Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, we are excited to invite you to join our team as a Protection Officer. If you are a skilled and motivated professional ready to make a difference, we want you on board! Together, we’ll work to deliver impactful humanitarian solutions in challenging environments.

About the job

The AHEAD Protection Officer is responsible for supporting the protection-related components of the AHEAD project, which include supporting effective incorporation of protection components within the design of multistakeholder anticipatory action plans, conducting of protection monitoring to support conflict anticipation, capacity building of diverse local stakeholders, supporting with MEAL data collection activities where required, leading the design and rollout of protection activities following anticipatory action triggers, and engaging in various coordination structures and events to improve harmonisation and quality of anticipatory action responses as well as support the advocacy objectives of the AHEAD project. This position will be based in Akobo with frequent travel to Pibor and possibly additional neighbouring areas.

Responsibilities

• Supporting effective incorporation of protection components within the design of multistakeholder anticipatory action plans, using participatory approaches to ensure effective buy-in from local communities
• As outlined in the anticipatory action response plan, coordinate with identified stakeholders during implementation of anticipatory action activities following activation triggers
• Participate in coordination structures (including but not limited to the subnational protection cluster) to improve the quality of anticipatory action responses as well as to raise the profile of the AHEAD project and anticipatory action programming connected to conflict-induced displacement
• Conduct protection risk monitoring and protection needs assessments, including but not limited to the use of FGDs and KIIs. This will include collection of information about vulnerabilities, needs, capacities and resources of targeted populations at individual, household and community levels, in alignment with DRC’s Age, Gender and Diversity Mainstreaming (AGDM) Policy
• Strengthen capacities of community-based protection mechanisms (including Early Warning Systems)
• Implement protection-awareness raising activities, including the design of relevant and effective protection messaging and dissemination mechanisms
• Support the development and maintenance of a service mapping directory and effective referral mechanism to enable dissemination of updated information on relevant service providers to target communities
• Ensure data collection and subsequent data handling is in alignment with DRC’s data collection and handling policies (including informed consent) and/or GDPR compliance
• Conduct follow-up monitoring visits to assess needs status as well as community access to and feedback on DRC services
• Provide inputs to donor reporting as well as ad hoc and periodic feedback as required to the AHEAD Anticipatory Action Coordinator and AHEAD MEAL Assistant on progress, lessons learned, achievements/gaps, and challenges and recommendations
• Support the MEAL Assistant in output monitoring activities where relevant
• Develop and organize trainings regarding protection concepts to be delivered to Community members as well as CBP groups on relevant rights and protection issues. Assist in training the protection teams and partners as needed and requested.
• Observe Code of Conduct (CoC) at any time and report to line manager any breach of CoC in a timely and confidential manner.
• Maintain and promote a positive image of DRC and its activities by explaining the activities DRC conducts and why DRC operates in the way it does to beneficiaries and relevant stakeholders.
• Uphold DRC’s commitment to the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), including but not limited to engagement in PSEA trainings and use of reporting mechanisms as appropriate, and generally fostering a working environment aligned with DRC’s commitments to PSEA.

Experience and technical competencies:

a) Essential

• Minimum of 2 years of experience working in humanitarian protection
• Familiarity with international protection and human rights legal standards, with special emphasis on women rights and SGBV
• Relevant professional experience, preferably in protection of civilians and anticipatory action (AA) and displacement and/or development context
• Excellent computer Skills, especially Microsoft Office, Excel.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills and respect for people with special needs and other vulnerabilities.
• Flexibility and ability to work under pressure with tight deadlines in remote and challenging environments for prolonged period.
• Close attention to detail and well-developed organisation skills
• Ability to work as part of a team and independently.

Desirable

• A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (international development, social sciences, statistics, public health, etc.) + at least 2 years of relevant experience.
• Must be able to maintain the highest level of confidentiality regarding work-related information and data; familiarity with data handling procedures and GDPR compliance
• Familiarity working in insecure environments
• Comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle pressure well.
• Good knowledge of anticipatory action on conflicts and displacement in South Sudan, and the relevant INGO’s, NGO’s, UN, Governmental institutions, and Donor.