Senior Protection Coordinator
Job Description
Job Posting Organization:
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a prominent international humanitarian non-governmental organization (INGO) founded in 1933 at the behest of Albert Einstein. The IRC operates in over 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities, focusing on restoring health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and empowerment to individuals affected by conflict and disaster. With a mission to help people survive, reclaim control of their futures, and strengthen their communities, the IRC employs a diverse workforce dedicated to making a lasting impact on the lives of millions worldwide. The organization has been actively supporting Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi communities since 2017, providing integrated services in areas such as Cox's Bazar, Khulna, Barisal, and Chittagong, while also addressing the impacts of climate change through resilience-building and economic recovery initiatives.
Job Overview:
The Senior Protection Coordinator will play a pivotal role in leading protection programming in Cox’s Bazar, providing strategic and technical leadership to ensure the timely implementation of project activities. This position involves representing IRC Bangladesh in the Protection Cluster and related forums, as well as supporting business development, donor engagement, and proposal development. The coordinator will work closely with multi-functional teams, including program, advocacy, communication, MEAL, and operations, to deliver high-quality protection outcomes. The role encompasses overall responsibility for supervising and supporting the Protection program teams, which include Women Protection and Empowerment (WPE), Child Protection (CP), and Protection and Rule of Law (PRoL). The Senior Protection Coordinator will ensure program results delivery, quality, impact, and sustainability, making this a critical position within the organization.
Duties and Responsibilities:
A. Strategic Leadership and Program Management: The Senior Protection Coordinator will provide strategic direction and technical oversight for the organization’s protection programming in Cox’s Bazar. Responsibilities include effective planning, implementation, and monitoring of protection activities in alignment with project Theory of Change (ToC), goals, objectives, quality standards, organizational policies, and donor requirements. The coordinator will lead the development and execution of work plans, spending plans, procurement plans, and activity tracking to ensure timely and quality project delivery. They will support adaptive programming by identifying implementation challenges, risks, and opportunities, proposing practical solutions, and ensuring the mainstreaming of protection principles, accountability, safeguarding, gender, inclusion, and conflict sensitivity across program implementation. Regular field monitoring, technical support, and mentoring of team members will be essential to strengthen program quality.
B. Business Development and Resource Mobilization: The coordinator will identify strategic funding opportunities that align with the organization’s protection priorities and field realities. In collaboration with the Senior Grants and Partnership Coordinator, they will contribute to business development efforts, including needs analysis, concept note development, proposal writing, budget input, and donor reporting. The coordinator will support the development of high-quality program documents, research, assessments, case studies, and evidence to enhance fundraising efforts and work with Partnerships and senior management to position the organization for future protection funding opportunities.
C. Coordination with Multi-Functional Teams: The Senior Protection Coordinator will ensure regular collaboration and communication with other units and functions, including Health, Education, Economic Recovery and Development, and other programs, to ensure integrated programming components are functional and grounded in best practices across sectors. They will facilitate integrated planning and implementation across functions to maximize program impact and operational efficiency, coordinate internal review meetings, track progress, and follow up on actions with relevant teams. Collaboration with Advocacy and Communications teams will be necessary to develop key messages, case studies, briefing notes, and visibility materials related to protection work, ensuring that program evidence and learning inform advocacy priorities and communication outputs.
D. Representation and External Engagement: The coordinator will represent the organization in the Protection Cluster, working groups, sub-sector meetings, inter-agency coordination platforms, and other relevant forums. They will maintain strong professional relationships with government authorities, UN agencies, NGOs, donors, community leaders, and other stakeholders, actively contributing to sector discussions, technical initiatives, and coordination efforts to influence protection priorities and response strategies. The coordinator will ensure that the organization’s position, achievements, and concerns are effectively communicated in external forums and ensure IRC’s active contribution in all coordination forums at the local level.
E. Team Leadership and Capacity Building: The Senior Protection Coordinator will provide day-to-day technical guidance and coordination support to protection team leaders, including the WPE Coordinator, CP Coordinator, and PROL Coordinator. They will coach, train, and mentor protection team members to strengthen their technical capacity, facilitate knowledge exchange within the team, and provide professional development guidance, ensuring that capacity development plans are in place for all protection teams. Fostering a collaborative, accountable, and inclusive team environment will be essential, along with supporting recruitment, performance management, coaching, and professional development of team members where applicable.
