Protection Team Leader - Legal Aid & VA

Protection Team Leader - Legal Aid & VA

(Yemen – Aden)

Who are we?

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 6500 staff. Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced.

All of our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency.

About the role

Overall purpose of the role:

Under the direct supervision of the Protection Manager and technical supervision of the Protection Specialist, the Team Leader will ensure the effective implementation of DRC’s intervention in Aden, Lahj and Taiz Governorates. The Team Leader will be responsible to supervise DCR Legal Aid and Victim assistance interventions in the assigned areas of operation, as well as maintain effective working relationship with relevant stakeholders. The Team Leader is responsible for ensuring excellent organization and coordination of the legal aid and VA activities under his/her supervision. S/he will provide technical and organizational support to legal staff through daily guidance, coordination, capacity-building, follow-up, monitoring, and reporting.

Responsibilities:

Grants Management

• Ensure the successful implementation of legal activities under his/her supervision, including appropriate and timely spending plans for activities to achieve program goals, procurement, use and distribution of supplies and resources;
• Support with project planning including work plans and target tracking to ensure timely implementation of activities and successful achievement of targets;
• Support the monitoring of financial commitments and expenditures against budgets and provide timely feedback on budget follow-up to Protection Manager;
• Support Protection Manager by contributing to and providing field-related inputs for legal aid proposals; 
• Monitor and ensure the successful implementation of partners’ activities, including appropriate and timely spending plans for activities and targets tracking to achieve program goals.

Technical Support and Supervision

Legal Aid:

• Collaborate with the legal team to identify relevant legal topics for awareness-raising sessions and develop them;
• Ensure the awareness-raising content is accessible, culturally appropriate, and tailored to the target population's needs;
• Establish a schedule for regular legal consultation sessions in coordination with the legal team and support conducting consultations for specific topics, ensuring confidentiality and a safe environment for participants;
• Document/track the types of legal issues addressed to identify trends and inform future programming;
• Provide accurate and up-to-date information on relevant laws, regulations, and procedures to Legal Aid Officers and Assistants;
• Remain up-to-date on legal procedure, Yemen Law and policy developments, and support to update legal guideline & SOPs' documents as needed;
• Provide technical support, supervision, and guidance to the legal team, and ensure that legal activities and legal assistance are implemented in line with DRC SOPs and best-practices;
• Conduct on-the-job coaching by undertaking field visits and providing feedback to legal aid officers and assistants;
• Identify technical gaps in the activities and identify/implement solutions to address these gaps;
• With the support of DRC Protection Specialist and Protection Manager, provide capacity building to the legal aid team members according to the identified needs and agreed capacity building plans;
• Conduct regular individual and group supervisions with legal staff to ensure that cases receive all the necessary support, that lessons learned and best practices are shared, and challenges are mitigated;
• Ensure and monitor the correct documentation of cases through review of legal files and database;
• Ensure confidentiality of information, and that data protection and information-sharing protocols are respected;
• Review staff caseloads to ensure they are manageable and respect sector's guidelines and share challenges and feedback with Protection Manager;
• Supervise activities' implementation of local partners by providing technical support, job coaching, and building capacities.

Victim Assistance:

• Ensure the effective implementation of high-quality protection programs, specifically victim assistance, in line with proposals, budgets, work plans and DRC standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Ensure casefiles are complete, accurate and confidential in line with relevant DRC standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Work with the Quality Assurance Unit to implement monitoring and evaluation tools and provide recommendations to the PM, South based on findings.
• Undertake field and site visits to monitor the quality of implementation.
• Assess hospitals and sign Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with qualifying hospitals on an annual basis.
• Provide oversight of hospital payment process in coordination with relevant Support units.
• Work with the PM, South to ensure appropriate and timely spending in line with allocated budget and targets.

Staff management

• Manage the legal and VA staff, including officers and assistants;
• In collaboration with the HR department, participate to recruitment process(es) of protection/legal staff (shortlisting resumes, correcting tests, conducting interviews, etc.);
• Support the staff in the implementation of all the VA and Legal activities, orient new staff to DRC and the protection program in addition to day-to-day management and supervision of the legal team;
• Ensure the respect and implementation of HR procedures in accordance with DRC Policies and Guidelines (i.e. daily management, disciplinary procedures, performance appraisals, leaves management, trainings and capacity building, etc.) in collaboration with the Human Resources department and Protection Manager;
• Ensure the adherence of his/her staff to DRC Code of Conduct, policies, rules and regulations. 

