Protection Manager

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading protection agency with a mandate to protect, advocate and promote durable solutions for displacement affected populations.

DRC has been operating in Ukraine since 2014, currently DRC employs over 700 staff in Ukraine and will continue significant scale-up in 2024 to implement emergency response in the Protection, Livelihoods, Shelter/NFIs and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (humanitarian mine action) sectors, using direct interventions, support to duty bearers and civil society organizations (CSOs), and partnerships with CSOs. DRC will continue and adapt its durable solutions portfolio to the evolving context.

DRC is currently looking for a Protection Manager to join our team in Chernihiv or Sumy.

About the job

The Protection Manager will be based in Chernihiv or Sumy and will be responsible for managing protection activities the oblast. This position will report to the Area Programme with technical supervision from the DRC Country Protection Coordinator.

Your main responsibilities will be:

Project Management and Implementation:

• Lead and oversee all aspects of protection activities, including monitoring, assistance, information dissemination, psychosocial support, and legal aid.
• Coordinate closely with partner organizations, UNHCR, and other humanitarian actors in the intervention area.
• Ensure high-quality and timely delivery of protection interventions, adhering to overall strategy and donor requirements.
• Develop and formalize operational tools and training modules.

Program Development and Strategy:

• Represent DRC and actively participate in relevant sectoral and working groups.
• Promote knowledge sharing and utilization of monitoring and evaluation results to enhance program effectiveness.
• Contribute to the development and expansion of relevant programs within DRC's objectives and country-wide strategy.

Accountability and Reporting:

• Implement accountability initiatives and document the impact of activities, in line with DRC's Programme Handbook.
• Ensure compliance with internal and external reporting requirements, including procurement processes.

People Management:

• Recruit and manage protection project staff, providing feedback and support for performance management.
• Identify training and development needs within the team and implement capacity-building plans.

Coordination:

• Coordinate with relevant protection actors in the intervention area to ensure effective collaboration and alignment of efforts.

As Manager the post-holder is responsible for the following:

• Accountable for achieving DRC’s strategic goals and objectives within the area of responsibility.
• Accountable for making significant decisions on what the unit does: its purpose, functions, and role, and for making commitments and decisions that require the expenditure of significant unit resources.
• Accountable for people management of direct reports, generally at least 3 employees. This includes hiring & firing, objective setting, probation, performance appraisal, development of staff, managing performance, including poor performance, etc.
• Accountable for making sound decisions based on DRC policies, MOPs, standards, and the advice of technical experts in DRC.

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to have at least 1 year experience working for civil society organizations, humanitarian organizations, NGOs or in social work and at least 2 years experience in people management. Moreover, we also expect the following:

• Degree in Law, Human Rights, Social Work, Social Science, Humanities, or a related field.
• Experience or knowledge in protection and Human Rights.
• Previous experience in managing programs, preferably in the fields of social work, protection, or psychosocial support
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to work effectively with vulnerable groups, staff members, and stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple responsibilities.
• Strong sense of personal integrity and understanding of confidentiality and ethics.
• Excellent writing and editing skills for external audiences (including governments and donors).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Outlook/Exchange, Windows operating systems.
• Excellent reporting and protection analysis skills.
• Proficiency in English is compulsory.

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: Acting in line with DRC's vision and values.

We offer.

Contract length: 12 months

Level: F-2 Manager

Designation of Duty Station: to be determined – Chernihiv or Sumy

Start date: ASAP

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