Spécialiste Protection At Danish Refugee Council

Position Title: Protection Specialist

Supervised by: Area Manager

Technical line manager: Protection coordinator

Duty Station: Djohong with mobility to Garoua Boulai and Meiganga

Area of ​​Operation: Adamaoua and East Regions, Cameroon.

Period considered: 12 months

Contract type: National contract

Salary & Benefits : Niveau NM.G 2

Introduction

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) assists refugees and displaced people worldwide: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights and strengthen their opportunities for a better future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along displacement routes and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive to achieve responsible and sustainable solutions. We work for the successful integration of vulnerable communities and, where possible, their wish to return home.

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) was founded in Denmark in 1956 and has since grown into an international humanitarian organisation with over 7,000 staff and 8,000 volunteers. Headquartered in Copenhagen and present in 40 countries, the DRC is a non-governmental, non-profit, politically neutral and independent non-denominational aid organisation.

Our vision is a life with dignity for all displaced people in the world. All our efforts are based on our moral compass: humanity, respect, independence, neutrality, participation, honesty and transparency.

1. Context

Led by the regional office in Dakar and closely linked to interventions in neighboring Central African Republic (CAR), DRC began operations in Cameroon in 2018, responding to the humanitarian needs of CAR refugees and vulnerable Cameroonians in the Adamawa region. Currently, DRC operates a main office in Meiganga and two sub-offices in Djohong (Adamaoua region) and Garoua-Boulai (East region). In early 2019, DRC also initiated operations in the South-West region to provide assistance to meet the basic needs of populations in terms of food, shelter and protection in rural and hard-to-reach areas. DRC currently has an office in Buea and an office in Kumba in the South-West region. In 2023, DRC is initiating an intervention in the Logone-et-Chari department in the Far North with the priority of seeking solutions to the root causes of intercommunity conflicts through programming on peacebuilding and resilience. DRC is working with various local partners in Cameroon and is gradually increasing its financial support to Cameroonian civil society organizations. In 2024, DRC plans to expand its interventions in the Mayo Tsanaga Department in coordination with other humanitarian actors for a livelihood response for the most vulnerable refugees in the Minawao camp. In the Far North, DRC plans to open a base in Maroua, which will supervise the current base in Kousséri.

The project envisaged by DRC in the Adamaoua and East regions is aimed at Central African refugees as well as the host population. It aims to empower these refugees and local communities through the implementation of the graduation approach. For the implementation of this specific approach, DRC is recruiting a Protection Specialist.

As the project is a consortium, the Protection Specialist position will be hosted by the partner APROSPEN.

2. Purpose

Reporting directly to the Area Manager, the Protection Specialist plays a critical role in developing and implementing DRC’s protection sector strategy in the Adamawa and East regions of Cameroon. He/she ensures that DRC’s protection programming is aligned with all DRC guidelines, standard operating procedures and global protection standards, including in mental health and psychosocial support, legal assistance, child protection, gender-based violence, case management and capacity building. The Protection Specialist is responsible for supporting the delivery of high-quality protection services in all these areas, working closely with the Area Manager and the National Protection Coordinator.

To this end, the Protection Specialist will support the harmonization and deployment of tools, guidelines and standard operating procedures, strengthen referral pathways and ensure that standardized donor analysis and data/reporting methods (in collaboration with MEAL) are put in place for these activities.

General objective of the position:

– Develop and implement strategies, tools and guidance to ensure the effective delivery of high-quality protection services, including legal assistance, MHPSS, gender-based violence and case management. This includes conducting regular field visits for monitoring purposes and providing technical support, ensuring that activities are in line with international standards and standard operating procedures.

– Lead capacity building, coordination and strategic planning efforts by working closely with the Protection Coordinator, project managers and other stakeholders. This includes contributing to the design and implementation of protection strategies, developing capacity building plans, ensuring effective data management and representing the DRC in relevant coordination bodies.

3. Responsibilities

Soutien à la mise en œuvre du consortium DRC/APROSPEN

• Develop programme tools and guidance notes to support and strengthen the quality of protection activities.
  • Assist in the development and coaching of the team to ensure the graduation model/approach is properly implemented with a safeguarding approach.
  • Provide technical support to the DRC/APROSPEN team, ensuring the delivery of quality assistance, MHPSS services, GBV, crisis management services and other individual assistance, under the supervision of the field project managers.
  • Conduct regular field visits to monitor the quality of implementation, provide technical advice and conduct needs assessments to guide capacity building.
  • Support the adoption of standardized methodologies for psychosocial support at the community level and associated monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
  • Ensure quality control of protection activities, including protection monitoring, gender-based violence, child protection, community protection and civil documentation, in alignment with international and national standards and standard operating procedures.
  • Identify community needs and gaps in protection services in collaboration with the DRC/APROSPEN Protection Coordinator and Project Managers.
  • Develop guidance on mobile implementation and integration of protection into other key sectors, ensuring a participatory, community-based approach.
  • Develop strategies to strengthen the social protection of vulnerable populations, by guaranteeing their access to basic services.
  • Support the project team to identify and address barriers preventing individuals from accessing social protection programs, with a particular focus on displaced populations.
  • Contribute to DRC’s integrated programming approach by addressing both socio-economic and protection factors that contribute to extreme poverty and displacement.
  1. Top of Form
  2. Bottom of Form

