DRC Protection Cluster Co-Coordinator
Job Description
Job Posting Organization:
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading humanitarian organization that has been working to support refugees and displaced persons since its establishment in 195
Job Overview:
The DRC Protection Cluster Co-Coordinator plays a crucial role in leading the protection response in Sudan, working in partnership with UNHCR, the Cluster Lead Agency. This position is responsible for providing strategic and operational coordination to enhance a principled, inclusive, and evidence-based protection response across the country. The Co-Coordinator will elevate the voices of NGOs, particularly national and local actors, and promote the centrality of protection in the humanitarian response. The role involves translating protection risks, community priorities, and response gaps into collective action, advocacy, and resource prioritization. The Co-Coordinator will work closely with various stakeholders, including cluster members, the Strategic Advisory Group (SAG), and relevant thematic groups, to ensure effective coordination and implementation of the protection cluster's workplan.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The Co-Coordinator will co-chair national Protection Cluster and SAG meetings with UNHCR, facilitating participation, documenting decisions, and following up on collective commitments. They will connect national and subnational coordination structures through field missions and mentoring, ensuring timely information exchange and support for decentralized coordination arrangements. The role requires promoting complementarity with Child Protection, Gender-Based Violence, and Mine Action Thematic groups while representing agreed cluster positions in various humanitarian forums. The Co-Coordinator will co-develop and regularly review the Sudan Protection Cluster strategy and workplan, lead technical inputs to the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, and identify critical gaps through field evidence and service mapping. They will also support rapid-onset emergency coordination and liaise with donors to mobilize resources for the joint protection response. Additionally, the Co-Coordinator will provide technical guidance and capacity strengthening for partners, advance protection mainstreaming across sectors, coordinate protection monitoring and analysis, and ensure accountability to affected populations.
Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a postgraduate degree in law" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">international law, social sciences, humanitarian studies, or a related field. A minimum of three years of relevant humanitarian protection experience in complex emergencies is required, along with substantial inter-agency coordination experience, preferably in a Protection Cluster/Sector leadership role. Demonstrated expertise in protection risk analysis, monitoring, and collective advocacy is essential. Candidates should have a strong understanding of IASC/GPC guidance, protection principles, and international humanitarian law. Proven ability to facilitate diverse partnerships and engage senior humanitarian leadership is also necessary.
Educational Background:
The ideal candidate should have a postgraduate degree in a relevant field such as international law, social sciences, or humanitarian studies. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of humanitarian protection and the legal frameworks that govern it.
Experience:
The position requires at least three years of relevant experience in humanitarian protection, particularly in complex emergencies. Candidates should have substantial inter-agency coordination experience, ideally in a leadership role within a Protection Cluster or Sector. Experience in Sudan or a comparable conflict-affected context is strongly desirable, along with field coordination and capacity strengthening experience.
Languages:
Advanced proficiency in written and spoken English is mandatory, while fluency in Arabic is strongly desirable. These language skills are essential for effective communication and coordination with various stakeholders in the humanitarian response.
Additional Notes:
The position offers a one-year contract with the possibility of extension, subject to funding and performance. The salary and conditions are in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for International staff, and the position is graded at Band NM.F. The start date is set for December 2026, and the duty station is in Khartoum, Sudan, with regular field travel required. All applicants must submit a cover letter and updated CV in English via the online application form on the DRC website, and applications will close on 17 November 2026.
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading humanitarian organization that has been working to support refugees and displaced persons since its establishment in 195
- With a mission to protect the rights of displaced populations and provide them with the necessary support to rebuild their lives, DRC operates in over 40 countries worldwide. The organization employs thousands of staff members and collaborates with various partners, including local NGOs, governments, and international agencies, to deliver effective humanitarian assistance. DRC is committed to upholding humanitarian principles and ensuring that the voices of affected communities are heard in decision-making processes.
Job Overview:
The DRC Protection Cluster Co-Coordinator plays a crucial role in leading the protection response in Sudan, working in partnership with UNHCR, the Cluster Lead Agency. This position is responsible for providing strategic and operational coordination to enhance a principled, inclusive, and evidence-based protection response across the country. The Co-Coordinator will elevate the voices of NGOs, particularly national and local actors, and promote the centrality of protection in the humanitarian response. The role involves translating protection risks, community priorities, and response gaps into collective action, advocacy, and resource prioritization. The Co-Coordinator will work closely with various stakeholders, including cluster members, the Strategic Advisory Group (SAG), and relevant thematic groups, to ensure effective coordination and implementation of the protection cluster's workplan.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The Co-Coordinator will co-chair national Protection Cluster and SAG meetings with UNHCR, facilitating participation, documenting decisions, and following up on collective commitments. They will connect national and subnational coordination structures through field missions and mentoring, ensuring timely information exchange and support for decentralized coordination arrangements. The role requires promoting complementarity with Child Protection, Gender-Based Violence, and Mine Action Thematic groups while representing agreed cluster positions in various humanitarian forums. The Co-Coordinator will co-develop and regularly review the Sudan Protection Cluster strategy and workplan, lead technical inputs to the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, and identify critical gaps through field evidence and service mapping. They will also support rapid-onset emergency coordination and liaise with donors to mobilize resources for the joint protection response. Additionally, the Co-Coordinator will provide technical guidance and capacity strengthening for partners, advance protection mainstreaming across sectors, coordinate protection monitoring and analysis, and ensure accountability to affected populations.
Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a postgraduate degree in law" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">international law, social sciences, humanitarian studies, or a related field. A minimum of three years of relevant humanitarian protection experience in complex emergencies is required, along with substantial inter-agency coordination experience, preferably in a Protection Cluster/Sector leadership role. Demonstrated expertise in protection risk analysis, monitoring, and collective advocacy is essential. Candidates should have a strong understanding of IASC/GPC guidance, protection principles, and international humanitarian law. Proven ability to facilitate diverse partnerships and engage senior humanitarian leadership is also necessary.
Educational Background:
The ideal candidate should have a postgraduate degree in a relevant field such as international law, social sciences, or humanitarian studies. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of humanitarian protection and the legal frameworks that govern it.
Experience:
The position requires at least three years of relevant experience in humanitarian protection, particularly in complex emergencies. Candidates should have substantial inter-agency coordination experience, ideally in a leadership role within a Protection Cluster or Sector. Experience in Sudan or a comparable conflict-affected context is strongly desirable, along with field coordination and capacity strengthening experience.
Languages:
Advanced proficiency in written and spoken English is mandatory, while fluency in Arabic is strongly desirable. These language skills are essential for effective communication and coordination with various stakeholders in the humanitarian response.
Additional Notes:
The position offers a one-year contract with the possibility of extension, subject to funding and performance. The salary and conditions are in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for International staff, and the position is graded at Band NM.F. The start date is set for December 2026, and the duty station is in Khartoum, Sudan, with regular field travel required. All applicants must submit a cover letter and updated CV in English via the online application form on the DRC website, and applications will close on 17 November 2026.
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We are not liable for any decisions or actions taken by applicants in response to this job listing. By applying, you agree that all application processes, interviews, and potential job offers are managed exclusively by the listed employer or organization.
Beware of fraudulent job offers. Do not provide sensitive personal information or make any payments to secure a job.