Protection Coordinator – Libya

INTERSOS is an independent humanitarian organization that assists the victims of natural disasters, armed conflicts and exclusion. Its activities are based on the principles of solidarity, justice, human dignity, equality of rights and opportunities, respect for diversity and coexistence, paying special attention to the most vulnerable people.

Terms of reference

Job Title: Protection Coordinator

Code: SR-52-9584

Duty station: Tunis – Tunisia, with frequent missions to Libya (Tripoli, Benghazi/Ajdabiya/Al Bayda, and Sabha/Brak Al Shati)

Starting date: 01/02/2025

Contract duration: 12

Reporting to: Head of Mission

Functional Supervisor: Protection Advisor

Supervision of: Protection officers, legal officer, and protection information management officer

Type of Duty Station: Non-family duty station

General context of the project

INTERSOS is present in Libya since 2018.

INTERSOS runs 3 Community Centres in Libya (Tripoli, Sabha and Ajdabiya), providing a comprehensive package of protection services (prevention, mitigation, and response) for most vulnerable population groups, with a priority focus on MRAS, women, children, youth and children with disabilities. The protection services include: MHPSS – collective PSS and ICM (PFA, PSC, referrals – including internal specialized services psychological support and legal services); Information sharing/awareness raising; Capacity strengthening; Protection monitoring & protection trend analysis; and for survivors of GBV and/or WAR distribution of dignity kits distribution.

INTERSOS conducts capacity strengthening through training and coaching for staff, community volunteers, CSOs and stakeholders on protection topics (general protection, MHPSS, inclusion, child protection, SGBV/VAW , AAP, and PSEA .

INTERSOS combines direct implementation and working in partnership with local CSOs, working from community centres (also known as Baity Centres), in combination of outreach activities implemented in (cooperation with) local CSOs, MOSA and community-based initiatives.

For education, INTERSOS runs non formal education activities from the CCs: support with school enrolment, remedial and catch-up classes and life skills session for children out of school or at risk of drop out or unable to enrol in Libyan public education system, in addition to community awareness raising on access to education.

For Health, INTERSOS conducts health screenings and awareness on health topics in its CCs in Ajdabiya and Sabha for children and parents/caregivers, and since September 2024 is running an MCT in Ajdabiya covering collective sites where MRAS are staying.

For NFIs, INTERSOS distributes: hygiene kits, clothes, education kits, etc.

General purpose of the position

The Protection Coordinator will lead the Protection Unit and support overall program management and coordination of Protection programming portfolio for conflict-affected population in Libya and Tunisia. This includes Child Protection, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and Psychosocial Support (PSS) programs, as well as other Protection activities.

The Protection Coordinator will be responsible for the development, implementation, and monitoring of the overall Protection programming portfolio. S/he will lead the coordination between Protection teams and program unit, as well as coordinating and mainstreaming Protection with other INTERSOS departments/sectors. S/he will represent externally the programs in Protection coordination forums and advocate on Protection issues and concerns.

Main responsibilities and tasks

Main responsibilities

• In coordination with HOM and the other departments ensure the quality of the implementation and achievement of the set results.
• Manage development and monitoring of program spending plans, workplans, M&E plans, and procurement and staffing plans to ensure progress against targets and spending by budget.
• Be responsible for ensuring management of resources for fulfilment of program deliverables and commitments for objectives/indicators and accountability to donor requirements
• Identify opportunities for new protection interventions and support assessments and developments of new project proposals
• Lead in design of the protection strategy and provide technical support in its implementation and mainstreaming and coordinate with other internal departments to guarantee good collaboration
• Assess regularly protection needs and gaps of target populations in current and prospective areas of operations, periodically update the protection situation analysis and inform the programme teams accordingly
• Provide strategic protection analysis and development of periodic trend reports (Including aspects of conflict analysis, gender and risk management) from programme experience to improve development, implementation and policy and advocacy activities
• Ensure that protection data is collected, archived, processed, analysed, and disseminated in ethical modalities, in line with internal data protection protocols

Protection mainstreaming and accountability:

