Protection Manager

The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, IRC offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in more than 40 countries and in 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted by conflict or disaster. IRC leads the way from harm to home.

The IRC started operations in Cameroon in 2016 to respond to the increasing concerns for people affected by violence linked to Boko Haram, in the Far North of the country.  Assistance to displaced populations extends across the Far North, notably Mayo Sava, Mayo Tsanaga and Logone & Chari, delivering lifesaving programming to increase access to water and improving hygiene practices in vulnerable displaced and host communities, cash programming to enable poor families to meet basic needs and improve food security, and protection programming, including meeting specific needs of women and girls.  The Coordination office is located in Maroua, with a field base in Kousseri and a representation office in Yaounde.

Following the increasing crisis in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon, the IRC expanded its operations into the South West region in August 2018. The IRC is delivering lifesaving humanitarian assistance to internally displaced populations, with a field base in Buea.

IRC Cameroon is committed in its 2020 Strategic Action Plan, to continue to provide essential humanitarian services, with a focus on safety in communities and ensuring affected populations can meet their basic needs, whilst also building the resilience of beneficiaries, especially women and girls. IRC Cameroon is funded by European and American donors

OBJECTIVE

Ensure the technical quality of Protection and WPE emergency programming within the IRC and that survivors of GBV, PSN and others at risk of protection have timely access to available services.

The Protection Manager is based in Buea with frequent trips in on according to the needs of the program

BASICS RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical Quality

• Provide technical and administrative leadership to the Protection and WPE emergency program in line with IRC best practices and policy;
• Ensuring that the ethical and meaningful collection of data and information management systems is in place for appropriate program analysis, planning, evaluation, and advocacy with the M & E component of the Protection and PAF;

Staff development and supervision

• Maintain open and professional relationships with team members;
• Directly supervise the Buea Protection and WPE team;
• Ensure the timely completion and monthly submission of records or schedules, revisions of trial periods and annual performance reviews;
• Assist in the recruitment of WPE and Protection staff
• Provide technical training for staff and refocus them on other ongoing capacity building opportunities
• Coordinate with the Coordinators (WPE & Protection), FieldCo and other ERD and EH Managers to plan staff movements in the field.

Validation of planning & implementation

• Responsible for the general implementation of field descent mission validations for mobile WPE & Protection teams;
• Work closely with the Operations departments of IRC, Finance, HR and Grants to ensure compliance with accepted requirements.

Partner Management

• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with local and INGO partners
• Advocate with partner agencies and other actors in the field to promote the delivery of better and inclusive quality of response services Protection and reduce the risks of women and girls;
• Coordinate with VBG Focal Points and all other VBG partners, especially child protection and protection programs, for joint field mission preparations and any necessary questions.

Coordination & representation

• Actively develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders, including donors, UN agencies, local and international NGOs, and other relevant actors in consultation with FieldCo, WPE Coordinators, and Protection;
• Participate regularly in Protection Cluster and VGB Working Group meetings at the appropriate level to respond to IRC's field priorities.

Program development

• Contribute to the development of the WPE / Protection program, including protection needs analysis and context in the SW region,
• Contribute to project development activities (written project and budget) through planning and program plan with relevant field-based staff, to ensure that technical standards are considered prior to submission;
• Coordinate with other IRC programs (DRE, Wash) to provide relevant inputs and support improved protection and empowerment of women and girls.

Financial management

• Support the coordination of WPE and Protection programs in the monitoring and control of expenditures, the monthly planning of financial needs in connection with the financial department of IRC;
• In relation with the Program Coordinators, develop expenditure plans;
• Ensure that purchase authorizations (PRs) comply with the expenditure plan and budgets; check the coding before inserting them into the approval chain

Human ressources

• Keep a link between the team under his responsibility, the Technical Coordinators of the
• WPE &Protection Programs and the Field Coordinator of Buea
• Provide active support to the technical team regarding the organization and conduct of their work, consistent with the priorities and schedules defined in teams and validated by the WPE & Protection Program Coordinators;
• Participate actively in the animation of the team, in search of the appropriation of the program by each collaborator, the resolution of the conflicts, the arbitrations if necessary, and the regular formal individual evaluations;
• Identification and reporting to FieldCo of the team's capacity building needs;
• Manage internal conflicts with the staffs;
• Provide regular technical support and guidance to staff under his supervision and partners.

Operations

• Work with the operations and logistics departments to ensure that the project is implemented according to the IRC procedures and in compliance with the security standards in place;
• Follow up the spending authorizations (RP) of the components under his responsibility, in collaboration with the Protection Officers. Ensure that requests are made in a timely manner, taking into account the time required for final approval.

Monitoring

• Develop and maintain effective supervision and quality control over the reporting system and procedures;
• Monitor and consolidate weekly collected information and reports on staff activities;
• Ensure the high quality of IRC reports and donor reports on activities, indicators and success stories;
• Ensure regular communication regarding the evolution of field activities, its challenges and difficulties in the implementation of the program between the partners and the coordination of the program.
• Ensure the update of all emergency files;
• Writing and sharing reports;
• Plan of follow-up of the descents on the ground

Other Functions

• Constantly and proactively assess the safety of field crews, promptly report incidents to IRC coordination and liaise with other external parties as required to maintain or improve the security environment;
• Other responsibilities assigned by the supervisor to improve and develop IRC programs;
• Participate in various meetings organized by the program and other meetings related to activities;
• Perform any other task or activity at the request of the line supervisor
• Ensure all activities are carried out in accordance with IRC Operational policies

Master’s Degree of Law or Science in Social Science, Public Health, Humanities or other related field, desirable;

Skills and Abilities

• At least three years' experience in humanitarian work, specifically in the protection sector;
• To be of Cameroon nationality;
• Strong ability to maintain composure, prioritize work under pressure, and work in a difficult environment;
• Have supervised a team and manage a budget
• Fluency in English and/or (other languages) preferred or required ;
• Clear understanding of gender, human rights, and issues surrounding violence against women and girls;
• Demonstrated understanding of and ability to maintain confidentiality and respect for clients;
• Knowledge and experience with community outreach and mobilization;
• Positive and professional attitude, including ability to lead and work well in a team setting;
• Strong ability to organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail;