Protection Sector Lead at Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI)

Cooperazione Internazionale is an Italian humanitarian non-governmental organization founded in Milan in 1965. COOPI aims to help the world’s poorest to improve their access to healthcare, food, and financial security, and to overcome their special vulnerability to wars, civil conflicts, and natural disasters. For 60 years of long-term support and constant presence in the field, COOPI has been engaged in breaking the cycle of poverty and responding to specific emergencies in numerous sectors, including Food Security, Humanitarian Aid, Health, Socio-Economic Services, Water and Sanitation, Human Rights, Education and Training, Migrations and Sustainable Energy.

COOPI started its operations in North-East Nigeria in July 2014 to carry out a rapid evaluation of the most relevant constraints suffered by the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) displaced by the food crisis and the Boko Haram insurgency in the Lake Chad Basin.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Protection Sector Lead

Location: Goronyo, Raba, Sokoto South, Isa, & Sabon Birni LGAs - Sokoto (100% of the time)
Employment Type: Full-time
Project/Programme: Integrated emergency response to the displaced population in Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina States, NW Nigeria, BHA (Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance)
Supervised: Deputy Project Manager
Contract duration: ASAP, 6 Months with possible extension.
Working Condition: 100% Field Based.

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.

Application Closing Date
16th September, 2025.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online