Protection Officer 

Department: Program     
Contract Length: 8 months
Place of Work: Taiz    
Working Hours: Full-time 
Reports to: Programs Manager    
Salary Range: As per War Child Salary Scale

Our values

Bold

• We use our passion and creativity to deliver high quality evidence-based work designed to maximise our beneficial impact for children in conflict.

Accountable to children

• Children can rely on us to respond to their voices and to treat them with respect and dignity.

Transparent

• We expect to be held to account by our supporters and beneficiaries and we respond with openness and honesty

Committed to each other

• We support each other and our partners to achieve ambitious goals and to be the best we can be.  We are honest and open with each other, sharing our successes and confronting our challenges.

About the project

The project focuses on addressing protection needs identified in recent assessments, emphasizing general protection, child protection, and gender-based violence. It aims to establish community-based protection networks to monitor protection for households, raise awareness, and facilitate access to essential services. The project will support vulnerable individuals facing challenges such as evictions, GBV, and disabilities by providing information on referral pathways and financial assistance for necessary services.
 
To further assist most vulnerable households, direct cash support will be offered to address urgent needs and reduce risks related to displacement and GBV. It also aims to enhance the safety and dignity of vulnerable populations through general and child protection services, case management, and psychosocial support, utilizing community safe spaces, particularly for IDPs, Muhamasheen, people with disabilities, women and children.

Your role

The Protection Officer is responsible for leading the implementation of protection activities within the project, focusing on protection monitoring and reporting, cash assistance, referrals to services, CBPNs, awareness raising and child protection services including case management and PSS. The role holder will lead the provision of targeted support to vulnerable individuals, empowering local communities to identify, report and respond to protection risks, and offering tailored interventions for children, to mitigate immediate risks associated with violence and discrimination. The protection officer will emphasize on collaboration with local authorities, NGOs, and community stakeholders to ensure effective service delivery, promote resilience, and foster sustainable community engagement. The position holder is expected to directly manage protection staff and provide hands on coaching and support, to ensure the delivery of safe and high-quality programmes. S/he will be expected to support in the representation of War Child in relevant technical coordination groups.  

Key responsibilities

• Use inter-agency standards, guidelines, technical support, resources and coordination groups to inform and promote quality implementation of CP activities
• Lead the implementation of protection monitoring, reporting and responding to vulnerabilities and protection risk, and prepare high quality situational and trend analysis reports.
• Lead the execution of protection programs, including cash assistance for individuals facing protection risks, ensuring funds are used for essential needs such as transportation, temporary shelter, legal documentation etc.
• Oversee the establishment and maintenance of CBPNs, empowering local communities to identify and respond to protection risks.
• Oversee the implementation of critical child protection services including case management and PSS.
• Design and implement robust monitoring frameworks to evaluate the effectiveness of protection activities, including cash assistance and referral processes.
• Collaborate with local authorities, NGOs, and community stakeholders to enhance protection services and ensure effective referral pathways.
• Facilitate awareness-raising sessions to inform community members about available services.
• Train and support community members on referral procedures aligned with the National Protection Cluster Referral Package.
• Conduct training sessions for CBPN members on child protection, GBV, and protection issues.
• Facilitate engagement sessions with community leaders and vulnerable groups to promote local ownership of protection initiatives.
• Supports the establishment and effective operation of feedback and complaints mechanisms to promote accountability to affected populations, in coordination with the MEAL team.
• Support with the identification, assessment and capacity development of local actors on protection programming
• Work closely with program and MEAL teams on data collection and monitoring ensuring all data is disaggregated by gender, age and disability at a minimum, and developing high quality progress reports.
• Line manage the Protection Assistant and any other staff or volunteers hired for the project, as per War Child policies and procedures.
• Actively participate in local coordination mechanisms and represent WarChild in local and Governorate Child Protection Working Groups and with local authorities.

Safeguarding and safe programming

• Ensure adhere to the organisation’s code of conduct and child safeguarding and protection policies by all staff and volunteers working in the project.
• Ensures all parental consent documents and procedures are respected and up to date.
• Respects relevant codes of conducts and monitors that colleagues do the same.

Role specifications         

• A bachelor’s degree in social sciences or relevant field is required.        
• Minimum 5 years (I)NGO experience in the field of Child Protection Programs.
• Very good understanding of the protection landscape in Yemen, especially for children.
• Very good understanding of the protection issues and challenges faced by most vulnerable groups including IDPs, and conflict-affected communalities.
• Familiarity with managing projects, including planning, execution, and monitoring.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Arabic, including report development, writing, and editing.
• Strong interpersonal skills to effectively engage and collaborate with diverse stakeholders, including beneficiary groups, community leaders, and government entities.
• Ability to provide technical guidance in creative and interactive training sessions.
• Familiarity in building capacity of and empowering CSOs.
• Familiarity with MEAL frameworks and strong ability to analyze data, assess project effectiveness, and provide actionable insights. 
• Strong organizational and time-management capabilities, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Ability and willingness to travel to field locations in Taiz Governorate.
• Demonstrated attention to detail and ability to follow procedures.
• Capacity to respond to feedback and adapt strategies to meet beneficiary needs.
• Flexibility to work independently and in a team setting.

Reporting Structure

• Reports to: Programs Manager
• Collaborates with: War Child Staff, partner organizations, stakeholders, and beneficiaries to ensure cohesive project implementation and alignment with strategic goals. 

 Important Information

• War Child Alliance is an equal opportunity employer.
• War Child Alliance does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.
• As this role is a National position, all candidates are required to be Yemeni nationals.
• Female with the above qualifications are encouraged to apply.
• Only candidates who are short-listed will be contacted.

Our benefits

• Flexible working arrangements
• 30 annual leave per year
• Transportation and Appearance Allowance
• Investment in training and development
• Health Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Social Security Contribution
• 1-1 wellbeing consultations with trained counsellors  
• Enhanced Leave Policy
• Eid Bonus

Child safeguarding and Adults at Risk

Our work with children and at-risk adults to keep them safe is the most important thing we do. We are committed to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults in all areas of our work. We have zero tolerance for any behaviours and practices that puts children and/or vulnerable adults at risk of abuse and/or harm. Successful applicants will be expected to be compliant and sign up to our Child Safeguarding policy, our Code of Conduct and PSEA: Adults at Risk Policy. You can find the Child Safeguarding and Adults at Risk policy here: https://www.warchild.org.uk/whats-happening/news/our-child-safeguarding-policies-and-procedures 

Pre-employment checks

Employment with War Child will be subject to the following checks prior to your start date:

• Receipt of three satisfactory references.
• New and clear police check.
• Commitment to Child Safeguarding and Code of Conduct policies.