Protection Sector Lead at COOPI – Cooperazione Internazionale

COOPI Cooperazione Internazionale is an humanitarian, non confessional and independent organization that fights against all kinds of poverty to make the world a better place. Founded in 1965 by Vincenzo Barbieri (Italian "father" of international volunteering), COOPI is based in Milan and it has 20 local offices in the South of the World.

It works to assist populations struck by emergencies (disasters and conflicts) and to facilitate their civil, economic and social development.

The association intervenes in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East in collaboration with local actors (civil society, public administration and so on). In 2013 it has implemented 160 projects.

COOPI works in different sectors: agriculture, water and sanitation, health care, humanitarian assistance, human rights, education, socio-economic services, migration. All sectors are related to one another in the programs launched by COOPI all of them interrelated.

COOPI is also committed to the Child Sponsorship programme in 8 countries (Perù, Haiti, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Uganda and DR Congo), and provides food, education, health and protection to 2.700 children.

COOPI also operates in Italy, through awareness and fund-raising campaigns, volunteering activities (almost 400 volunteers), the promotion of the Cooperation and Development Master course at the Institute for Advanced Study of Pavia, and finally the participation to several NGOs associations, among which Link 2007 and AGIRE (Italian Humanitarian Emergency Response Agency) are the most important. The organization is supported by important institutional donors, local institutions, foundations, companies and citizens among the main donors, the European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO) recognizes COOPI as an important partner.Key Responsibilities
Technical and Programmatic Oversight:

Lead the development and implementation of protection strategies, ensuring protection mainstreaming across sectors (WaSH, MPCA, etc.).
Provide technical guidance and capacity-building to COOPI staff and partners on protection principles, gender-based violence (GBV), child protection, and humanitarian accountability mechanisms.
Oversee the implementation of protection activities, including case management, referrals, and community-based protection initiatives.
Lead the integration of AAP into COOPI programming, ensuring the engagement of affected populations in decision-making processes and feedback systems

Protection Mainstreaming:

Ensure protection risks are identified, analyzed, and mitigated across all COOPI interventions.
Provide sector teams with guidance on adhering to the protection principles of “Do No Harm,” conflict sensitivity, and safeguarding, particularly for vulnerable groups such as women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.
Develop and monitor protection mainstreaming indicators to measure the effectiveness of strategies across all sectors.

Coordination and Representation:

Act as COOPI’s focal point for protection-related issues and represent the organization in inter-agency coordination forums, working groups, and clusters.
Liaise with relevant government ministries, UN agencies, NGOs, and other key stakeholders to ensure effective coordination and advocacy on protection issues.
Provide regular reports to donors and COOPI’s headquarters on protection activities and project performance.

Capacity Building and Training:

Organize and lead protection-related training for COOPI and partner staff, ensuring continuous learning and skill enhancement in protection, GBV, and child protection.
Develop training manuals, guidelines, and tools that align with international protection standards and contextual realities.
Ensure that all staff, especially field teams, are well-versed in protection mainstreaming and the organization’s safeguarding policies.

Monitoring and Reporting:

Design and implement a monitoring framework to track protection indicators, ensuring timely and effective monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) processes.
Regularly update the Head of Programmes and Area Coordinator NW on progress, challenges, and lessons learned.
Contribute to donor reporting by providing qualitative and quantitative data on protection activities, achievements, and constraints.

Logistics, Administration, and Budget Management:

Ensure timely procurement of goods and services necessary for the implementation of protection activities in collaboration with the logistics and administration teams.
Support the development of budgets for protection components and ensure effective management of protection funds, adhering to donor guidelines and COOPI financial policies.
Provide oversight on all protection-related logistical and administrative functions, ensuring alignment with organizational protocols.

Required Qualifications and Experience

Master’s degree in Law, Social Sciences, Humanitarian Affairs, International Relations, or related field.
Minimum of 5 years of experience in protection programming within humanitarian settings, with at least 2 years in a leadership role.
Proven experience in protection mainstreaming, GBV, child protection, and AAP in conflict or post-conflict settings.
Demonstrated capacity to provide training and technical support to diverse teams.
Strong coordination and representation skills with donors, government authorities, UN agencies, and NGOs.
Fluency in English (written and spoken); knowledge of Hausa or Fulani is an advantage.
Ability to work under pressure and in insecure environments.

Skills and Competencies:

Strong understanding of protection standards and frameworks in humanitarian settings.
Excellent interpersonal, communication, and team-building skills.
Ability to manage multi-sectoral teams and foster collaboration.
High level of cultural sensitivity and adaptability to diverse work environments.
Analytical and problem-solving skills with a focus on innovation and improvement.
Experience with donor-funded programs and knowledge of key donors (e.g., BHA, UNHCR).

Working Conditions:

The position is based in Nigeria’s Northeast (Sokoto state) with frequent travel to project sites. The working environment may involve some exposure to security risks and challenging living conditions.