Monitoring and Reporting

• Submit to the Protection Manager weekly and monthly reports on all legal activities, developments in the external context and humanitarian situation, and on project implementation progress;
• On a monthly basis revise all legal activities tracking sheets, remove confidential data and share a compiled version with Protection Manager for revision and approval;
• On a monthly basis submit the necessary data to Protection Manager to ensure timely reporting on Activity Info;
• Regularly coordinate with MEAL team to ensure PDM and PSM are conducted in a timely manner, ensuring respect of confidentiality and following DRC SOPs and best practices;
• Revise on a monthly basis partners’ report and submit them to the Protection Manager.

Coordination and representation

• Develop and maintain effective working relationship with relevant stakeholders including community members, local partners and CRA;
• Advocate for the needs of vulnerable individuals both internally and through coordination mechanisms through evidence-based advocacy;
• Train hospital focal points and other stakeholders on DRC’s VA program and criteria to facilitate an efficient and effect referral process.
• Liaise with DRC Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (HDP) and other DRC sectors to ensure an integrated approach.
• Maintain an up-to-date service mapping of the legal service providers operating in the area and share with the legal team;
• Attend Protection Cluster/s and coordination meetings as requested by Protection Manager.

Other

• Any other duties relating to the nature of the job as directed by the Protection Manager and Protection Specialist;
• The TL may be requested to attend call for duty during emergencies, upon the decision of line-manager;
• Maintain positive work relationship within the team, and promote team-building efforts in coordination with the Protection Manager;
• Comply with DRC's Code of Conduct, program requirements and operational policies at all times and report any concerns through the appropriate mechanism;
• Must treat all partners and beneficiaries with dignity and respect clients’ confidentiality.

Experience and technical competencies:

• A minimum of three years of relevant experience in the field of humanitarian response and protection or health, ideally for an I/NGO or UN agency.
• Experience in management of a team with proven leadership qualities;
• Familiarity experience with persons of concern (including internally displaced persons, returnees, refugees) would be a distinct advantage;
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of international protection and human rights legal standards, including familiarity with International Humanitarian Law, Human Rights Law, Refugee law, National law and customary rules;
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills and respect for people with specific needs and other vulnerabilities;
• Ability to work in a multicultural context as a flexible and respectful team player;
• Ability to provide technical support, trainings and supervision to Officers and Assistants;
• Excellent writing, reporting, and analytical skills;
• Strong written and oral communication skills, effective in representation and liaison with external parties;
• Excellent organizational and planning skills as well as communication and inter-personal skills;
• Punctuality and respect for applicable rules and procedures;
• Strong ability to organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, work independently and prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail;
• Self-motivation, goal/result-orientation and team work;
• Flexibility, creativeness, tolerance and maturity;
• Computer/IT literacy (OS Windows, MS (Word, Excel in particular), etc.

Education:

• Relevant University Degree (e.g., Law, Psychology, Social Work, Medicine) or equivalent professional qualification.
• Desirable qualifications: Master's degree in law .

  Languages:

• Arabic - Fluent, reading and writing
• English - Fluent, reading and writing

Key stakeholders:

• Protection Staff Members
• Other DRC Departments (GFD, FSL, etc.)
• Community members
• I/NGOs and government services
• CRA
• DRC Partner
• Support teams (logistics, finance, HR)
• Protection Cluster

All DRC roles require the post-holder to master DRC’s core competencies:

• Striving for excellence : Focusing on reaching results while ensuring efficient processes.
•   Collaborating : Involving relevant parties and encouraging feedback.
• Taking the lead : Taking ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating : Listening and speaking effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity : Upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

Contract length: April 30, 2027

Position Band: This position will be placed in the Management (MG) band. Reports to Protection Manager

Start date: ASAP

Duty station: Aden, Yemen

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s National Terms of Employment.
 

Application process

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

Closing date for applications: June 20, 2026, recruitment process is planned to start in maximum 2 weeks after the closing date.

For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our website drc.ngo.