Title: Protection Officer
Reports to: Area Manager
Location: Dolo Ado and Jijiga
Start of Contract & Duration: One year
Posting date: February 22, 2017
INTRODUCTION
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a humanitarian, non-governmental organization founded in 1956 that works in more than 35 countries throughout the world, including Ethiopia and Djibouti. DRC commenced work in Ethiopia in 2009 and currently provides assistance in shelter, WASH, livelihoods and protection in the Gambella, Tigray and Somali regions of the country as well as in Djibouti. In 2017, DRC in partnership with the EU Trust Fund for Africa and humanitarian partners will begin the implementation of activities under the Regional Development and Protection Program (RDPP) in Somali region.
As part of this program, DRC will expand our protection, migration and access to justice program into the refugee camps and host communities in Somali Region. These activities will include the mapping of needs and stakeholders in the areas of migration, protection and access to justice; forging links with legal aid providers and expanding legal aid services to refugee and host communities; expanding case management and referral systems with respect to legal aid; enhancing dispute resolution structures; and building the capacity of local community structures and authorities in dispute resolution, protection principles and standards, and migration concerns.
POSITION’S OVERALL OBJECTIVES
The Protection Officer will oversee the planning and implementation of high quality and timely delivery of protection activities with the view of supporting refugees and host communities to access justice and other protection services. He/she will be line managed by the DRC Area Manager and will receive technical support from DRC’s Legal Protection Coordinator for the implementation of access to justice activities.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS
- Plan, supervise and facilitate DRC’s protection related interventions in the refugee camps and host community areas.
- Ensure the high quality and timeliness of DRC’s protection activities.
- Empower local authorities, communities and other stakeholders to manage and promote access to justice for refugee and host communities, incl. local dispute resolution mechanisms.
- Facilitate relations between DRC, the target communities, and local authorities, ensure positive and productive outcomes in the areas of protection and access to justice.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Technical responsibilities
- Primary focal person for DRC’s protection interventions in the area;
- Collaborate with partners to prepare and conduct needs and stakeholder mapping and analysis;
- Plan and conduct trainings on international protection standards for refugees, migrants, and internally displaced persons;
- Support the establishment of links to appropriate legal aid providers, such as university law faculties or mobile legal aid initiatives, to enable service expansion to refugee camps;
- Facilitate the extension of referral systems particularly to access legal aid services;
- Train and mobilize refugee communities in order to enhance dispute resolution structures;
- Conduct trainings on refugee protection, protection principles (migration, trafficking) for duty bearers, legal professionals, law enforcement officials, and customary law focal points;
- Conduct awareness-raising activities on migration options and risks, with specific attention to gender, and on protection concerns related to gender and customary justice;
- Develop and implement surveys and needs assessment in refugee and host community areas in collaboration with field team and other stakeholders;
- Organize and implement training for communities as per identified needs.
Program management responsibilities
- Prepare, regularly review, and implement the activity plan for protection activities, as per requirements under the RDPP projects;
- In collaboration with DRC’s area management and procurement teams, prepare and implement protection plans for the timely delivery of activities;
- Regularly monitor and evaluate the projects performance, provide timely inputs, feedback and impact of the DRC protection interventions in the area;
- Support the Area Manager in preparing and implementing of annual and quarterly work plans;
- Ensure the application of humanitarian principles and DRC’s Code of Conduct and commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard in all actions and activities;
- Ensure equal participation by all segments of the community, taking into consideration issues regarding gender, age, disability and clan affiliation;
- Provide monthly, quarterly and annual reporting to DRC and partners as per agreed formats.
Supervisory Responsibility
- Supervise 1-2 field assistants and monitor team performance and activity;
- Collate monthly reports from team members and submit the reports to the Area Manager;
- Facilitate ongoing evaluation of the team’s effectiveness;
- Ensure that all recruitment, staff performance management, and leave management and are as per DRC’s HR Manual.
Representation and coordination
- Represent DRC at relevant protection related forums/ meetings;
- Ensure that DRC maintains excellent and productive relations with key stakeholders, community members, local authorities, partners and donors;
- Conduct regular stakeholder analyses to maintain updated strong understanding of local dynamics/ relationships in the area of intervention;
PERSONAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Essential:
- First Degree or equivalent in law, social work, or other relevant field;
- Minimum two years’ experience delivering protection activities (case management, legal aid, trainings on protection standards, or similar) preferably in rural/refugee hosting areas;
- Prior understanding of Mixed Migration and/or Access to Justice is a considerable advantage;
- Minimum two years’ experience working in community development, refugee assistance and/or community mobilization;
- Experience of working with Non-Governmental organisations;
- Good spoken and written English; Somali language skills is an advantage;
- Prior experience implementing protection activities in refugee settings is an advantage;
- Experience working with local government organizations, planning and implementing capacity building activities, is an advantage.
- Good communication skills and ability to conduct trainings and meetings;
- Understanding of gender, protection and human rights
- Well-developed computer skills.
- Good organizational and people management skills
- Ability to represent the organization and influence people.
How to apply:
Interested candidates who meet the required qualifications and experience are invited to submit updated CV and cover letter explaining their motivation and why they are suited for the post.
We encourage all qualified Ethiopian National candidates only to apply. DRC considers all applicants based on merit. It is DRC policy to recruit, hire, train and promote individuals, as well as administer any and all personnel actions, without regard to gender, race, national, clan or tribal origin, religion, age, sex, origin or ancestry, marital status, social status, sexual orientation, or status as a qualified disabled individual.
More Information
- Job City Jijiga, Dolo ,Ado
