Job Overview

The purpose of the Protection Officer position is to implement delegated Protection activities as defined by the Country Office’s strategic and programmatic frameworks. Currently NRC Protection in Afghanistan has two technical Protection thematics: Civilian Self-Protection (CSP), Protection from Violence (PfV) and Case Management (CM).

This position of Protection from Violence Officer – Civilian Self-Protection (CSP)/ Protection Case Management directly implements and monitors field activities within CSP and process PCM Cases. The program’s foundation is community work and relationship building. And any position holder should have the corresponding skillset and dedication to working with communities on strengthening their self-protection strategies in response to a protection threat, whether these threats be at an individual, community, household, and/or other group level.

The PfV CSP/PCM program works in partnership with communities and affected persons on strengthening ways they can prevent, mitigate, and reduce protection risks, ultimately building the community’s resiliency. Such work is process-focused, meaning NRC Protection concentrates its energies on a process that takes community members and other relevant actors through a capacity building and facilitation series on identifying and strengthening civilian self-protection strategies based on the communities’ protection risks, threats, capacities, and vulnerabilities.

Regular activities will include facilitating community committee meetings, conducting capacity development sessions for community committees on protection risk reduction approaches and action plans, raising awareness on protection topics, consolidating data for context analysis, mobilizing community members for protection activities, identifying facilitated referrals, conducting accompaniments, and supporting advocacy initiatives.

Caution: this role is national, only male and female internal candidates from Afghanistan will be Considered. 

For more details about the Job Description and NRC’s Grade Structure please click on the Job Description and NRC Grade Structure 

The position holder will be reporting to the Protection Coordinator (or Team Leader).

Generic responsibilities

These responsibilities shall be the same for all positions with the same title. The responsibilities shall be short and essential. Details belong in the Work and Development plan.

1. Adhere to NRC policies, tools, handbooks and guidelines
2. Implement protection programs according to the agreed upon work plan and program scope
3. Prepare and develop program reports as required by management with a focus on context and programmatic point
4. Ensure proper, confidential filing of documents according to protection information management policies
5. Maintain the relevant databases for Protection programming and MoVs
6. Promote and share ideas for improvement of the program
7. Liaise and collaborate with relevant local authorities, community representatives and other key stakeholders
8. Ensure timely collection and relevant, safe sharing of information
9. Assist with administration and logistic arrangements required for implementation and monitoring of activities
10. Development of holistic and needs based programmes, which includes close coordination with NRC’s other core competencies

Specific responsibilities

These responsibilities shall be adapted to the particularities of the job location and context, phase of operation, strategic focus and type of programme intervention. This section shall be revised whenever a new employee is hired or the context changes significantly.

• Identification of protection case management cases and following 6 step of PCM with the individual and household who are at risk/threat of protection.
• Working with the PCM Client to find longlasting solutions to mitigate risks/threats affecting them.
• Finalizing PCM action plan with PCM clint.
• Having regular follow-up with PCM clint based on the PCM Process.
• Manage implementation activities at implementation site according to the work plan and program curriculum;
• Conduct community outreach and engagement with local authorities, community representatives and other relevant stakeholders based on project implementation priorities as communicated by management;
• Conduct actors and service mapping and development of referral pathways.
• Referrals and assisted referrals of individuals facing threats and risks.
• Consolidate information for in-depth context analysis to support programming.
• Implementation and monitoring of field activities with a focus on civilian self-protection through a community-based approach;
• Working with community structures—NRC committees, other NGO committees, and existing community structures—on protection risk reduction plans and protection risk identification through mentorship and core CSP activities;
• Capacity building of community members, school personnel (if applicable) and students (if applicable) on protection related topics (PRR, DRR, EWER, Contingency planning and other issues);
• Record keeping of the all the trainings and beneficiaries’ data in relevant tracking sheets and databases;
• Ensure all the documentations are maintained regularly, and MoVs (through the programmatic tools and analytical framework) are thorough and accurate;
• Undertake data collection to inform relevant internal and externally-commissioned protection assessments, risk analysis, needs assessments;
• Referral of protection and other humanitarian issues to relevant actors, and stakeholders;
• Support in the contextualization and drafting of programmatic documents and analysis;
• Weekly reporting on activities and consistent planning for field-based activities;
• Data management and recording keeping maintaining confidentiality;
• Coordinate with other Core Competencies within NRC, working towards an integrated approach;
• And perform other tasks as assigned by the supervisor.

Critical interfaces

By interfaces, NRC means processes and projects that are interlinked with other departments/units or persons. Relevant interfaces for this position are:

• Project implementation: Protection Officers and Coordinators, M&E Officers/Coordinators, Coordinators and Officers of other NRC CCs, Access Officers/Coordinators, Security Officers/Coordinators
• Area operations: Area Managers, Support Coordinators/Officers (field office coordinators/officers)
• Staff capacity building:  Protection, HR and relevant CCs staff
• Technical quality: PfV Specialist, Advisor, Project Manager and coordinator

Scale and scope of position

1. Competencies

Competencies are important in order for the employee and the organisation to deliver desired results. They are relevant for all staff and are divided into the following two categories:

1. Professional competencies 

These skills, knowledge and experience are important for effective performance.

Generic professional competencies: 

• Completed Bachelor of Social Science, Social Work, Journalism, or Humanities
• Documented results related to the position’s responsibilities
• Excellent knowledge in Microsoft Office
• Fluency in local languages
• Advanced knowledge of English Language
• Ability to work additional hours if and when required
• Ability to commence work immediately

Context/ Specific skills, knowledge and experience: 

• At least 3 to 5 years’ previous humanitarian experience with a satisfactory performance in the same or similar functional area. Specialties in protection, social cohesion, International Humanitarian Law, negotiations, conflict resolution, and/or mediation preferred.

OR/AND

• At least 3 to 5 years’ experience in civil society organizations with satisfactory performance in the same or similar functional areas. Specialties in peacebuilding, dialogue, social cohesion, and human rights preferred. This includes informal work not coordinated through a registered institution.

OR/AND

• At least 3 to 5 years of experience in case management and equivalent to it. Or processing individual case follow ups.

OR/AND

• At least 3 to 5 years’ experience in teaching, writing or research linked with social sciences, humanities, social work, and/or journalism. This can include formal, informal or voluntary teaching, journalism, and/or research.

OR/AND

• At least 3 to 5 years’ experience in social work or psychology work experience with a satisfactory performance in the same or similar functional area.

AND

• Ability to work under pressure;
• Ability to communicate effectively with a broad audience;
• Working knowledge of the Humanitarian Principles and Protection Principles;
• Proficient computer skills; especially being able to deal with and enter the data in excel;
• Excellent interpersonal skills;
• Able to show empathy towards the beneficiaries and having great listening skills.
• And ability to establish and maintain effective working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

1. Behavioral competencies

These personal qualities influence how successful people are in their job. NRC’s Competency Framework states 12 behavioural competencies and the following are essential for this position:

• Planning and delivering results
• Empowering and building trust
• Communicating with impact and respect
• Handling insecure environment
• Working with people

1. Performance Management

The employee will be accountable for the responsibilities and the competencies, in accordance with the NRC Performance Management Manual. The following documents will be used for performance reviews:

• The Job Description
• The Work and Development Plan
• The Mid-term/End-of-trial Period Performance Review Template
• The End-term Performance Review Template
• The NRC Competency Framework