Regional Protection Manager

Introduction 

The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights, and strengthen their opportunity for a brighter future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along the displacement routes, and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive for responsible and sustainable solutions. We work toward successful integration and – whenever possible – for the fulfillment of the wish to return home. 

The Danish Refugee Council was founded in Denmark in 1956 and has since grown to become an international humanitarian organization with more than 7,000 staff and 8,000 volunteers. Based in Copenhagen (Denmark) and present in forty countries, the Danish Refugee Council is a non-profit-making, politically independent, non-governmental and non-denominational relief organization. 

Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced. All our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency. 

1. Background 

DRC has been operating in West Africa since 1998. The DRC West & North Africa and Latin America Regional Office (hereafter: WANALA RO) is based in Dakar, Senegal, and covers over twelve countries outside of Senegal. Led by the Executive Director for West & North Africa and Latin America, the DRC WANALA RO oversees, supports and provides strategic directions for DRC’s Country Offices within the region, which currently includes Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Algeria-Tunisia, Libya, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and Mexico. 

2. Purpose 

The Regional Protection Manager is responsible for supporting DRC in quality protection programming at the regional and country level (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, CAR, Cameroun, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, and Peru). This includes providing support, advice, and quality checks on protection aspects of country and regional strategies as well as on programming initiatives and concrete projects.  The Regional Protection Manager co-leads the West Africa Regional Protection Working Group and supervises the regional protection specialists. 

The RPM will also contribute to raising DRC’s profile and involvement when it comes to relevant policy and advocacy initiatives.  

This position is a senior one, requiring a strong previous experience in protection programming, protection strategy and management. This position also requires strong communication and analysis skills in order to feed informed decision-making regarding DRC operations. The Regional Protection Manager will be part of the WANALA regional programme team. The Regional Protection Manager will be based in Dakar but may have to travel up to 30% of the working time through the region. 

3. Duties and Responsibilities 

The Regional Protection Manager will lead the Protection Programming in the region (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and Mexico). Protection as a sector for DRC includes advocacy for the rights of displaced people in their context of displacement, child protection, individual protection assistance based on vulnerability, legal aid, land & property rights, sexual and gender-based violence prevention, registration services for the internally displaced and refugees, monitoring of rights and rights awareness-raising, facilitation of return and repatriation processes. As the technical focal point for country protection staff, the RPM will be responsible for developing DRC’s protection capacity in the WA region as well as supporting the technical expertise in countries. Under the direct management of the Head of Programme for WANALA, s/he is expected to pursue the following objectives and duties in his/her daily work: 

Overall objectives:  

Under the management of the WANALA Head of Programmes, and by taking into consideration the technical inputs from the Regional Senior Management Team, the RPM will have the following activities and tasks:   

• Lead WANALA’s Protection Strategy and protection programme development 

• Assure protection programme quality and accountability  

• Manage the regional protection team including regional specialists and regional coordinators 

• Co-lead the West Africa Protection Working Group 

• Represent DRC in protection coordination fora and with donors. 

Specifically, his/her main responsibilities will be: 

STRATEGIC AND PROGRAMATIC DEVELOPMENT 

• Lead the development of strategic protection documents, guidelines, advocacy papers at the regional level, and support countries in the development of protection analyses and strategies. 

• Drive the development and growth of the protection activities within DRC WANALAC Result Framework to achieve DRC’s strategic goals and objectives in Protection 

• Support protection analysis at the regional and country level: identify context changes, protection risks and trends, problems/gaps and propose/prioritise timely practical actions to respond to clearly formulated protection problems 

• With the support of the Head of Programme and of the programme team, contribute to the elaboration of regional strategic documents, and revise the CO strategies and protection strategies  

• Explore new business and partnerships and work closely with the Head of Programme to develop quality proposals, concept notes and budgets, ensuring that all new budgets accurately reflect program activities and required staffing levels.  

PROGRAM QUALITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY 

• Provide technical guidance and support to the regional office and to country programmes to ensure the highest level of quality in protection analyses, strategies, proposals and responses, in adherence with global standards and principles 

• Formalize and develop programme related operational tools (SOP) and training modules. 

• Control quality and compliance for protection projects, proposals and reports. 

• Ensure that quality assurance systems are applied, with reference to upholding CHS (Core Humanitarian Standards) and Age Gender and diversity throughout the protection programme 

• Conduct regular field visits to identify and address programme quality concerns and gain a solid first-hand understanding of protection risks and trends at the CO level  

• Champion the mainstreaming of protection in DRC’s wider programmes, according to DRC protection mainstreaming framework and in strong collaboration with other teams and sectors.  

