Protection Team Leader – Legal

Duty Station [Mocha -Yemen]

Who are we?
The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights, and strengthen their opportunity for a brighter future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along the displacement routes, and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive for responsible and sustainable solutions. We work toward successful integration and – whenever possible – for the fulfillment of the wish to return home.

The Danish Refugee Council was founded in Denmark in 1956, and has since grown to become an international humanitarian organization with more than 7,000 staff and 8,000 volunteers. Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced.

All of our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency.

DRC has been operating in the Middle East (ME) region for over a decade, running a combination of emergency, livelihood, protection and advocacy programmes through Country Offices (COs) in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey with a Regional Office (RO) in Amman.

DRC Yemen’s response

Throughout its nine field offices and a workforce of 270 staff, DRC upholds its main programmatic objectives to provide immediate and life sustaining assistance, to strengthen the protective environment, and to reduce displacement related risks and vulnerabilities by promoting self-reliance at household and community level.

About the Job:
Overall
Under the direct supervision of the Protection Manager, the Protection Team Leader - Legal Aid will ensure the effective implementation of DRC’s legal intervention in South Taiz and Hodeidah Governorates. The Protection Team Leader - Legal Aid will be responsible to supervise DRC Legal Aid interventions in the assigned areas of operation, as well as maintain effective working relationships with relevant stakeholders. The Protection Team Leader - Legal Aid is responsible for ensuring excellent organization and coordination of the legal aid activities under his/her supervision. S/he will provide technical and organizational support to legal staff through daily guidance, coordination, capacity-building, follow-up, monitoring, and reporting.

Responsibilities:
Grants Management

• Ensure the successful implementation of legal activities under his/her supervision, including appropriate and timely spending plans for activities to achieve program goals, procurement, use and distribution of supplies and resources;
• Support with project planning including work plans and target tracking to ensure timely implementation of activities and successful achievement of targets;
• Support the monitoring of financial commitments and expenditures against budgets and provide timely feedback on budget follow-up to Protection Manager;
• Support Protection Manager by contributing to and providing field-related inputs for legal aid proposals;
• Monitor and ensure the successful implementation of partners’ activities, including appropriate and timely spending plans for activities and targets tracking to achieve program goals.

Technical Support and Supervision

• Collaborate with the legal team to identify relevant legal topics for awareness-raising sessions and develop them;
• Ensure the awareness-raising content is accessible, culturally appropriate, and tailored to the target population's needs;
• Establish a schedule for regular legal consultation sessions in coordination with the legal team and support conducting consultations for specific topics, ensuring confidentiality and a safe environment for participants;
• Document/track the types of legal issues addressed to identify trends and inform future programming;
• Provide accurate and up-to-date information on relevant laws, regulations, and procedures to Legal Aid Officers and Assistants;
• Remain up-to-date on legal procedure, Yemen Law and policy developments, and support to update legal guideline & SOPs' documents as needed;
• Provide technical support, supervision, and guidance to the legal team, and ensure that legal activities and legal assistance are implemented in line with DRC SOPs and best-practices;
• Conduct on-the-job coaching by undertaking field visits and providing feedback to legal aid officers and assistants;
• Identify technical gaps in the activities and identify/implement solutions to address these gaps;
• With the support of DRC Protection Specialist and Protection Manager, provide capacity building to the legal aid team members according to the identified needs and agreed capacity building plans;
• Conduct regular individual and group supervisions with legal staff to ensure that cases receive all the necessary support, that lessons learned and best practices are shared, and challenges are mitigated;
• Ensure and monitor the correct documentation of cases through review of legal files and database;
• Ensure confidentiality of information, and that data protection and information-sharing protocols are respected;
• Review staff caseloads to ensure they are manageable and respect sector's guidelines and share challenges and feedback with Protection Manager;
• Supervise activities' implementation of local partners by providing technical support, job coaching, and building capacities.

Staff management

• Manage the legal staff, including legal aid officers and assistants;
• In collaboration with the HR department, participate to recruitment process(es) of protection/legal staff (shortlisting resumes, correcting tests, conducting interviews, etc.);
• Support the legal staff in the implementation of all legal activities, orient new staff to DRC and the protection program in addition to day-to-day management and supervision of the legal team;
• Ensure the respect and implementation of HR procedures in accordance with DRC Policies and Guidelines (i.e. daily management, disciplinary procedures, performance appraisals, leaves management, trainings and capacity building, etc.) in collaboration with the Human Resources department and Protection Manager;
• Ensure the adherence of his/her staff to DRC Code of Conduct, policies, rules and regulations.

