Protection Officer (Regional Programmes) (P)

The Protection Officer (Regional Programmes) provides technical support on programme implementation at country level and contributes to the implementation of regional level protection activities under both programmes. The role supports adherence to protection standards and timely delivery of activities in line with IOM and donor rules and requirements, focusing on specialized protection and addressing protection gaps in North Africa and key routes.

Responsibilities

• Support the overall implementation of the regional work package under the Phase VII of the Regional Development and Protection Programme – Protection window, including financial, administrative, and technical implementation in compliance with IOM policies and donor requirements.
• Support monitoring and coordination of activities undertaken by staff, consultants, implementing partners, and service providers.
• Draft and produce progress and other reports related to specialized protection interventions and facilitate information exchange between IOM, donors, and stakeholders.
• Support information management on protection activities and draft updates and materials to promote visibility of project outputs and IOM’s protection work in MENA.
• Participate in conferences, workshops, steering committees, and technical working groups to facilitate coordination and presentation of IOM activities.
• Provide technical support to country offices on protection, including review and development of SOPs and referral pathways.
• Contribute to assessments of protection needs and gaps and provide recommendations for programme implementation.
• Identify training needs and support delivery of training and capacity building activities.
• Support capacity building initiatives for relevant counterparts.
• Promote knowledge management and documentation of good practices related to protection.
• Contribute to review and improvement of internal systems, regional tools, and guidance related to protection programming.
• Support cross-regional coordination with the MPRR programme in Sub-Saharan Africa on operational matters related to protection.
• Contribute to conceptualization and implementation of regional activities under the MPRR-NA programme related to protection.
• Support coordination mechanisms and synergies between regional and country-level programmes related to migrant protection, return, and reintegration.
• Support the Protection Regional Thematic Specialist on relevant protection priorities for the wider region.
• Undertake duty travels to project implementation countries as required.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Social Sciences, International Relations, Conflict Management, Humanitarian Affairs, or a related field from an accredited academic institution with two years of relevant professional experience; or, University degree in the above fields with four years of relevant professional experience.
• Experience in the field of specialized protection areas such as child protection, counter trafficking, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) is required.
• Experience with regional programs and the coordination of regional events and initiatives is desired.
• Proven experience working in the Middle East and North Africa is desired.
• Experience supporting specialized protection programming, including operational activities, thematic guidance, and/or advocacy efforts, is required.
• Experience in capacity building and delivering training to internal and external audiences is required.
• Experience in liaising with governmental authorities, national/international institutions, United Nations agencies, and non-governmental organizations is desired.
• Prior experience working with IOM or another UN agency is desired.
• Demonstrated written and oral communication skills, effective in representation and liaison with external parties, are required.
• Good interpersonal and problem-solving skills are required.
• Excellent computer literacy (Microsoft Word and Excel) is required.
• Proven knowledge of migration issues in the MENA region is an advantage.
• Reliable, efficient, high level of professionalism, organizational skills, and ability to work under pressure and adhere to strict deadlines.
• Fluency in English is required (oral and written).
• Working knowledge of Arabic and/or French is an advantage.

Skills

• Child Protection
• Counter Trafficking
• Gender-Based Violence Awareness
• Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration
• Regional Program Coordination
• Specialized Protection Programming
• Advocacy
• Capacity Building
• Training Delivery
• Liaison with Governments
• Liaising with United Nations agencies
• Liaising with non-governmental organizations
• Written Communication
• Oral Communication
• MS Word
• MS Excel
• Migration Issues Understanding
• Protection Standards
• Program Implementation
• Organizational Skills

Languages

English