Protection Manager at Danish Refugee Council

About DRC

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, working in more than 40 countries to provide adequate assistance with a rights-based approach to refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, returnees, and migrants.

DRC/DDG established operational presence in Colombia in 2011 with focus on Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) and providing support to conflict-affected population in the south of the country. With the onset of the large mixed migration flows into Colombia due to the Venezuelan crisis, DRC started up an integrated humanitarian response in 2018 to meet the urgent needs of refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, Colombian returnees, and host communities in some of Colombia’s most vulnerable areas such as the Caribbean coastal areas (Riohacha and Barranquilla), urban centres (Bogota, Cundinamarca, and Medellin), and Caquetá.

Context
DRC is currently launching a project targeting Internally Displaced People (IDP) in Colombia. The project will be based in Barbacoas, department of Nariño, and will provide emergency aid and protection services to people affected by the internal conflict.

Despite a peace process signed in 2016, armed groups and criminal gangs continue to be present and active in the country and internal displacement has increased in recent years. Colombia continues to be one the countries with the highest number of internally displaced people in the world and the most and of the most affected areas is the department of Nariño in South Colombia.

In 2021, DRC conducted a needs assessment in Nariño to better understand the needs of the internally displaced population and persons affected by the armed conflict. Based on the assessment, DRC will implement an ECHO-funded integrated humanitarian response in the area, including protection and emergency relief (shelter, food, wash, NFIs and humanitarian transport). The program will have a strong focus on protection monitoring and protection information management to understand and respond to the most pressing needs of the affected population.

About the job

DRC is currently looking for a highly qualified Spanish-speaking Protection Manager to support DRC’s emergency response to the armed conflict in Colombia.

The Protection Manager will be based in Barbacoas, Nariño and will work directly with the Area Manager and the country Protection Coordinator to develop DRC´s protection strategy in the area of intervention. This will include hiring and training of staff, developing related SOPs and ensuring that persons most in need are assisted and protected.

The Protection Manager will also be responsible for the overall management and supervision of DRC´s protection activities including direct supervision of 1 team leader, and 6 protection staff. The Protection Manager will be directly supervised by the Area Manager based in Barbacoas and technically by the country Protection Coordinator based in Bogotá.

Main responsibilities

• In close collaboration with the Protection Coordinator, develop standard operating procedures for protection monitoring, legal aid and community-based protection and humanitarian assistance activities in the area of intervention.
• Manage and monitor the implementation of the protection activities including protection monitoring, legal aid, community-based protection.
• Ensure effective implementation of DRC protection monitoring, including drafting of monthly analytical reports and dissemination of key findings to relevant stakeholders.
• Hire protection staff and Protection Focal Points and provide continuous capacity building and on the job training for protection staff.
• Coordinate closely with other humanitarian actors and participate in the local humanitarian coordination team (ELC).
• Establish working relationships and liaise and advocate with key humanitarian actors and local national State institutions and authorities such as the Gobernación, Defensoría del Pueblo, UARIV, Registraduría, Migración Colombia and community organisations in the area of responsibility.
• Liaise permanently with the Area Manager and the Country Protection Coordinator to ensure coherence with DRC´s national protection strategy.
• Ensure compliance with monitoring and evaluation (MEAL) and donor reporting activities for all protection activities and ensure progress towards project objectives and indicators.
• Provide project support and inputs to donor reports.
• Supervise the overall protection budget, including financial management and expenses control for the project activities.
• Ensure compliance with minimum DRC and donor requirements for finance, HR and supply chain.
• Ensure effective coordination with support staff at the field office and DRC´s national office.
• Work closely with the Area Manager and Security Coordinator to gather security-related information to ensure the safety of DRC staff.

Program development and strategy

• Oversee knowledge sharing across teams and ensure that monitoring and evaluation results are understood and used to improve programs.
• Contribute to national and local level protection strategies.

Accountability and reporting

• Guided by the DRC Programme Handbook, continuously monitor and develop relevant accountability initiatives within relevant project program as well as strengthening the effort to document the impact of activities.
• Ensure compliance with internal and external reporting requirements including procurement and financial reporting.

People Management.

• Supervise and Manage protection staff including coaching, ensuring coordination, recruitment, and capacity development, in line with DRC HR policy and guidelines.
• Provide on the job training as required and adapt trainings/coaching to specific staff needs.

As a Manager the post-holder is responsible for the following:

• Accountable for achieving DRC’s strategic goals and objectives within the area of responsibility.
• Accountable for making significant decisions on what the unit does: its purpose, functions and role, and for making commitments and decisions that require the expenditure of significant unit resources;

Roles reporting to this position Reports to

Protection Project staff Area Manager, Barbacoas

Technical Line Manager: Country Protection Coordinator

Required experience and competencies
(Candidates who do not meet these requirements will not be considered for the position)

• A minimum 5-6 years of experience in implementing protection activities in humanitarian contexts, with at least 2 years in complex IDP emergencies.
• Experience of working on legal issues related to internal displacement.
• Experience in protection information management, in particular protection monitoring; Excellent reporting and protection analysis skills.
• At least 3 years’ experience of people management in the humanitarian sector, preferably in complex humanitarian emergencies with difficult security conditions.
• Experience in capacity building of protection staff.
• Excellent people and diplomatic skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and to meet deadlines.
• Effective team-player and problem solver.
• Fluent oral and written Spanish and advanced English is required.
• Excellent writing and editing skills in both Spanish and English

Desired:

• A good understanding of the legal framework and protection issues related to internal displacement in Colombia.
• Experience in in implementing protection activities related to IDPs in Colombia and/or Latin America context.
• Experience and knowledge of the protection cluster coordination system.
• Knowledge of AGD mainstreaming;

All DRC roles require the post-holder to master DRC’s core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: Focusing on reaching results while ensuring efficient processes.
• Collaborating: Involving relevant parties and encouraging feedback.
• Taking the lead: Taking ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: Listening and speaking effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: Acting in line with DRC’s vision and values.

Required education

• Master’s degree in Human Rights, Political Science, Forced Migration, Refugee Law, or any other relevant field.

A relevant combination of academic qualifications and extensive experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

We offer

Contract length: National or Expat contract for 10 months.

Staff salary level: F Level 2.

National or Expat contract for 10 months. Nationals and International applicants are welcome to send the application, For each type of contract policies apply according to local or expat terms.

Start date: 15/06/2021