Description

BACKGROUND:

Global Support and Development (GSD) is a humanitarian organization whose mission is to rapidly respond to disasters in collaboration with at-risk communities and support them to prepare for future disasters. We value collaboration and seek opportunities to amplify the work of others in-country, both in preparation for and in response to disasters. By integrating our team’s diverse skill sets and resources into local responses, we are able to provide rapid response assistance to affected communities in coordination with regional and country-level partners. We also work to build local capacity through community-led preparedness initiatives. GSD’s priority Area of Engagement is currently Latin American and Caribbean, with targeted support to the South Pacific (and expected future increase in operations for 2024 and beyond).

PURPOSE OF POSITION:

The Humanitarian Protection Advisor is responsible for leading, developing, and advising on the organization’s internal and external protection policies and processes with a special focus on engaging with the communities GSD serves. This role will provide technical advice and support across a range of organizational elements to include disaster response issues, community feedback mechanisms, risk, partnership engagement, assessments, and analysis, resulting in high-quality programming informed by sector principles, standards, and best practices.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Develop, implement, and execute plans, processes, and projects in support of organization strategy, maximizing efficient use of resources and ensuring shared vision;
Direct critical decision-making processes, to include identifying issues and driving problem-solving, especially in resource-constrained and time-sensitive contexts;
Develop and monitor KPIs and other metrics, implementing continuous improvement initiatives to enhance performance;
Provide expert technical, policy, and procedural recommendations on all issues related to dignity, access, safety, and equity in aid;
Ensure programming is inclusive of all communities and their needs, taking a dignified approach to humanitarian aid across the organization and applying the principle of "do no harm" throughout engagements;
Support internal capacity strengthening and programmatic protection mainstreaming to address risks of violence, discrimination, and exclusion in preparedness and response engagements;
Advise on protection mainstreaming in rapid needs assessment methodology, tools, data analysis and response design, ensuring assessments are inclusive and participatory, and that reports amplify voices of the whole community;
Identify, pursue, and develop opportunities to disseminate communication materials related to safety and protection;
Develop localized referral pathways and relationships with specialized protection service providers;
Prompt and action GSD’s core values of accountability, humility, and integrity in all work we conduct;
Promote good stewardship of financial and other resources to achieve maximum benefit to those impacted by disaster or at risk of impact; and
Perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required Experience:

Seven (7) or more years of relevant management experience in protection policy issues, including protection of affected populations, durable solutions, advocacy, and / or policy in the humanitarian sector, including at the global level;

Five (5) or more years experience implementing protection programming in an international context;
Proven experience developing programs and teams;

Experience in conducting assessments, developing technical tools and materials, developing monitoring and evaluation tools, and strategy development;
Experience with humanitarian coordination mechanisms and ability to work constructively, collaboratively, and professionally with stakeholders from a variety of different organizations and perspectives;
Experience in participatory approaches to protection and/or gender mainstreaming;
Experience with adult learning techniques including delivering trainings in Protection topics in multicultural groups;
Experience with partnership building in a range of diverse international settings.

Required Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, Social Work, International Development or related field is required. Master’s degree is preferred.

Professional Licenses/Certifications:

Certification in project management is desired.

Knowledge/Skills:

Proven ability to lead and motivate teams to produce quality results within challenging timeframes and ongoing change;
Program oversight and management, development of programmatic policy, procedure, and guidelines;
Ability to coordinate multiple projects simultaneously with rigid deadlines;
Confident and effective written and verbal communication, to include presentation ability;
Strategic, analytical, problem-solving and systems thinking skills with capacity to see the big picture and make sound judgment;
Proactive, resourceful and results-oriented;
Ability to sensitively work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and demonstrate a high level of respect for local cultures;
Knowledge of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) as it relates to protection, and international protection standards;
Knowledge of UN dynamics, systems, structures, and processes, including the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), and the Global Protection Cluster;
Knowledge of concepts, approaches and application of safeguarding and PSEA policies and best practices;
Strong organizational skills and the ability to rapidly shift tasks;
Experience working or traveling domestically and internationally; and
Bilingual proficiency in English / Spanish or English / French required.

WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

At this time, GSD is not offering sponsorship and is only accepting applications from persons eligible to work in the United States.
GSD supports U.S.-based remote work on a limited basis.
Routine domestic and international travel up to 30% is required.