F. Others: The coordinator will promote and actively participate in initiatives and efforts to build team engagement, inclusion, and cohesion within IRC Bangladesh, fostering ongoing learning, honest dialogue, and reflection to strengthen safeguarding and promote IRC values and adherence to IRC policies.
Required Qualifications:
The ideal candidate for the Senior Protection Coordinator position will possess a Bachelor's degree in international development, law, human rights, or a related field, with a Master's degree preferred. A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in managing protection programs in humanitarian response settings is required, with specific experience in protection programming in emergency or post-conflict environments, adhering to strict security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security protocols. Candidates should have at least 3-5 years of experience in a senior coordination, managerial, or technical leadership role, with demonstrated experience in the Cox’s Bazar/Rohingya response or similar complex humanitarian settings being highly preferred. Proven experience in Protection Cluster representation, inter-agency coordination, and stakeholder engagement is essential, along with strong experience in business development, including proposal writing, donor engagement, and design" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">program design. Experience working with multi-functional teams, including advocacy, communications, MEAL, and operations, is also necessary, as is a demonstrated track record in managing project implementation and ensuring timely delivery against targets.
Educational Background:
Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree in international development, law, human rights, or a related field. A Master's degree is preferred, indicating a higher level of education and expertise in relevant areas that would benefit the role.
Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 10 years of professional experience in managing protection programs within humanitarian response contexts. Candidates should have specific experience in protection programming in emergency or post-conflict settings, with strict adherence to security protocols. Additionally, at least 3-5 years of experience in a senior coordination, managerial, or technical leadership role is necessary, along with demonstrated experience in the Cox’s Bazar/Rohingya response or similar complex humanitarian settings being highly preferred.
Languages:
The mandatory language for this position is English, with excellent writing and communication skills required. Proficiency in additional languages may be considered beneficial but is not explicitly stated as a requirement.
Additional Notes:
The position will be based in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, and may require regular travel to field locations within the district and other areas as required by program needs. The role adheres to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – the organization's Code of Conduct, which emphasizes Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality. The IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding (including PSEAH, Adult Safeguarding, and Child Safeguarding), Anti-workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a prominent international humanitarian non-governmental organization (INGO) founded in 1933 at the behest of Albert Einstein. The IRC operates in over 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities, focusing on restoring health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and empowerment to individuals affected by conflict and disaster. With a mission to help people survive, reclaim control of their futures, and strengthen their communities, the IRC employs a diverse workforce dedicated to making a lasting impact on the lives of millions worldwide. The organization has been actively supporting Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi communities since 2017, providing integrated services in areas such as Cox's Bazar, Khulna, Barisal, and Chittagong, while also addressing the impacts of climate change through resilience-building and economic recovery initiatives.
Job Overview:
The Senior Protection Coordinator will play a pivotal role in leading protection programming in Cox’s Bazar, providing strategic and technical leadership to ensure the timely implementation of project activities. This position involves representing IRC Bangladesh in the Protection Cluster and related forums, as well as supporting business development, donor engagement, and proposal development. The coordinator will work closely with multi-functional teams, including program, advocacy, communication, MEAL, and operations, to deliver high-quality protection outcomes. The role encompasses overall responsibility for supervising and supporting the Protection program teams, which include Women Protection and Empowerment (WPE), Child Protection (CP), and Protection and Rule of Law (PRoL). The Senior Protection Coordinator will ensure program results delivery, quality, impact, and sustainability, making this a critical position within the organization.
Duties and Responsibilities:
A. Strategic Leadership and Program Management: The Senior Protection Coordinator will provide strategic direction and technical oversight for the organization’s protection programming in Cox’s Bazar. Responsibilities include effective planning, implementation, and monitoring of protection activities in alignment with project Theory of Change (ToC), goals, objectives, quality standards, organizational policies, and donor requirements. The coordinator will lead the development and execution of work plans, spending plans, procurement plans, and activity tracking to ensure timely and quality project delivery. They will support adaptive programming by identifying implementation challenges, risks, and opportunities, proposing practical solutions, and ensuring the mainstreaming of protection principles, accountability, safeguarding, gender, inclusion, and conflict sensitivity across program implementation. Regular field monitoring, technical support, and mentoring of team members will be essential to strengthen program quality.
