managed.
• Identify training and capacity-building opportunities for staff and ensure they are well versed in key PSS and protection concepts relevant to the context, DRC's code of conduct, accountability, respectful dialogue with conflict affected population, and protection from sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment.  

Reporting:

• Contribute to the production of quality and timely reports on PSS program activities.
• Provide weekly/monthly/quarterly/annual reports to the Protection Manager, including accurate figures of persons showing improvement in their mental health /referrals done and challenges encountered, in the agreed format.

Representation and coordination:

• Ensure good representation and reputation of the MHPSS Sub sector in Adamawa.
• Actively participate in internal and external coordination meetings
• Maintain a local operational communications network and good relations with local and government authorities.
• Ensure coordination with other departments (i.e., MEAL, Procurement and Finance etc).

Budget Management

• Monitor financial commitments and expenditures against budgets and provide timely feedback on budget follow-ups.
• Provide inputs to Protection Manager to ensure effective and efficient utilization of PSS program resources through monitoring and tracking of expenditures against budgets.
• Anticipate, along with Protection Manager, potential over/underspending.
• Provide expenditure forecast to Protection Manager monthly.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Support in developing and implementing the project monitoring and evaluation plan, and timely submission of reports and other document requirements.
• Provide feedback on project implementation modality, assist in achieving maximum efficiency in project delivery, and inform the development/update of DRC’s Protection and Psychosocial Support Services in Nigeria.
• Undertake regular participatory monitoring and verification visits on a weekly basis to ensure adequate progress against action plans, and outputs and ensure that quality elements are signed off. Provide advice on any corrective action necessary.

Supply Chain

• Develop a procurement plan at the start of the project cycle to forecast procurement needs.
• Coordinate with the supply chain to facilitate procurement of supplies and services.
• Initiate procurements and ensure their execution.

The responsibilities listed in the JD are not exhaustive and may be readjusted according to operational needs but will remain in line with the overall purpose of the role.

Experience and technical competencies:

Essential: 

• At least 4 years’ experience in planning, implementing, and evaluating Protection, MHPSS Projects and Programming with an INGO and or NNGO in Nigeria.
• IT skills: Good knowledge of MS Office software: Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Data collection and analysis software.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Excellent reporting skills
• Minimum 1 year of supervisory and management of team experience.
• Experience in project management including project monitoring, reporting, data management and budgeting.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to maintain good communication channels with relevant stakeholders. 
• Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines and willingness to work and live in a complex context.
• Strong time management skills, resourcefulness, and attention to details, especially data protection principles.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and ability to work and integrate into a multicultural and diverse team.

Desirable:

• Project-related skills: Good knowledge of the project cycle management, project implementation and project follow-up.
• Leadership, people management and coaching skills. 

Education:

• University degree in the field of Social Sciences, Social work, Psychology, Public Health, Humanitarian studies, Law, Development Studies, or any other related field.