Protection Monitoring 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 Syria crisis is often described as the worst humanitarian catastrophe since the end of the Cold War. Inside Syria, 6.1 million people are internally displaced and 13.1 million are in need of humanitarian assistance, with three million in hard-to-reach areas. There are 5.4 million Syrian refugees in neighboring countries. This is no short-term humanitarian episode. The devastating human consequences to huge numbers of people will endure for decades. The destruction of relationships, communities, livelihoods, homes and infrastructure will take years to repair.

Job Overview/Summary

The Protection Monitoring Manager Northwest (NW) Syria, based in Amman, will be responsible for technical oversight and remote management support to field level implementation of IRC protection monitoring programming in NW Syria. The Protection Manager will supervise a Senior Protection Monitoring Officer based in NW Syria who, in turn, will directly manage Protection Officers and Protection Needs Assessors who are responsible for protection monitoring data collection. The Protection Monitoring Manager will also supervise an Amman-based Senior Protection Officer who will be responsible with Protection Cash programming, and who will support the Protection Monitoring Manager with analyzing the data collected on the ground and drafting reports.

The overall goal of the protection monitoring program is to provide actionable information about the protection environment within NW Syria for advocacy and response targeting, and to directly facilitate information provision and referrals for vulnerable displaced populations. The Protection Manager will ensure quality referrals and follow ups and quality awareness sessions, support in drafting donor reports, and assist on other protection monitoring tasks as necessary.

Major Responsibilities

Program Management, Technical Quality, and Strategy

• Remotely manage and oversee activities of the NW Syria protection monitoring and cash for protection programs, providing regular support and guidance to field teams to ensure high-quality programming.
• Coordinate regular protection monitoring activities, emergency assessments, referrals and awareness sessions. Ensure all program activities are responsive and executed to a high quality standard.
• Oversee the protection cash program in close collaboration with the senior Protection Monitoring Officer and with the IRC Syria Economic Recovery and Development team to identify individuals in need of monetary support to meet protection needs.
• Develop, continuously update, and refine quality systems and tools for protection monitoring to ensure the effective collection and analysis of qualitative data relating to the protection environment, including physical safety and security, freedom of movement, documentation, safe and equitable access to services, etc.
• Support the Senior Protection Monitoring Officer to identify protection needs/risks affecting individuals, households and groups, and initiate referrals to appropriate service providers in collaboration with PNAs.
• Provide quality oversight of the information products coming from the information management team in coordination with the Senior Protection Manager, inclusive of donor reporting.
• Develop detailed project work plans that are aligned with donor timelines and targets and follow IRC procedures for implementation.
• Prepare detailed program activity, procurement and spending plans well in advance of program activities to ensure strong cross-departmental coordination, particularly with finance, supply chain and the MEAL team
• Support the development of protection monitoring, donor, and internal progress reports.
• Provide input into the design of monitoring tools and approaches, including rapid needs assessments, registration forms, and service referrals.
• Alert supervisor of any project delays, deviations of major challenges experienced at field level
• Support PMTF in design, draft and update training materials such as guidance notes, lesson plans, and presentations for training and other capacity building initiatives of the PMTF, such as trainings on Protection Monitoring, and trainings on Protection Referrals.

Program Development

• Support protection business development opportunities, including contributing to concept notes, proposals, budgets, and other documents as requested by the Protection Coordinator.
• Attend and participate in donor and partner meetings

Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development:

• Hire, supervise, and build the capacity of team members in relevant technical and management competencies.
• Develop and implement remote management capacity building approaches to build the strengths of the team in Syria.
• Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
• Approve and manage time, attendance and leave requests to ensure adequate departmental coverage.
• Hold high-quality meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis, at least monthly.
• Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing guidance on career paths.
• As required identify staff performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies.
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs.
• Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures, and communicates through word and example a high standard of compliance with all applicable policies and regulations.

Research, Learning and Analysis

• Support the Senior Protection Manager to develop and implement regular monitoring and evaluation activities.
• Ensure quality information management including beneficiary count in coordination with the Senior Protection Manager and the information management team.
• Train staff to conduct and implement high-quality data collection, including household visits, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews

Coordination & Representation

Support timely information sharing regarding challenges and needs at the field level with internal and external stakeholders, as relevant and appropriate.

Represent IRC in internal and external forums as needed, including the Protection Cluster.

Assist in contributing to the development of referral mechanisms in collaboration with IRC Coordinators, other NGOs, and the Protection cluster.

Key Working Relationships

Position Reports to:Senior Protection Manager

Indirect/Technical Reporting:Integrated Protection Coordinator

Position directly Supervises:Senior Protection Monitoring Officer in Idlib; senior Protection Officer in Amman.

Key Internal Contacts:

Country Program:Legal Manager, Child Protection Manager, Women’s Protection and Empowerment Senior Manager, Information Management team, Area Coordinator, Supply Chain, MEAL staff, Senior Humanitarian Access Manager, Area Coordinator

Region/Global: Protection Rule of Law Technical Advisor, Humanitarian Context Analyst

Key External Contacts:

Protection cluster coordinators and operational partners for coordination and information purposes.

University degree in Law, Human Rights, Political Science, or another relevant field.

Work Experience:

Minimum of 5 years of experience with similar NGO programs, at least three of which are in a management role (experience with remote management preferable)

Demonstrated Technical Skills:

Strong understanding of humanitarian protection principles and standards, international human rights, and Syrian context and legal framework.

Protection analysis and reporting, especially on protection issues, referrals, and concerns (protection risks, rights violations and different types of protection response).

Working with community groups, training, and identifying key areas of concern.

Information management in the context of protection programming and reporting.

Demonstrated Managerial/Leadership Competencies:

Dynamic and autonomous; willing to learn

Good community relations skills; open and willing to work with the community

Detail-oriented

Experience with capacity strengthening approaches, including training of trainers, adult learning, and remote capacity building.

Knowledge of key staff and budget management tools

Languages:

Fluent in Arabic and English.

Computer/Other Tech Requirements:

Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

Ability to Travel:

5-10% of time, as applicable for meetings and conferences

Standards of Professional Conduct:The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct.These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.

Gender Equality:IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Working Environment