Greece: Protection, Gender and Inclusion Officer- National Greek Contract

General:

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization with 190-member National Societies. It is guided by its Strategy 2020 which voices our collective vision and determination to move forward in tackling the major challenges that confront humanity in the present decade.

According to the Greek government, as of July 2017, some 42,000 migrants are stranded in Greece, housed in camps across the country as well as in apartments rented by humanitarian agencies. Following the EU-Turkey readmission agreement of March 20 2016, there was a sharp decrease in the number of arrivals from Turkey, although this number has slowly increased since May 2017. Many have been stranded on the Greek islands for lengthy periods, where they face poor living conditions, violence and overcrowding.

On the mainland, the precarious situation in some of the camps, in relation to services, security and overall protection, is also a matter of concern for the Red Cross, particularly for specific vulnerable groups such as unaccompanied minors, unregistered people, and single parents. This is particularly so since the move from camps to urban environments has decreased immediate visibility of protection issues, and access of humanitarian agencies to vulnerable people – this will continue to be an issue of concern as the transition of responsibility to the Greek government continues into 2018, with the withdrawal and/or draw down of many of the international actors formally mandated to address protection concerns. While IFRC is not on the Greek islands, protection concerns there remains worrying.

The Hellenic Red Cross is in need of targeted capacity building and support to address significant and ingrained protection issues across its areas of programming. This position will have particular responsibility for addressing systemic gaps in child protection policy and practice within the Hellenic Red Cross, with support from HRC senior management.
The position is located in the Athens to provide technical support regarding protection measures in all areas of the operation on behalf of the IFRC, in collaboration with the Hellenic Red Cross and the ICRC, and to conduct trainings of Red Cross staff and volunteers.

Job Purpose:

(Please note that this is Not an exhaustive List. There are other duties and responsibilities not mentioned in this Job Advertisement).

Reporting to the IFRC Programme Coordinator, the incumbent is responsible for supporting the Hellenic Red Cross (HRC) and IFRC staff to ensure that protection considerations are in place in all areas of the operation and that needed operational tools are developed or refined to address the protection needs of all vulnerable people in Greece.

The Protection officer is to actively support the work of the Red Cross Working Group on Protection to ensure that it achieves the agreed outcomes and the objectives of ensuring a coordinated, coherent and effective response by the RC to the protection needs of vulnerable people in Greece. Expected start date of candidate is Mid February 2018.

Support the HRC on Movement Coordination (general responsibilities)

· Act as the IFRC/HRC focal point for protection

· Co-operate and coordinate activities with the ICRC delegation in Athens, by actively contributing to the work of the Red Cross Movement Protection Working Group

· Maintain close contact with and support to identified Red Cross focal points and reference groups (HRC/PNS) for protection at site level

· Support the collection and analysis of protection information, in view of advocacy activities with central authorities

· Assist in increasing internal awareness and capacity of Movement partners in Greece to better understand and assess the main protection issues faced by vulnerable people in Greece

· Assist in assessing overall conditions for migrants in camps and the urban environment in Thessaloniki and Athens, based on the Sphere standards and EU-law regarding reception conditions, and in line with agreed minimum standards for protection

· Keep abreast of the protection situation of vulnerable people in Greece and protection needs to identify relevant interventions

· Analyse and provide updates to IFRC management on any important development and new trends in the general migration situation in Greece such as relocations from Greece to European Member States, Dublin returns to Greece, transfers of migrants from the Greek Islands to mainland Greece and returns to Turkey and the humanitarian situation for migrants on the islands in coordination with the regional coordinators

· Support protection related advocacy initiatives undertaken by the Movement at all levels

Support the HRC and the other RC actors on external co-ordination

· Attend and provide updates from any relevant protection working group meetings such as the UNHCR national level protection meetings in Athens, the Attica regional protection meeting and the legal actors working group as far as possible

· Liaise as needed with key protection actors- in particular: legal aid providers and service providers in the urban setting,

· Maintain a regular dialogue with other NS and IFRC counterparts on protection matters and attend regional efforts such as workshops and trainings

Technical support and capacity building

· Lead (with support from child protection technical specialists as available) the process of drafting, consulting and validating a Child Protection Policy for Hellenic Red Cross.

· Recruit, train and support a Child Protection Reference Group within Hellenic Red Cross.

· Review HRC and IFRC data collection and storage protocols; make recommendations in line with protection principles.

· Organize and conduct trainings in basic protection standards and guidelines for protection work for staff and volunteers together with the ICRC

· Contribute to specialized trainings in SGBV, Gender and Diversity, and Child Protection organised by IFRC counterparts

· Provide technical advice, guidelines and operational procedures, common standards and reporting templates, or any other operational tool as needed to better answer protection needs of migrants

· Conduct monitoring at program sites

· Support program leads in mainstreaming protection considerations into specific programs, such as Health, PSS, CEA, CTP and Restoring Family Links and others

· Provide technical support to the Multi-Functional Centres (MFCs) in Athens and Thessaloniki to ensure that protection considerations are adequately addressed

· Develop a protection roadmap for Hellenic Red Cross for the years 2018-2020, to outline key steps and goals for the National Society

Duties Applicable to All Staff

· Actively work towards the achievement of the needed goals of the organization.

· Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross/Red Crescent principles.

· Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager.

Qualifications and Work Experience:

Required:

· Relevant university degree or equivalent qualification

· Minimum of 3 years relevant work experience in the field of protection, human rights issues or refugee law

· Field experience

· Experience of working in Greece, preferably in the field of migration

Preferred:

· Minimum of 2 years international work experience e.g. with an International Organisation, international non-governmental organization, NGO and/or government development agency.

· Basic Delegates Training Course or IMPACT. FACT, ERU, RDRT training or equivalent knowledge

Knowledge and Skills:**

Required:

· Knowledge of Greek migration system (legislation, actors and asylum procedures)

· Understanding of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including the mandate of each component of the Movement and the Fundamental Principles

· Proven Training Skills

· Excellent cooperation skills

· Ability to work well independently

· Strong analytical and reporting skills

· Ability to work well in a multicultural team

· Demonstrated accountability

Languages:

· Essential: Fluently spoken and written English and Greek

· Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic)

· Other languages: Farsi, Kurdish

Competencies:

Respect for diversity, Accountability, Professionalism

Integrity, Teamwork, Flexibility and adaptability, Building Trust

Interested candidates should send English CV and Cover letter to the following e-mail address: hr.greece@ifrc.org Please mention the Position Title in the subject of the e-mail.

Please note that this is a National Position, Greek Language Skills are Essential.

First contract is for Two Months period as Probation, the full duration will be till 31.12.2018.

Only shortlisted Candidates will be contacted. All CVs will be treated with strict confidentiality.