Protection Team Leader – Anbar Qaim

The IRC established programs in Iraq in 2003 to address the overwhelming needs of displaced people in Iraq and the neighboring countries. Since re-establishing its presence in Iraq in November 2007, the IRC has been assisting thousands of internally displaced families in the northern, central and southern governorates in the sectors of protection, gender-based violence (GBV), education, economic recovery, child Protection and emergency humanitarian assistance. Working in coordination with the humanitarian community in Iraq, the IRC's assistance and emergency programs address the needs of war-affected Iraqi internally displaced persons (IDPs) and Syrian refugees from several operational bases in the country and include both camp-based and urban-based assistance. IRC operates throughout Iraq, with the main office in Erbil and field offices in, Baghdad, SAD, Anbar and Mosul.

Major Responsibilities:

Program implementation and quality

Management and Staff Supervision

• Directly supervises the Protection Officers and Child Protection Caseworkers.
• Coordinates activities with the PROL Manager and the PROL Coordinator, lead all day to day protection activities in the governorate.
• With guidance from the PROL Manager and PROL Coordinator, establishes a monthly work plan for all protection activities including:

i.A monthly Mobile Team plan

ii.Establish and monitor a monthly advocacy/networking plan.

iii.Targets for cases received and processed by protection officers 

• Manages all requests for information/ intervention from the PROL Manager and/or the PROL Coordinator.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit, supporting professional development, and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
• Ensure timely completion and submission of monthly timesheets, probations reviews and annual performance reviews.
• Support program quality by guiding the team on the PROL program SOPs, tools and guidance, as well as the SOPs and guidance of the National Protection Cluster and sub-Clusters, and other relevant clusters and technical working groups.
• Regularly participate and represent IRC in local protection cluster meetings and other relevant forums.
• Plan/coordinate and oversee staff vacation schedules, and staff training/development activities.
• If/as required identify staff performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies.
• Raising community awareness about access and eligibility to services, expected staff behavior and client feedback and safeguarding mechanisms, and how to use them.
• Collecting and recording client feedback while carrying out project activities.
• Reporting on client needs, preferences, and feedback to their supervisor

Program Monitoring & Reporting

• Provide direction and monitor staff in their implementation of the work plan and quality of technical activities, share relevant information to the PROL Manager and PROL Coordinator, and direction to improve quality and achieve timelines
• Provide technical support to Protection Officers and Child Protection Caseworkers in the area of protection/human rights monitoring in crisis-affected areas, in line with the work plan (spot observations, focus group discussions, household assessments, Community Assessments, Key Informant Interviews, individual interviews and observation) and with respect for principles of confidentiality, ethical information gathering and age/gender/diversity mainstreaming
• Support staff under supervision in providing accurate/up-to-date information on service provision and availability to the monitored population – and identification and assessment of particularly vulnerable or at-risk individuals and families during monitoring or outreach and other activities by the team
• Ensure Protection Teams develop and implement effective action plan in accordance with IDP and, returnees needs, capacities and goals, making sure all options are explored before deciding on a plan and looking for options when the services needed are not available.
• Work to improve linkages of individuals and families to provision of services with referral partners and appropriate case management service providers, (GBV, CP or IRC legal service providers) – ensuring Protection Teams appropriately monitor, review and follow up with services provided to cases as per the standard operating procedures
• Ensure coordination with IRC Legal Team in dealing with cases that need both legal and social welfare interventions with a focus on the following cases: divorce, inheritance, marriage, education, social welfare, pension, detentions and children issues.
• In coordination with the PROL Coordinator and PROL Manager, conducts evidence-based advocacy initiatives (phone calls, letters or meetings) with local authorities, other organizations (NGOs), UN Agencies, enabling wider groups new/unregistered IDPs to access needed services.
• Reports any serious protection concern or rights violation to the Protection Coordinator and the Senior Protection Manager.
• Work closely with Emergency Senior Management to produce actionable data on NFI and C4P needs, and distribution plans based on Sphere Minimum Standards
• Work to strengthen IRC’s relationship with community leaders to maintain good access to IDPs, returnees, and host communities.
• In coordination with the Database/Reporting Officer, leads the consolidation of protection data ensuring correct input of information on assessments is uploaded to the database, and confidentiality is maintained.
• Act as focal point for team reporting, coordination with legal counterparts to produce weekly progress report and participate in planning meetings
• Assist in drafting monthly reports as directed by the Protection Coordinator and PRoL Manager
• Provide regular de-briefings to the Protection manager and Protection Coordinator on progress and recommendations on interventions and strategic direction of protection programming in Baghdad.

Coordination & Representation

·Coordinates with all relevant stakeholders (Local authority, NGOs, etc.) in Ninawa governorate to ensure effective implementation of protection activities.

·Participate in relevant coordination meetings in Anbar.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to:  PROL Manager.

Position technically supervised by: PROL Manager, PROL coordination.
Position directly supervises:  Protection officers, Child Protection Case Workers and Community Mobilizers.

Indirect Reporting:

Internal: Broader IRC Iraq team including other IRC Iraq Programmes (ERD, Child Protection, and Protection/Rule of Law), Grants Department, Supply Chain, HR and Finance Departments.

External: Close collaboration with other humanitarian actors, local NGOs, UN agencies, government service providers.