Community Engagement and Protection Assistant

Requisition ID: req51293

Job Title: Community Engagement and Protection Assistant

Sector: Protection and rule of law

Employment Category: Regular

Employment Type: Full-Time

Open to Expatriates: No

Location: Mubi, Nigeria

Work Arrangement: In-person

Job Description

The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, IRC offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in more than 40 countries and in 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted by conflict or disaster. IRC leads the way from harm to home.

CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND

The IRC has been present in Nigeria since 2012 when the organization responded to flooding in Kogi state. In February 2014 the IRC moved into Adamawa State in NE Nigeria and in 2023 into Katsina and Zamfara States in NW Nigeria, to provide humanitarian interventions through a multi-sectoral, integrated approach for conflict affected populations. IRC Nigeria now operates a country office in Abuja and field offices in Mubi and Yola of Adamawa State, Maiduguri, Gwoza, and Monguno of Borno State, Damaturu of Yobe State, Gusau in Zamfara State and Katsina in Katsina State. Currently, IRC Nigeria implements programs Primary health care, Nutrition, Environmental health, Women’s Protection and Empowerment, Protection and Rule of Law, Child Protection, Education, and Economic Recovery and Development.

SCOPE OF WORK:

The IRC is implementing a protection program featuring strengthening of community-based protection structures, capacity building, protection monitoring, information dissemination and referral services. The IRC will also building capacity of government authorities, local organizations and local communities around protection mainstreaming and protection monitoring. The IRC will also include legal assistance and counselling services. The protection program is currently implemented in the NE states of Adamawa and Borno.

Under the supervision of the Training and Capacity Building Officer, the Community Engagement and Information Assistant will Assistant will work closely with the Protection Officers, Protection Assistants and Reporting/Database Assistant to ensure the smooth implementation of protection programming in the areas of operation. The Community Engagement and Information Assistant will have the lead role of mobilizing local communities and conducting awareness raising sessions and other community engagement activities. The Community Engagement and protection will be the focal points in the establishment and oversight of community-based feedback and complaint mechanisms in target communities.

The Community Engagement and protection Assistant will be based in Mubi Adamawa State but cover both Mubi and Yola projects where necessary. S/he reports to the Protection Officer.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Take lead in mobilizing target communities for protection and other IRC related activities.
• Engage community members in design, planning, executing, and monitoring of community-based protection activities.
• Work closely with other IRC staff to create awareness and conduct dissemination information activities.
• Participate in the design, planning, and execution of protection activities in the target locations.
• In coordination with other Protection staff, take part in identification of new target locations.
• Participate in data collection, vulnerability screening and assessment such as community needs assessment including identification of beneficiaries in need of assistance.
• Be the link between IRC Protection staff and the target local communities.
• Establish, oversee and manage community feedback mechanisms in target locations.
• Hold community meetings with key stakeholders to identify community needs and concerns
• Take lead in budgeting of all community engagement related activities in consultation with the Protection Manager.
• Identify and register extremely vulnerable individuals for targeted individual assistance in coordination with other Protection staff.
• Manage targeted individual assistance cases, including maintaining strict protocols for confidentiality and update case files, following IRC SOPs and ensuring beneficiaries’ information is protected. 
• Carry out needs assessment to understand EVI needs and ascertain what assistance they require
• Develop TIA distribution, implementation and follow up plans and ensure that EVIs selected for TIA receive appropriate assistance.
• Conduct follow-up visits to ensure that needs of EVIs have been met in an appropriate manner and beneficiary can provide feedback on the TIA received.
• Act as focal point for the identification of extremely vulnerable individuals (EVIs) for adequate assistance according to IRC Protection sector pre-defined criteria.  
• Conduct general (community-level) and incident (individual-level) protection monitoring to identify vulnerabilities, protection needs and concerns of the targeted population.
• Support Protection Officers in identifying and selecting most vulnerable individuals.
• Support referral process by notifying Protection Officers of key Protection issues and concerns identified in target areas.
• Establish good working relationship with relevant stakeholders such as camp officials, local community leaders, traditional leaders etc.
• Ensure that information collected on target beneficiaries is disaggregated by age and sex.
• Keep record of all community engagement activities implemented and relevant stakeholders in target communities.
• Ensure timely preparation of monthly work plans as well as preparation and submission of weekly and monthly reports.
• Attend regular internal Protection sector meetings.
• Carry out other tasks as assigned by the supervisor.

Qualifications

• University degree in Social Work, Psychology or a related field.
• 1 year experience implementing protection programming including experience in emergency or post-conflict project management.
• Demonstrated experience using international human rights standards in protection programming.
• Excellent communication skills, cultural sensitivity, flexibility, ability to improvise, team player.
• Experience in using community based and participatory approaches.
• Experience in community mobilization and awareness creation.
• Experience in working in remote and hard to reach areas with limited amenities.
• Ability to live and productively work under stress and in insecure and harsh environments while maintaining a sense of humor.
• Knowledge of the local language will be an added value

SPECIFIC SECURITY SITUATION/HOUSING

The security situation in the NE continues to be volatile at level 3 (orange) security level as it’s one of the three states of emergency (SoE) in the NE of the country. The candidate should be prepared to implement programming in insecure environments.

Languages:

• Fluency in English and other languages desirable. 
• Knowledge of the local language will be an added value.

Computer / Other Tech Requirements:

• Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

Location:

• The position is based in Mubi.

Travel:

• Ability to Travel: 20% of the time if applicable.

Standards of Professional Conduct:

• The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct.  These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability.  In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons, and several others.

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.

Working Environment:

• IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants based on merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.