Monitoring and Reporting

• Submit to the Protection Manager weekly and monthly reports on all legal activities, developments in the external context and humanitarian situation, and on project implementation progress;
• On a monthly basis revise all legal activities tracking sheets, remove confidential data and share a compiled version with Protection Manager for revision and approval;
• On a monthly basis submit the necessary data to Protection Manager to ensure timely reporting on Activity Info;
• Regularly coordinate with MEAL team to ensure PDM and PSM are conducted in a timely manner, ensuring respect of confidentiality and following DRC SOPs and best practices;
• Revise on a monthly basis partners’ report and submit them to the Protection Manager.

Coordination and representation

• Develop and maintain effective working relationship with relevant stakeholders including community members, local partners and CRA;
• Prepare the sub-agreements with CRA offices for issuance of legal documentation based on the project needs and budget;
• Maintain regular communication and coordination with DRC Aden Focal Point for relevant work with the CRA Office;
• Advocate for the needs of vulnerable individuals both internally and through coordination mechanisms through evidence-based advocacy;
• Maintain an up-to-date service mapping of the legal service providers operating in the area and share with the legal team;
• Attend Protection Cluster/s and coordination meetings as requested by Protection Manager.

Other

• Any other duties relating to the nature of the job as directed by the Protection Manager and Protection Specialist;
• The TL may be requested to attend call for duty during emergencies, upon the decision of line-manager;
• Maintain positive work relationship within the team, and promote team-building efforts in coordination with the Protection Manager;
• Comply with DRC's Code of Conduct, program requirements and operational policies at all times and report any concerns through the appropriate mechanism;
• Must treat all partners and beneficiaries with dignity and respect clients’ confidentiality.

About you
To be successful in this role you must have:

Experience and technical competencies:

• Relevant professional experience of not less than 4 (four) years;
• Experience in management of a team with proven leadership qualities;
• Familiarity experience with persons of concern (including internally displaced persons, returnees, refugees) would be a distinct advantage;
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of international protection and human rights legal standards, including familiarity with International Humanitarian Law, Human Rights Law, Refugee law, National law and customary rules;
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills and respect for people with specific needs and other vulnerabilities;
• Ability to work in a multicultural context as a flexible and respectful team player;
• Ability to provide technical support, trainings and supervision to Officers and Assistants;
• Excellent writing, reporting, and analytical skills;
• Strong written and oral communication skills, effective in representation and liaison with external parties;
• Excellent organizational and planning skills as well as communication and inter-personal skills;
• Punctuality and respect for applicable rules and procedures;
• Strong ability to organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, work independently and prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail;
• Self-motivation, goal/result-orientation and team work;
• Flexibility, creativeness, tolerance and maturity;
• Computer/IT literacy (OS Windows, MS (Word, Excel in particular), etc.

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: Focusing on reaching results while ensuring efficient processes.

• Collaborating: Involving relevant parties and encouraging feedback.

• Taking the lead: Taking ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.

• Communicating: Listening and speaking effectively and honestly.

• Demonstrating integrity: Upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

Moreover, we also expect the following:
Required qualifications:

Education:

• University degree in Law with proven field experience.
• Desirable qualifications: Master's degree in law.

Languages:

• Arabic - Fluent, reading and writing
• English - Fluent, reading and writing

Key stakeholders:

• Protection Staff Members
• Other DRC Departments (GFD, FSL, etc.)
• Community members
• I/NGOs and government services
• CRA
• DRC Partner
• Support teams (logistics, finance, HR)
• Protection Cluster

We offer
DRC will offer the successful applicant a contract until December 2025, renewable dependent on both funding and performance.

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment. This position will be placed at Band (G Manager) and will be reporting to Protection Manager.

Application process
Interested? Then apply for this position by clicking on the apply button or the link below.
All applicants must send a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages). Both must be in the same language as this vacancy note. CV only applications will not be considered.
Females are encouraged to apply for this position.

Applications close27 November 2024. The interviews are expected to take place, in two weeks after advertisement closing date.
If you have questions or are facing problems with the online application process, please check Need Support?
Please note that applications sent directly to [[email protected]] will not be considered.
For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our website www.drc.ngo

Department
Yemen

Workplace
Mocha

Contract Type
National contract

Posted
31 Oct 2024

Expires
27 Nov 2024