Protection Coordinator at International Rescue Committee

Purpose of the Role

• The position holder is responsible to provide any and all support necessary to ensure successful design and implementation of Protection programming. The Technical Coordinator will ensure adequate participation, appropriate delivery, and sustained impact of all protection interventions which are under power and safety outcomes under the Kenya SAP 100. This position will support all aspects of technical design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the protection activities; development of implementation strategy/approaches and guidelines and partnership. Internally, the role is a primary interlocutor with IRC’s Global Protection and Rule of Law (PRoL) Technical Advisor and Child Protection Technical Advisor to ensure coordination, integration and technical rigor in program design and implementation. The Protection Coordinator will collaborate closely with other technical coordinators within IRC to advance a cohesive, integrated country programme. The Protection Coordinator plays a vital role in advancing IRCs ambitions, strategies and priorities amongst fellow agency, government, private sector, and community partners, as well as the Protection Working Group within the interagency coordination structure. In undertaking the above, the Protection Coordinator will ensure strong coordination and collaboration with the relevant GOK departments, implementing partners and relevant key collaborators. The current protection portfolio includes emergency protection assistance, access to justice, responsive information services, protection analysis, protection mainstreaming and psychosocial support.
• This position reports to the Deputy Director for Programs and is based in Nairobi with regular travel to program sites across the Country.

Key Responsibilities.
Strategy and Business Development.

• Provide leadership to the team in developing and implementing evidence-based, cost-effective funding applications and finding opportunities for sustainable program growth through the pursuit of new programming initiatives and emphasizing the significance of securing multi-year funding to support them.
• Ensure, with protection staff and Technical Advisor, that design of projects/ new business reflects IRC program quality standards and industry standard methodologies, clear theory of change while embracing an integrated and triple nexus programming approach.
• Develop strategic partnerships with both local and international organizations to support positioning to pursue new funding opportunities to deliver on the program strategy and scale.
• Advance IRC SAP 100 ambitions within protection programming and contribute to attainment of the articulated SAP ambitions including developing strategic partnerships with local organization (emphasis on women and youth led organizations) and the advancement of cash programming and GEDI integration/ mainstreaming within IRC programming.
• Contributes to the development of protection strategy, planning and documentation, in consultation with the technical unit.
• Be responsible for the IRC’s relationship with consortia implementing partners and support the identification of new partners as it relates to new programming.
• For Child Protection, lead engagement with Department of Children’s Services and key Child Protection partners to advise and design IRC’s Child Protection strategy and subsequent business development within Protection programming in Kenya.

Technical monitoring and Program Quality.

• Coordinate with other Coordinators on appropriate management, compliance, and performance standards, as well as effective systems for budget management, knowledge management and risk management.
• Formulate integrated programming initiatives so that the sector complements the other IRC sectors and promotes integration/ main streaming of GEDI-responsive approaches.
• In participation with health and nutrition team, use Protection analysis to integrate nutrition and child protection.
• Provide guidance, strategies, and tools to make certain that programming choices are based on needs assessment findings (primary & secondary data) and analysis, input from communities, partners, a thorough understanding of context, technical standard methodologies, and operational viability.
• Support to improve quality of specialized services available in country in addition to contributing to the standardization of protection protocols, referral pathways and SOPs.
• Support the utilization of global technical resources to promote program quality and comprehensive approaches, including the use of Protection Mainstreaming Monitoring and Evaluation System (ProMMS).
• Collaborate Technical Advisors within the VPRU and Technical Advisor Governance and Regional Advocacy Advisor to benchmark programming to global standards and that of relevant institutions and statutory bodies, ensure application of standard processes, review and advance protection sector programming policies and guidance. Along with department staff and the Technical Unit/Advisors, support the growth of Standard Operating Procedures and Guidance Notes for program activities. Promote the quality by setting up quality assurance mechanisms and providing technical supervision of program staff.
• Ensure that ethical and sound data collection and information management systems are in place with associated information sharing protocols for education in emergencies (EiE) analysis, planning, evaluation, and advocacy. Provide guidance on confidential and safe data collection, case identification, safe information sharing and referral mechanisms in line with internationally recognized standard processes.

Project Management.

• Provide overall leadership and management of the programs' portfolio, ensuring strategically coherent program direction, well-managed growth, and compliance with IRC and donor regulations.
• Continually seek out ways to build the capacities of team members, individually and collectively.
• Ensure that detailed, realistic, and feasible project implementation plans are developed, modified as needed and implemented accordingly.
• Support protection staff to collect, document and disseminate lessons learned and standard methodologies, incorporating these into new project designs.
• Work closely with M&E Coordinator to regularly review progress against indicators.
• Provide direction on implementation of accountability mechanisms for beneficiary feedback and review sector M&E and accountability data with sector staff to identify areas for operational improvement.
• Make certain the stated goals and objectives for the protection programme are met with strong monitoring and evaluation (M&E) follow up, including design of robust M&E plans, lead technical assessments, design/adapt education information systems as a basis for education program development. Develop methodologies and tools to strengthen the quality of data collection, analysis, and reporting and any required operational research, with technical support from Technical Advisors as needed.
• Review donor reports in collaboration with Program Managers, other Technical Coordinators, and the Technical Advisors.
• Conduct regular travel to the field to support program implementation review and provide technical guidance to the implementation teams.

