Protection Working Group Coordinator

Job Description

The Syria crisis is often described as the worst humanitarian catastrophe since the end of the Cold War. Today, 13.4 million people in Syria - more than half of the country's population - are in need of humanitarian assistance with needs increasingly being exacerbated by economic decline. Of these, 6.8 million are refugees and asylum-seekers who have fled the country. This is no short-term humanitarian episode. The devastating human consequences to huge numbers of people will endure for decades. The destruction of relationships, communities, livelihoods, homes and infrastructure will take years to repair.

IRC is offering a robust humanitarian response to the Syria crisis a rapidly expanding portfolio, supported by more than 1000+ staff in Syria Country Program. IRC is undertaking programs in Syria and the neighboring countries of Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan in the fields of health, child protection, early childhood development, education, women’s protection and empowerment, non-food items and food distribution, cash assistance, water and sanitation, protection and rule of law, and livelihood programming. Our work in these challenging settings gives rise to some of the most pressing issues facing contemporary humanitarian action, including questions of access, security, funding and coordination.

Job Overview/Summary

The INGO Protection Working Group Coordinator (PWG) will be leading the coordination efforts of NGO Protection partners in NES, liaising with UN protection partners, Whole of Syria (Protection, Child Protection and Gender-Based Violence Areas of Responsibilities), and fostering information sharing between NGOs and UN agencies operating in NES, and leading NES NGO protection advocacy messaging and strategies for the NGO community.

Responsibilities

Chair regular coordination meetings of the NGO Protection Working Group (PWG). Actively identify and make contact with new and existing actors to add to the working group, inclusive of those that may be registered in other hubs, but responding in North East Syria;

• Work with PWG members to ensure that key protection concerns are reflected and addressed;

• Support the working group’s data collection efforts, helping partners to submit accurate and consistent data; provide analysis back to the working group and other interagency stakeholders; support the development of uniform data collection and monitoring tools for ease of comparison and analysis across INGOs;

• Support effective response planning in consultation with PWG members based on protection needs identified from collected data and analysis;

• Raise protection concerns for the NES hub and liaise with coordination fora (NES INGO Forum/OCHA NES Focal Point/Qamishli Sub Office/Whole of Syria) locally and on a technical level to identify solutions to raised concerns. Ensure and facilitate contextual analysis, needs assessments and access to beneficiaries and sites/structures;

• Collaborate with other sectors, including the WASH Working Group, the Health Working Group, SSWG, and the FSL Working Group to ensure integration of protection principles, responsive programming across sectors and course correction where protection concerns identified;

• Identify gaps and areas of overlap in the protection services in NE Syria;

• Represent NES PWG in coordination with the WoS protection sector coordinators and other Whole of Syria protection initiatives as required;

• Identify and support WoS resource and funds tracking and coordinate with WoS coordinators to advocate with donors to ensure appropriate support for inter-agency protection activities;

• Ensure PWG preparedness and contingency plans are updated on a regular basis and made available to PWG partners;

• Assist in developing/updating information management tools and products;

• Oversee, compile and analyze key protection indicators and data from the NES hub to ensure production of knowledge to steer strategic and operational planning for the WoS response, including but not limited to contributions to the HNO and HRP process.

Mainstreaming Protection and Application of Standards

• Establish and implement a strategy for mainstreaming protection across each sector/working group;

• Mainstreaming protection and application of national and international humanitarian principles among PWG actors and others as requested through trainings and technical support;

Capacity Building

• In close coordination with PWG sub-groups and AoR WGs, coordinate and facilitate training for PWG members, local government authorities and other humanitarian actors on protection relevant topics; identify opportunities for training in other areas as needed;

• Look at ways of building the capacity of the local authorities and other PWG members to create a stronger protection environment and to prepare for future emergency responses;

Required Experience/qualification/Skills

Essential

• Minimum of 5 years proven experience working on protection issues in humanitarian environments, including provision of technical advice to field teams;

• Excellent understanding of Protection issues in emergency situations/conflict environment and detailed knowledge of humanitarian principles, guidelines and laws and the cluster system;

Preferable:

• Previous experience in cluster or sector coordination;

• Demonstrable experience and excellence in advocacy, representation and high-level negotiation skills, including the development of strong interpersonal relationships to facilitate communication within the PWG/cluster;

• Strong experience with information management as related to the protection sector, including maintaining standards of impartiality and confidentiality with data of a sensitive nature

• Excellent leadership, coordination, capacity building, planning and analytical skills;

• Able to work successfully under pressure and ability to make timely decisions;

• Experience in Syria and/or in the region is preferred;

• Commitment to IRC’s mission, vision, values, and IRC Way – Professional Code of Conduct.

Language/Travel:

• Fluency in Written and Oral English and Arabic is an asset.

• Travel: This position includes 50% travel throughout the region (mostly within North East Syria, and to a limited extent within the region as needed).

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Field Director Northeast Syria

Indirect/Technical Reporting: WoS Protection Sector Co-Coordinator

Position directly Supervises: NES PWG IMO (seconded to the PWG)

Key Internal Contacts: IRC NES Integrated Protection Coordinator, CAAFAG Coordinator, NES CP AOR Coordinator, , Regional team

Key External Contacts: NES INGO PWG members, NES INGO Forum, WOS, UN representation in NES (including UNHCR, UNICEF, UNFPA and OCHA), Donor representatives, local authorities

Professional Standards: IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and carries out policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Respect at Work Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Returning National Candidates: We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a citizen of the Country in which this position is based and are currently located outside of your home country and possess over two years of international work experience, the Middle East Region has introduced an attractive remuneration package. The package includes competitive compensation, return flight to post, shipping allowance, temporary housing and a relocation allowance. Certain restrictions may apply. IRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified national staff in our programs.

Accountability to Clients: IRC staff must adhere to the commitment of contributing to the sustainability and development of its (CR) Client Responsiveness Mechanisms, preserving the culture of prioritizing the needs of our clients and affected communities by systematically listening to their perspectives and using their feedback to make programmatic decisions and give them greater influence over program design and delivery.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Diversity and Inclusion: at IRC MENA, we are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. Organizations that are diverse in age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity, nationality, and perspective are validated to be better organizations. More importantly, creating a safe workspace environment where everyone, from any background, can do their best is the right thing to do. So, bring your whole self to work.

IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. In keeping with our core values of Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality, IRC strives to maintain a work environment built on mutual respect in which all individuals treat each other professionally, and free of bias, prejudice, and harassment. IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of IRC Persons in any work setting. All IRC staff, wherever they are located, are accountable for creating an environment free of discrimination, harassment, bullying, and retaliation.

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