Protection Coordinator-Country

Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, is currently looking for a highly qualified Protection Coordinator-Country.

About the job

The Protection Coordinator (PC) is technically responsible for ensuring quality protection programming and is the overall country level technical lead within the protection sector.

Working with a team of protection technical experts at the country level (GBV, CP, etc.), the PC has the overall responsibility for providing technical and programmatic support for DRC and partners protection activities in the DRC areas of operations in Somalia.

The Protection Coordinator will be responsible for leading country level protection analysis and strategy development and implementation. Furthermore, the PC will be responsible for providing protection sectoral technical advice, support, and has the authority to instruct.

The PC will be responsible for ensuring quality development and implementation of protection sectoral programming, including leading monitoring and evaluation efforts, in compliance with global and DRC’s protection sector standards, across the country and in close collaboration with Area Managers.

The,PCwillbe leading and,overseeing Protection,sectoral,technical line supervision responsibilities for protection staff and interventions that contain protection, throughout the programme/project cycle. The PC will ensure field staff capacity building and training in coordination with technical protection staff at the country level, overseeing and leading the development of protection tools, including guidelines and SOPs to ensure harmonized approaches across the areas of intervention in Somalia. 

The PC will be responsible for expanding DRC’s protection portfolio and position DRC as a strategic protection actor in Somalia, while ensuring the centrality of protection across DRC’s programme. In Somalia, DRC has an exciting and varied funding base with different focus areas, including but not limited to protection information management, child protection, prevention and response to gender-based violence, community-based protection, emergency response actions, a migration component with a dedicated voluntary return project.

The PC will technically lead protection sectoral coordination and representation efforts, supporting external representation of DRC in various fora (working groups, donors, embassies, local authorities), as well as supporting the development of advocacy products where relevant with focus on protection in Somalia. As DRC intends to move into different delivery modalities that are more integrated with other programming components, including programming in hard to reach locations, and implementation through Somali local organisations, the PC will be responsible for leading this process jointly with the Technical Staff and Head of Programme.

Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

Protection sectoral technical responsibility

• Lead protection analysis efforts, the development and implementation of the country level protection strategy.

• Technically responsible for the overall protection portfolio.

• Oversee and lead the development, harmonisation and rollout of internal protection related tools, Standard Operating Procedures, policies, and guidelines related to DRC’s protection interventions.

• Act as a reference point for other sectors’ colleagues for Protection Mainstreaming, and age, gender and diversity mainstreaming across all DRC field offices.

Technical Supervision

• Technically supervise, provide technical advice and guidance to protection sectoral staff, and authority to instruct – including issuing instructions and providing strategic direction on issues related to the protection sector 
• Responsible for participating in human resource processes, including the recruitment of protection sectoral technical staff in country, establishing minimum technical requirements for protection positions, and setting performance objectives and performance appraisals
• Responsible for identifying protection sectoral technical gaps and establishing capacity building plans for protection sectoral staff 
• Work closely with relevant protection staff in the development and delivery of capacity building efforts 
• Provide regular technical support and guidance to protection teams and other relevant (protection, other sectoral, and others) staff in both a structured and on a case-by-case basis.

Protection Programme Development and Oversight

• Lead and contribute to the design and finalisation of all protection sectoral interventions in proposals and projects, and ensure that all proposed interventions are protection mainstreamed, regardless of sector, in close collaboration with DRC’s grants, M&E, and programme staff.
• Provide technical review of all proposals that include protection interventions.
• Develop concrete initiatives to reduce protection risks and design specific strategies to build upon existing assets within the population.
• Maintain oversight of overall protection programme implementation, including budgets and indicators, in close collaboration with HoP, area managers and protection managers.
• Participate in protection programme / project review meetings, including grant opening, grant review and close out meetings.

