Job offer: Protection Technical Coordinator – IRC

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) Cameroon is seeking an experienced Integrated Protection Technical Coordinator to lead and strengthen its protection programs in Yaoundé. Join our dynamic team and contribute to creating meaningful change in the lives of vulnerable populations!

About the International Rescue Committee (IRC)

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a global humanitarian organization that responds to the world’s most urgent crises. Since its founding in 1933 at the initiative of Albert Einstein, the IRC has been at the forefront of humanitarian efforts, helping people affected by conflict, disasters, and displacement. The organization works in over 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities, providing critical support to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and empowerment.

As one of the largest international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), IRC’s mission is to help individuals rebuild their lives by addressing immediate needs while also offering long-term solutions for stability and self-reliance. Whether it’s providing emergency relief or supporting refugees, IRC works tirelessly to restore dignity, hope, and safety to millions of people globally.

Background

The IRC is a non-profit, apolitical, and non-religious organization committed to upholding the human rights and dignity of all individuals. Since its inception, IRC has been dedicated to assisting displaced persons, refugees, and host communities through public health, education, sanitation, shelter, and economic programs.

The organization’s work spans multiple continents, including Europe, Africa, and Asia, with ongoing efforts in resettlement programs in the United States. IRC’s core principles include freedom, human dignity, and self-reliance, ensuring that every program is tailored to promote durable solutions for vulnerable populations.

IRC in Cameroon

IRC’s operations in Cameroon began in 2016, initially focusing on the Far North region, where the Boko Haram crisis had displaced thousands. Since then, IRC has expanded its reach across the country, providing life-saving assistance to displaced people. With offices in Maroua and Kousseri, IRC’s activities include water sanitation, hygiene improvement, cash programming, and food security.

As the situation in the North-West and South-West regions escalated, IRC extended its programs to these areas, offering critical protection services, including gender-based violence response and child protection. IRC also supports victims of human rights violations, with a commitment to the well-being of displaced and host communities.

IRC Cameroon’s Strategic Plan

IRC Cameroon is now implementing its Strategy 100 plan, aimed at delivering the highest impact for vulnerable populations, particularly children, women, and men affected by the ongoing crises. This strategy focuses on promoting IRC’s core values of Integrity, Accountability, Service, and Equality, ensuring that all operations are both effective and ethical.

If you’re a driven, solution-oriented professional with a passion for humanitarian work, consider joining the IRC team to make a real and lasting impact in the lives of those in need. Together, we can help build a brighter future for those affected by crisis and displacement.

Job Overview/Summary:

Under the guidance of the Deputy Director of Programmes in Cameroon, the Integrated Protection Technical Coordinator will lead the strategic direction, design, monitoring, and quality assurance of protection programs, ensuring alignment with best practices and internationally recognized donor standards. The role involves frequent field visits to ensure that protection efforts are implemented effectively and efficiently.

The Protection Coordinator will focus on building technical capacity and supervising staff and partners involved in implementing protection activities. Additionally, they will lead the design, development, and contextual analysis of new protection-focused projects. As part of IRC Cameroon’s commitment to integrated programming, the Coordinator will collaborate closely with other technical coordinators in-country, such as Senior Managers in Education and Health, as well as departments for Economic Recovery, Health and Nutrition, Water Hygiene and Sanitation, Grants, and Monitoring and Evaluation.

The Protection Coordinator will be supported by IRC’s regional technical advisors to ensure the effective delivery of all child protection (CP), Protection and Rule of Law (PRoL), and Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE) activities.

Main Responsibilities

Strategic Planning

• Provide strategic leadership and technical guidance to the Protection, WPE, and CP programs, ensuring they are needs-based, context-sensitive, and aligned with IRC’s operational objectives. This includes contributing to the IRC Strategic Protection Action Plan outcomes.
• Develop concept notes for donors aligned with the IRC Strategic Action Plan, aimed at expanding the Protection Program portfolio.
• Conduct regular protection context analyses and data-driven insights to inform program design and advocacy efforts.
• Foster collaboration between Protection components, including cross-cutting protection, women’s protection, and child protection, to enhance program quality and provide a holistic approach to meeting the protection needs of affected populations.
• Promote integration of protection across IRC’s various program sectors, ensuring cross-sectoral synergy and response to emerging needs.
• Identify and report on unmet protection needs, and explore how IRC can address these needs within its Strategic Action Plan and sector priorities.
• Ensure all programs remain aligned with IRC’s global, regional, and national strategies.

