Protection Coordinator - Venezuela (national position)

Position: Protection Coordinator, Venezuela (National Position)

Contract type: Full time, in person

Start Date: Immediate

Contract duration: 1-3 months (extendable, subject to funding)

Reports to: Head of Mission

SUMMARY

Following the earthquakes in Venezuela n June, IsraAID has deployed a national emergency response team in Caracas to conduct rapid needs assessments and deliver life‑saving assistance, including emergency shelter, WASH, health, and psychosocial support. Working closely with local authorities and partners, IsraAID is scaling operations to support affected communities and enable community‑centered recovery.

The Protection Coordinator will lead the strategic direction, design, implementation, and monitoring of IsraAID’s MHPSS and Child Protection programs in the Recovery phase. The position focuses on programmatic coordination and hands-on implementation, as well as strengthening national and communities’ capacity for psychosocial support and protection through training, service delivery, and the establishment of Safe Spaces across affected parishes.

The role combines program management and direct program implementation with capacity-building and collaboration with local professionals, community structures, and partner agencies.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Program Management and Implementation

· Provide overall strategic leadership for Proection, MHPSS and CP programming, ensuring alignment with IsraAID’s global frameworks, humanitarian standards, and the evolving context in Venezuela.

· Lead the design, planning, and oversight of Protection, MHPSS and CP interventions, translating needs assessments and contextual analysis into coherent, high-quality programs.

· Ensure programs are rights-based, survivor-centered, culturally appropriate, and responsive to the needs of children, caregivers, and vulnerable populations.

· Oversee work plans, implementation strategies, and timelines, ensuring effective use of resources and timely delivery of activities.

· Contribute to proposal development, budgets, and donor reporting related to Protection, MHPSS and CP programming.

· Ensure donor compliance, risk management, and financial accountability within the scope of Protection, MHPSS and CP activities.

2. Team Management and Technical Guidance

· Line-manage the Protection, MHPSS and CP Officer(s), community mobilisers and other relevant programmatic staff, providing regular supervision, performance management, and professional development support.

· Ensure clear roles, responsibilities, and communication within the MHPSS and CP team.

· Promote staff care, wellbeing, and ethical practice, particularly in high-stress humanitarian settings.

· Foster a supportive, inclusive, and learning-oriented team culture.

· Provide senior technical guidance on Protection, MHPSS and CP, including Psychological First Aid, community-based psychosocial support, and child safeguarding.

· Ensure the consistent application of technical standards, safeguarding policies, and ethical principles across all activities in coordination with the Global Protection Technical Advisor.

· Oversee the development, adaptation, and use of Protection, MHPSS and CP tools, guidelines, and training materials suited to the Venezuelan context.

· Monitor program quality through regular reviews, supervision visits, and feedback mechanisms, ensuring continuous improvement.

· Ensure safe and effective referral pathways are established and functioning for specialized mental health and child protection services.

3. Coordination, Representation, and Partnerships

· Represent IsraAID in relevant national and sub-national coordination forums, technical working groups, and inter-agency meetings related to Protection, MHPSS and Child Protection.

· Lead engagement with government counterparts, UN agencies, NGOs, and community-based organizations to ensure alignment, complementarity, and adherence to national systems.

· Strengthen partnerships with local actors, supporting capacity strengthening and sustainable approaches to MHPSS and CP service delivery.

4. Monitoring and Evaluation

· Oversee monitoring and evaluation frameworks for Protection, MHPSS and CP programs, ensuring data collection, analysis, and use for decision-making.

· Ensure timely, accurate, and high-quality narrative and quantitative reporting for internal and external stakeholders.

· Promote accountability to affected populations through feedback and complaint mechanisms.

· Lead documentation of lessons learned, best practices, and program outcomes to inform adaptation and future programming in emergencies.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND COMPETENCIES

Required skills & experience:

· BA or higher in Social Work, Psychology, or other relevant fields.

· Minimum of 5 years' experience working in humanitarian or development settings

· Fluent Spanish- A MUST

· Working experience & knowledge about the context – an advantage

· Knowledge and experience of the emergency context, especially Child Protection and MHPSS in emergency settings.

· Demonstrated organizational skills; able to consistently meet tight deadlines

· Experience in team management

ETHICAL STANDARDS

IsraAID has a zero-tolerance policy towards any acts of misconduct and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. The recruitment process will include all candidates’ declaration and reference checks focused on misconduct and SEA.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

IsraAID is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or disability status.