B. Business Development and Resource Mobilization: The coordinator will identify strategic funding opportunities that align with the organization’s protection priorities and field realities. In collaboration with the Senior Grants and Partnership Coordinator, they will contribute to business development efforts, including needs analysis, concept note development, proposal writing, budget input, and donor reporting. The coordinator will support the development of high-quality program documents, research, assessments, case studies, and evidence to enhance fundraising efforts and work with Partnerships and senior management to position the organization for future protection funding opportunities.
C. Coordination with Multi-Functional Teams: The Senior Protection Coordinator will ensure regular collaboration and communication with other units and functions, including Health, Education, Economic Recovery and Development, and other programs, to ensure integrated programming components are functional and grounded in best practices across sectors. They will facilitate integrated planning and implementation across functions to maximize program impact and operational efficiency, coordinate internal review meetings, track progress, and follow up on actions with relevant teams. Collaboration with Advocacy and Communications teams will be necessary to develop key messages, case studies, briefing notes, and visibility materials related to protection work, ensuring that program evidence and learning inform advocacy priorities and communication outputs.
D. Representation and External Engagement: The coordinator will represent the organization in the Protection Cluster, working groups, sub-sector meetings, inter-agency coordination platforms, and other relevant forums. They will maintain strong professional relationships with government authorities, UN agencies, NGOs, donors, community leaders, and other stakeholders, actively contributing to sector discussions, technical initiatives, and coordination efforts to influence protection priorities and response strategies. The coordinator will ensure that the organization’s position, achievements, and concerns are effectively communicated in external forums and ensure IRC’s active contribution in all coordination forums at the local level.
E. Team Leadership and Capacity Building: The Senior Protection Coordinator will provide day-to-day technical guidance and coordination support to protection team leaders, including the WPE Coordinator, CP Coordinator, and PROL Coordinator. They will coach, train, and mentor protection team members to strengthen their technical capacity, facilitate knowledge exchange within the team, and provide professional development guidance, ensuring that capacity development plans are in place for all protection teams. Fostering a collaborative, accountable, and inclusive team environment will be essential, along with supporting recruitment, performance management, coaching, and professional development of team members where applicable.
F. Others: The coordinator will promote and actively participate in initiatives and efforts to build team engagement, inclusion, and cohesion within IRC Bangladesh, fostering ongoing learning, honest dialogue, and reflection to strengthen safeguarding and promote IRC values and adherence to IRC policies.
Required Qualifications:
The ideal candidate for the Senior Protection Coordinator position will possess a Bachelor's degree in international development, law, human rights, or a related field, with a Master's degree preferred. A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in managing protection programs in humanitarian response settings is required, with specific experience in protection programming in emergency or post-conflict environments, adhering to strict security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security protocols. Candidates should have at least 3-5 years of experience in a senior coordination, managerial, or technical leadership role, with demonstrated experience in the Cox’s Bazar/Rohingya response or similar complex humanitarian settings being highly preferred. Proven experience in Protection Cluster representation, inter-agency coordination, and stakeholder engagement is essential, along with strong experience in business development, including proposal writing, donor engagement, and design" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">program design. Experience working with multi-functional teams, including advocacy, communications, MEAL, and operations, is also necessary, as is a demonstrated track record in managing project implementation and ensuring timely delivery against targets.
Educational Background:
Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree in international development, law, human rights, or a related field. A Master's degree is preferred, indicating a higher level of education and expertise in relevant areas that would benefit the role.
Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 10 years of professional experience in managing protection programs within humanitarian response contexts. Candidates should have specific experience in protection programming in emergency or post-conflict settings, with strict adherence to security protocols. Additionally, at least 3-5 years of experience in a senior coordination, managerial, or technical leadership role is necessary, along with demonstrated experience in the Cox’s Bazar/Rohingya response or similar complex humanitarian settings being highly preferred.
Languages:
The mandatory language for this position is English, with excellent writing and communication skills required. Proficiency in additional languages may be considered beneficial but is not explicitly stated as a requirement.
Additional Notes:
The position will be based in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, and may require regular travel to field locations within the district and other areas as required by program needs. The role adheres to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – the organization's Code of Conduct, which emphasizes Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality. The IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding (including PSEAH, Adult Safeguarding, and Child Safeguarding), Anti-workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.
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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.