INTRODUCTION

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC), an international non-governmental organization (NGO), has been providing relief and development services in the Horn of Africa since 1997. DRC promotes and supports solutions to the problems faced by refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs), and migrants. The organization has offices across the region and has been operational in Ethiopia since 2009.  With funding from bilateral and multilateral donors, DRC is currently implementing a range of activities across Ethiopia and Djibouti, including WASH and shelter provision, child and youth protection, gender-based violence response, awareness-raising of migration risks, protection monitoring of migration routes, and livelihoods support for returning migrants or those at-risk of migration.

 Title: Protection Specialist/Cluster Co-Coordinator (North)

Location:  Shire, Tigray (with frequent field travel between Tigray, Afar, and Amhara)

Employment Category:  G2

Reporting To:  Area Manager – North

Technical Management: Protection Manager, Ethiopia

Start of Contract & Duration: 1 Year

Posting date: February 16, 2023

Required Employee: 1               

OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE ROLE:

The Protection Specialist will provide technical oversight of all protection activities in Afar, Amhara, and Tigray, including regular travel across project locations. 

 The position will serve as both a technical specialist and Cluster Co-Coordinator for Northern Ethiopia, supporting cluster coordination and DRC programming in Afar, Amhara, and Tigray. The Co-Coordinator will work alongside other humanitarian clusters, liaise closely with OCHA and the broader humanitarian community to respond to increasingly complex humanitarian needs including significant numbers of conflict- and climate-induced displacement. S/he will work closely with the UNHCR appointed Coordinator to a) strengthen effective management of the cluster, b) improve the representation of INGOs, and other key stakeholders, including national civil society organizations, and c) reinforce the accountability of humanitarian response towards the cluster’s people of concern in order to enhance humanitarian protection programming and advocacy.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical Oversight and Management of DRC Protection Programming

• Provide technical oversight of all Protection activities in northern Ethiopia in compliance with core protection principles and DRC guidelines

• Ensure harmonization of standards and approaches and application of guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures for protection activities as relevant

• Adapt and oversee the roll-out and application of quality measures for DRC’s protection activities, in line with international and DRC standards.

• Ensure that ethical and statistically-sound data collection and protection-related information management systems are in place and used for analysis, planning, evaluation, and advocacy.

• Provide technical management for field-level Protection Managers/Deputy Protection Managers in Afar, Amhara, and Tigray, as well as coaching and supervision across the northern Ethiopia protection teams

Monitoring, Reporting, and Program Development

• Take the lead or review protection related proposals as relevant, in close collaboration with DRC’s grants, M&E and programme staff, including CO Protection team;

• Ensure implementation of protection-focused program monitoring tools in collaboration with M&E team

• Undertake quality control and site monitoring to ensure that services provided are according to international best practice standards;

• Provide technical input and quality assurance to donor and other DRC reports on protection, including monthly protection monitoring reports and advocacy messages;

• Ensure that the design and implementation of protection activities address protection needs of refugees, IDPs, and other vulnerable populations within DRC's mandate, and contribute to the relevant durable solutions;

• Contribute to protection mainstreaming across northern Ethiopia.

Cluster Co-Coordination

• Co-facilitate meetings for the Protection Cluster, alongside the Coordinator, ensuring agreement and follow-through of key decisions and action points.

• Develop a sub-national Protection Cluster analysis and strategy to guide Cluster work across northern Ethiopia.

• Ensure that Protection Cluster partners are updated on protection needs and situational analysis, gaps, planning, funding processes etc.

• Ensure coordination and information exchange on protection issues with other clusters, UN, and government counterparts

• Contribute to inter-cluster coordination and planning, including participation in the Inter-Cluster Coordination Group on behalf of the Protection Cluster.

• Enhance monitoring, tracking, documentation, and information exchange on protection concerns between the Protection Cluster members.

• In close coordination with the National Protection Cluster, support internal and external advocacy at national and global level

• Ensure the integration of protection issues in sectoral needs assessment, analysis, planning, monitoring, and response, and the centrality of protection through the ICCG/HCT

• Identify gaps in current cluster member capacities and opportunities for the roll-out of targeted capacity-building activities.

All DRC roles require the post-holder to master

DRC’s 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.  

Job Requirements

Experience and Technical Competencies:  

• 3-5 years' work experience within the field of law or protection, particularly within the field of migrant/IDP/refugee protection;

• At least 3 years with international NGO's, UN agencies, relevant ministries and/or local authorities in migrants/refugee/IDP settings in complex emergencies;

• Demonstrated experience in cluster coordination;

• Ability to work effectively and efficiently unsupervised;

• Demonstrated ability to prioritize, meet deadlines and adapt in a complex and challenging environment;

• Experience with capacity building, and in convening and facilitating trainings and workshops;

• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to establish effective and working relationships with key stakeholders, including UN, government, and NGO/civil society

Education:

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, law, social work, international development, or other relevant field from a recognized institution.

LANGUAGE: (indicate fluency level)

Excellent verbal and written proficiency in English

How to Apply

Interested candidates who meet the required qualifications and experience are invited to submit an updated CV and cover letter explaining their motivation and why they are suited for the post. 

We only accept applications sent via our online-application form on THIS LINK

Please forward the application and CV, in English through the stated website no later than March 3, 2023. 

For general information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult www.drc.ngo

Gender Equality: DRC is committed to achieving gender parity in staffing at all levels. In light of this, women candidates are particularly encouraged to apply to bridge the gender gap.
Equal Opportunities: DRC is an equal-opportunity employer. We value diversity and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment based on mutual respect for all employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, disability status, religion, ethnic origin, colour, race, marital status, or other protected characteristics
We encourage both qualified Expats and Ethiopian Nationals to apply. DRC considers all applicants based on merit.