• Contextualize and adapt internal and global guidelines, guarantying these are rolled out, known and applied by staffs
• Coordinate, harmonize and report on protection activities and services across the different implementation sites within the mission
• Conduct and support ongoing monitoring of Protection activities, to ensure minimum standards for Protection and progress toward targets
• Undertake regular field monitoring visits and provide support to further development and full application of the tools to monitor quality of programme implementation
• In cooperation with the accountability unit, support the development of complaints mechanisms for beneficiaries and make sure complaints are addressed properly
• In cooperation with the accountability unit, follow up on the implementation of the Child Protection (CP) and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) policies
• Deliver training and workshops to protection staffs to strength skills on specific protection topics identified
• Deliver trainings and workshops to non-protection staffs to build skills and knowledge of protection principles and enable them to mainstream protection in different sectors

Supervision and Staff Management:

• Directly supervise, coach and mentor Protection unit and conduct regular performance reviews (IRP)
• Review work plans of Protection Officer and Senior Case Workers and define priorities together with Protection Project Managers
• Organize regular and ad hoc protection meetings with Protection Officer and Senior Case Workers and Project Managers to track progress, update on context, share challenges and priorities and develop action plans to address them
• Create opportunities for experience sharing and learning within the protection team in order to strengthen cooperation and collaboration

Advocacy, networking and partnership:

• In coordination with HOM, ensure that main protection concerns are brought to relevant stakeholders to advocate
• Establish and maintain collaborative relations with relevant donors, partners, project stakeholders and other organizations
• Network with Protection Coordinators from other missions to share best practices and resources for the respect of human rights and minimum protection standards
• Maintain effective relationships with Protection, GBV and MHPSS clusters and related working groups at national level and co lead the CP working group
• Ensure that Protection Officer and Senior Case Workers maintain productive relationships with sub clusters at field level

Required profile and experience

Education

Hold a master’s degree in social science or any related field (unless compensated with minimum 7 year of relevant work experience)

Professional Experience

• At least 5 years relevant program management in the protection sector in emergency settings
• Substantial experience in general Protection and in sub-sectors of Child Protection, GBV, and/or MHPSS, including in conflict and mixed migration settings.

Professional Requirements

• Deep knowledge of PSS/MH, community-based protection, protection mainstreaming, referral pathways and service mapping.
• Demonstrable technical expertise in the assessment of, design, and delivery of relevant Protection programming.
• Strong experience in training and coaching on protection technical areas with a variety of stakeholders.
• Demonstrate experience with integrated programming (health, protection, WASH, livelihoods, etc.)
• Prior experience in leading and carrying out protection & multi-sector rapid assessments and intention surveys in challenging environment.
• Prior experience in working in protracted complex emergency setting, involving high numbers of IDPs and migrants, refugees/asylum seekers.
• Strong experience with monitoring tools and systems
• Demonstrated experience in staff supervision and remote management
• Experience with participatory approaches and working with vulnerable groups, including gender mainstreaming and with persons with disabilities.
• Knowledge of the legal framework and international standards that governs INTERSOS operations, as required by different donors (EU, UNHCR, UNFPA, UNICEF, BHA, and bilateral donors).
• Good knowledge and understanding of Humanitarian Principles and Protection frameworks, tools, and minimum standards.
• Strong program management skills, with substantial experience managing large portfolios of programming.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience in internal and external coordination, including the protection coordination system, and different working groups/task forces.
• Demonstrable experience in establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships with government counterparts.
• Strong representation and negotiation skills.
• Proven experience with donor compliance, proposal, budget design and reporting.
• Excellent computer skills.

Languages

• Fluency in written and spoken English and Arabic is required.
• Proficiency in French is an asset.

Personal Requirements

• Comfortable in a multicultural environment.
• A positive and solutions-oriented leader focused on team-building, problem-solving, and support to the teams and beneficiary communities.
• Excellent observation capacity and analytical skills.
• Constructive critical thinking, practical and problem-solver.
• Ability to work independently while soliciting inputs from others on issues of mutual interest and/or linking back to mission vision and strategy.
• Ability to plan and output oriented.
• Able to deliver high-quality products with attention to accuracy, logic, and comparative context in a very stressful environment.
• Ability to adhere to deadlines and respect line management.
• Professional, hard-working, and a self-motivated person.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• High Flexibility and can cope with stressful workload and working with limited resources.
• Very strong interpersonal and teamwork skills; collaborative approach with the ability to work within different cultural environments.