Protection Manager

Background/IRC Summary:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) 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, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to affected people. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

IRC has been working in Pakistan for approximately 40 years, leading and delivering large, sophisticated programs to meet the needs in health, education, safeguarding, environmental health and livelihoods for displaced, poor, and disaster-affected communities. IRC works in partnership with local government and non-governmental organizations and is currently working across the country.

Job Overview/Summary:

The Integrated Protection Services for Afghan Refugees in Pakistan project is designed to strengthen the safety, dignity, and well-being of Afghan refugees and host communities in KP. This project aims to deliver high-quality protection services, including Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention and response, SRH and MHPSS, alongside climate-resilient livelihood opportunities and social cohesion efforts. The Protection Manager will ensure the effective implementation of project activities in KP. Overseeing service delivery, adherence to protection principles, and compliance with donor and organizational policies. Capacity building of staff and guiding through the IASC protection guidelines ensure quality programming The role involves close coordination with government agencies, community structures, and other key stakeholders to enhance service accessibility and advocacy for the rights and well-being of affected populations.

Key Responsibilities

Program Management:

• Overall project cycle management of the respective thematic area to ensure timely implementation of project activities; develop and review work plans; develop/ monitor budgeting and fiscal accountability; monitor short-term technical assistance.
• Provide mentorship individually and through group meetings, collaborate with staff and partners/ stakeholders to report trends regularly, and communicate closely with the Case Management Supervisors, Case Workers, and other Protection Staff to manage cases accordingly.
• Ensure timely progress towards planned outputs and results; keep project staff appraised of progress and issues; make recommendations to solve problems and take the lead in implementing agreed-upon actions.
• Ensure achievement of project targets, including, but not limited to, the development of referral pathways at the district level, establishment, and quality assurance of the project outcomes as per the agreed-upon detailed implementation plans.
• Monitor all aspects of Protection implementation, including forming and holding regular meetings with community-based protection committees/ stakeholders, reviewing and commenting on work plans, and undertaking regular field visits to ensure quality and performance.
• Check the validity of performance data acquisition and ensure that the data fulfills quality standards for validity, integrity, precision, reliability, and timeliness.
• Ensure timely data collection and analysis for the Case Management Database, submission of project progress reports, learnings, and success stories by field staff, and regular reporting on the 5Ws matrix.
• Representing IRC in protection-related working groups at the district and provincial levels.
• Effectively involved in situation monitoring and updating the senior management on changing scenarios for immediate response and program approach/ design changes.
• Conduct regular review meetings to ensure smooth project implementation according to the agreed deliverables, work plan, and MEAL plan.
• Support Team lead in keeping track of project-related budget spending in line with the spending plans, conducting budget vs. actual analyses, and developing remedial plans where necessary to ensure budgets are optimally utilized.
• Identify the capacity-building needs of field staff and develop/ implement capacity-building plans with the support of relevant technical coordinators and the support section.
• Proactively develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders, including donors, government actors, UN agencies, and I/NGOs.
• Supervise and provide ongoing support, capacity development, and mentoring to the project staff to enable them to perform successfully in their positions and support them in doing the same with the staff they supervise.
• Ensure staff well-being and care are prioritized and integral to work. 

Key Working Relationships

Position Reports to: Project Manager (Directly) and Protection coordinator (Technical),

Position Directly supervises: EMAP Supervisor, GBV Case Management Supervisor.

Coordination: Government authorities, CAR, SWD, UN agencies, INGOs, NGOs, Community Groups, and other Protection Partners.

Job Requirements:

A. Education

Master’s degree in project management, social sciences, or another relevant field.

Experience:

B. Work experience

05 years of experience in project management with a specific focus on Protection. Proven knowledge and experience working with Community-Based Committees and Protection Case Management. Previous experience working with Afghan Refugees is an asset.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies

• Demonstrated coordination, networking, and relationship-building skills with key partners, including government, donors, INGOs, national and local organizations, and UN agencies.
• Demonstrated experience in successfully leading and strengthening the team in a dynamic, challenging, and changing context.
• Demonstrated experience in supervising, mentoring, and building capacity of field staff.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, positive and professional attitude, ability to lead and work well in a team setting. 

Language Skills: Proficient in of verbal and oral English, Urdu, and Local Languages

The IRC Core Values and Commitments.

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 Anti-Retaliation and Combating Trafficking in Persons.

IRC is committed to ensuring that IRC staff is suitable to work with children and have the knowledge to uphold and abide by the IRC’s Child Safeguarding Policy.

IRC ensures that its staff must actively practice the roles and responsibilities related to client responsiveness, accountability to people in affected communities and must have competencies to solicit and listen to feedback and other’s perspectives, respond to feedback with maturity and sensitivity and take appropriate decisions and makes changes to behavior or actions in response to feedback.

IRC recognizes that gender equality is fundamental to the achievement of our organizational mission. As such, IRC is committed to the promotion of gender equality in all aspects of our operations and programs. Our organizational policies, procedures and actions demonstrate this commitment.

Differently abled women candidates are highly encouraged to apply.