Protection Coordinator- OPt

Who are we?

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading protection agency pursuing our mandate to protect and promote durable solutions to displacement-affected populations based on humanitarian principles. Our response in the occupied Palestinian territory is centred on empowering conflict affected communities to meet their basic needs and promoting safety and dignity by addressing protection risks. Operating from two hubs in Deir al Balah and Gaza City, and with a coordination office in Ramallah and a representation office in East Jerusalem, the DRC maintains an active presence with over 30 national and international staff and four civil society partners. DRC now aims to grow our operation into a Country Office, as part of the Middle East Hub, which also comprises Türkiye, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan.

About the job

The Protection Coordinator is technically responsible for ensuring quality protection programming and is the overall country level technical lead within the protection sector. DRC’s protection programming consists of: Legal Aid, Community-Based Protection, Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence, Child Protection, Protection Information Management, and Mental Health and Psycho-Social Support.

The Protection Coordinator is responsible for leading country level protection analysis and strategy development and implementation; providing protection sectoral technical advice, support, and has the authority to instruct; leading and overseeing Protection sectoral technical line supervision responsibilities for protection staff and interventions that contain protection, throughout the programme / project cycle; ensure quality protection sectoral programming and compliance with protection sector standards, including leading monitoring and evaluation efforts, staff capacity building and training, development of protection tools and approaches; and technically lead protection sectoral coordination and representation efforts.

About you

To be successful in this role we expect the following:

Protection Sectoral Technical Responsibility
• Lead protection analysis efforts and the development and implementation of the country level protection strategy in Gaza and West Bank
• Technically responsible for the overall protection portfolio in Gaza and West Bank
• Oversee and lead the development, harmonisation, adaptation and rollout of internal policies, and guidelines, protection related tools, Standard Operating Procedures, related to DRC’s protection interventions
• Act as a reference point for other sectors’ colleagues for Protection Mainstreaming Technical Supervision
• Technically supervise, provide technical advice and guidance to protection sectoral
staff, and authority to instruct – including issuing instructions and providing strategic direction on issues related to the protection sector
• Responsible for participating in human resource processes, including the recruitment of protection sectoral technical staff in country, establishing minimum technical requirements for protection positions, and setting performance objectives and performance appraisals
• Responsible for identifying protection sectoral technical gaps and establishing capacity building plans for protection sectoral staff
• Work closely with relevant protection staff in the development and delivery of capacity building efforts
• Provide regular technical support and guidance to protection teams and other relevant (protection, other sectoral, and others) staff in both a structured and on a case-by-case basis

Protection Programme Development and Oversight
• Lead and contribute to the design and finalisation of all protection sectoral interventions in proposals and projects.
• Provide technical review of all proposals that include protection interventions.
• Oversee compilation of project related internal and external reports and communication.
• Maintain oversight of overall protection programme implementation, including budgets and indicators, in close collaboration with HoP, area managers and
protection managers.
• Participate in protection programme / project review meetings, including grant opening, grant review and close out meetings.

Quality Assurance
• Lead, in collaboration with MEAL Coordinator/Manager, on the development of quality assurance systems and ensure they are applied throughout the programme / project cycle

• Undertake regular quality review and site monitoring to ensure protection interventions are provided according to established policies, guidance, and Standard
Operating Procedures.
• Identify, document, and share best practices between field offices.
• Lead the self-assessment based on the Protection Minimum Operating Procedures
• Oversee knowledge sharing across protection teams and sites Coordination and Representation
• Represent DRC and actively contribute to protection sector coordination fora at the country level
• Lead DRC’s protection sector coordination and collaboration efforts with relevant stakeholders including government, civil society, NGOs, and UN
• Actively engage and contribute to DRC protection related advocacy efforts
• Promote integrated programming and ensure internal coordination and harmonisation of DRC protection interventions across sites and with other core
sectors, as relevant
• Act as the main sector level point of contact with donors
• Be a resource for other sectors’ protection mainstreaming efforts

• Provide internal capacity building and capacity building to local partners

Carry out any additional duties as requested by the line manager to ensure effective delivery of the program and organizational objectives.

Experience and technical competencies:

• Proven experience of at least 5 years working in the protection sector and management of protection programmes

• Bachelor of Arts degree, preferably in a field directly relevant to humanitarian protection, or appropriate level and combination of expertise and experience

• Expert knowledge of International Refugee Law, International Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian Law

• Strong understanding of global protection sector standards, protection analysis, and Results-Based Protection

• Knowledge and experience designing, implementing, and monitoring and evaluating protection intervention within two or more of DRC’s Protection sector components: Gender-Based Violence, Child Protection, Protection Information Management, Community-Based Protection, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, and/or Legal Aid.

• Proven communication, interpersonal, representation, negotiation, promotion, and diplomacy skills

• Strategic thinker with the ability to quickly develop good insight and understanding of humanitarian, political and human rights situation in the relevant context.

• Proven strong analytical thinker and problem solver

• Experience with technical management of teams

• Experience in providing technical guidance and developing and providing learning activities

• Sound understanding and experience in protection mainstreaming and Age, Gender,and Diversity (AGD) mainstreaming, conflict sensitivity, and Prevention of SexualExploitation and abuse (PSEA)

• Experience in project development (including proposal writing), implementation and MEAL for protection programmes

• Experience in advocacy and policy development, and cluster / working group coordination in the humanitarian sector

• Cultural sensitivity and adaptability

• Ability to manage a high workload and manage stress

Education:

Master's degree in political science, international development, economics or other relevant field

Languages:

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

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.

Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.

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

Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.

Demonstrating integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer

Contract length: 6 months

Band: G1 – Non-Management

Work location: Amman/Ramallah/Jerusalem (with travel to Gaza

Start date: 1st Jan 2026

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for [employees on national/expatriate contracts]; please refer to our website for more details.

Application process

All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English. Applications sent by email will not be considered.

Closing date for applications: 31/10/2025

For more information about the Danish Refugee Council, please visit our website drc.ngo.

Danish Refugee Council is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and positive work environment based on mutual respect for all employees. All applicants are considered for employment regardless of personal characteristics or attributes.