Protection Coordinator

Blumont is a global organization working with communities around the world to help people overcome challenges and create a foundation for progress. Our vision is a world where a community’s future is not determined by its circumstances, but by the aspirations of its people.

Whether delivering lifesaving humanitarian assistance, building the infrastructure that stabilizes communities, or creating economic opportunities for individuals and businesses, Blumont teams are committed to making a positive difference in peoples’ lives.

POSITION SUMMARY: The Protection Coordinator will be based in Erbil and expected to provide regular field visits to NES. The incumbent will support the implementation of Blumont’s protection program activities. The main aim of this position is to help the direct implementation of the activities and provide direct support to Blumont field teams to enhance implementation. Furthermore, the position is expected to contribute to developing community-based protection practices, programs, capacity-strengthening activities, and mainstream protection in MEFA and GFFO programming. The Protection Coordinator reports directly to the Senior Program Coordinator with an indirect line to the Gender and Protection Specialist for technical support.

Staff reporting to this post: Protection Officers and Social Counselors.

• Outreach Officer & Assistant (Social Counselor) – Raqqa/ GFFO
• 1 Protection Officer – Roj / MEFA
• 1 Protection Officer – Al Hol / GFFO

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABLITY

Program Development and Implementation

• Design and implement effective protection strategies and programs for vulnerable groups, including women, children, and displaced persons.
• Oversee and support implementation, including supervising proper targeting, identification, registration, and monitoring of beneficiary lists to prevent overlap with other humanitarian programs in the intervention areas.
• Develop and oversee the implementation of protection monitoring systems to identify, assess, and address protection needs and gaps.
• Leading and collaborating to generate business development ideas for new projects.
• Train and mentor staff and stakeholders on protection principles, standards, and best practices.
• Create modules/materials and design activities for protection sessions, including training and capacity-building initiatives, and conduct workshops to enhance team members’ and stakeholders’ protection knowledge and skills.
• Develop an activity work plan integrated with a Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) plan as required.
• Conduct planning meetings with key program staff, while ensuring adequate planning documents are established and maintained.
• Respond promptly to emergencies and crises, providing protection support and coordinating with response teams to ensure the safety and well-being of affected populations.
• Ensure that activities are appropriately planned, that delays and constraints are documented, and that solutions are identified.
• Document success stories and support research, evaluations, and studies on protection.

Planning, Monitoring, and Reporting

• Conduct regular monitoring visits to project sites to assess the implementation of protection activities and identify areas for improvement.
• Ensure that activities are appropriately planned, that delays and constraints are documented, and that solutions are identified.
• Ensure timely program reports on project activities in compliance with internal requirements and any relevant external donor requirements.
• Develop detailed implementation plans, procurement plans, BOQs, and MEAL plans, including phased budgets, updating these as required by participating in the relevant program, finance, supply chain, and MEAL team.

Staff Care

• Review Staff Care issues with the direct reports regularly.
• Continuously monitor individual staff members’ capacity for self-care and take adequate actions to ensure that staff well-being measures are in place and alignment with Blumont’s policies.
• Ensure adequate attendance and participation in all Staff Care training courses as requested by the Organization and Country office.
• Support staff professional development by creating individual learning and development plans whenever needed.

Internal and External Coordination

• Participate in internal coordination meetings between departments and build strong coordination with other sectors.
• Participate in coordination between/across Protection sub-sectors and sites, including at office and field level.
• Work with the GPTS to identify and advocate crucial protection and gender concerns and share patterns and trends in the coordination forum.
• Attend the field coordination meetings in collaboration with the other program teams.
• Support building referral mechanisms and protection mainstreaming within other sectors and service providers.

Staff Management

• Support recruitment of field-level protection-related staff.
• Develop an induction plan and support relevant staff in carrying it out.
• Promote accountability, communicating expectations, and providing constructive feedback through regular performance reviews.

Compliance and PSEAH

• Supporting investigations relating to safeguarding incidents, providing professional advice and support to investigators, HR, compliance, and leadership while maintaining high case confidentiality and professionalism.
• Facilitate the dissemination of PSEAH awareness communication materials to field offices and contractors, with support and guidance from the Gender and protection specialist and the safe programming lead.
• Provide inputs on the PSEAH risk assessments, mitigation, and capacity-building plans at the country and field levels.
• Support Protection Specialist in the training for Blumont and contractor staff on PSEAH, including appropriate conduct and mandatory reporting obligations, with support and guidance from the Safe Programming lead and Gender and Protection Specialist.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• University degree in social work, human rights, international law, Social Science, Statistics, or a related field.

EXPERIENCE and SKILLS

• Minimum 5 years of experience in protection or related programming, including significant expertise in MHPSS, GBV, general security, and or child protection
• History of working effectively and respectfully with host country government, INGO, and NGO partners
• Experience working with programs in politically turbulent and post-conflict environments.
• Fluent in English and Arabic (writing and reading).
• Strong belief in human rights and gender equality.
• Project implementation, monitoring, and evaluation experience.
• Working with different groups of people is essential for social workers; S/he must have strong skills to foster healthy and productive relationships with their clients and colleagues.
• Applies the required technical and professional expertise to the highest standards; promotes and shares best practices within and outside the organization.
• Experience providing case management, essential psychosocial support services, and community outreach; experience providing psychological first aid a plus.
• Experience working with refugees, IDPs, returnees, and other populations experiencing a lack of social protection and social inequalities.
• Knowledge of communication strategies and techniques.
• Strong computer skills: must be competent in Windows and MS Office programs (Word, Excel).

SUCCESS FACTORS:

• Commitment to and understanding Blumont’s core values and principles.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Motivated and fair with Healthy leadership skills.
• Pro-active and helpful attitude, ready to take on various new tasks, and able to multi-task and manage competing priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal and team skills; capable of working collaboratively with team members to achieve objectives.

Commitment:

Every Blumont team member is expected to carry out their duties in accordance with Blumont’s code of business ethics, core values, anti-harassment policy and PSEA policies.

Interested candidates are required to visit Blumont’s career page through www.blumont.org and submit your application no later than 28 October 2024. 

Candidates from the local area are encouraged to apply. 

Blumont is an equal-opportunity employer, values diversity in its workforce and continually strives to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates. Due to the large volume of applications we receive, we are unable to respond to all applicants, therefore, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. 

Blumont will review the applications on rolling basis and may close the advertisement before the deadline if the ideal candidate was found. One or more similar/different positions maybe filled in this recruitment activity depending on the applicants’ qualifications.

Blumont’s selection process will include rigorous background checks and all team members will be expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our core values, anti-harassment policy and PSEA policies