The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has been providing relief and development services in the Horn of Africa since 1997. Using a human rights framework, the DRC East Africa and Great Lakes (EAGL) operation focuses on people who are affected by displacement, including refugees, internally displaced, migrants, and host communities in Burundi, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is implementing a large scale-up project to respond to the drought in the Horn of Africa and contribute to famine prevention efforts. At the current time, the project will specifically be implemented in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia, with some displacement research extending into Djibouti. This multisectoral integrated emergency response will also have a specific focus on strengthening the protective environment in drought-affected areas of Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, and improving the delivery of life-saving services in areas affected by large-scale displacements.
Overall purpose of the role
The Protection Advisor will provide strategic vision, guidance, and sectorial technical support to DRC Country Protection Teams, with a view to ensure that DRC provides a high-quality Protection response across its drought response intervention in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia. S/he will be responsible for developing the guidelines and tools of the protection components of the GFFO project, including protection monitoring, referrals and GBV as well as general protection case management, and community-based protection. The Protection Specialist will also ensure that protection standards are mainstreamed across other sectoral components of the first line of response (WASH, SNFI, CCCM), as well as second line interventions aimed at building resilience. The Protection Coordinator will play a pivotal role in supporting Country Protection Coordinators in developing integrated programming in the three countries and at the regional level, building on lessons learnt and best practices from current and past programming.
S/he is also responsible for the mentoring, capacity building and training of the project’s multisectoral team based on technical needs identified amongst the staff, and in close coordination with Country Protection Coordinators
Key responsibilities
Development of robust protection analysis and strategy to respond to the drought response
- Provide high level technical advice to the Head of Programme Management Unit and Country Protection Coordinators to develop and implement DRC’s protection response in drought-affected areas in the 3 countries.
- Provide technical support to Country Protection Coordinators to develop and implement an appropriate protection response across drought-affected areas and areas of drought-led large-scale displacements, mainstreamed across DRC’s Protection country strategies.
- Support or lead the development of protection analysis and response proposal across the three countries related to the drought response in the Horn of Africa.
- Identify axes of improvement on the quality and impact of DRC Protection programming in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia and develop innovative approaches – produce guidelines to implement these improvements and innovations.
Development of tools and guidance to implement the GFFO’s integrated protection component
-
Develop tools, guidance and capacity-building plans to ensure that protection standards are mainstreamed across DRC drought analysis and response.
-
Support the Grant team in the definition and description of Protection activities, in the preparation of log frames with SMART indicators, and in the definition of the budget for the GFFO drought response project.
-
Provide technical support and advice to Protection staff on implementation of Protection activities, including advice on dealing with arising protection concerns in the 3 country offices locations.
-
Ensure standard operating procedures are in place for all activities and approaches.
-
Promote a principled and participatory approach and solutions-oriented approach to Protection in the DRC programmes.
-
Provide guidance and support to teams on principled and conflict-sensitive programming, as well as develop advocacy messaging on such.
-
Ensuring data protection and security standards are upheld for all protection data and information gathered and processed by DRC protection team.
-
Lead on engaging external consultants for technical protection assessments, such as legal assessments and Housing land and property assessments.
-
Provide technical support and analysis on GBV case management and protection monitoring.
-
Review all protection assessments, protection monitoring reports, and other protection technical reports, before external sharing. Ensure quality of advocacy notes and policy notes, other protection reports.
-
Ensure collection of lesson learned from ongoing projects and promote learning from relevant best practices internally and externally.
-
Ensure DRC feedback, complaints and accountability mechanisms in the 3 countries are sensitive to protection concerns and sensitivities.
-
Mainstream Age Gender and Diversity into protection programme.
-
Act as an advocate for gender equality, and mainstream gender-sensitive approaches into programmes and practices
Capacity-building across the project’s multisectoral teams
- Identify areas of improvement and potential gaps in technical protection capacity of DRC staff supporting the drought response.
