Protection Coordinator at INTERSOS – Maiduguri, Borno

INTERSOS is recruiting a Protection Coordinator in Maiduguri, Borno State, to define and lead the mission’s protection strategy, coordinate protection programming and provide technical guidance to staff. The position supports high-quality interventions consistent with international protection principles, INTERSOS standards and the needs of crisis-affected communities.

Vacancy reference: SR-49-10316. Starting date: 16 November 2026. Contract duration: 10 months. Duty station: Maiduguri, Nigeria (non-family). Reports to: Head of Mission. Functional supervisor: Protection Advisor. Supervises: Protection Manager and protection team.

Programme Context

Long-running conflict in North-East and North-West Nigeria has caused displacement, food insecurity, malnutrition, gender-based violence and disruption of health, water and other essential services. The 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan estimated that 7.8 million people required humanitarian and protection assistance and that 2.3 million people remained internally displaced. It also projected 5.1 million people to face acute food insecurity during the 2025 lean season, with 2.5 million children malnourished. Flooding, overcrowding and insecurity further affect access to services and increase public-health risks.

Protection Strategy and Programme Development

• Develop the mission’s protection strategy using context analysis, suitable approaches and protection priorities, and align it with INTERSOS’s global protection framework.
• Design a theory of change or structured protection response model and use participatory, strengths-based approaches and community mapping.
• Contribute protection expertise to exploratory missions, assessments, annual plans, mission policies, budgets, project proposals and donor reports.
• Use research and evaluations to shape evidence-based programming; prepare position papers and lessons-learned materials.
• Oversee the implementation and monitoring of protection interventions in line with approved strategies, programme plans, technical standards and protocols.
• Develop specialist protection capabilities and share good practice across missions.
• Promote age, disability, gender and inclusion considerations and harmonise services across operational sites.
• Support programme coordinators and project managers to integrate protection standards into proposals, reporting and activities in other sectors.

Technical Quality and Capacity Building

• Lead the technical development of protection personnel and uphold consistent programme quality.
• Prepare standard operating procedures for case management, protection monitoring, cash, legal assistance, mental health and psychosocial support and community-based protection.
• Conduct case audits, critical case conferences and technical learning events to improve compliance with standards.
• Design training resources, coach the protection team and deliver protection-mainstreaming workshops to staff in other sectors.
• Develop practical tools and guidance for children and adults receiving protection services, case management, psychosocial support and prevention-and-response assistance.
• Coordinate protection specialists and other teams to ensure suitable guidance and technical resources are available.
• Promote knowledge-sharing and learning within the protection team and with other INTERSOS missions.

Protection Analysis, Data and Reporting

• Review protection data and emerging trends quarterly, including protection risks, conflict dynamics, gender considerations and programme gaps.
• Produce analysis and reports that strengthen programme design, delivery, policy and protection advocacy.
• Ensure indicator tracking and ethical collection, storage, processing, analysis and sharing of sensitive protection data under internal protocols.
• Maintain timely and accurate protection database records and submit monthly protection reports to headquarters.
• Support programme managers and coordinators with external reporting that meets technical and donor requirements.

Coordination, Staff Management and Monitoring

• Adapt global and internal technical guidance to the mission context, communicate protection conditions and support integrated programme design.
• Conduct field monitoring visits and support teams with tools for measuring programme quality and results.
• Supervise and mentor Protection Specialists, review their performance and agree work plans and priorities with project managers.
• Arrange regular protection team meetings and discussions with senior management and project managers to address programme challenges.
• Work with Human Resources on recruitment, staff training, evaluation, development and internal communication.
• Design and guide the use of monitoring and evaluation tools, assess impact and document effective approaches.
• Help the accountability unit establish and monitor beneficiary complaints channels, ensuring concerns are appropriately addressed.
• Where required, assist with Child Safeguarding and Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Harassment and Abuse (PSEA) measures.

Partnerships, Representation and Advocacy

• Develop productive relationships with donors, partners, community stakeholders and other humanitarian organisations.
• Participate in national Protection, Gender-Based Violence and Child Protection clusters and working groups and support field-level coordination.
• Raise priority protection concerns with stakeholders and advocate for human rights and minimum protection standards.
• Promote cross-departmental collaboration and exchange experience with protection coordinators from other missions.
• Participate in monthly headquarters protection meetings and thematic working groups and support the HQ Protection Advisor with technical guidance and resources.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Science, Psychology, Social Work, Human Rights, International Humanitarian Law or a related humanitarian or social development field.
• A master’s degree or LLM in Human Rights, International Humanitarian Law or a related field is desirable.
• At least eight years’ NGO experience in developing countries, including at least five years working in technical protection roles.
• Experience implementing case management, psychosocial support and community-based protection interventions.

Professional and Personal Requirements

• Strong theoretical and practical expertise in humanitarian protection and computer literacy with Word, Excel and internet tools.
• Fluency in spoken and written English.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and ability to work effectively with a multicultural team.
• Flexibility, sound judgement, diplomacy, initiative and calm problem-solving under pressure.
• Experience working in complex emergencies involving internal displacement and liaising with authorities, partners and donors.
• Ability to use monitoring systems, prepare reports and collect and analyse programme information.
• Good stress management and commitment to INTERSOS principles.

Salary, Benefits and Conditions

• Salary grid 12: €3,690–€4,245 gross monthly. Individual remuneration is determined by the standard salary and function grids, reflecting the successful candidate’s experience, and is communicated during the selection process.
• Shared guesthouse accommodation at a non-family duty station.
• Eligible international field staff contracted to an R&R duty station for at least four calendar months receive seven days of rest and recuperation every 12 weeks, plus a €1,000 allowance. R&R protects staff wellbeing and is not compensation for hardship.
• Annual leave of 2.5 days per month.
• Injury and death insurance, civil liability insurance, reimbursement for deployment-related vaccinations, medical certificates and PCR tests, and psychosocial support on request.
• Round-trip travel for humanitarian staff. Missions of at least nine months also qualify for an additional return flight to the staff member’s country of residence.
• Visa costs and administrative support are covered by INTERSOS.
• Online induction before departure and access to learning and development opportunities, with priority for staff employed for more than two years.
• Installation costs and school fees are not applicable.
• Duty-station classifications concerning accompanied status and rest and recuperation are based on security criteria and access to health and education services and are not negotiable.