Protection Manager (Re-advertised) aT Danish Refugee Council

Who are we?

The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights, and strengthen their opportunity for a brighter future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along the displacement routes, and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive for responsible and sustainable solutions. We work toward successful integration and – whenever possible – for the fulfillment of the wish to return home.

The Danish Refugee Council was founded in Denmark in 1956 and has since grown to become an international humanitarian organization with more than 7,000 staff and 8,000 volunteers. Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced.

All of our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency.

DRC Syria

DRC has been actively operating in Syria since 2008 mainly supporting refugees. In June 2012, DRC was authorized by the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) to expand its humanitarian efforts and provide assistance to IDPs and the vulnerable resident population countrywide. Since then, DRC activities have been focused on NFI distributions, Shelter, WASH, Protection, Education, Livelihoods and Mine Risk Education in six Governorates (Damascus, Rural Damascus, Dara’a, Aleppo, Hama, and Homs). While Protection/community service activities are provided to beneficiaries throughout our six Community Centers.

About the job

The Protection Manager is responsible for the effective implementation of DRC’s program of protection and explosive ordnance risk education (EORE) assistance in Syria. The position provides technical guidance and leadership in all aspects of the management of the program, including project implementation, planning and supervision of activities, coordination/representation with partners and stakeholders, management of staff and budget, monitoring, reporting as well as strategy development and program design. The Protection Manager will also participate and represent DRC in coordination meetings, in line with agreed DRC advocacy and programming strategy

Duties and Responsibilities

Program Management

· Overall responsible for the effective and timely implementation of all protection and risk education (RE) programming in Syria

· Oversee protection team leader and officers’ planning on a daily basis and provide technical guidance and oversight to all protection/RE staff on a wide range of protection activities such as IPAs, case management, referral mechanism, PSS (structured and unstructured), risk education, community-based protection, and information management. This includes following up with teams on their weekly plans and reports and ensuring that members are well supported and clear regarding their functions

· Ensure the effective use of and compliance with relevant tools, forms, SOPs, international standards (IMAS), etc. so as to ensure program quality and impact.

· Overall responsible for monitoring the protective environment, flagging up key protection risks/challenges to Head of Programme and to Regional Coordinators to either advocate or adjusts DRC’s overall response

· Responsible for collating and reporting to HOP & Programme Quality Manager.

· Work collaboratively with other programme depts such as Housing & Infrastructure & Economic Recovery. Where possible, ensure an integrated approach.

· Ensure conflict sensitivity and age, gender and diversity mainstreaming into programme.

· Lead on the development of a protection mainstreaming plan, in close coordination with the program sector team

· In coordination with the HOP/Programme Quality Manager, adjust programming based on needs and context.

· Complete regular field visits to deliver technical oversight, identify needs, provide support, troubleshoot, strengthen capacity, and ensure quality programming (when possible)

Programme Development

· Lead on the development of protection/RE strategy, affecting IDPs, returnees refugees and affected host communities in Syria. This includes identifying drivers of conflict, risks, vulnerabilities and threats in the context and developing programmatic responses to identified needs and gaps towards clearly defined protection and conflict prevention/mitigation outcomes.

· Ensure that the strategy is informed by sound analysis, with consultations with country programme teams, regional technical coordinators, and concerned stakeholders – ensuring that programme strategies are devised in promotion of DRC’s values, culture and beliefs; and that the strategy is gender and conflict-sensitive.

· In collaboration with the DRC programme team, coordinate and conduct ongoing conflict and protection analysis incl. relevant stakeholders, including actor mapping, power analysis, profiling, and documentation. Ensure that this remains updated and is shared with the team

· Develop and lead the team to undertake needs assessments to inform program design and strategic direction.

· Support effective use of project management tools and development of new tools and procedures as needed

· Identify and develop strategic and complimentary entry points for -DRC protection and EORE programming. This may include exploring and developing strategic partners contributing to the quality and scaling up of programmes

· Quality control; carrying out regular site visits and ongoing discussions with the team to ensure that services provided are in accordance to standards; making recommendations and working with the team to ensure recommendations are applied

· Ensure teams are aware of and trained in conflict-sensitive and protection analysis tools/SOPs developed;

· Play a proactive role in integrating conflict sensitivity and protection mainstreaming strategy with other sector strategies (such as economic recovery, shelter etc) to ensure maximum impact; working collaboratively with other technical specialists/coordinators to ensure that protection minimum standards are included.

· Promote the integration of a gender perspective in all aspects of work, including gender-sensitive perspectives, in the design and implementation of programming tools, guidance documents, and recommendations

Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning & Grants Management

· Establish and provide overall oversight on monitoring at output/outcome/impact levels, in accordance with project M&E Plans. This includes developing and reviewing program monitoring and implementation tools/guidance documents such as SOPs, tools and forms – ensuring the team remains on track as per agreed donor commitments as well as technical standards applicable to specific activities.

· Work collaboratively and render technical advice from Regional Tech Cos to fine-tune plans/modalities where required. This includes requesting their contribution to the daily operation and strategy and assure operational quality and compliance

· In coordination with the PDQ Manager and the Information Management Officer, develop information management systems that support the effective implementation of the protection and EORE activities. To this end, define clear programmatic needs and objectives, and support the development of suitable information management platforms, tools and processes. This may include supervising the effective collection, management and consolidation of program-related data to ensure accurate and timely reporting.

