Senior Protection Manager At International Rescue Committee

Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee (www.theIRC.org) is a world leader in relief, rehabilitation and post-conflict development services for those uprooted or affected by conflict and disaster. The IRC is currently working in over 25 countries around the world, addressing both the immediate and life saving needs of conflict affected people in emergencies and the reconstruction needs of post-conflict societies. The IRC has been working in Myanmar since 2008 to provide support to communities affected by natural disaster and conflict.

The IRC is implementing protection, shelter and NFI programming in Rakhine and Chin during 2022, incorporating protection monitoring and information dissemination, quality referrals, emergency protection assistance and shelter/NFI emergency response. The program seeks to promote a protective environment for adults and children, especially those identified through monitoring to be most at risk of violence, deprivation and problems in accessing services, through protection reporting, referral of protection concerns faced by vulnerable groups and individuals, information dissemination, provision of humanitarian assistance and capacity building communities to support their most vulnerable members.

Job Overview/Summary:

The Senior Protection Manager (Rakhine & Chin) will be responsible for managing the implementation of protection programming and integrated shelter/NFI programming in Rakhine and Chin, and supporting the continuous improvement of the protection team’s technical capacities. This will include identification of training needs, as well as coordination and delivery of required training, and the day-to-day support and facilitation of team work among all protection and shelter/NFI staff. Protection monitoring will focus on documenting and analyzing the interaction of protection threats, vulnerabilities, capacities and commitment on all communities within the area of coverage. It is intended to lead to: 1) increased understanding of the protection environment, including vulnerability mapping, available services, and existing gaps impacting all communities in the area of coverage; and, 2) sharable reports detailing needed actions by the IRC, humanitarian, and government actors to address protection concerns/gaps and contribute to referral mechanisms for specialized services. Data collection, analysis and reporting will be done via a digital data collection and management system. Information campaigns will be carried out to inform people in all communities in the area of coverage of available services and access, as well as where to seek remedies and redress for identified protection concerns. Information may be shared via a range of traditional and innovative modalities (information sessions, rights trainings, IEC materials, radio broadcasts, informational hotlines). The Senior Protection Manager (Rakhine & Chin) is responsible for ensuring that shelter/NFI emergency responses are appropriately targeted, coordinated, implemented and monitored post-action, and is expected to provide feedback that will contribute to the ongoing improvement and refinement of programmatic approaches. Leadership of partnerships with local actors and other external stakeholder management is also required as part of this role.

Responsibilities:

• Take the lead on coordinating production of succinct and analytical monthly protection trend reports for the area of coverage in Rakhine and Chin, incorporating partner inputs, highlighting key protection issues and analyzing trends identified from protection monitoring and other recorded objective sources. This includes:

o Participating in quality assurance of monitoring conducted at field level;

o Facilitating shared understanding of monitoring quality standards, including through reference to the internal SOPs, based on feedback from the Protection Coordinator, and through provision of appropriate follow up and training for field staff; and,

o Supporting efforts to improve qualitative understanding of specific thematic issues.

• Ensure that field managers are providing direct supervision and support to staff, including through:

o Participation in monitoring and information missions;

o Regular reviews of data collected by the teams, review of data collection methodologies, regular review of function of digital data collection and reporting systems, develop strategies for improving data collection;

o Regular reviews of written and oral information campaigns, review of information dissemination methodologies, develop strategies for improving information dissemination;

o Development of individual work plans, ensuring best practice standards are met, with a focus on building the management capacity of staff and empowering them to work autonomously.

• Provide a human rights “lens” on all protection monitoring reporting and information campaigns, assisting to ensure reporting and information dissemination are grounded in human rights law, refugee law, national law and Sphere standards.

• Acts as a focal point for protection network in area of operation on all relevant protection trends and rights violations, by overseeing ongoing quality protection monitoring, information dissemination, case referrals, and overall analysis of trends.

• Ensure quality monitoring of activities to support persons with specific needs at community level, guaranteeing that minimum standards for service provision, confidentiality and beneficiary outcomes are successfully and consistently met and that outcomes are appropriately measured.

• Lead implementation of protection and shelter/NFI emergency response activities in line with needs identified and prioritized by committee members, in accordance with internal guidance.

• Assess the training and capacity building needs of Protection Managers, Team Leaders and Officers, and design and implement professional development plans for staff.

• Participate in budget management and drafting of donor reporting inputs, including through ensuring accurate tracking of reach and impact, and collaborating with the M&E team to ensure that relevant M&E activities are conducted.

• Lead management of two key partnerships in Rakhine, and support management of an additional partner in Chin, through ongoing direct liaison with partner leadership and review of donor reporting inputs received from partners, as well as identification of partner capacity building and coordination needs for further follow up in collaboration with Partnerships team.

• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with UNHCR, INGO, government authorities, and other key stakeholders to ensure active coordination, collaboration, and information dissemination.

• Undertake other tasks as requested by supervisor.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Protection Coordinator

Position directly supervises: Protection Manager (Minbya/Myebon); Protection Manager (Chin); Protection Manager (Rathedaung); Protection Team Leader (Ponnagyun); Protection Reporting Officer

Indirect Reporting: NA

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal: Field Coordinator (Rakhine and Chin); Finance and Supply Chain

External: UNHCR, partners and other external stakeholders, in close coordination with the Protection Coordinator

Job Requirements:

Education:

• University Degree in Social Sciences, International Relations, Human Rights, Law or related field.

Work Experience:

• 5-8 years experience with an NGO and/or international organization managing program activities, preferably in the area of protection.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Ability to interpret, analyze and synthesize information in a fast-paced environment

• Excellent organizational skills, timeliness, ability to determine priorities and great attention to detail

• Familiarity with program design, including log frames, budgeting and grants/report writing

• Familiarity with M&E system design and implementation, preferred

• Experience writing protection reports for donors, governments, and the general public

• Excellent drafting and oral communication skills in English

• Proactive, flexible, team spirited and willing to learn

• Ability to live and productively work under stress while maintaining a sense of humor

• Strong experience delivering effective trainings and presentations

• Excellent computer skills including MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint

• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of a team, as well as independently

Language Skills:

• Fluency in English required.

Working Environment: Located in Sittwe, the working environment will be predominately office-based (60%), with field work (40%). It may involve travel to other locations in Myanmar, in line with programmatic needs.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.