- Ensure all staff are familiar with Protection Information Management (PIM) principles and processes.
- Ensure training and capacity building of all project’s staff on DRC’s core competencies in protection, including protection monitoring, case management, SGBV prevention and response, protection mainstreaming, among others.
External relations, advocacy and representation
-
As agreed with the Country Protection Coordinator and the Head of Programme Management Unit, represent DRC in external meetings related to DRC’s drought response, attend and engage in strategic discussions during the Protection Country cluster meetings; Advocate and guide advocacy on protection issues; Represent DRC in the Protection Cluster Strategic Advisory Groups (SAG), the GBV sub-cluster and related working groups, protection monitoring working group, Housing land and property working group, and GBVIMS coordination meetings.
-
Present DRC Protection strategy for the drought response, innovative approaches, assessment outcomes, or/and key achievement in donor meeting or/and in Country Cluster meetings.
-
Stay up to date with GFFO donor strategies and practices within 3 country offices and provide technical backstopping to the Head of Programme Unit in donor relations and humanitarian coordination meetings, when relevant.
-
Maintain close collaboration and good relations as required with donors and other partners.
Act as PSEA Focal point for the drought response project, and attend relevant meetings on PSEA.
About you
In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’s five core competencies:
- 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.
Experience and technical competencies:
- Master’s degree in human Rights, Political Science, Refugee Law, or any other relevant field is an asset.
- Degree in law, social science, international relations, or social work or other relevant field.
- Training in humanitarian protection work.
- At least 5 years’ proven and successful track record of experience in protection in a humanitarian setting.
- Experience in producing high-quality technical material (training material, program tools, proposals, strategic documents etc.).
- Direct experience and/or broad knowledge of themes relevant to conflict-affected or post-conflict countries.
- Knowledge of protection and Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), legal aid, and housing land and property.
- Knowledge of Protection information management.
- Experience in conducting protection advocacy in high level coordination meetings.
- Demonstrated experience in providing training on protection, GBV, PIM, protection mainstreaming, PSEA, etc.
- Ability to work effectively as an integral part of multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural team and to work with a wide range of counterparts, and other partners.
- Proven coordination and communication skills.
- Demonstrated experience in working to tight deadlines and managing pressure.
- Excellent writing and editing skills for external audiences (including governments and donors);
- Excellent reporting and protection analysis skills.
- Very strong computer skills (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook)
- A previous experience in the Horn of Africa is considered an advantage.
- Ability to travel regularly within the region and beyond – including in conflict affected areas – for up to 4 weeks at a short time notice.
- English (fluent)
- The knowledge of Swahili is an advantage.
Conditions
Contract: One year contract with possibility of extension, subject to funding and performance. Salary and other conditions are offered in accordance with DRC’s Terms of Employment for Kenyan Staff; Employment band F-Non Management; Not accompanied.
Availability: Immediately
Duty station: To be determined (Nairobi/Kenya, Addis Ababa/Ethiopia or Mogadishu/ Somalia – with more than 50% of travel to other two country and field offices)
Reporting Line: Chief of Party
Providing equal opportunities: We are committed to creating an inclusive and positive work environment based on mutual respect for all employees. All applicants are considered for employment without attention to race, age, ability, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other factor. At DRC we celebrate diversity and appreciate our employees for the people they are and their unique skills, backgrounds, and perspectives. We encourage all interested candidates to apply.
Promoting high standards: DRC’s capacity to ensure the protection of and assistance to refugees, IDP’s and other persons of concern depends on the ability of our staff to uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. DRC conducts thorough and comprehensive background checks as part of the recruitment process.
How to apply
Only motivated applications that address the stipulated duties and meet the required qualifications, sent together with a CV, will be considered.
DRC only accepts applications sent via our online-application form on https://candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationInit.aspx?cid=1036&ProjectId=167629&DepartmentId=19006&MediaId=5 under job.
Please submit your application and CV in English no later than 05 April 2023
