Protection Team Leader _ General Protection

Job title: Protection Team Leader- General Protection

Unit/department: Protection

Location: Malakal, including frequent travel to Kodok and Lul

Authorization level:

Overall purpose of the role : The Protection TL will ensure implementation of protection programming including coordination activities in Malakal. The Protection TL will supervise protection activities funded by the SSHF grant, report to the Area Manager, act as focal point for the Protection Cluster at state-level, strengthen the capacity of staff, and maintain strong relations with relevant stakeholders, among other tasks. The Protection TL will be in charge of protection programming and the protection team, ensure quality protection outcomes, develop high-quality protection information, and assist in programme development and strategy.

Responsibilities:

Project & Budget Management:

• Manage and oversee implementation of SSHF project.
• Ensure compliance with donor guidelines, including reporting and budget management.
• Prepare procurement plans, procurement requests, and follow up with support departments.
• Monitor and update work plans, budgets, and prepare reports in collaboration with finance and grants teams.
• Contribute to planning and preparing donor visits.
• Prepare documentation for activities (movement plans, order requests, payment requests).
• Reconcile expenditures for each activity.
• Any other tasks as required by management to ensure quality protection programming.

Protection Activities & Service Delivery:

• Implement protection activities, in accordance with agreed strategy, operational plan, budgets, and DRC and donor regulations: monitoring, assessments, trainings, community-based protection, PSS, referrals, cash for protection/IPAs, awareness raising.
• Conduct protection assessments, monitoring and analysis to identify risks and respond accordingly, including advocacy at State-level.
• Support persons at risk of protection issues through direct interventions and referrals.
• Ensure mainstreaming of protection across DRC’s response in Upper Nile State.
• Produce high-quality protection information products (reports, snapshots, briefings) on the dynamic protection context and protection concerns.
• Oversee data collection and processing, ensuring effective data and information management.
• Submit monthly protection monitoring reports to Protection Coordinator and stakeholders.
• Contribute to monitoring, evaluation, and learning processes and initiatives with MEAL department and ensure effective data and information management and contribute to regular reporting on protection activities for donors, as required.
• Manage protection databases and train protection colleagues on the use of the database and ensure referrals and protection cases are followed by protection staff. 
• Work closely with the Protection Coordinator in designing training modules and tools on topics such as human rights and basic protection principles for Community Protection Committees and other community structures.

Programme Leadership & Coordination:

• Lead DRC protection programming in Malakal (POC, town, Kodok, Lul).
• Ensure quality protection activities are planned and implemented in line with international standards and DRC guidance.
• Contribute to the strategic direction of the DRC Protection department, in close collaboration with the DRC Protection Coordinator, including initiating strategy planning at field level, and share protection updates and information with DRC Protection Coordinator on regular basis. 
• Coordinate internally and externally on protection concerns, ensuring synergy with other sectoral activities.
• Proactively engage with state-level protection cluster; this includes sharing information on protection concerns, principled advocacy, preparing updates for the cluster, and actively participating in the humanitarian response planning with the cluster. 
• Engage in other coordination mechanisms when appropriate; these may include Solutions Working Group and movement monitoring coordination meetings. 
• Liaise regularly with Area Manager and Juba colleagues to flag issues and provide updates on the GP Programme.
• Liaise and build partnerships with community leaders, civil society organizations, and other actors to enhance community-driven approaches.
• Enhance community-driven approaches through Community Protection Committees and structures.
• Promote respectful engagement with affected populations and accountability measures.
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Team Management & Capacity Building:

• Supervise, mentor, and support protection officers and assistants.
• Recruit and manage GP protection team in Malakal.
• Prepare weekly and monthly work plans for the protection team.
• In collaboration with Protection TC, train staff regularly on protection principles, guidance, and activities.
• Design training modules and tools with Protection Coordinator for community structures.
• Ensure staff are well versed in the DRC Code of Conduct, accountability measures, humanitarian principles, protection principles, respectful engagement with the affected population, and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse.
• Ensure staff compliance with DRC Code of Conduct, humanitarian principles, and security procedures.

Experience and technical competencies: (include years of experience)

• At least four years’ protection experience, including community-based training experience on human rights and/or protection, and protection monitoring/human rights experience in South Sudan;
• Proven technical knowledge of human rights, protection principles, project cycle management, SPHERE standards;
• Experience in project implementation (including budget management);
• Understanding of and experience in engaging the cluster system in IDP sites;
• Ability for rapid analysis of very complex issues, strong decision-making, and translation of programmatic learning and priorities into operational strategies;
• Excellent interpersonal skills, cross-cultural communication and ease in managing a multi-ethnic team;
• Good team leadership and conflict resolution skills, consensus team building, and adaptability; 
• Patience and understanding to work with and develop capacity of staff;
• Experience delivering programs to tight deadlines;
• Good computer and IT skills and strong communication and writing skills; 
• Fluency in written and spoken English language;
• Ability and willingness to work in remote and isolated location with limited access to services and changing security scenarios;

Find the definition of DRC’s Core competencies here

All DRC staff should master the 5 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 act in line with our vision and values

Languages: (indicate fluency level)

• Fluency in English (spoken and written) is required

Key stakeholders: (internal and external)

• Affected population, and Community based protection structures
• Community leaders
• Protection actors
• All DRC staff
• Government structures
• Donors (DANIDA, ECHO, UNHCR, OFDA, SSHF, other)