Protection Team Leader

Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, we are excited to invite you to join our team as a Protection Team Leader. If you are a skilled and motivated professional ready to make a difference, we want you on board! Together, we’ll work to deliver impactful humanitarian solutions in challenging environments.

Overall purpose of the role:

The Protection Specialist will be the technical lead for protection programming in Unity State. Protection programming in Unity State currently consists of: Community-Based Protection, Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Protection Information Management (PIM), and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS). Given the responsibility to ensure quality protection programming, the Protection Specialist will support project managers to ensure timely implementation of protection activities in accordance with DRC and/or interagency guidelines, standards, and best practices. S/he will ensure that area-level protection analyses are updated regularly and shared widely among other sectors to support the Centrality of Protection. S/he will spearhead regular analysis of protection monitoring data, identify opportunities for rapid protection assessments or thematic deep dives, and support evidence-based advocacy initiatives. S/he will liaise regularly with the national Protection Coordinator to report changes in the protection environment, discuss program priorities and strategy, and to identify additional technical support needs. S/he will assess individual and team capacities, develop capacity-strengthening plans, and implement plans through formal training and workshops, as well as on-the-job mentoring and coaching. S/he will attend state and local-level coordination fora and ensure strong information sharing in Unity State and at the country level.

Technical Support and Supervision.

• Ensure high-quality program activity implementation across projects in line with DRC and/or interagency guidelines, standards, and best practices
• Engage with the national Protection Coordinator to guarantee relevant technical guidance, SOPs, and tools are in place and adhered to by team members for all program activities
• Develop further guidance, SOPs, and tools for specific area-level activities, when necessary and in coordination with the Protection Coordinator
• Provide strategic technical direction to team members on a day-to-day basis and regularly assess strengths and opportunities for improvement in implementation
• Conduct area-level workshops on lessons learned, protection risk analysis, and other relevant topics
• Spearhead regular protection monitoring data analysis and the drafting of protection information products
• Identify and develop tools, as needed and in coordination with the Protection Coordinator, for rapid protection assessments, thematic deep dives, integrated and/or multi-sector assessments, or other assessments; lead on the analysis and drafting of assessment outputs
• Strengthen and support protection information management systems and data usage in coordination with the Protection Coordinator and PIM colleagues
• Conduct regular field visits to observe implementation and engage with program beneficiaries

Project Development and Management

• Participate in the development of concept notes, proposals, and budgets in coordination with the Protection Coordinator, Project Manager, Area Manager, Grants, and other relevant staff

Technical Support and Supervision

• Ensure high-quality program activity implementation across projects in line with DRC and/or interagency guidelines, standards, and best practices
• Engage with the national Protection Coordinator to guarantee relevant technical guidance, SOPs, and tools are in place and adhered to by team members for all program activities
• Develop further guidance, SOPs, and tools for specific area-level activities, when necessary and in coordination with the Protection Coordinator
• Provide strategic technical direction to team members on a day-to-day basis and regularly assess strengths and opportunities for improvement in implementation
• Conduct area-level workshops on lessons learned, protection risk analysis, and other relevant topics
• Spearhead regular protection monitoring data analysis and the drafting of protection information products
• Identify and develop tools, as needed and in coordination with the Protection Coordinator, for rapid protection assessments, thematic deep dives, integrated and/or multi-sector assessments, or other assessments; lead on the analysis and drafting of assessment outputs
• Strengthen and support protection information management systems and data usage in coordination with the Protection Coordinator and PIM colleagues
• Conduct regular field visits to observe implementation and engage with program beneficiaries

Project Development and Management

• Participate in the development of concept notes, proposals, and budgets in coordination with the Protection Coordinator, Project Manager, Area Manager, Grants, and other relevant staff
• Attend relevant internal meetings, such as grant opening/closing meetings, and share relevant information with the Protection Coordinator
• Lead the drafting of internal and external reports
• Support the area-level monitoring and evaluation team with monitoring tasks, including revision of post-distribution monitoring or other impact evaluation tools

Capacity Strengthening

• Assess individual and team technical capacities, develop capacity-strengthening plans, and implement the plans through formal training, workshops, on-the-job mentoring, and coaching
• Support national, local, and/or community-based organizations / networks with trainings, coaching and mentoring on relevant topics
• Support other sectors with protection mainstreaming through the provision of protection mainstreaming trainings and the review of protection mainstreaming assessments and/or plans
• Liaise with the Protection Coordinator on capacity gaps and needs; support the development of relevant training and guidance materials

People Management

• Liaise with the project manager and individual team members regularly to ensure sufficient technical supervision
• Participate in the recruitment of new Protection staff members, including the development of written tests and interviews

Program Development and Strategy

• Analyze project data regularly, identify any potential gaps, particularly in relation to age, gender, and diversity mainstreaming, and ensure that activities remain relevant to the area and country-level strategy
• Lead area-level protection analysis workshops and ensure that an up-to-date protection analysis is always available
• Support the Protection Coordinator to review and update the country protection strategy
• Compile secondary data and other relevant resources to complement primary data analysis and ensure evidenced-based program development
• Conduct context and conflict analysis for and with field teams, and identify (potential) conflict sensitivity challenges and opportunities

Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement

• Promote improved coordination, information sharing, and collaboration in multi-sectoral/integrated programming locations among DRC staff  
• Participate actively in state and local-level coordination fora, including, but not limited to, the state-level Protection Cluster, GBV, CP, and HLP AoRs, and the PSEA Taskforce; share important findings or discussion points with relevant colleagues at the area and country levels
• Liaise and build strong relationships with relevant stakeholders, including local authorities, community leaders and community-based structures, and other local organizations
• Maintain updated stakeholder and potential partner mappings

Other Duties

• Other relevant duties as requested by the Project Manager, Protection Coordinator, and/or Area Manager

Experience and technical competencies:

• At least 4 years of protection programming experience in South Sudan, preferably with a focus on community-based protection, GBV prevention and response, MHPSS, and/or PIM
• Demonstrated experience providing technical support and capacity strengthening to teams through formal and informal methods
• Comprehensive understanding of the protection sector, including technical standards and best practices
• Prior experience with report writing, program development, project data analysis, and strategic planning
• Basic knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook software
• Fluency in English and Arabic required

Additional Qualifications:

• Excellent interpersonal skills - works well with people of different cultures, gender and backgrounds

• Works respectfully and collaboratively with colleagues to achieve results as a team
• Remains productive when under pressure, with the ability to prioritize effectively, and respects and adheres to deadlines
• Able to work in a variety of environments and prepared to conduct field missions for a minimum of one-week duration to remote locations with few amenities
• A team player – able to demonstrate a constructive, cooperative and problem-solving approach
• Experience in working in complex and sensitive contexts
• Energetic, determined, and proactive
• Commitment to quality implementation and impactful programming
• Strong organizational, planning, and communication skills

Languages:

• Excellent written and spoken English
• Fluency in Arabic

Key stakeholders:

• Protection Coordinator, Area Manager (Unity State), DRC Project Mangers (Unity State), Mobile Protection Manager, Upper Nile State Protection Manager
• State and local-level Protection Cluster, GBV, CP, and HLP AoRs, PSEA Taskforce
• South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (SSRRC) and other local authorities
• National, local, and community-based organizations and networks
• Striving for excellence: you focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process
• Collaborating: you involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
• Taking the lead: you take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: you listen and speak effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: you act in line with our vision and values

We offer

Contract length: 12 Months

Band: G