Integrated Protection Lead

BACKGROUND

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of the world’s leading agencies working in post-conflict and development contexts, supporting communities in over 40 fragile, failed and developing states.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Ukraine is dedicated to helping people whose lives have been shattered by conflict and disaster. Their work focuses on increasing programming across the humanitarian-peacebuilding-development nexus, strengthening systems and institutions, and promoting economic recovery, good governance, and social cohesion. The IRC is committed to working closely with local communities and civil society partners, dedicating 40% of their budget to these partnerships.

With a head office in Kyiv and several field and satellite offices, IRC’s comprehensive approach aims to create sustainable, long-term impacts by addressing immediate needs while building resilient systems and communities for the future.

SCOPE OF WORK

The IRC is seeking an Integrated Protection Lead for an upcoming FCDO Strengthening Humanitarian Assistance and Response to Protection Risks in Ukraine Project (SHARP). This project will be implemented by a Consortium of national and international organizations and aims strengthen the protection response for the most at risk such as survivors of violence, children, persons with disabilities, minority groups and older persons; strengthen legal protection including facilitating access to legal identity and civil documentation; enhance mental health and psychosocial services and improve the legal and policy environment for conflict affected individuals.

The Integrated Protection Lead will provide technical leadership and direction on all aspects of protection assistance and protection risks management to the SHARP project team across the Consortium. The Integrated Protection Lead is responsible for ensuring compliance with sectoral standards and best practices, specific FCDO strategies and policies, and IRC standards across the project. The Integrated Protection Lead is responsible for the design, implementation and coordination and of all protection interventions across the consortium, promoting complementary and capacity building. S/he will contribute to developing the project’s strategic and operational plans and will be responsible for ensuring and monitoring delivery against the agreed financial targets. The Integrated Protection Lead will promote learning and knowledge sharing across the consortium. S/he will have line management responsibilities to protection staff and directly report to the Team Lead or Deputy Team Leader.

Please note that recruitment is contingent upon the successful award of the project, and the selection of final applicants is subject to FCDO’s approval.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides technical support and guidance to the various protection components of the project, including: general protection, child protection, gender-based violence prevention and response, legal assistance and representation.
• Designs and promotes integrated and harmonized service delivery mechanisms, program tools, and referral pathways across the consortium.
• Identifies needs for capacity building for Consortium members, provides mentoring and formative supervision, as needed.
• Ensures program quality across and develops quality management systems in close coordination with technical and MERL teams to provide quality, timely and coordinated response to victims and survivors.
• Works closely with the Advocacy, Policy and Media Outreach Lead and the Emergency Support Lead to provide guidance to technical teams.
• Works closely with Safeguarding Focal Point and Gender Equality, Social and Diversity Inclusion (GESDI) Focal Point to ensure safeguarding and GESDI are mainstreamed in all interventions.
• Engages proactively with service providers (government agencies, social services, etc.) and other stakeholders.
• Promotes complementary with similar protection projects in Ukraine.
• Supports protection-related knowledge management efforts across the Consortium and dissemination of best practices and lessons learned from similar interventions.
• Proactively supports reporting, assessments, evaluation and capitalization efforts related to integrated protection.
• Engages actively in the Protection Cluster and relevant sub-cluster, taskforce, working groups, areas of responsibilities, and other coordination mechanisms at regional and national levels.

REQUIREMENTS

• Minimum of a higher education diploma in Human Rights, Social Sciences, Humanitarian Action, Protection, Law, or a Master’s Degree in another relevant field and experience in protection, human rights, and/or humanitarian assistance.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in relevant technical aspects of protection assistance with a Master’s Diploma, or 7 years of similar experience with a Master’s Degree.
• Experience collaborating with relevant Ministries and governmental agencies, law enforcement authorities and courts, other service providers.
• Experience working with protection and/or human rights organizations. Experience working with international organizations — an advantage.
• Extensive knowledge of the humanitarian coordination mechanism in Ukraine and relevant clusters and working groups. Understanding of the Protection Analytical Framework and protection analysis approaches, a distinct advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt programming to fast-changing operating environment.
• Extensive knowledge of the Ukraine context, especially population groups most at risk of such as survivors of violence, children, persons with disabilities, minority and LGBTIQ groups, older persons, Roma communities.
• Extensive knowledge of Ukraine protection and social policies, practices, and educational system is preferred
• Fluency in Ukrainian and English. Knowledge of other local or regional languages an advantage.

Please note that the job description is high level and indicative only at this stage and may be subject to change once the Terms of Reference for the SHARP project are released and as the opportunity develops. This position will be contingent on the outcome of the stage-1 process.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way — Standards for Professional 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, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.