Regional Protection Officer (P)

Organizational Context and Scope

Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) is one of the core areas of IOM expertise, and a field in which the organization has over 40 years of experience. The Protection (MPX) Unit within the Regional Office (RO) East Horn and Southern Africa (EHSA) is responsible for thematic oversight and technical support for all Protection, Return and Reintegration programmes implemented within the EHSA Region. Together with IOM Headquarters, IOM Global Office in Washington, D.C., and IOM in respective Country Offices (COs), RO EHSA works to provide eligible beneficiaries with access to protection services, including assisted voluntary return to their countries of origin or of legal status, in a safe and dignified manner. In addition to travel arrangements, IOM’s assistance may include protection screening, counselling, acquisition of travel documents, provision of medical or other escorts, departure, transit and arrival assistance.

Under the overall supervision of the Deputy Regional Director for Operations, the direct supervision of the Regional Thematic Specialist (Protection), and in coordination with IOM Global Office in Washington, D.C. colleagues and relevant IOM COs, the Regional Protection Officer will have the following duties and responsibilities.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. In close coordination with the RO and IOM Global Office in Washington, D.C., relevant Units at Headquarters (HQ), the IOM offices in the region, Government counterparts, and other relevant public/private sector partner organizations in the geographical area of the response, contribute to drafting/reviewing protection assessments and identify risk mitigation strategies focusing on, among others, operational settings and accessibility of services, including shelter, legal frameworks, protection risks for specific vulnerable groups, key protection actors on the ground, and available referral pathways, safe environments for return in Countries of Origin (CoOs), etc.
2. In coordination with the MPX RTS and IOM Global Office in Washington, D.C., provide technical guidance and support to national and international protection staff in the EHSA Region to ensure high-quality outcomes for migrants, while advising on operational coordination and ensuring adherence to IOM policies.
3. Ensure appropriate coordination in line with IOM and interagency standards. Participate in relevant coordination mechanisms or task forces at the local level and/or at the regional level, as relevant. Contribute to the implementation of inter-agency coordination standards and the development of context-specific guidance, as relevant.
4. Provide remote and in-person thematic support to COs in the context of the setup of the response and provision of assistance, ensuring a coherent approach across all interventions. Be available for short-notice international deployments outside the duty and home station, when required, in order to support for urgent protection responses.
5. Represent RO EHSA in technical meetings and forums, including with donors, partners, and stakeholders, as required.
6. Identify emerging operational priorities and contribute to the design and development of project proposals and activities based on solid results frameworks, in response to emerging trends and priorities, as well as donor interests and requirements.
7. Support the Senior Regional Migrant Assistance Specialist in case management coordination, including providing technical input to the review of complex Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) cases and internal approval processes, in line with IOM protection policies and standards.
8. Contribute to developing and delivering specialized training on AVR, case management and protection interventions. Contribute to the exchange of lessons learned, best practices and tools at the regional and intra-regional level.
9. Perform such other duties as may be assigned.

Required Qualifications and Experience

Education

• Master’s degree in Social Sciences, International Relations/Affairs, Research, Law, or a related field from an accredited academic institution with five years of relevant professional experience; or,
• University degree in the above fields with seven years of relevant professional experience.

Accredited Universities are those listed in the UNESCO World Higher Education Database.

Experience

• Experience working with migrants, civil society, and governments;
• Experience working in multicultural and multidisciplinary teams;
• Proven experience supporting protection programming, as well as mainstreaming protection across operations, preferably across multiple countries;
• Proven experience providing protection and assistance to migrants in vulnerable situations and communicating with individuals who have complex needs;
• Experience working in return and reintegration programs;
• Experience in capacity building, training delivery, and the development of operational tools and guidance is preferred; and,
• Experience with IOM or other UN agencies, and specialized protection programs, is preferred.

Skills

• Strong knowledge of IOM and inter-agency protection standards and operational procedures and guidelines;
• Solid coordination skills;
• Ability to research and adapt to different operational and cultural contexts;
• Strong writing, editing, presentation, and training facilitation skills;
• Excellent computer skills, including proficiency in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, email/internet software, and relevant statistical analysis packages;
• Knowledge of UN cooperation frameworks and bilateral donor programming requirements;
• Ability to gather, consolidate, and attribute information from multiple sources;
• High degree of judgment and initiative, with the ability to work independently within assigned responsibilities;
• Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills; and,
• Proven ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with people of diverse cultural and national backgrounds.

Languages

For this position, fluency in English is required (oral and written).

Working knowledge of Portuguese and other official UN languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish) is an advantage.

Proficiency of language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments.

Required Competencies

IOM’s competency framework can be found at this link. Competencies will be assessed during the selection process.

Values

• Inclusion and respect for diversity: Respects and promotes individual and cultural differences. Encourages diversity and inclusion.
• Integrity and transparency: Maintains high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.
• Professionalism: Demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.
• Courage: Demonstrates willingness to take a stand on issues of importance.
• Empathy: Shows compassion for others, makes people feel safe, respected and fairly treated.

Core Competencies

• Teamwork: Develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals and optimize results.
• Delivering results: Produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner. Is action-oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes.
• Managing and sharing knowledge: Continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge and innovate.
• Accountability: Takes ownership for achieving the Organization’s priorities and assumes responsibility for own actions and delegated work.
• Communication: Encourages and contributes to clear and open communication. Explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.