Protection Manager

Chemonics seeks a Protection Manager to support education programming in Northwest Syria. The Syria Education Programme II (SEP II) aims to provide children living in Northwest Syria with safe, inclusive, and quality education that meets their specialized learning, psychosocial, and protection needs. The Protection Manager will work closely with a technical team to ensure the integration and streamlining of child protection principles into education programming. This position will be based in Syria, the primary assignment location is in Damascus, we are open to candidates based across Syria that are willing to frequently travel to Damascus and the North West. We are looking for individuals who have a passion for making a difference in the lives of people around the world.

Background:

SEP II (Manahel), funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and running until 2027, provides primary school children access to quality, inclusive and sustainable education in conflict-affected areas of Northwest Syria. The project provides comprehensive support to schools and teachers, including pedagogical supervision, learning assessments, psychosocial support, and safeguarding measures. The goal is to foster hope for future generations by investing in capacity-building and models that facilitate learning.

Position description:

The Protection Manager will be part of a technical team who will develop, design, and plan integrated interventions to enhance access and quality of education for primary grade children. They will identify, develop, and monitor the implementation of psychosocial and inclusive education training modules to strengthen psychosocial support and improve the learning environment as well as the protection and psychosocial well-being of learners, teachers, and other education personnel.

The Protection Manager will adhere to and act in accordance with Chemonics’ professional code of ethics, “Living Our Values,” and will make the principles of the code a part of the programme’s culture and operating procedures. They will uphold the programme’s safeguarding standards at all times and will promote a safeguarding culture among partners, beneficiaries, and staff. S/he will also foster and maintain good relationships with potential and actual grantees, will disclose any affiliations that could be perceived as a conflict of interest, and will maintain confidentiality regarding program activities.

Responsibilities include:

• Review existing psychosocial and inclusive education training modules to strengthen psychosocial support and inclusion in the learning environment as well as the protection and psychosocial well-being of learners, teachers and other education personnel.
• Ensures the technical quality of the design and delivery of psychosocial training modules, continually incorporating feedback from the field and MEL activities.
• Work with the implementation team to develop a detailed work plan for the protection component and monitor the timely implementation of activities.
• Oversee the technical implementation of the training modules by local partner(s) or staff
• Work closely with the wider technical programme team based in Gaziantep, Damascus and the United Kingdom to develop and plan an integrated approach to deliver protection interventions in target provinces, including coordination with and sharing of programme learning within the wider Chemonics UK portfolio.
• Coordinate with the Education Manager to ensure a complementary and integrated approach throughout the project lifecycle.
• Revise existing policies, guidance and SOPs and reflect Manahel strategic vision.
• Liaise with education actors to facilitate the integration of child protection practices and protocols at both school and directorate levels.
• Supports the scale-up of complaints mechanisms and a child protection allegation reporting system.
• Represent Manahel in all relevant cluster coordination meetings, ensuring active participation.
• Assist with arrangements for PSS/Inclusion conferences for stakeholders and beneficiaries.
• Support protection team to develop innovative protection activities that address the needs and insuring their alignment with Manahel strategic objectives.
• Work closely with the MEL team to develop monitoring and evaluation tools and plans related to child protection interventions.
• Actively contribute to the project’s strategic analysis to ensure alignment of programme objectives with the evolving conflict, political and security situation in Syria.
• Contribute to a wide range of project communication products, leveraging the full spectrum of available programmatic and researched-based data to create, in coordination with the programme team and FCDO products that demonstrate the programme’s strategy, impact, presence and preparedness for rapid risk mitigation.
• Supervise a Syria-based protection team at the field level, build their capacities and provide technical support to ensure the quality of implementation of the work plan
• Hold regular meetings with the partner CP focal points to ensure proper and timely implementation.
• Act as the main focal point for safeguarding reporting, orientation and capacity building for relevant staff.
• Produce draft monthly and quarterly reports with high quality in a timely manner.
• Support in the lessons learned session and follow up on the action points.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field is required or equivalent relevant experience.
• Demonstrated experience working in child protection, including developing and implementing psychosocial training and plans.
• Strong understanding of best practices of inclusive education for vulnerable children and children with disabilities and sees implementation from a GESI lens.
• Experience mentoring and providing technical oversight to staff preferred.
• Strong understanding of the context, conflict and security situation in Syria, previous experience in Syria is strongly preferred.
• Experience working with different levels of stakeholders; local actors, local and International NGOs.
• Knowledge of the political humanitarian and education sector dynamics within Northwest Syria.
• Previous experience in working as Safeguarding (SG) or Prevention Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) focal point is a plus.
• Team player with strong communication and writing skills.
• Demonstrated leadership, versatility, and integrity
• Fluency in Arabic, with strong speaking and writing skills in English.

Period of Performance:

The assignment is long-term through the life of the relevant donor contract.

Location of the assignment:

The primary assignment location is in Damascus, we are open to candidates based across Syria that are willing to frequently travel to Damascus and the North West. Candidates outside of Syria will be considered if they are willing to move to Syria.

Supervision and reporting:

The Protection Manager will report to the programme’s Deputy Team Lead- Technical.