Financial Management.

• Work with finance, operations, and grants to ensure compliance with donor requirements and develop periodic re-forecasting of the annual operating budget.
• In cooperation with the field management, ensure that protection staff are well trained to properly lead project budgets.
• Meet with sector, grants, and finance staff regularly to review budget comparison reports.
• Mitigate risk by collaborating with the Finance Department to ensure that sector staff fully understand financial and administrative processes involved in project budget cycles.
• Ensure that risks limiting achievement of objectives are reported and rapidly addressed.

Systems Strengthening and Advocacy.

• Support IRC programs to fully reflect and where required transition their approach to system strengthening as a crucial component of the program.
• Support the Governance and Systems Strengthening Coordinator and Technical Advisors in articulating and implementing an advocacy vision for the Kenya program which includes an advocacy framework for refugees and for various sectors the country program is engaged in for citizens engagement in demand driven service delivery.
• Work at the policy level with key decision makers from various national and county government and donors, participating in strategy development and technical discussions relating to future direction of the program and influence policy reforms/development across all sectors.

Emergency Preparedness and Response.

• Ensure that the IRC Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan, in relation to the protection sector, are prepared in consultation with relevant government and aid partners, are kept up to date with protocol, standards and guidance from relevant bodies and conform to the needs of clients.
• Together with the Senior Management Team (SMT), collaborate on establishment and operationalization of the Emergency Response Team (ERT) as pertains to protection considerations.

Staff and Partner Capacity Development.

• Create a supervisory environment focused on the achievement of team and individual results that emphasize the importance of learning, productivity, accountability, and openness. Communicate regularly with staff and promote positive conflict resolution among team members.
• Provide guidance and supervision to sector managers; guide recruitments, discuss job expectations, set objectives, and provide appropriate and timely feedback on performance of direct reports, including timely implementation of performance management as per IRC’s performance management system.
• Build capacities of sector staff in key project management principles, tools and approaches and ensure that these new skills are applied on the job.
• Develop/organize training and other capacity strengthening opportunities to build the capacity of local partners.
• Lead with commitment, integrity, and accountability to the "IRC Way Standards”.
• Promote constructive, congenial collaboration between sector staff, other IRC program staff and operational support staff.

Coordination, Representation and Communication.

• Enhance IRC Kenya’s protection sector profile among relevant partners - donors, national and local government partners, international and national NGOs, etc.
• Represent the IRC Protection Sector at NGO, interagency and governmental meetings.
• Lead and advice on advocacy activities for the sector ensuring the integration of Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion objectives in IRC and partner programming.
• As the education focal point for program-related communication between IRC country programs in the region and the global level, the role includes overseeing education sector inputs to advocacy efforts both locally and globally.

Qualifications

• Bachelors’ degree in law, social science, community development, humanities, or related degree. Master’s degree preferred. Must have at least six years of experience in the protection sector and demonstrated experience in progressive management, including technical staff supervision.
• Shown practical experience in Protection program design using community participatory approaches, implementation, and M&E.
• Experience in leading programs financed by US government agencies, DFID, EU, UN, foundations, and private donors is a must, with previous experience in competitive financing environments a plus.
• Ability to develop winning proposals to public and private sector donors.
• Consistent record to run projects to completion on time, within budget, and with the anticipated results.
• Successful leadership experience with a multi-disciplinary team in a cross-cultural setting, capacity in the transfer of technical knowledge and leadership skills through technical training, coaching, and mentoring of staff, as well as identified partner organizations.
• Demonstrates strong understanding of integrated programming and has experience in running multiyear and multi sectoral programming.
• Demonstrated experience working with new program start-up.
• Demonstrated capacity to develop and work with innovative systems, new technologies, creative approaches, and sustainable models to programming.
• Strong program/technical and budget management skills, budgeting, planning, reporting, monitoring and evaluation skills across multiple grants and countries.
• Demonstrates strong relationship building skills with a strong presence in coordination bodies and advocacy processes.
• Practical experience in program design, implementation, and M&E and experience in developing and using community participatory approaches.
• Highly diplomatic with excellent political awareness and sophisticated negotiation skills.
• Experience in governance programming such as working with GOK, county governments, devolution processes for increased demand and improved service delivery is desirable. Experience of working on government policies and laws.
• Experience in partnership/team member engagement and management.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, effective in representation and liaison with external parties.
• Strong people leadership skills with cross-cultural exposure and comfortable working as part of a diverse team. Sensitive to interpersonal differences and a range of viewpoints.
• Planning and organizational skills. Able to prioritize and follow multiple activities and deadlines simultaneously.
• Able to adapt plans and pivot approaches in response to changes in context.
• Proactive, reliable, and able to work independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Fluency in English and Swahili, spoken and written, is a required.