Hello Hello! Alight is recruiting a Protection Technical Lead for our program in Uganda. So you are interested in joining us. Welcome, we are happy you’re here.
Last year, American Refugee Committee became Alight. We’re the same organization with the same people doing the same critical work – providing health care and clean water, shelter, protection, and economic opportunity to more than 3.5 million people in 17 countries each year. But in solidarity with the people we serve who are too often defined by a single dark moment in their lives, we’re dropping the label ‘refugee.’

When you Join us, you’ll find…
A team with deep experience in co-designing solutions that create new value around the world. We know we need to always be better, and we believe in the power and abundance of everyday people, everywhere, to change the world with us.

A culture of radical accountability to our customers –as we help build a meaningful life for and with the displaced, we ask them what they want and then deliver on it.

An organization that refuses to settle for anything less than delivering human-worthy services.
If you believe in an abundant world full of amazing people who want to help; in the simple human justice to build a life; and in doing a better thing, then read on!

What we do in Uganda
Alight Uganda works with its partners and constituencies to provide opportunities and expertise to refugees, displaced people and host communities – to better survive conflicts and crisis, and to rebuild lives of dignity, health, security and self-sufficiency. Alight has consistently operated in Uganda since 1994, and today has a strong and committed team of over five hundred personnel who include full time staff and incentive workers, and hundreds of community volunteers – implementing programs in Protection, SGBV, Child Protection, Community Services; also Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Shelter and general Infrastructure, Clean Energy, and Livelihoods/Economic . Our work in Uganda currently covers six refugee settlements and their generous Ugandan-host communities. And we are always looking to deepen our work and, jointly with our partners, offer lasting impact with and for the communities we serve!

About the Role
The Protection Technical Lead will provide overall strategic direction and management for the integrated protection program in Uganda. S/he will work closely with the Head of Programs and sector leads to implement within the context of a comprehensive integrated protection approach, including but not limited to Women’s Protection and Empowerment, Child Protection, GBV Legal support, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support and Community Protection through a mixed modality of direct implementation and partnerships. This will be guided by the country strategy, which ensures coherence across the portfolio and a needs-based protection approach to service delivery for displaced persons and other at-risk populations. The Protection Technical Lead will have main responsibility for the development of the technical team and strategic partner relationships; for ensuring effective collaboration and integration among Alight team and with partners based on principles of equality, transparency, responsibility and complementarity; and for ensuring that on going technical capacity strengthening of the Protection team and support to partners, effectively addresses their priority needs.

Major Responsibilities:
Program Management, Technical Quality, and Strategy
• Provide leadership and overall technical and management oversight to the integrated protection portfolio in Uganda.

• In collaboration with Protection team members and the Senior Management Team, develop and implement integrated protection strategies for Uganda that enhances our capacity to deliver integrated protection services efficiently and coherently.

Engage teams to ensure gender and protection mainstreaming is accounted for in all programming.• Lead in the management of the protection technical team to ensure responsible delivery of their respective pillars.
• Working closely with other sector leads, ensure Alight’s ongoing integrated protection program reflects standards for best practice, quality, and innovation, and are responsive and adapted based on monitoring data to ensure implementation modalities remain context- and need-appropriate.
Work with Protection leads to utilize, develop, and/or improve Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all Protection programming.
Anticipate, plan and manage programmatic and structural transitions. In collaboration with the MEAL team, support protection staff to develop and utilize relevant monitoring tools and adapt them to context.
• Ensure effective, collaborative protection partnerships with other organizations that result in more effective, responsive and durable assistance that reaches more people.
• Ensure smooth management and integration of Protection leads’ work plans and budgets (budget forecasting, development of spending plans and budget follow-up), and accurate reporting in accordance with Alight and donor regulations.
• Liaise with Global Technical Unit advisors to ensure relevant support, tools and resources are being provided and integrated into programming.
• Actively and meaningfully participate in all grant management meeting processes.
• Identify, monitor and report unmet needs. Explore the potential of Alight to address those needs within the parameters of the country strategy and sector priorities.
Connect with the Head of Programs on a regular basis to ensure expectations and continuity are maintained.

• Where possible expand, the Uganda protection portfolio through development of concept notes and proposals to existing and new donors, maintaining a coherent integrated protection strategy across Alight’s areas of intervention.
• Support the identification of opportunities for Protection programming initiatives in support of service delivery and/or thought leadership in collaboration with country program senior management, business development staff.
• Support the development of business development skills and responsibility among the protection team, with a particular focus on national staff.
Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development:
• Supervise, and build the capacity of Protection team members in relevant technical and management competencies.
• Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
• Hold high-quality meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis, at least monthly.