Quality Assurance

• Lead, in collaboration with MEAL Coordinator/Manager, on the development of quality assurance systems and ensure they are applied throughout the programme / project cycle.
• Develop protection-focused program monitoring tools .
• Undertake quality control and site monitoring to ensure that protection interventions are implemented according to established policies, guidance, and Standard Operating Procedures.
• Provide technical inputs and quality assurance to donors and other DRC reports.
• Ensure that quality assurance systems are developed and applied, with particular reference to the Core Humanitarian Standard and age, gender, and disability throughout the programme.
• Identify, document, and share best practices between field offices.
• Lead the self-assessment based on the Protection Programme Quality Framework (PPQF) once a year and contribute to the annual Protection Survey.
• Conduct and supervise internal and external trainings on protection-related issues, including protection mainstreaming for DRC staff, partners, and project beneficiaries.

Coordination and Representation

• Represent DRC in protection coordination meetings, such as the Protection Cluster and the CP-GBV Sub-Cluster working group, as well as in relevant technical working groups related to IDP protection and durable solutions, as agreed with the Head of Programme.
• Coordinate with government agencies, such as the Ministry of Women, Families and Children Affairs, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, UNHCR, UNICEF, protection NGOs, and other key stakeholders on the provision of protection services and relevant contingency planning.
• Ensure internal coordination and harmonization of DRC protection-related activities with DRC Somalia’s regional protection programs.
• Promote improved understanding of protection issues among all relevant stakeholders and ensure the observance of international protection and humanitarian legal standards.
• Act as the main sector level point of contact with donors.
• Actively engage and contribute to DRC protection related advocacy efforts 
• Promote integrated programming and ensure internal coordination and harmonisation of DRC protection interventions across sites and with other core sectors, specifically CCCM, Economic Recovery, and Emergency Response programming

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to demonstrate the following.

Required

• University or graduate degree in law, social work, gender, or other relevant field
• Minimum 5 years of proven work experience in refugee, returnee, IDP, and host community protection
• Expert knowledge of International Refugee Law, International Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian Law
• Demonstrated experience coordinating with and supporting national and local authorities as well as humanitarian coordination fora.
• Strong understanding of global protection sector standards, protection analysis, and Results-Based Protection
• Knowledge and experience designing, implementing, and monitoring and evaluating protection intervention within two or more of DRC’s Protection sector components: Gender-Based Violence, Child Protection, Protection Information Management, Community-Based Protection, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, and/or Legal Aid 
• Experience in providing technical guidance and developing and providing learning activities 
• Prior experience with data analysis and writing/development of thematic protection reports, and advocacy products is a strong asset
• Proven communication, interpersonal, representation, negotiation, promotion, and diplomacy skills and demonstrated ability to establish effective working relations with staff members and other stakeholders.
• Proven strategic and analytical thinker with the ability to quickly develop good insight and understanding of humanitarian, political and human rights situation in the relevant context
• Experience with technical management of teams
• Sound understanding and experience in protection mainstreaming and Age, Gender, and Diversity (AGD) mainstreaming, conflict sensitivity, and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and abuse (PSEA) 
• Experience in project development (including proposal writing), implementation and MEAL for protection programmes 
• Experience with capacity building, and in convening and facilitating trainings and workshops
• Excellent analytical and English writing skills.
• Ability to work effectively and efficiently unsupervised.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize, meet deadlines and adapt in a complex and challenging environment.
• Experience living and working in cross-cultural, multi-sector, and/or remote environments.

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’s five core competencies: 

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process. 

Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback. 

Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation. 

Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly. 

Demonstrating integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer

Contract: 12 Months with possibility of extension, subject to funding and performance. 

Band: Non-Management G

Designation of Duty station: This position is based in Mogadishu – Somalia with 60% travel to field sites( Non-Family duty station)

Reporting Line: Head of Programme

Start Date: September 2026

This position is open to both National and International Candidates. The relevant terms and conditions of employment will apply.

Application process

All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English. A pplications sent by email will not be considered.

Closing date for applications: 25th July 2026

For more information about the Danish Refugee Council, please visit our website drc.ngo .

Danish Refugee Council is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and positive work environment based on mutual respect for all employees. All applicants are considered for employment regardless of personal characteristics or attributes.