Venezuela – Local Protection Officer At COOPI – Cooperazione Internazionale

COOPI

COOPI Cooperazione Internazionale is a secular and independent NGO, founded in Milan in 1965. It carries out development projects to contribute to the fight against poverty in particularly degraded areas and emergency programmes to support people affected by natural disasters or conflicts. COOPI is currently present in 33 countries in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean. The main institutional donors are the European Union, UN agencies, the Italian Government, local authorities and other European governments.

Description of COOPI in Venezuela

Since 2019, COOPI has established a presence in Venezuela to assist the local population following the worsening of the country’s socio-economic crisis. As of July 2020, it has launched a regional crisis response program that is implemented in consortium with Venezuelan organizations for the protection of vulnerable groups. In recent years, COOPI has expanded its interventions and is currently implementing projects with different donors in Caracas, Sucre, Delta Amacuro and Bolivar in protection (GBV, human trafficking), sexual reproductive health, WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) and school feeding.

Job Objective/Description

Within the framework of the project “Integrated response to the emergency needs of the most vulnerable populations in Venezuela”, the intervention aims to contribute to the improvement of the living conditions of the populations affected by the crisis in Venezuela through a comprehensive and multi-sectoral response that favors the strengthening of a protective, resilient and inclusive environment. The organizations of the Consortium will concentrate their actions in eight (8) states of Venezuela: Capital District, Miranda, Zulia, Falcón, Sucre, Delta Amacuro, Bolívar and Amazonas, carrying out activities to improve access to protection, health and water, sanitation and hygiene services in the communities where the project intervenes.

The Local Protection Officer, under the supervision of the Project Manager, will support the planning, management and supervision of ongoing Protection activities in the territory by providing training and support to the case management team, implementing partners and relevant actors, mapping of care routes, community awareness, support in the creation of support networks for women, psychosocial support for beneficiaries, case management and referral.

The Project Manager will ensure the quality of planning, implementation and monitoring of all technical aspects of the protection activities implemented, supporting the Project Manager in developing and maintaining good relations with the beneficiary population, key actors and other humanitarian actors, to ensure the implementation and coordination necessary for COOPI’s protection activities. Additionally, the Protection Officer will be responsible for the direct supervision and accompaniment of the Case Management team.

Areas of responsibility

Expected Results:

• Strategic implementation of interventions on issues of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Human Trafficking by COOPI;
• Supervising and supporting case management teams and implementing partners towards compliance with the guiding principles for working with GBV survivors and TdP victims, which must be adapted to respond to the territorial context;
• Positive representation of COOPI, including communication with public institutions, the United Nations system, international and national NGOs, to ensure coordinated implementation of the Protection strategy in situations of GBV and TdP, under the approach focused on the survivor.

Main activities:

• Under the supervision of the PM, coordinate, plan and monitor the activities of the case management team, in conjunction with implementing partners.
• Guide the development and implementation of GBV and TdP prevention, mitigation and response activities, in coordination with the national technical team, ensuring that it is culturally appropriate, survivor-centered and sensitive to the needs of the affected population.
• Participate in the adaptation and contextualization of technical materials (protocols, operational guidelines, training materials) on gender, GBV and TdP aimed at internal staff and local partners involved in the project, as well as the beneficiary population.
• Provide support and technical assistance, when required, in psychosocial support and case management activities carried out in the field.
• Contribute to the technical training of the case management team, local partners and key stakeholders by providing support where needed and ensuring a proactive and constant flow of communication.
• Prepare work plans, schedules and activity reports to present to project management and the national technical team.
• Contribute to the preparation of high-quality interim and final project reports.
• Supervise the archiving of technical documentation related to the execution of interventions, including the means of verification generated.
• Systematize the internal and external care route to strengthen the referral system.
• Conduct regular field visits and support the case management team in their activities.
• Organize and ensure the correct design and implementation of awareness sessions and information campaigns for the beneficiary population.
• Proactively plan and coordinate logistics and personnel movements to and from different operational areas.
• Comply with safety guidelines and promote compliance during team field trips.
• Ensure compliance with COOPI’s Code of Ethics and Conduct, Gender Policy, Protection and PEAS Policy.
• Facilitate, in coordination with the COOPI National PEAS Focal Point, awareness-raising among local communities about their rights, prohibited behaviors and commitments of humanitarian personnel to protect against sexual exploitation and abuse and the options for reporting SEA incidents.
• Contribute to the development of an inclusive community outreach and mobilization strategy with an intersectional approach.
• Conduct regular updates to document changing needs, and identify risks and gaps in relation to GBV and TdP in the community.

Complementary activities:

• Participate in the coordination spaces of the Protection subcluster and its AdR (GBV, Child Protection, Case Management Working Groups) at the request of the national technical team.
• Carry out tasks inherent to the position and those requested by project management according to the context and needs of the intervention and any other task necessary for the proper performance of the work.

Desired profile

ESSENTIALS

• Bachelor’s degree (postgraduate degree desirable) in Social/Political Sciences, Psychology, Law, Social Work, Sociology or related fields.
• Minimum of 3 years of demonstrable experience in areas of humanitarian protection, gender, human trafficking or other similar field work, related to an NGO or other non-profit organization.
• Work experience of at least three (3) years in issues of prevention and/or care of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Human Trafficking, sexual and reproductive health and gender equality approach, new masculinities and approach focused on the survivor.
• Skills for socio-cultural animation, network management, creation of safe spaces and meeting places for local actors.
• Experience in supervising teams and preparing work plans.
• Experience in the production of technical material (training material, protection tools, reports, documents, etc.).
• Skills and experience in training and developing staff capabilities.
• Goal-oriented work. Ability to work flexibly, autonomously and to multitask.
• Attitude and spirit for teamwork, motivation, honesty, proactive and decisive attitude, common sense, discretion.
• Respect for humanitarian principles: humanity, neutrality, impartiality, operational independence.
• Sensitivity to gender and diversity.
• Availability to travel inside the country.
• Handling of computer tools (Microsoft Windows operating system) and office automation (Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

DESIRABLE

• Previous experience working with international NGOs and with procedures for managing funds from institutional donors (United Nations agencies, European Union and the private sector).
• Experience working in a consortium and supervising or supporting local partners and counterparts.
• Knowledge of the English language (valued).
• Venezuelan nationality or residence permit in the country.

As suitable profiles are available, the call for applications may be closed before the indicated date. COOPI reserves the right to contact only those profiles considered suitable and preselected.

COOPI Cooperazione Internazionale is an Italian independent and secular humanitarian organisation that fights against all forms of poverty in order to improve the world. Founded in 1965, today COOPI is present in 33 countries in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and the Middle East, with both emergency and development projects carried out by expatriate staff – an average of more than 270 people per year – and national staff. The main institutional funders are the European Union – ECHO and INTPA – USAID, UN agencies, the Italian Government, local authorities and other European governments.