Protection Cluster Co-Coordinator

Overall purpose of the role

DRC co-leads the Sudan Protection Cluster in partnership with UNHCR, the Cluster Lead Agency, in line with Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) and Global Protection Cluster (GPC) standards. The Co-Coordinator provides strategic and operational coordination to strengthen a principled, inclusive and evidence-based protection response across Sudan; elevate the voices of NGOs, particularly national and local actors; promote the centrality of protection across the humanitarian response; and translate protection risks, community priorities and response gaps into collective action, advocacy and resource prioritisation.

Responsibilities

Working jointly with the UNHCR Protection Cluster Coordinator and in consultation with cluster members, the Strategic Advisory Group (SAG), subnational structures and relevant Thematic group, the Co-Coordinator delivers the cluster’s agreed functions and workplan. The position complements UNHCR’s formal Cluster Lead Agency accountabilities while providing independent and meaningful NGO co-leadership.

Protection Cluster Meetings, Information Exchange and Representation

• Co-chair national Protection Cluster and SAG meetings with UNHCR; agree priorities, facilitate participation, document decisions and follow up on collective commitments.
• Connect national and subnational coordination structures through field missions, mentoring, timely information exchange and support to decentralised or area-based coordination arrangements.
• Promote complementarity with Child Protection, Gender-Based Violence and Mine Action Thematic groups and relevant housing, land and property (HLP) mechanisms, respecting their respective technical mandates.
• Represent agreed cluster positions in the Inter-Cluster Coordination Group (ICCG), relevant Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) engagements, donor dialogues, NGO fora and inter-agency initiatives.
• Maintain constructive coordination with OCHA, UN agencies, NGOs, community-based and women-led organisations, relevant authorities and other sectors, upholding neutrality and humanitarian principles.

Strategic Planning and Reporting

• Co-develop and regularly review the Sudan Protection Cluster strategy, workplan and contingency plans with UNHCR, the SAG, Thematic groups and partners, based on evolving conflict, displacement and access trends.
• Lead technical inputs to the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP): protection needs, severity and people-in-need analysis, prioritisation, objectives, indicators, targets and financial requirements.
• Identify critical gaps, duplication and underserved locations through field evidence, service mapping, partner reporting and response-monitoring data; support coordinated corrective action.
• Support rapid-onset emergency coordination, field assessments, preparedness and integrated/mobile protection response approaches, with clear referral and operational linkages.

• Liaise with donors to mobilize resources for the joint protection response and update donors on protection cluster priorities and needs
• Contribute to the HCT centrality of protection agenda and to evidence-based inter-cluster priorities, advocacy, periodic situation reporting and response performance reviews.

Capacity Building, Trainings and Promotion of Protection Mainstreaming

• Provide technical guidance and capacity strengthening for partners and subnational coordinators on protection standards, risk analysis, safe referrals, protection monitoring and operational guidance/SOPs.
• Advance protection mainstreaming across sectors, including safe and equitable access, dignity, do no harm, GBV risk mitigation, child safeguarding, PSEA, accountability and age, gender and disability inclusion.
• Promote meaningful participation and leadership of national/local NGOs, women-led and community-based organisations; strengthen inclusive decision-making and locally led responses.
• Support harmonised technical guidance on cash for protection, coordinated mobile responses, safe referrals and other agreed protection interventions.

Protection Tools and Protection Information Analysis

• Coordinate harmonised protection monitoring, key informant interviews, field assessments and the Protection Analytical Framework; oversee analysis of protection risks, geographic severity, access constraints and emerging threats.
• Produce or coordinate Protection Analysis Updates, protection alerts, advocacy briefs, needs/gap analyses, and other timely, action-oriented information products for humanitarian decision-makers.
• Facilitate evidence-based collective protection advocacy on attacks against civilians, unsafe displacement and return, movement restrictions, violence, discrimination and denial of essential services.
• Work with information-management colleagues and Thematic groups to maintain reliable 5W/service-mapping, referral, response-monitoring and severity-analysis tools, with appropriate validation and disaggregation.
• Apply data responsibility, confidentiality, informed consent and survivor-centred standards; prevent unsafe collection or disclosure of sensitive individual protection data.

• Support the leading of Protection Information Management (PIM) systems to identify and address field-based protection concerns through state-level clusters and partner organisations

Promote and Support Accountability to Affected Populations

• Ensure affected people, including IDPs, returnees, host communities and persons at heightened risk, inform protection analysis, priorities, response design and feedback processes.
• Strengthen safe, confidential and accessible referral pathways and community feedback mechanisms, and encourage coordinated action on gaps and barriers to services.
• Promote adherence to humanitarian principles, international humanitarian and human rights law, safeguarding, PSEA and protection-sensitive approaches to movement, return and durable solutions.

Qualifications, Experience and Technical Competencies

• Postgraduate degree in international law, social sciences, humanitarian studies or a related field.
• At least three years of relevant humanitarian protection experience in complex emergencies; substantial inter-agency coordination experience, preferably in a Protection Cluster/Sector leadership role.
• Demonstrated expertise in protection risk analysis, monitoring, the humanitarian programme cycle, preparedness, coordination and collective advocacy.
• Strong understanding of IASC/GPC guidance, Thematic group mandates, protection principles, international humanitarian/human rights law and safe information management.
• Sound understanding of humanitarian coordination, funding, and leadership mechanisms, as well as experience in working with protection cluster coordination
• Proven ability to facilitate diverse partnerships, engage senior humanitarian leadership/donors, and draft concise, high-quality strategic and analytical products.
• Excellent understanding of protection issues in emergency and displacement situations, detailed knowledge of humanitarian principles, guidelines for humanitarian assistance, and relevant international legal frameworks
• Experience in Sudan or a comparable conflict-affected context, with field coordination, localisation and capacity strengthening, is strongly desirable.
• Excellent advocacy and representation skills including the ability to develop strong interpersonal relationships to facilitate communication within the cluster

Languages:

• Advanced Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Fluency in Arabic is strongly desireable

About you

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’s five core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
• Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: Upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

Conditions

Contract:          One-year contract with possibility of extension, subject to funding and performance. Salary and conditions in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for International staff.  This position is graded at Band NM.F

Start Date:        December 2026

Duty Station:     Khartoum, Sudan (with regular field travel)

Reports to:        Country Director

Application and CV

All applicants must submit a cover letter and updated CV in English via our online application form

on www.drc.ngo under Vacancies

Applications close on 17 November 2026.

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