• As required identify staff performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies.
• In collaboration with Human Resources, promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff.
• Look for opportunities to support staff in their career growth, where appropriate. As part of succession plan and nationalization goals, identify, train and develop capability and capacity of national staff to successfully transition role and responsibilities, by the end of assignment.
• Adhere to and act in accordance with the Alight HR Policies and Procedures, and communicates through word and example a high standard of compliance with all applicable policies and regulations.

Coordination & Representation
• As needed and in coordination with other sector leads and country program management, represents Alight in inter-agency forums and discussions.
• Regularly coordinate with internal program and operational stakeholders, Technical Advisors, GBV, Child Protection, Livelihoods and Economic Recovery, Creative team and other Alight colleagues.
• Represent Alight in in relevant working groups both within and outside of the UN / UNHCR and Interagency system and provide feedback to Alight management as appropriate.

Key Working Relationships:
Position Directly Reports to: Head of Programs
Indirect Reporting: Global Technical Advisors, Country Director
Position Directly Supervises: Protection Technical Coordinator, Child Protection Technical Coordinator, MHPSS Technical Coordinator, Livelihoods Coordinator

Key Internal and External Contacts:
• Internal: Business Development and Grants, MEAL Departments, Creative Department, Area Coordinator, Site Leads / Head of Offices, Country Director, Logistics and Supply Chain, Finance, HR
• External: Protection Working Group/Cluster bodies, Peer and partner agencies, Donors

Job Requirements:
Education:
• Master’s degree ( MA/MS ) in international development, law, human rights, Social work or a related field;

Work Experience:
• A minimum of 7 years’ professional humanitarian/development experience, including specific experience in protection programming (inclusive of general protection, Gender Based Violence, women’s protection and empowerment and/or child protection) in emergency or post conflict settings.
• A minimum of 5 years program and team management experience; preferably in humanitarian setting
• Demonstrated experience using international human rights standards in protection programming
• Prior experience working in remote-management situations preferred
• Prior experience in East Africa and Refugee Response is preferred

Demonstrated Technical Skills:
• Strong program/technical management skills, planning, reporting, monitoring and evaluation skills.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, effective in representation and liaison with external parties.
• INGO experience required; experience working with the interagency coordination mechanisms desirable.
• Strong technical and operational knowledge of Protection programming in refugee response context.
• Proven experience in implementing programs under grants, including high quality donor reporting and proposal development; experience of US Govt (BPRM, USAID, BHA/OFDA) and UNHCR Funding required. Other government, UN, and private/foundation is a plus.
• Proven experience in designing and delivering capacity-building activities.

Demonstrated Managerial/Leadership Competencies:
• Excellent relationship-building, interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively represent Alight at forums and with donors.
• Strong negotiation skills essential with experience in conflict resolution desirable.
Strong leadership skills, proven experience in strategic planning, overseeing large programs and ability to effect and manage change effectively.
Direct knowledge of how to run a quality Program team that respects Do No Harm, protection and gender mainstreaming, evidence-based outputs, and effective program budget development and implementation.
• Superior oral and written communication skills, with ability to express ideas and concepts clearly and persuasively with senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience of working successfully with local stakeholders such as local and international NGOs, government, etc. with sensitivity and diplomacy.
• Proven ability to design and lead training engagements with staff and partners to enhance skills and adapt to changing program demands.
• Mature and structured approach to team management and project delivery.
• Positive attitude to work, self-reflective, motivated, inspired, collegial.
• Proven ability to work well in and promote teamwork, thrive in a multi-cultural environment, be flexible and handle pressure with professional grace.
Languages:
• Professional fluency in spoken and written English is required.
• Computer/Other Tech Requirements:
• Excellent computer skills and full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

Benefits
• Borderless Team of 2,500 staff worldwide that sees possibility, celebrates moments of abundance, shares new ideas, and strives to do a better thing every day.
• Learning & Development – Access thousands of free online learning courses to take at your own pace and tailor to your professional goals.
• Health, dental, and MedEvac Insurance – We strive to offer the best-in-class healthcare plans to our staff each year. We cover 100% of the cost for your health premium and 75% of the cost for coverage for your spouse/dependents.
• Retirement – We contribute 6% of your salary regardless of your contribution amount, after one year of service.
• Generous Leave Time – Between vacation days, personal leave days, and holidays, you have ample opportunity to take time off when you need it.
Who We Are
We are on a journey to build Alight, a new platform of amazing people and organizations providing lifesaving services and creating breakthrough solutions for and with the displaced. WeAreAlight.org
Alight is an Equal Opportunity Employer offering employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, citizenship, physical or mental disability, or protected veteran status. Alight complies with all applicable laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.