Concern for Women and Children Development Foundation (COWACDI) is a woman- led organization born out of passion for the wellbeing of Women and Children in Nigeria. It has a special interest in mitigating the suffering of the vulnerable persons (mostly Women & Children) in times of crisis. Currently the organization has focused its attention on the Northeast of Nigeria with special emphasis in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states (the BAY states) due to the decade old crises. COWACDI intervenes through community-based approach in addressing Gender-Based Violence prevention and response programmes, child protection, peace-building programmes and empowerment of youth and women. Since its establishment in 2005, humanitarian and developmental interventions have been implementing in Protection, Peace Building, Housing Land & Property (HLP), Non-food Items (NFI), Livelihood. COWACDI operates with full respect for humanitarian law and works with concrete policies and principles of international standard such as humanity, do no harm, impartiality, neutrality and independence and accountability to affected population and Zero Tolerance to Fraud and related activities.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Employment Type: Full-Time
Job Title: Protection Officer.
Qualification: BA/BSc/HND
Experience: 3 Years
Location: Yobe State.
Job Field: Programmes
Reports to: Head of Programs
Contractual Arrangement: Internal/External
Contract Duration: 24 Months
Planned Timelines: As soon as possible
Role purpose:
The Protection Officer will support implementing gender-sensitive community-level protection activities, protection monitoring, and information dissemination and referrals guided by COWACDI’s policies and guidelines for managing information and relevant professional standards in protection work.
Role Context
- The Protection Officer will carry out all Protection activities under the supervision of Head of program.
- She/he will also coordinate local communities, in close coordination with Head of Program and field teams.
Key outcomes
- Ensure the delivery of protection activities in the Humanitarian response
- Undertake regular field visits with the WASH and DRR teams to identify and address, along with the sectorial teams, potential protection concerns arising from COWACDI’s humanitarian response.
- Prepare for and organize community consultations and community-based orientation sessions, in coordination with COWACDI team(s) and other partners.
- Participates in developing and updating the mapping of services for threats and abuses (including GBV) that IDPs and Host Community members face in COWACDI areas of operation.
Role Profile
- Lead and supervise assessment teams during thematic surveys, needs assessment and data collection for protection-related research
- With support from the Head of Program, follow-up with humanitarian actors about requests and invitations for community sessions.
- Monitors protection issues affecting IDPs and host population in areas of operation.
- Support the teams to strategize, plan for and ensure appropriate integration and mainstreaming of protection through all programme activities.
- With support of the Head of Program, develop and update relevant Information, Education and Communication tools (leaflets, brochures, posters etc.)
- Coordinate and organize regular internal mapping of services available in the area of intervention.
- Support the Head of Program in developing safe programming and conflict-sensitive approaches to the humanitarian response.
- In collaboration with the Head of Program, ensure program staff are fully trained on existing referral systems and relevant SOPs.
Other task:
- Assist in any other related matters necessary for the execution of the project as required by the line manager.
Relationships:
- Works closely with the Head of program, project team, project beneficiaries, humanitarian colleagues and field-based volunteers.
Developing self and others:
- Typically involved in developing others’ skills by directing project work or in coaching and mentoring others.
- May have the direct responsibility for developing, coaching and motivating one or more staff, undertakes performance reviews and development of action plans to improve the performance of others, whether staff or volunteers.
Requirement:
Applied skills/knowledge and expertise:
- University degree in a relevant discipline (law, political science, social science, psychology or any other relevant education profile),
- Demonstrable experience (minimum 3 years) in working with communities in humanitarian or development contexts.
- Capacity and willingness to regularly travel to the field locations where COWACDI operates.
- Very good interpersonal skills, particularly in networking, working with communities, local civil society and local authorities.
- Previous experience in using and adapting community-led approaches.
- Good understanding and knowledge in application of do no harm, conflict sensitivity principles and IASC standards and ethics for protection work.
- Good understanding of protection concerns, including GBV issues in displacement, human rights, and international humanitarian law
- Proven analytical skills
- Understanding of monitoring processes, learning, adaptation and evaluation
- Good levels of spoken and written English.
- Commitment to humanitarian principles and action and to COWACDI’s equal opportunity and gender policies
- Excellent computer knowledge and skills of using Microsoft word, power point and excel.
Desirable:
- Degree/ HND
- Previous experience in protection within a humanitarian response
- Experience in working in Northeast and Northwest Nigeria
- Demonstrable experience in using participatory research and participatory assessment methodologies
- Familiarity with the culture of conflict and/or disaster- affected populations, ability to develop respect from a wide range of people and strong ability to communicate effectively on sanitation and hygiene matters.
- Fluency in the language of the working area (Hausa) is appreciated and the international language used in the humanitarian operation
- IT competency required Intermediate
Communicate effectively:
- Make complex things simple for the benefit of others.
- Actively listen and ask questions to check your understanding and draw out others when they are not expressing themselves clearly or seem to be holding back.
- Be sensitive to what others may be feeling, based on what they say, how they say it and their non-verbal behavior, adapting your style and approach to fitness.
- Address difficult issues when they arise, being honest and open.
Deliver Results:
- Prioritize, plan and monitor your own work to meet own and team deliverables to agreed performance or quality standards.
- Acknowledge others’ priorities whilst being prepared to say “no” if there are genuine reasons why their needs cannot be met.
- Use logical processes and relevant tools and techniques to report on information or analyses options.
- Make timely and considered recommendations based on analysis of available data, information and evidence.
Language required:
Fluency in oral and written English is required, and Native Language of the area would be an added advantage.
Application Closing Date
19th February, 2025 (2:00pm).
Method of Application:
Hardcopy Applications: Kindly submit your CV and Cover Letter in a sealed envelope to be submitted at this location at House No. A 75B Muhammadu Buhari Estate Damaturu, Yobe State, stating the position on the envelope and ensure to sign an attendance for submission.
Additional Information
COWACDI is an equal –opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, gender, religion, etc. Kindly ensure that you can work in this location when applying. Qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply
No application after the closing date will be considered.
COWACDI regrets that, due to the large number of applications we receive, we are unable to reply to every applicant. If you are being considered for the role, a recruiter will contact you. If you are not contacted within 2 weeks, you should consider your application not successful on this occasion.
Note: Never pay for any training, certificate, assessment, or testing fee to the recruiter.
