Senior Protection Coordinator

Background/IRC Summary:  The International Rescue Committee (IRC) 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, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

IRC has been working in Pakistan for over 30 years, and manages & delivers large, complex programs to meet needs in health, education, protection, environmental health and livelihoods for displaced, poor & conflict-affected communities. IRC works in partnership with local government and non-governmental organizations and currently works in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces.

Job Overview/Summary: Under the supervision and guidance of the Deputy Director Programs, the Senior Protection Coordinator will be responsible for providing strategic direction and vision to the IRC’s Protection programming, and will also provide guidance to the Protection Co Lead. S/he will be responsible for overall design, supervision, management and quality implementation of all aspects of the protection program. The Senior Protection Coordinator will directly supervise the Senior Protection Manager, and the Protection Cluster Coordinator. S/he will oversee the collection and analysis of protection-related information by the field staff, in camp and out of camp locations, and will ensure that a succinct and accurate protection reports are submitted to UNHCR, ECHO DFID and other donors, via the Grants Unit, on a regular basis. The senior protection coordinator will also work closely with the DDP and Program Development and Quality Team to ensure that protection portfolio is achieving a sustained growth for IRC Pakistan and the in country protection strategy is designed in accordance with IRC’s global protection strategy.  Senior Protection coordinator will play a key role in developing the proposals for Protection program in Pakistan. 

Major Responsibilities:

• Program strategy & design;
• Develop an overall strategy for the protection sector incorporating current projects and future opportunities/directions, including a framework for emergency response.
• Responsible for overall management and technical support to IRC Pakistan protection activities, including in camp and off camp conflict-affected IDPs as well as returnees/host populations.
• Responsible to ensure that programs meet stated objectives within the timeframe and on budget, with specific attention to ensuring quality interventions.
• In coordination with the Grants Coordinator and Deputy Director programs, develop new program designs and proposals, with support from the Senior Technical Advisor (Protection).
• Develop budgets and spending plans and monitor project expenditure through BvA reports and other tools, with support from the grants and finance teams.
• Ensure that all new budgets accurately reflect program activities and required staffing levels.

Tools Development and Training

• Develop tools and policies for field teams in conjunction with the Senior Protection Manager including a protection monitoring package and guidance notes on ethical implementation, surveys on return intentions, and tracking systems for information dissemination and legal advice provision.
• Support the Senior Protection Manager in updating existing materials and develop new training materials on protection principles, protection monitoring, reporting and referrals for field based staff, including strengthening information and reporting systems.
• Ensure the roll out of regular staff trainings and refresher sessions to maintain a high standard of capacity among the protection field teams in all areas.
• Support the Senior Protection Manager to update training materials for partners and government counterparts. 

Reporting

• Ensure technical quality and accuracy of Protection program reports.
• Lead the compilation and analysis of protection monitoring information for sharing with partners and donors.
• Ensure that protection information is used effectively to advocate on important issues as well as longer term planning for target populations

Representation

• Represent the IRC protection program at the Protection Cluster meetings in KP and other relevant forum for protection advocacy.
• Provide regular updates to Cluster members on protection concerns identified through IRC program implementation.
• Participate in advocacy initiatives as part of the Protection Cluster.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to:  Deputy Director Programs
Position directly supervises:  Senior Program Manager, and the Protection Co Lead.

Indirect Reporting: other Program staff in Protection team.
 

Job Requirements:

Education:

BA/BS degree in International Law, International Development, Social Sciences or relevant field from a recognized University; post-graduate degree is a plus

Work Experience:

3 – 5 years work experience on protection or rule of law related projects in humanitarian environments including provision of technical advice to the field teams

• Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:
• Demonstrated aptitude in project design, management and implementation
• Proven track-record in understanding international law, refugee law and humanitarian principles
• Strong coordination, communication and advocacy skills
• Flexibility to work in a diverse multicultural team with due respect for Pakistani culture and norms
• Proven ability to live and work in an unstable, insecure environment.

Language Skills:  Should have fluent spoken and written English

Others:  

Strong computer skills: must be competent in the use of Windows MS office programs (Word, Excel), email programs, etc.