National Protection Program Officer At Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation

Introduction

The Swiss Confederation has had a presence in Haiti since 2008. Since then, it has been committed through its International Cooperation to local governance, agriculture and natural resources as well as to employment and economic development, contributing to improving living conditions in Haiti. In its 2025-2028 cooperation program, it focuses on protecting the most vulnerable populations and strengthening the resilience of the population and institutions in the face of natural hazards. In this sense, Swiss Cooperation contributes to the resilience and autonomy of Haitian actors in order to reduce the impact of multidimensional fragility on their lives. The cooperation program places the nexus and localization at the center.

In order to complete its team in the field of protection of the most vulnerable populations , the Swiss Cooperation in Haiti is seeking to recruit a National Protection Program Officer . The person would be in charge of coordinating the humanitarian protection program (“Improvement of the Protection of the Most Vulnerable Populations in Haiti”) which focuses on gender-based violence (GBV) and community resilience. The program aims to support communities to strengthen their expertise in GBV prevention and response and work in networks to increase their resilience in order to better protect vulnerable populations, particularly women and girls. The project will focus on concrete actions to prevent GBV and assist survivors, with an emphasis on training, dialogue and community awareness-raising. Holistic care for survivors and psychosocial support are at the center. Furthermore, the program aims to support key actors (state institutions, women’s organizations, grassroots community organizations, etc.) in coordinating their actions while promoting local know-how. In this sense, the learning will serve to strengthen governance (institutional dialogue and coordination) of GBV at the level of local and national institutions with appropriate tools and skills to improve GBV prevention and assistance to survivors. The program will be implemented in the South and the Metropolitan Zone of Port-au-Prince (ZMPP) with a view to a multiplier effect at the national level.

In addition, the National Protection Programme Officer would also be responsible for Switzerland’s social protection programme. The programme aims to reduce the impact of crises on the most vulnerable households by improving their autonomy and resilience and enabling their rapid recovery in the event of disasters. In this sense, it contributes to the consolidation of the implementation of the National Policy for Social Protection and Promotion (PNPPS), coordinated and regulated by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour (MAST). To achieve this, a contribution from Switzerland to the World Food Programme (WFP) is enabling the deployment of a social safety net that has already been tested and developed jointly with local authorities in the Sud department.

Main responsibilities and functions

Strategic level :

• In collaboration with the Senior National Programme Manager (SNPM), actively participate in the planning, monitoring, control and continuous evaluation of the Swiss Cooperation programme at the strategic, programmatic and operational levels. Analyse the development of the portfolio context;
• Analyse and evaluate operational and financial project proposals submitted to Swiss Cooperation, particularly in the assigned thematic areas (Protection). Prepare credit proposals/project documentation/funding requests.
• Identify, analyze and recommend new projects and partnership opportunities.

Operational planning, monitoring, control and evaluation

• Planning, monitoring, control and continuous evaluation of the programme and projects developed or co-financed by Swiss Cooperation within the framework of the assigned portfolio (Protection).
• Ensure the evaluation and continuous questioning of the activities and actors supported;
• Analysis and evaluation of reports submitted to Swiss Cooperation on programmatic aspects. Prepare internal reports according to the project cycle system established at Swiss Cooperation;
• Periodic visits to projects and activities in the field (approximately once a month); preparation of monitoring and control reports.
• Provide technical and methodological support and advice to partners (national and international) for the smooth running of programs. In particular, support to partners with processes relating to conflict-sensitive project management and the application of the gender transformative approach and the psychosocial approach.
• Support the communications manager to ensure substantial communication on the assigned portfolio (Protection).
• Lead and support operational and strategic program steering committees.

Representation

• Preparation of presentations on the assigned portfolio program and projects (Protection) upon request.
• Representation of Swiss Cooperation, when necessary/on request, in humanitarian coordination areas, ensuring the visibility and influence of Switzerland in these areas (e.g. Protection Cluster)
• Participate in thematic networks of the Development Directorate linked to assigned portfolios (Protection).
• Establish/maintain a network of contacts and participate in meetings with multilateral, governmental and non-governmental organizations working on humanitarian issues related to the assigned portfolio (Protection), including Swiss NGOs.
• Organization of events and workshops related to the activities of Swiss Cooperation in Haiti.

Special tasks

• Be responsible for the gender file (Gender Focal Point) and Conflict-Sensitive Project Management (GPSC) at Swiss Cooperation and ensure their transversalization throughout the Swiss Cooperation portfolio according to the defined priorities. Support/organize training for Swiss Cooperation staff (offices in Port-au-Prince and Port Salut) in these areas. In the case of implementation of programs whose gender equality is the main objective and a key element of its design and expected results (” Gender principal/significant ” programs), support partners in carrying out the gender analysis and monitor/ensure the quality of the gender analysis.
• Participate in ordinary and extraordinary meetings of Swiss Cooperation and contribute in particular to the four-year strategic planning, the annual review and planning and the monitoring and follow-up of the context.
• Work in close consultation with the RNPS to promote the nexus, localization and programmatic synergies as well as the territorial approach between the projects in the Swiss Cooperation portfolio.
• On request/if necessary plan, implement and monitor “small humanitarian actions” in the assigned area (Protection).
• Contribute to the organization of exchange missions and visits by colleagues from the Centrale
• Contribute to the implementation and compliance with security instructions and the rules of the internal control system of Swiss Cooperation.

Required qualifications

• University degree (bac + 5) preferably in social sciences, political science, development studies/humanitarian affairs, international relations or any other related discipline. Master’s degree required, PhD is a plus.
• At least 10 years of experience in a similar role in the field of international cooperation with field exposure, preferably including an international organization, cooperation agency or international NGO. At least 10 years of experience in project management and cycle and monitoring (operational and financial planning, operational and financial monitoring and reporting) in a context of fragility and crisis.
• Knowledge and experience in humanitarian aid and international cooperation (institutional framework, issues, etc.).
• Excellent practical and theoretical knowledge in the fields of humanitarian protection, gender, human rights, governance, resilience and social protection.
• Mastery of relevant methodological tools, in particular Conflict Sensitive Project Management (CSPM), psychosocial approach, gender analysis
• Be familiar with the context, particularly political and social issues in Haiti. Very good knowledge of governmental and non-governmental circles (public, private, civil society) in the areas of humanitarian protection, gender, human rights and social protection at the national and local levels with a specific focus on the Grand Sud.
• Very good knowledge of international and local actors (UN, NGOs, etc.) active in the field of humanitarian protection, gender, human rights and social protection in Haiti.
• Experience facilitating processes and working to achieve change outcomes.
• Fluency in French and Creole; knowledge of English and Spanish is an advantage. Proficiency in the most common computer tools such as Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint etc.
• Be able to analyze the context and promote solutions; have a good ability to conceptualize and organize work effectively and efficiently; have good skills in facilitating change processes.
• Have excellent skills and great ease in writing texts.
• Be open to learning and applying new working methods and tools.
• Willingness to work in a highly fragile context that requires professional and personal flexibility; willingness to work closely with Haitian community actors (e.g. grassroots community organizations)
• Team spirit, sense of responsibility, honesty, integrity, rigor, autonomy in work and availability for work; be available to work in coordination with all actors of humanitarian aid and development.
• Have a high availability to travel within the country and occasionally abroad and be interested in multiculturalism; be sensitive to security management and be ready to implement any instructions, if necessary.