Protection Officer / Community mobilization

COOPI

COOPI- Cooperazione Internazionale is an Italian secular and independent humanitarian organization that fights against all forms of poverty to improve the world. It was founded in 1965 by Father Vincenzo Barbieri. Today, COOPI is present in 33 countries across Africa, Latin America and the Middle East, with both emergency and development projects carried out by expatriate staff (an average of 150 people per year) and national staff. The main institutional funders are the European Union, UN agencies, the Italian government, local authorities and other European governments.

COOPI in the Country

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Role

Under the supervision of the Project Manager, the Protection Officer/ Community Mobilization will be responsible to technical supervise Protection Team (Case Managers & Social Workers) for CP, PSS, GBV, & Cash activities to ensure the smooth and transparent implementation of CP and Protection activities. Also, to provide technical guidance/support for case managers and social workers in order to ensure quality and transparency of case management services, non-structured PSS and developing technical capacities for CP Prevention component including supporting technical documentation on CPIMS+.

The Protection Officer is also entitled of performance evaluation for supervised teams. Allocate internal and external resources for capacity building for supervised teams. 

He/she will carry out the coordination activities between COOPI and partner Community Based Committees (CBC) and will capacitate the volunteers and social workers assigned through partner CBCs, and also continuously follow-up with volunteers for tracking progress in outreach activities and social workers PSS activities.

To collaborate with Protection Field Team to assess and respond to complicated cases and conduct case conferences (when required). Moreover, to report case management achievements and also analyse key CP concerns based on caseload and field observations. The Protection Officer is entitled to coordinate with Protection Team and partner CBCs for satisfaction surveys, also to assist in sampling and participate in satisfaction survey and needs assessment exercises.

Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of COOPI’s Project Manager, the Protection Officer/ Community Mobilization will be responsible of the following tasks:

Case management and documentation:

• Support the protection team in women empowerment activities to enable the beneficiaries to reach the needed services through referrals according to the service mapping in the area of responsibility.
• Draft and update the selection criteria for cash for protection activities for women empowerment and for people with disabilities.
• Work closely with CMs to assess cases, with protection needs, referred by CMs and social worker through the Initial Assessments being held, mainly, through partners and other relevant stakeholders – assessments conducted to examine beneficiary’s entitlement according to VAF criteria, and to coordinate with other key stakeholders such as the Ministry of Labor & Social Affairs, Ministry of Education, and the UNICEF;
• Draft & assess entitlement criteria for cash (cash for protection) related platforms regularly update information for entitled beneficiaries of COOPI programs on the reporting platforms;
• Work closely with CMs to develop case plans that respond to the needs addressed in initial and comprehensive assessments to assess the beneficiary’s protection needs, after gaining beneficiary’s informed consent;
• Support daily documentation regarding Best Interests Assessments (BIAs), services provided, follow-ups, closures on CPIMS+ by case managers;
• Monitor proper case closures; paper documentation and documentation on CPIMS+ by case managers;
• Ensure that cases are dealt in line with existing SOPs, adhere to standard documentation processes and follow best practice guidance; 
• Ensure that data protection protocol is respected; 
• Monitor of progress made in CP services as outlined in project’s log frame and build action plans accordingly;
• Review the cash request and prepare the payment list to be share with the Project Manager and Administrator
• Support in the preparation of Post-distribution Monitoring and satisfactory survey.
• Prepare the referral database based on referral submitted by the CMs.
• Work closely with CMs to conduct case conferences meetings for complicated protection cases and ensure survivors, especially children, receive multidisciplinary support, or any other meetings when required by the Case Manager Supervisor and/or Project Manager;
• Report field progress, challenges and mitigations; and
• Report accumulative number of children who report better living conditions (reduction/addressing identified CP concerns). 

PSS/Awareness session

• Review the PSS materials and train/provide support to social workers to conduct the sessions.
• Inform the social workers about collection of attendance sheet, consent form and ensure that the social workers submit the needed information/attendance sheet in correct way.
• When needed conduct the PSS session in the assigned location.
• Update the PSS schedule on the plan sheet and on the actual sheet as per project form.
• Ensure social workers submit pre and post assessment and extract the report once the session is concluded.
• Attend regular meetings with PM.
• Provide support in the organization of awareness sessions, coordinate with CBOs and contact the beneficiaries.
• Support in selection and training of social workers

Coordination and monitoring of outreach activities and case management:

• Coordinate between COOPI and the CBOs in terms of facilitating the outreach activities being held by CMs and by social workers; and to obtain names of vulnerable individuals to be involved in PSS
• Continually follow-up with afore-mentioned CBOs in order to ensure the smooth implementation of outreach activities and the enabling the proper environment for the implementation of case management services by CMs and PSS

Coordination and representation

• Participate and represent COOPI in protection-related and cash-for-protection working groups, sub-working groups, and taskforces on the national level and update PM with progress made by other protection actors;
• Represent COOPI in a positive and professional manner to contribute to the creation of a positive image and overall credibility of the organization, notably through the application of COOPI mandate, ethics, values and stand-point with regard to other actors; and
• Outreach and coordinate with relevant stakeholder and keep mapping sheets for service providers updated in targeted areas;

Team and performance management

• Monitor performance of CMs and Social Workers;
• Monitor case management services documentation on CPIMS+.
• Develop capacities of Protection team on CP-related topics including PSEA and data protection SOPs.
• Hold meetings with the Protection team to track progress, address challenges, and keep the team informed and updated with COOPI’s policies and regulations, and updates made by Head of Mission.

 Accountability:

• Ensure maintaining high confidentiality of information, up to date documents, including processes and verification.
• Inform the PM & MEAL team about any complaints received

Accomplish any other assignments given by Project Manager.

Base / Country :

Shirqat, SAD /Iraq

Regular visits to Erbil

Field visits to Hatra, Hawija, Tooz Khormato & Aqre.

Qualifications & Preferred skills:

ESSENTIAL

• University degree of Psychology or Social Work and/or equivalent practical field experience, preferably with a humanitarian organization.

Professional and personal requirements:

• at least 2 years of experience in protection related sectors, including at least 1 year of experience as a case manager.
• Extensive field experience and an in–depth knowledge of returnees and internally displaced people’s needs.
• Strong understanding of the humanitarian emergency operating context, the humanitarian system and its flexibility, donors and their high demands, security and financial management in humanitarian context.
• Strong communication and reporting skills.
• Ability to work under high pressure.
• Excellent time management skills and resourcefulness with attention to details.
• Computer (excel) and admin/finance skills.
• Able to work independently.
• Readiness to commit and adhere to the values, mission, and vision of COOPI.
• Strong team spirit, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment.
• Ability to work and adapt in different environments.
• English language (written and oral).

Interested candidates can send their updated CVs & cover letters to the following email address:

[email protected]

Please make sure to include the following job code according to the location : 

 ” PO/CM 872501 “, within the email’s title

applications without a job code won’t be considered.

Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the vacancy can be filled prior to the stated closing date.

All applicants are subject to a satisfactory screening check and 3 professional references including HR of the latest or current employer.

• Your resume and cover letter must be uploaded in PDF format.