International Rescue Committee (IRC): Social Protection Officer

Position Title: Social Protection Officer
Department: Programs
Sector: Protection
Location: Chisinau, Moldova
Salary Grade: 8B
Type of Employment: Full-Time, 6 months with the possibility of an extension

Background/IRC Summary:
The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, IRC offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in more than 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity, and hope to millions uprooted by conflict or disaster. IRC leads the way from harm to home.
Earlier this year, IRC launched its newest country program in Moldova to respond to the Ukrainian crisis in collaboration with local civil society organizations. With a population of only 2.64 million, Moldova has seen over 600,000 refugees cross its borders in search of safety. While most refugees transit toward Romania and other European countries, the number of nearly 100,000 Ukrainians is expected to increase in the coming months. Given its small size and limited resources, Moldova's capacity is already under strain with pressures on energy supplies and high inflation. The IRC envisages a humanitarian program in Moldova targeting both refugees and Moldovans, with interventions crafted to save lives and relieve humanitarian suffering, with a focus on education, gender-based violence prevention and response, and protection services along with support for integration.
The IRC's protection and education programs in Moldova include programming focused on the support of emergency education, social protection, mental health support, Gender-based violence programs, and systems strengthening, all in line with commitments in the Refugees Crisis Response Plan.

Job Overview/Summary:
We are looking for a Social Protection Officer responsible for the overall coordination and technical support to maintain and expand IRC's social and mental health protection programming in Moldova.

The job holder will own the IRC’s social protection and mental health intervention to ensure program implementation and accountability quality and efficiency, strengthen harmonization between national initiatives and interventions delivered in the field, and ensure timely performance of project activities.

This is a full-time staff position based in Chisinau, Moldova, with occasional travel to the field locations as necessary and reports to the Head of Office.

The SP Officer will focus on the provision of training and capacity building to local MHPSS service providers on issues related to adversity and displacement and work together with team members and local partners to support community-based mechanisms for the improvement of well-being, protection resilience of

those impacted by the events of the war in Ukraine. The Protection Officer will work closely with Education Manager and Program Manager to enhance the quality of data collection by the mobile outreach teams and contribute to the analysis of protection concerns. SP Officer will also contribute to accurate and comprehensive monthly reporting of protection monitoring. SP Officer will be expected to provide technical services in support of the IRC and partner organization's social protection program for vulnerable migrants and refugees to improve the social protection, health, and psychosocial well-being of refugees and the host community

Major Responsibilities: The following are the major responsibilities of the Protection Officer (not extensive):

1. Provide support with:

• Capacity building of the social workers on protection, GBV specialist, mental health specialist, psycho-pedagogical specialists, and parents on how to assist refugees and host communities.
• Ensure technical soundness of the program in social protection while developing an implementation plan and successful delivery of protection activities, including but not limited to social protection monitoring, psychological first aid, GBV, community-based building, awareness raising, and case management.
• Assist in mapping the existing MHPSS, GBV, child protection, child safeguarding services and supports mechanism.
• Adjust and improve the referral mechanism for MHPSS, GBV, child protection, child safeguarding services, and support services.
• Analyze referral outcomes to identify capacity issues and barriers and adjust the referral system accordingly.
• Jointly with CSOs, partner organizations conduct outreach to referring boys and to safe spaces. Develop IEC material and info sessions, brochures, and door-to-door.
• Jointly with Education Manager train teachers, educators, and other school personnel trained by IRC to identify MHPSS and protection concerns.

2. In collaboration with the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer and the Program Manager, and with the support of the GBV & MHPSS and the Protection & Anti-Trafficking TA, design protection monitoring tools and data collection system.
3. In collaboration with the Program Manager, design content for responsive information sessions on a range of topics, including on human rights and refugee law, the benefits of and processes for registering with the UNHCR, available services in the area, how to access them and eligibility criteria, and ensuring that these information sessions respond to the specific needs of various targeted groups;
4. In collaboration with the Program Manager, regularly updates the service mapping and ensures that the mobile teams have access to an updated service mapping.
5. In collaboration with the Program Manager, and with the support of the MHPS Consultant and the Protection & Anti-Trafficking TAs, create a referral system and train the mobile teams on how to safely refer clients both internally and externally;
6. Regularly review and follows up of the action points from protection monitoring and protection activities, including follow up on referrals with service providers made by the outreach teams and in collaboration with CSO and government partners;
7. Contribute to reporting on protection trends from the field on a regular basis;
8. Support identification of protection capacity-building priorities for the outreach teams and partners;
9. Develop and maintain effective working relationships with other INGO, UNHCR, government authorities, and other key stakeholders to ensure active coordination, collaboration, and information dissemination.

Key Working Relationships:
Position Reports to: Head of Office

Job Requirements:
Education:

• At least a graduate degree in social sciences or a related field

Work Experience:

• Social solid protection background and knowledge of refugee context, as well as proven experience in data collection, including the identification and referral of vulnerable cases, counseling and information dissemination;
• Previous experience in report writing and data analysis;
• At least two years of professional experience in a humanitarian setting, preferably with an international organization.
• Previous staff management is preferred.

Demonstrated Skills and Proficiencies:

1. Belief in human rights, including gender equality;
2. Experience with working with vulnerable populations;
3. Demonstrated social protection experience, in particular in terms of data collection and detecting and referring of vulnerable cases as well as information dissemination and individual counseling;
4. Experience with an NGO and/or international organization;
5. Ability to interpret, analyze and synthesize information in a fast-paced environment;
6. Good digital literacy, including MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in Romanian, Russian, and English languages (written and spoken);
• Solid understanding of Ukrainian (written and spoken) will be an asset.

Driving license and experience desirable.

Working hours:

• Monday to Friday, 8 hours per day, 5 days a week
• Occasional evening and weekends on request

Closing date: 31 March 2023, 17.00

Candidates should submit their CV in English here: https://rescue.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/39622?c=rescue

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability.

Disclaimer Clause: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skills, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.