Protection Assistant - Psycho Social Support

The Protection Assistant (PSS) is responsible for delivering psychosocial support services to individuals and communities affected by conflict and displacement in line with DRC's protection mandate. The role involves facilitating structured and unstructured PSS activities, coordinating referrals, and contributing to data collection and reporting to enhance programme quality.

Responsibilities

• Ensure the effective, safe, and appropriate implementation of all assigned psychosocial support activities within the area of responsibility, including individual and group counselling sessions, structured PSS interventions, and community-based psychosocial initiatives.
• Adhere to professional standards and DRC’s PSS guidelines to ensure the provision of high-quality, needs-based, and context-appropriate psychosocial support services.
• Apply a survivor-centred, age, gender, and diversity (AGD)-sensitive approach throughout service delivery.
• Facilitate unstructured PSS sessions such as awareness-raising, psychoeducation, and community workshops aimed at strengthening resilience, coping mechanisms, and social cohesion within target communities.
• Contribute to regular mapping of available protection and psychosocial services in the area of operation.
• Maintain updated referral pathways and ensure safe, confidential, and timely referrals of individuals with specific needs to appropriate internal and external service providers.
• Promote awareness of available services among communities in collaboration with relevant local stakeholders.
• Coordinate with other DRC protection teams and external actors to ensure holistic and integrated support for individuals and communities.
• Provide regular, accurate, and timely reports on activities, achievements, challenges, and emerging trends, as requested by the line manager.
• Support data collection, feedback mechanisms, and lessons learned processes to enhance programme quality and impact.
• Uphold DRC’s data protection and confidentiality policies by ensuring that beneficiary information is collected, stored, and managed securely, and that confidentiality is maintained at all times.
• Perform all duties in strict compliance with DRC’s Code of Conduct, protection principles, and safety and security procedures.
• Undertake any other relevant tasks assigned by the line manager to support DRC’s protection and PSS objectives.

Requirements

• Minimum of 2 years of relevant professional experience, including at least 1 year of direct experience working with individuals and communities affected by conflict, displacement, or crisis, preferably in psychosocial support or protection programming.
• Demonstrated skills in communicating effectively with individuals in distress, including those experiencing trauma, loss, or other conflict-related psychosocial challenges, with empathy and professionalism.
• Experience coordinating referrals with local service providers or community-based organizations is desirable.
• Solid understanding of humanitarian principles and protection programming, with practical knowledge of psychosocial support methodologies, case management, and community-based protection approaches.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to plan, prioritize, and deliver results under pressure while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving abilities, demonstrating flexibility in challenging environments.
• Team-oriented with strong collaboration skills, able to work respectfully and effectively in multicultural and multidisciplinary teams, and to maintain a positive attitude under pressure.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and comfortable with digital data collection tools and basic reporting systems.
• Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, sociology, behavioral sciences
• Fluent written and spoken Arabic.
• Working knowledge of English desirable

Skills

• Psychosocial Support
• Protection Programming
• Case Management
• Community-Based Protection
• Humanitarian Principles
• Referral Process Coordination
• Trauma-Informed Communication
• Conflict-Affected Populations
• Data Collection
• Reporting
• MS Word
• MS Excel
• MS PowerPoint
• Time Management
• Organizational Skills
• Interpersonal Communication
• Problem Solving
• Multi-cultural Team Collaboration
• Digital Data Collection

Languages

Arabic, English