Protection Program Manager

Support to Life: Internationally renowned humanitarian aid organization founded to ensure access to basic rights and needs for individuals and communities affected by natural or human-made disasters. Founded in 2005 by 5 women academics and humanitarian aid workers, STL carries out Emergency Response, Refugee Support, Child Protection, and Capacity Building in Civil Society, to improve the living conditions of people affected by natural or human-made disasters in Turkey.

STL supports access to basic rights and essential needs, aims to eliminate the risks for children living under dire conditions, prioritizes seasonal agricultural workers, and provides immediate aid services during disasters. Besides, STL works towards a civil society well-prepared for disasters.

STL works with the support of a headquarters based in Kadıköy/Istanbul and with field offices located in several provinces in Turkey as well as mobile teams.

STL gives utmost importance to upholding the humanitarian principles —neutrality, independence, humanity, impartiality, and accountability— in the projects it develops and implements with a team of around 250 professionals and the support of international and local donors. You may visit www.supporttolife.org or check our social media accounts to learn more about our work.

Support to Life is seeking a Protection Program Manager to support all activities, programs, and projects in child protection and the prevention of child labor. This position is remote-based, with regular field visits expected. (remote working.)

Standards Determination and Strategic Planning

• Define standards for all activities conducted by the organization in the protection field and ensure these standards are followed by all teams.
• Track developments, activities, and innovative ideas within international humanitarian aid for protection, and disseminate these across the organization.
• Develop, disseminate, and regularly update the protection program strategy to align with evolving needs.
• Collaborate with all specialists, assistant program managers, and project managers within the protection program to ensure the timely development and regular updating of content and standards under the protection program.
• Create, plan, develop, and disseminate relevant content, training modules, and presentations for all protection projects based on specialized, integrated, or mainstreaming approaches, in coordination with the Localization and Capacity Unit.
• Ensure that all staff involved adhere to humanitarian principles, STL’s code of conduct, child safeguarding policies, and data privacy through the development and follow-up of guidance and tools aligned with the protection program strategy and project cycles.
• Ensure compliance with donor and STL’s specific rules, policies, and procedures.
• In collaboration with MEAL, incorporate community members’ engagement and meaningful participation in the processes of program development, planning, implementation, and monitoring.

Project Cycle Management and Quality Implementation

• Coordinate with the Project Support Unit, Assistant Program Managers, and Project Managers to ensure the administrative, financial, and programmatic compliance and quality of all protection projects.
• Support field teams in developing field strategies aligned with protection standards and strategy.
• Supervise the project design process and integrate protection expertise into project proposals.
• Provide programmatic support for the revision of existing projects.
• Provide technical and administrative supervision to Assistant Program Managers, ensuring coordination of design, implementation, monitoring, and closure processes for all protection projects at the desired quality level.
• Determine work priorities for program specialists under management and monitor support and supervision activities conducted by these specialists.
• Provide programmatic orientation and handover to Project Managers working in protection projects, in collaboration with Assistant Program Managers.
• Ensure the implementation and follow-up of guides, tools, forms, and manuals developed in the field of protection, together with Assistant Program Managers and program specialists.
• Ensure timely development of content and guidelines needed by Protection Project Managers responsible for project cycle management, in accordance with project implementation timelines.
• In collaboration with relevant program specialists and assistant program managers, prepare training for field teams and community members according to their needs and deliver it on time.
• Supervise, support, and guide Project Managers to ensure quality project implementation.
• Organize exchange meetings and workshops for field teams to share experiences and enhance coordination across locations.
• Conduct field visits to monitor programmatic quality on-site as needed.
• Establish the programmatic setup in new project locations.
• Ensure the use of developed monitoring and evaluation tools and collaborate with MEAL to create and introduce any required tools to the field.
• Contribute to project kick-off and closure meetings; extract lessons specific to the program.
• Participate in project auditing processes.
• Provide expert input, compilation, revision, finalization, and timely sharing of monthly, periodic, final, or other impact assessment reports with donors.
• Act as the focal point for programmatic matters with donors.

External Relations and Coordination

• Establish and maintain relationships with stakeholders, including ministries, public institutions, national and international NGOs, UN agencies, embassies, and donors.
• Ensure regular participation in protection-related coordination meetings and all relevant meetings and workshops alongside Assistant Program Managers, sharing developments with relevant parties.
• Support advocacy activities and provide related data, analysis, and messaging.
• Accompany the Field Coordinator or field teams on visits to Ministries, regional public institutions, and local administrations as needed.
• Identify and establish relationships with new stakeholders.

Team Management

• Ensure the work of Assistant Program Managers, Gender Specialist, MHPSS team, and other team members aligns with their main areas of responsibility, field needs, project cycles, and program quality objectives.
• Conduct regular planning meetings with headquarters and field teams.
• Supervise the quality of Protection Project Managers' work and ensure administrative management alongside Assistant Program Managers.
• Ensure the organization of meetings for coordination, training, on-site support, and similar purposes to enable quality project execution and the timely completion of all related project outputs.
• Together with Assistant Program Managers, conduct human resources processes, such as hiring, termination, training, career, and performance evaluations, in compliance with procedures for all staff under the Protection Program.
• Facilitate coordination and collaboration within the Program and Projects Department, ensuring active participation in regular coordination meetings.

• Graduate from Social Work, Psychology, Law, or related fields.
• Minimum of 8 years of professional experience in the field of protection.
• At least 1 year of Project Management experience in high-budget projects focusing on protection, with proficiency in the technical compliance rules of major donors.
• Excellent command of English, both in speaking and writing,
• Experienced in preparing and delivering training content.
• Experienced in collaboration with public institutions and providing training.
• Skilled in content development, research and reporting, and guide preparation.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally.
• Effective in working with diverse stakeholders and multicultural environments.
• Demonstrated team management, effective communication, and institutional representation skills.
• Successful in planning and task follow-up.
• Capable of adapting to the principles and organizational culture of the association.