Protection Coordinator | DRC Kenya (Nairobi)

Danish Refugee Council (DRC – Danish Refugee Council) is recruiting a Protection Coordinator in Nairobi, Kenya to lead high-quality humanitarian protection programming for refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), host communities, and vulnerable populations.

This senior humanitarian leadership role is ideal for professionals experienced in refugee protection, humanitarian program management, child protection, GBV prevention and response, human rights advocacy, case management, durable solutions, and protection mainstreaming.

The successful candidate will provide strategic and technical oversight of DRC’s protection portfolio across Kenya while strengthening humanitarian response systems, advocacy initiatives, staff development, and cross-sector collaboration.

Protection Coordinator – DRC Kenya (Nairobi)

Job Overview

The Protection Coordinator serves as the country-level technical lead for protection programming and will oversee the implementation, quality assurance, and development of protection interventions across DRC’s operations in Kenya.

The role focuses on protection monitoring, humanitarian coordination, refugee rights, gender-based violence (GBV), child protection, case management systems, advocacy strategy, protection information management (PIM), and safeguarding vulnerable populations.

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Job Title

Protection Coordinator

Organization

Danish Refugee Council (DRC)

Job Location

Nairobi, Kenya

Employment Type

Full-Time

Contract Duration

One-Year Contract (Renewable Based on Funding & Performance)

Expected Start Date

June 2027

Job Description (Key Duties & Responsibilities)

Protection Technical Leadership

The Protection Coordinator will:

• Lead country-level protection analysis, strategy development, and implementation
• Provide technical leadership for refugee protection, child protection, and GBV programming
• Ensure integration of Age, Gender, and Diversity Mainstreaming (AGDM) across protection interventions
• Develop and harmonize protection tools, SOPs, policies, and guidelines
• Support protection mainstreaming across other humanitarian sectors

Technical Supervision & Team Management

• Supervise protection managers and field teams technically
• Support recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and technical mentorship of staff
• Identify technical capacity gaps and implement staff training plans
• Provide ongoing technical guidance to humanitarian teams and partners

Program Development & Quality Assurance

• Oversee implementation of protection programs, project indicators, and budgets
• Participate in grant opening, review, and close-out meetings
• Lead revision of case management systems, referral pathways, and protection SOPs
• Coordinate service mapping and referral mechanisms for vulnerable groups
• Support integration of protection into other humanitarian sectors where appropriate

Monitoring, Evaluation & Accountability

• Collaborate with MEAL teams to strengthen monitoring tools and accountability systems
• Develop protection monitoring reports and evidence-based recommendations
• Strengthen beneficiary feedback systems and humanitarian accountability frameworks
• Monitor quality standards and ensure compliance with humanitarian best practices

Coordination & Advocacy

• Coordinate with UNHCR, humanitarian partners, government institutions, and donors
• Represent DRC in national protection coordination forums and working groups
• Lead development of protection advocacy strategies and policy recommendations
• Support advocacy training for civil society and local stakeholders

Project Development & Fundraising

• Support proposal development, budgeting, and expansion of humanitarian protection programming
• Contribute to funding opportunities and donor engagement strategies
• Review and approve protection-related project proposals

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Education Requirements

Applicants should possess:

Essential Qualification

• Master’s Degree in:
  • Social Sciences
  • Law
  • Humanitarian Aid
  • Refugee Studies
  • International Development
  • Related Field

Experience Requirements

Essential Experience

Candidates must demonstrate:

• Minimum 7 years of professional experience implementing and managing humanitarian protection programs in displacement settings
• Strong expertise in:
  • Refugee Protection
  • Child Protection
  • Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Programming
  • Case Management
  • Protection Information Management (PIM)
  • Durable Solutions Programming
• Experience in:
  • Humanitarian advocacy and policy development
  • National-level stakeholder representation
  • Multi-site humanitarian program coordination
  • Protection mainstreaming across sectors
  • Remote technical support and staff mentoring
  • Human rights and protection training delivery
  • Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning (MEAL) systems

Technical Knowledge

• Strong understanding of International Human Rights Law
• Knowledge of International Refugee Law and displacement response frameworks
• Experience preparing protection strategies, advocacy plans, and humanitarian response frameworks

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Key Skills & Competencies

The ideal candidate should demonstrate expertise in:

• Humanitarian Protection Programming
• Refugee & IDP Protection
• Child Protection Systems
• GBV Prevention & Response
• Case Management Frameworks
• Human Rights Advocacy
• Protection Mainstreaming
• Stakeholder Coordination
• Humanitarian Policy Development
• Program Design & Proposal Writing
• Capacity Building & Staff Development
• Monitoring & Evaluation (MEAL)
• Risk Analysis & Safeguarding
• Team Leadership & Cross-Cultural Communication
• Strategic Planning & Program Oversight

DRC Core Competencies

Successful candidates should demonstrate:

• Striving for Excellence
• Collaboration & Teamwork
• Leadership & Initiative
• Strong Communication Skills
• Integrity & Ethical Conduct

Salary & Benefits

Salary: Competitive salary package based on DRC Terms of Employment (not publicly disclosed).

Additional benefits may include:

• Humanitarian sector professional development opportunities
• International NGO working environment
• Career growth and leadership development
• Exposure to donor-funded refugee and protection programs
• Training opportunities in safeguarding, humanitarian law, and protection systems
• Diverse and inclusive workplace environment

Training & Career Development

DRC provides opportunities for:

• Humanitarian leadership development
• Protection and safeguarding training
• Refugee law and durable solutions learning
• GBV and child protection capacity building
• MEAL and accountability systems training
• Advocacy and humanitarian policy workshops
• International humanitarian coordination exposure

Why Join DRC?

Joining DRC offers an opportunity to work at the forefront of humanitarian protection, refugee assistance, displacement response, safeguarding, and human rights programming.

Employees contribute directly to improving protection outcomes for vulnerable communities while gaining hands-on experience in humanitarian coordination, advocacy, emergency response, donor-funded programming, and refugee protection systems.

Application Deadline

1st Feb 2027

How to Apply

Interested and qualified applicants should submit:

• Motivated Cover Letter/Application Letter
• Updated CV (In English)

Applications must be submitted through the official DRC online recruitment portal before the deadline. Only applications meeting the required qualifications and job criteria will be considered.