Regional Protection Coordinator
Unit/department: Programme**,** Asia Regional Office
Location: Temporarily based in the Dhaka Asia RO, to be subsequently relocated to Bangkok, pending DRC’s registration in Thailand; 50% travel in the region
Overall purpose of the role:
A commitment to protection is at the core of DRC’s mission. The Regional Protection Coordinator is the organisation’s regional expert within the protection sector. In the Asia region (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar), protection concerns facing refugees, returnees, IDPs, as well as people in mixed migratory flows, are central to informing DRC’s programme and policy interventions. The purpose of the Regional Protection Coordinator is to strengthen protection in DRC’s programmes and response.
The Regional Protection Coordinator is responsible to lead on the development of regional protection trends analysis, technically support Protection staff in country programmes, support in building technical capacity, lead in building the centrality of protection via contributing to programme and proposal development, and represent DRC to key regional partners stakeholders and forums. The position will also support DRC’s wider work in the Asia region, through collaboration with the Asia Displacement Solutions Platform (ADSP) and the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC – Asia), which is grounded in protection of persons and communities affected by displacement and migration trends.
The most direct counterparts for the RPC in her/his daily work will be country-level Heads of Programme, and protection coordinators or managers. The RPC will have an advisory and technical supervisory role vis-à-vis the in-country protection lead/coordinator/specialist. The RPC will report to the Regional Head of Programme for DRC Asia and have a technical compliance reporting line to Head of DRC’s Global Protection Unit (GPU) in HQ.
Responsibilities:
STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT
- Develop, in consultation with Regional Advocacy, CO Heads of Programme, ADSP and MMC-Asia a regional protection strategy and across the Asia region, in line with the global protection strategy & priorities. Provide technical support for Country Offices to develop their own protection strategies, based on protection analysis.
- Seek out opportunities (research, cross-border projects) in collaboration with ADSP, MMC Asia, Regional Advocacy and other relevant stakeholders in the region to further explore aspects of DS in the Asia context.
PROTECTION TRENDS ANALYSIS
- Develop a regular Asia regional protection trends analysis for the region to help inform programming, policy, advocacy and preparedness.
- Provide technical support to country programmes to ensure quality protection analysis, strategies, and responses are in adherence with global standards and principles (DRC Protection Minimum Operational Procedures – P-MOPs).
TECHNICAL SUPPORT, CAPACITY BUILDING, & PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT
- Lead the development and/or roll out of global and regional DRC protection standards and guidance; development of strategic protection documents, Standard Operating Procedures, and capacity-building tools at the regional level. To this end, provide technical support to country offices, particularly in the following programmatic areas: legal aid, protection information management (PIM), including protection monitoring and case management, psycho-social support, gender-based violence, community-based protection, and gender sensitive and gender transformative practices and approaches.
- Provide technical review and/or support the development of proposals at CO-levels to ensure the centrality of protection, harmonization of protection standards, and that protection principles are integrated across technical sectors, specifically, DRC’s humanitarian disarmament and peacebuilding and economic recovery sectors.
- Lead on the development, review, and inclusion of minimum standards related to age, gender and diversity mainstreaming, while supporting COs in programme development processes.
- Ensure country capacity on Protection Information Management (PIM) is of a good quality and standards. Collaborate with the Regional MEAL Coordinator to ensure development and operationalization of quality Protection IM systems in the region.
- Provide technical review and input to regional and country programmes on advocacy and policy papers to ensure the integration of centrality of protection and harmonization of protection approaches across the different countries in the region.
- Support the technical capacity requirements and development of country offices in identified areas of need. Design and deliver appropriate training or source relevant expertise.
- Alongside ADSP and MMC, identify and design regional programme opportunities and manage regional protection initiatives, including technical support to regional implementing partners.
- Lead technical capacity building/strengthening efforts of implementing partners and support the implementation of the Protection of Rohingya Refugees in Asia (PRRiA) regional project in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand.
- Responsible for the identification of pilot projects for the further development of the protection sector in the region, specifically in facilitating engagement and developing designs for cross-border and multi-country programming
CONTRIBUTE TO GLOBAL EFFORTS
- Contribute to the development and implementation of protection policies, guidance and resources in collaboration with the GPU in HQ.
- Contribute to the adaptation of DRC’s protection programme approaches and the development of guidelines, tools and innovative approaches based on research of trends and the learning from the country offices.
- Represent DRC in regional protection coordination meetings when relevant.
- Contribute to training, awareness-raising, reporting and response processes in relation to Preventing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)
- Act as the interface between countries and GPU for specific requests coming from the field.
Experience and technical competencies: (include years of experience)
Required Qualifications
- Minimum 5 years of senior working experience in Protection at field level for an I/NGO
- Documented skills in technical writing including writing policy and advocacy papers
- Documented skills in policy influencing
- Documented skills in capacity building
- Excellent skill in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
- Experience in project development
Desired Qualifications
- Field protection experience from one of the concerned countries is an added advantage
- Proven experience in leading and conducting analysis and research will be an added advantage
- Having a clear understanding of the regional protection concerns in the Asia region
- Good IT command
Education:
- Advanced academic qualification in a relevant field (law, political or social sciences or related disciplines).
Languages:
- English (fluent)
- Dari OR Bangla OR Burmese (desirable)
DRC as an employer By working in DRC, you will be joining a global workforce of around 8000 employees in 40 countries. We pride ourselves on our:
- Professionalism, impact & expertise
- Humanitarian approach & the work we do
- Purpose, meaningfulness & own contribution
- Culture, values & strong leadership
- Fair compensation & continuous development
DRC’s capacity to ensure the protection of and assistance to refugees, IDP’s and other persons of concern depends on the ability of our staff to uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. DRC conducts thorough and comprehensive background checks as part of the recruitment process.
If you have questions or are facing problems with the online application process, please visit drc.ngo/about-us/job-and-career/support-for-job-seekers.
Danish Refugee Council is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and positive work environment based on mutual respect for all employees. All applicants are considered for employment without attention to race, age, ability, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other factor. At DRC we celebrate diversity and appreciate our employees for the people they are and their unique skills, backgrounds, and perspectives. We encourage all interested candidates to apply!