• Systematically and closely monitor the delivery and expenditure rates of ongoing regional protection projects, promptly identifying and correcting under-delivery issues and deviations from workplans  

• Ensure that regional Protection programs meet stated objectives and indicators within agreed timeframes  

• Oversee knowledge sharing across protection teams and ensure that monitoring and evaluation results are understood and used to improve programs. 

• In close collaboration with the regional MEAL, establish processes, systems and learning events in WANALAC that will lead to a general capacity-building and professionalization of staff and partners on protection; 

• In collaboration with the MEAL team, analyse and report on relevance, outcomes and impact of DRC protection related activities to provide lessons learnt and to identify best practices  

MANAGEMENT  

• Manage the regional protection team (protection specialist and coordinators). This includes hiring & firing, objective setting, probation, performance appraisal, development of staff, managing performance, including poor performance, etc. 

• Ensuring capacity development, including on the job training, capacity building coaching and trainings adapted to specific staff needs. 

• Supports and participates in relevant country and region protection recruitment processes 

EXTERNAL COORDINATION 

• Liaise permanently with DRC partner organization, UNHCR / OCHA and other protection humanitarian actors within the region.  

• Representation of DRC and active participation in protection sectors/working groups. 

• Liaise with and support regional initiatives with protection and research components, including in coordination with the WANALAC Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat / 4Mi/ JIPS, P21, multi-country operations, SRF.   

• Ensure the effective co-lead of the Regional Protection Working Group, as well as the representation in all relevant fora and meetings; 

• Contribute to DRC advocacy and policy influencing in the region for protection sector, externally as well as internally, and representing the organization in relevant fora; 

• Liaise permanently with DRC partner organization, UNHCR / OCHA and other protection humanitarian actors within the region. 

4. Required Qualifications 

• Post-graduate degree/ University Degree (Master) from a recognized institution in International Relations, International Law, Political Science/ Public Affairs, Social Sciences, Psychology, or another relevant field is required 

• Minimum 5 years of experience in senior protection positions including proven monitoring capacity building in the field. 

• Proven and significant experience related to ethics, safeguarding and accountability to affected populations 

• Proven experience in developing protection strategies. 

• Experience working in a regional or global office 

• Strong understanding of protection principles and likely protection concerns in the WANALAC context as well as conflict sensitivity. 

• Experience with capacity building of CSO, and in the facilitation of training events and workshops; experience working with national partners, local/government authorities, and INGO 

• Proven commitment to humanitarian accountability and quality standards 

• Experience in community-based protection activities and protection analysis.  

• Documented skills in project planning and design, drafting, calculation and technical writing 

• Excellent skill in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 

• Experience in Project Cycle Management 

• Fluency in English and French, Spanish is desirable.  

5. Required Skills & Qualities 

• Core Competencies of DRC:  

• Striving for excellence 

• Collaboration 

• Taking the lead 

• Communication 

• Demonstrating Integrity 

• Ability to work in a multinational and multicultural environment  

• Proactivity, with a sound commitment to teamwork and with a spirit of genuine collaboration 

• Excellent communication skills, as well as patience and politeness, are required 

• Multi-tasking and organizational skills are necessary 

• Adaptable and flexible 

• Proven analytical and critical thinking skills 

• Exemplary sense of ethics in the workplace 

• Team-oriented & good sense of humor 

6. General Regulations 

• The employee shall follow DRC instructions on safety, confidentiality and ethical guidelines, including the Code of Conduct and the Humanitarian Accountability Framework 

• Employee should not engage in any other paid activity during the DRC contract period without prior authorization 

• Employee should not engage in any activity that could harm DRC or the implementation of any project during the DRC contract period 

• Employee should not give interviews to the media or publish project-related photos or other material without prior authorization 

• Employee shall return all borrowed equipment for the project to DRC after the end of the contract period or upon request 

7. Application Process 

Are you interested? Then apply for this position online: http://www.drc.dk/about-drc/vacancies/current-vacancies or click on the "Apply for position" button below. All applicants must send a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages). Both must be in English. 

DRC provides equal opportunity in employment and prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability. DRC encourages all applicants to apply and does not practice any discrimination in any recruitment process.  

However, applicants must be aware that DRC cannot employ, under an international contract, a citizen of the country in which she/ he is going to be stationed (in such case, the Republic of Senegal).  

Applications close on November 28th 2022, at 5 p.m. (Dakar-time). Applications submitted after this date will not be considered. 

Due to the urgency of the position, DRC has the right to recruit a candidate who matches the required profile before the above deadline.