Program and Quality Assurance

• Ensure that all projects and activities meet humanitarian standards, are of high technical quality, and are in line with IRC’s Results and Evidence Framework and community accountability standards.
• Proactively identify risks to program delivery and quality, and implement strategies to mitigate or control these risks.
• Continuously assess program quality and propose improvements, including training, the development of tools and resources, and capacity-building initiatives.
• Collaborate with core program teams, including finance, human resources, and supply chain, to ensure compliance with donor requirements.
• Support the collection of contextual data and evidence to strengthen IRC’s protection programming and inform advocacy efforts.
• Work closely with technical advisors from PROL, CP, and WPE to ensure proper support, tools, and resources are integrated into programs.
• Provide technical support to Protection teams in child protection (CP), Protection and Rule of Law (PRoL), and Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE).
• Partner with Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) teams to track program performance, identify lessons learned, and explore opportunities for program evaluation and quality improvement.
• Conduct regular field visits to assess progress, identify technical quality issues, address challenges, and implement necessary program adjustments.

Team Management and Development

• Recruitment and Staff Development: Contribute to the recruitment of qualified personnel for the program as needed, ensuring that the team is equipped to meet program objectives. Focus on maximizing skill transfer and developing leadership capabilities within the team.
• Training and Mentorship: Provide ongoing training and mentorship to staff, helping to build technical capacity, foster knowledge sharing, and offer guidance for professional development.
• Supervision and Coaching: Manage and support staff through clear communication of expectations. In collaboration with direct supervisors, set performance goals, deliver regular feedback, and contribute to performance reviews at mid-term and annually.
• HR Policy Adherence: Support management actions to ensure compliance with IRC’s global HR policies and procedures, maintaining a high level of adherence within the team. Lead by example, ensuring compliance with all applicable regulations.

Project Implementation and Reporting

• Monitoring and Evaluation: Regularly visit the field to assess project progress, identify technical issues or implementation problems, and offer solutions. Implement corrective actions as necessary to ensure continuous improvement.
• Internal and External Reporting: Ensure that all required reporting deadlines are met, and reports are of high quality. Maintain regular updates of information management systems (e.g., GBVIMS, 5W) to ensure accurate data management.
• Evaluation Systems: Ensure the effective implementation of monitoring and evaluation systems to measure program outcomes and impact.

Partnership Development

• Building Strategic Partnerships: Lead efforts to establish a strong network of local civil society and government partners in the protection sector. Position IRC as a preferred partner in the region.
• Long-term Collaborations: Identify and build long-term partnerships with local organizations, fostering collaboration on strategy development, program design, and capacity building.
• Review and Performance: Contribute to the review of partnership performance, assessing successes, challenges, and lessons learned to strengthen relationships and sustain partnerships beyond individual project cycles.

Representation, Coordination, and Advocacy

• Stakeholder Engagement: Actively participate in protection-related coordination mechanisms (e.g., clusters, working groups) and maintain strong working relationships with key stakeholders, including NGOs, UN agencies, and government actors.
• Advocacy and Fundraising: Collaborate with the Deputy Director for Programs to identify advocacy opportunities based on field information and support donor identification and fundraising efforts. Provide technical insights to strengthen program credibility and attract support.
• Field Visits and Partnerships: Assist in organizing field visits for partners, donors, and other key stakeholders to showcase IRC’s protection programs in Cameroon, enhancing visibility and fostering relationships.

Key Working Relationships

• Supervisor: Deputy Director for Programs
• Direct Supervision: Protection Specialists & Project Managers
• Indirect Supervision: Protection Programs Team
• Internal Contacts: Program Area Coordinators, PRoL Technical Advisor, Child Protection Technical Advisor, WPE Technical Advisor, Field Coordinator, Supply Chain Coordinator, Finance Controller, Deputy Director of Operations, HR Coordinator, Grants Manager, and Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator.
• External Contacts: Protection Working Groups, INGOs, UN Agencies

Minimum Qualifications & Job Requirements

We are seeking a highly qualified professional to join our team. The ideal candidate will meet the following criteria:

• Advanced Degree in Humanitarian Assistance, Human Rights, International Law, Social Sciences, or a related field.
• At least five years of experience in implementing protection programs (such as Child Protection (CP), Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and Protection of Legal Rights (PROL)) in emergency or complex settings. A strong understanding of the role of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and Human Rights Law in humanitarian work is essential.
• Proven practical experience in the field, including protection monitoring, community-based protection, access to justice, GBV, and child protection in conflict-affected areas. Experience with case management is an added advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage teams, promoting integration of protection across multiple units.
• Strong leadership, management, and organizational skills, with a focus on developing teams and people.
• Solid experience in program and budget management, including grant planning and reporting.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to represent and collaborate effectively with external stakeholders.
• Ability to work well in a team-oriented, multicultural environment, displaying flexibility, and the capacity to perform well under pressure.
• Fluency in both spoken and written French and English is required.

Organizational Values & Principles

The IRC and its employees are expected to uphold the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These include:

• Integrity
• Service
• Accountability

In line with these values, the IRC enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Encouragement of Female Applicants

We strongly encourage female candidates to apply.

Application Deadline: 14 December 2024

All applications must be submitted online via the following link: https://rescue.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home?c=rescue&country=cm