Capacity building

• Assess training and development needs within DRC/APROSPEN teams, develop a capacity building plan and implement it with the support of the Protection Coordinator.
  • Participate in recruitment and capacity building, particularly on the PAGA (Protection-Adapted Graduation Approach);
  • Establish processes and systems that lead to overall capacity building and professionalization of DRC staff and partners in the area of ​​protection.
  • Support information management needs, ensuring consistency, integrity and ongoing availability of data for decision making and project design.
• Coordination and representation
  • Actively participate and represent the DRC in the Protection Group, assigned area of ​​responsibility, working groups and other protection related meetings.
  • Coordinate with other agencies to address the specific needs of vulnerable communities.
  • Contribute to national cluster transitions through technical coordinators, focusing on context, needs and coordination opportunities.
  • Provide support to the Protection Coordinator during coordination meetings, as appropriate.

Technical support for DRC/APROSPEN teams

• Provide technical assistance to DRC/APROSPEN project managers, guiding team management and improvement plans.
• Participate in the technical review of the terms of reference for protection activities, ensuring that they are aligned with DRC standard operating procedures.
• Contribute to the development of protection training modules and technical tools, supporting the dissemination and implementation of the protection strategy in the intervention areas.
• Stay informed of developments impacting the protection environment in the intervention area, providing ongoing analysis of key issues.
• Contribute to updating the current protection strategy.

The Protection Specialist is expected to perform any other tasks required by the Area Manager and the Protection Coordinator based in Yaoundé, corresponding to his/her position.

4. Required qualifications

Experience and technical skills

• Proven experience of at least 4 years in the field of protection, including in Protection Adapted Graduation Approach, legal assistance, MHPSS, case management and protection of internally displaced persons in conflict-affected countries is required.
  • Prior experience in Protection Adapted Graduation Approach, implementation of legal assistance, MHPSS and community-based case management is required; prior experience in GBV (including GBV case management) is strongly recommended;
  • Une expérience en matière d’orientation technique, d’élaboration et d’organisation de formations participatives et de renforcement des capacités est souhaitée ;
  • In-depth knowledge of international humanitarian and human rights law, as well as international standards relating to the protection of internally displaced persons;
  • Experience in report writing, data/information analysis and monitoring and evaluation;
  • Strong information management skills including but not limited to database creation, use of server-based information collection tools, etc.;
  • Proven strong analytical and communication skills, representation, negotiation, advocacy and diplomacy;
  • Strategic thinker able to quickly acquire a good understanding of the conflict, human rights situation and political environment of the country concerned by the programme;
  • Knowledge of gender and protection mainstreaming, AGDM (Age, Gender, Diversity and Marginalized Groups) approaches, people with specific needs, accountability to affected populations.
  • Experience of working and living in a multicultural environment and traveling to conflict-affected areas;
  • Vaste expérience en matière de rédaction de rapports et d’élaboration de projets, excellentes compétences rédactionnelles en anglais.

Langues :

Complete professional mastery of French required.

Good level of English a plus.

Knowledge of the local language will be an asset (Fulfulde, Gbaya, Songo, etc.)

Main working relationships (internal and external):

1. Zone Manager
2. Project Manager
3. DRC Program Manager
4. Protection Coordinator
5. APROSPEN Team

5. General regulations

L’employé doit suivre les instructions de DRC en matière de sécurité, de confidentialité et de directives éthiques, y compris le code de conduite et le cadre de responsabilité humanitaire

• The employee must not carry out any other paid activity during the duration of the DRC contract without prior authorization.
• The Employee shall not engage in any activity that may be detrimental to DRC or the implementation of any project during the term of the DRC contract.
• The employee must not give interviews to the media or publish photos related to DRC programs or share other materials without receiving prior authorization.
• The employee must return all equipment loaned by DRC to perform the work after the end of the contract period or upon request by DRC.

6. Skills and qualities required

1. In this role, you must demonstrate the five essential DRC skills, namely:
   1. Striving for Excellence: You focus on achieving results while ensuring an efficient process. You strive to produce accurate, thorough and professional work with optimal use of time and effort.
   2. Collaborate: You cooperate with and engage stakeholders, actively seeking their opinions and sharing key information with them. You support and trust others, while encouraging feedback.
   3. Taking the Lead: You take responsibility and prioritize your work based on DRC’s overall vision and goals. You take the initiative when faced with a challenge or opportunity and seek innovative solutions.
   4. Communicate: You write and speak effectively and honestly while adapting your style and tone to the situation. You actively listen to others and involve them in dialogue.
   5. Demonstrate Integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to DRC’s values ​​and code of conduct, including protection from sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

   Ability to work in a multicultural and cosmopolitan environment

   Ability to work in a tense security environment.

   Proactivité, avec une approche coopérative et collaborative

   Excellent communication skills (including attention and patience) are required

   De bonnes capacités organisationnelles sont requises

   Sens de l’éthique exemplaire

   Ability to work in a team and good sense of humor