· Ensure learning from the protection/EORE programme is documented/captured, consolidated and disseminated, contributing to knowledge building and sharing within Syria and globally to influence policies and programme planning. Actively participate in the exchange of best practices and resources and contribute to the development of strategies resources and documents related to protection and advocacy

· Work closely with the Head of Programme and the PDQ Manager to identify funding opportunities; leading in the development of protection/RE proposals and on any revisions based on identified gaps and needs as well as strategic priorities. This includes defining program activities, log frames and budgets based on baseline assessments and internal learning.

· Provide technical inputs to donor financial and narrative reports so as to ensure accurate, coherent and timely reporting.

· Support all efforts at accountability to local communities and other beneficiaries, engaging all relevant actors in participatory design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of programming

· Uphold the highest standard of data responsibility when managing records to ensure beneficiary dignity and privacy;

Representation and coordination

· Act as DRC’s focal point for coordination forums related to protection and mine action, including the Protection & Community Services Working Group (PWG), the Mine Action sub-sector, the Child Protection Working Group (CPWG) Referral Task Team, PSEA etc. and represent DRC’s protection/RE program towards external stakeholders, including humanitarian partners, authorities & SARC.

· Coordinate activities and planning at the technical and operational level with other sectors to ensure effective collaboration and synergies on the implementation of projects. To this end, contribute to the joint planning of activities and services referrals pathways.

· Support the HOP in identifying and developing opportunities for new collaborative partnerships with international and national NGOs, local government actors, donors, and other stakeholders

Operations/Support

· In coordination with the HOP, ensure the effective financial management of the different projects budgets. To this end, plan and authorize expenditures as per existing budgets, review BFUs, produce budget forecasts and cash flow projections, anticipate potential over/under spending and inform the HOP

· If changes/adjustments to donor agreed budgets/outcomes/outputs are required – work with HOP & PDQ Manager to justify the change

· Support the team to ensure their understanding of delegated budget lines

· Monitor and update spend in the project management tool (PMT)

· Work with Head of Support Services and relevant support depts on procurement plans, delivery schedule etc.

· In coordination with the Support Services team and HOP, oversee the effective management of operations support activities so as to ensure the effective implementation of the program. To this end, develop procurement plans and coordinate the timely procurement and effective management of the goods and services, including items related to direct assistance activities.

Human Resources

· Recruit, manage and supervise staff working for the protection program as per DRC performance management processes.

· Define organogram and ToRs, develop staffing plans, conduct recruitment processes and performance appraisals, coordinate missions plan, leave schedules, etc.

· Promote a professional environment conducive to collaboration, teamwork and professional development.

· Uphold compliance of program staff with the applicable standards related to protection programming, code of conduct, as well as additional internal DRC procedures and guidelines related to human resources.

· Provide remote program management as need be, ensuring that staff members remained briefed & well supported

· Coordinate and hold regular team meetings, supporting TLs and ensuring key information is communicated and actions are followed up.

Other

Conduct other tasks as requested by the HOP for the effective implementation of DRC’s projects, including support to capacity-building and proposal development activities and other duties.

Experience and technical competencies:

· At least 5-years’ experience working for international humanitarian organizations in complex conflict settings, including a minimum 3-years’ experience in a managerial capacity

· Technical knowledge of protection standards/principles, explosive ordnance risk education and/or humanitarian mine action standards as well as familiarity with EORE and protection response in accordance with the relevant frameworks

· Previous experience working in the context of internal displacement with good knowledge of the protection/conflict issues affecting people in a situation of forced displacement and in conducting conflict/protection analysis, designing and developing protection/conflict sensitive programming in crisis-affected/fragile contexts for international humanitarian organizations.

· Strong analytical and conceptual skills with knowledge of analytical tools employed in crisis-affected/fragile contexts and proven experience in developing conflict-sensitive/protection principles and approaches

· Solid experience in project development and management; including the ability to lead on assessments, design, implementation, monitoring; with good skills in donor reporting, accountability and compliance

· Prior demonstrable experience in managing as well as capacity strengthening staff and leading teams

· Demonstrated ability in conceptual, analytical, and critical thinking with the ability to develop programmatic or advocacy strategies towards greater quality and impact

· Strong capacity in influencing and engaging a range of stakeholders; with proven representational skills and the ability to advocate in line with humanitarian principles

· Strong capacity building, facilitation, and presentation skills with the ability to provide internal training on conflict management/protection topics

· Ability to work flexibly in a diverse team; with proven leadership skills

· Commitment to integrate gender, conflict sensitivity, and accountability into programming

Education:

· University degree, Mater’s preferred, in a relevant subject, such as human rights law, refugee law, humanitarian affairs, migration, international relations and/or international development.

Languages:

· Fluency in written and spoken English

· Knowledge of Arabic an asset In this position

You are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:

· Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.

· Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.

· Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.

· Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.

· Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with our vision and values.

We offer

Contract length: 6-month contract (Extension based on funds and performance)

Level: F Management

Location: Damascus, Syria

Expected Start date: As soon as possible