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The Manager will ensure that all interventions, including support to Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS), community outreach, and engagement, adhere to a rights-based, and survivor-centered approach that prioritizes the dignity and safety of affected populations, especially women, girls, children and other vulnerable groups. The Manager will provide leadership in staff supervision, capacity building, program implementation, and technical support, while promoting ethical data collection, accountability, and evidence-based programming.
She will provide technical and line management and oversight to the field-based protection staff. The Protection Manager will also be the focal point for IRC’s GBV program through relevant program Officers and Caseworkers responsible for case management, psychosocial support, and referrals to survivors of GBV within the areas of operation.
The role reports to the Program Coordinator in the field and includes technical collaboration and consultation with the Protection Technical Coordinator
Key Roles and Responsibilities
Program Management
- Ensure the visibility of all protection components—WPE/GBV, Child Protection, and Protection and Rule of Law, and manage staff performance in line with IRC practices and policies.
- Provide leadership to the protection team and oversee timely implementation of workplans and activities.
- Support staff and partners through regular training and coaching on GBV, Child Protection, and protection principles.
- Ensure all interventions follow best practices, including survivor-centered and child-safe approaches.
- Oversee adolescent girls’ and women’s empowerment programs, including WGSS activities and sustainable, community-led models.
- Lead GBV and protection assessments to inform program design and adjustments.
- Implement IRC’s protection strategies and ensure protection principles are integrated across all sectors.
- Strengthen referral pathways to ensure timely, safe access to services for survivors, children, and vulnerable groups.
- Build and maintain strong partnerships with protection actors, local authorities, and community structures.
Grant Management
- Ensure strong monitoring systems are in place to track progress and inform program improvements.
- Manage all protection grants, including GBV and Child Protection, in line with IRC policies and donor requirements.
- Prepare and regularly update detailed workplans, spending plans, and procurement plans for each project.
- Participate actively in grant opening, review, and closing meetings to support quality implementation.
- Lead the drafting of donor reports and ensure all internal and external reporting is timely and of high quality.
- Collaborate with the Protection Technical Coordinator, DDP, Grants Unit, and HQ technical teams to develop proposals and budgets.
Capacity building
- Lead the design and implementation of staff training plans for both national and refugee teams.
- Provide technical support on GBV training, including basic counseling, Clinical Care for Sexual Assault Survivors (CCSAS), and core GBV concepts and tools.
- Support training for community members, service providers, and partners to strengthen GBV knowledge and response.
- Work closely with managers from Health, WASH, Nutrition, Protection, and ERD to ensure staff are equipped to support survivors appropriately.
- Mentor protection staff, especially GBV officers, to strengthen their skills in reporting, data analysis, and proposal development.
- Provide ongoing capacity building to the WPE team and partners to improve their ability to deliver effective, gender- and context-sensitive GBV prevention and response services.
Coordination and Networking
- Work with partners, government, and other NGOs and UN agencies to establish appropriate systems to ensure survivors can access services in a timely and confidential manner.
- Develop and maintain effective working relationships with all stakeholders– including community leaders, NGOs, UN agencies, and other IRC team members to enhance multi-agency and multi sectoral cooperation and coordination.
- Participate in County level coordination meetings to represent the program ensuring GBV response and prevention is incorporated into other sectors and humanitarian activities, through training, advocacy and other mentoring or support.
- Develop and maintain effective working relationships with relevant stakeholders including key implementing partners and community leaders. Regularly attend GBV sub-cluster meetings in the field as well as other cluster meetings as appropriate
- Lead on the development of advocacy materials and campaigns at the camp, county, and national level to ensure the needs of women and girls are addressed in the County.
Partnership
- Coordinate regular review meetings with implementing partners involved in GBV, Child Protection, and general protection programming.
- Oversee the sharing of technical expertise, tools, and best practices on GBV prevention and response, child protection, and protection mainstreaming.
- Organize and lead coordination meetings with protection partners, community leaders, and relevant working groups to strengthen collaboration and improve service delivery.
Administration
- Support the recruitment of national staff in coordination with the Human Resources Department and the Protection Technical Coordinator, ensuring updated job descriptions, structured interviews, and thorough onboarding for all new staff.
- Supervise GBV, Child Protection, and general protection staff, as well as interns, volunteers, and consultants, as needed.
- Ensure regular implementation of the Performance Management System, including timely reviews and documentation.
- Oversee submission of payrolls, cash forecasts, purchase requests, and manage inventory and assets effectively.
- Recommend and implement capacity-building plans that address staff development needs across GBV, Child Protection, and protection mainstreaming.
- Ensure that all protection staff understand and follow IRC and donor policies and procedures, including safeguarding and ethical standards.
Others
- Perform any other duties as assigned by the supervisor to support protection program goals.
- Adhere to IRC’s Code of Conduct, operational policies, and protection standards, including those specific to GBV and Child Protection.
- Promote and uphold IRC’s core values of integrity, accountability, and service in all areas of work.
- Regularly monitor the safety and security of the protection team, including WPE, Child Protection, and other staff, and report any concerns to IRC security personnel promptly.
Key Result Areas
The Kenya Protection program goal is to enhance survivors’ utilization of quality services responsive to their needs and strengthen community-based structures and solutions to better protect women and girls, and promote their empowerment to access opportunities, services, and support. The GBV Manager will coordinate the team towards achieving the following program objectives.
- To improve survivors’ access to timely, holistic, and quality case management
- Strengthened engagement with communities to act in the best interests of women and girls.
- Invest in social and economic opportunities for women and girls to promote their wellbeing.
- Leverage partnerships and experience to advocate for priorities of women and girls.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in social sciences, humanities, social work, psychology, gender Studies, or a related field. A Master’s degree in a relevant field is an added advantage.
- Minimum of 5 years of protection programming experience, with at least 3 years specifically dedicated to women’s protection and empowerment, addressing GBV prevention and response, child Protection, or protection mainstreaming in humanitarian settings.
Required Experience & Competencies:
- Experience working with refugees, asylum seekers, or internally displaced persons (IDPs) is highly desirable.
- Strong understanding of international protection principles, inter-agency guidelines, and minimum standards (e.g., GBVIMS, CPMS, SPHERE etc).
- Ability to live and work under pressure in an unstable security environment.
- Strong interpersonal and team-building skills, with a proven ability to work effectively in challenging and insecure environments.
- Previous experience in community education and training, especially related to women’s rights, gender equality, and GBV prevention.
- Track record in developing and writing proposals, preferably in the context of women’s protection and empowerment.
