Protection Officer-1

The Protection Officer is responsible for the day-to-day delivery and quality of ReSET’s protection component in the assigned settlement. The role ensures protection is the entry point and safeguard of the cash-plus model, delivering case management, protection monitoring, and community-based protection in coordination with partners and authorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of ReSET protection activities in the assigned settlement.
• Deliver technical support and guidance to the protection team, including case workers and community-based protection volunteers.
• Ensure the quality of planning, implementation and follow-up of all technical aspects of protection activities, including integrated protection screening, protection case management, protection monitoring and referrals.
• Ensure that cash and protection operate as one client journey, with protection overrides and cash-linked protection support applied safely and without exclusion.
• Develop and maintain good relations with forcibly displaced and stateless persons, host community members, RLOs, consortium partners, government and other humanitarian actors.
• Protection monitoring, identification of protection concerns and facilitation of access to services through the referral system; individual protection assistance, awareness-raising and advocacy for the rights of forcibly displaced and stateless persons.
• Contribute to project planning and implementation at field level, and monitor protection activities to ensure alignment with implementation plans, SOPs and quality standards.
• Document case studies, best practices and lessons learned from the cases handled by the protection staff.
• Develop mitigation strategies for potential challenges affecting protection operations in the settlement.
• Contribute to proposal development and program learning to support continuity and innovation.
• Operate the protection entry point of the dual-entry client journey: apply integrated protection screening and screen for household vulnerability and potential MPCA eligibility.
• Support the vulnerability assessment and household verification process to capture and act on protection risks.
• Identify and support Persons with Specific Needs (PSNs), oversee PSN needs assessments and ensure appropriate assistance and follow-up.
• Support the placement of households in assistance packages including Protection and Protection Plus.
• Contribute protection input to the targeting panel and Safer Cash approach, identifying protection risks linked to cash delivery and recommending mitigation.
• Support the appeals process for targeting decisions, ensuring urgent protection-related appeals are escalated and triaged promptly.
• Ensure protection case management is delivered according to established standards.
• Oversee child protection case management, including identification and assessment of unaccompanied and separated children and timely referral to specialized services.
• Coordinate with partners to ensure access to MHPSS and legal assistance.
• Support multidisciplinary case conferencing for complex and high-risk cases and escalate severe cases immediately.
• Ensure case data is recorded in appropriate case management systems.
• Support community-based protection including risk assessments, safety audits, information provision and capacity strengthening of community protection structures.
• Strengthen capacity of Refugee Welfare Councils, Community Protection Committees, women’s and girls’ groups, youth groups, para-social workers and community volunteers.
• Plan and participate in awareness-raising sessions and information campaigns on rights, services, referral pathways, safeguarding and complaints mechanisms.
• Support peaceful coexistence and social cohesion activities applying conflict-sensitivity and Do No Harm principles.
• Carry out protection monitoring, data collection and documentation of needs and risks of forcibly displaced and stateless persons.
• Support mapping of services and maintenance of joint service directory and referral pathways; ensure referrals are closed loop.
• Ensure Pillar Two referrals for recovery-ready households are voluntary and based on informed consent; maintain continuity of care for active protection cases.
• Flag referral failures, long waiting times and service gaps for escalation.
• Uphold IRC’s safeguarding policies and the Common Approach to Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH).
• Support accountability to affected populations and ensure feedback and complaints are acknowledged and resolved or escalated timely.
• Apply the program’s gender, disability and social inclusion approach using Washington Group Questions and accessibility audits.
• Ensure informed consent, confidentiality, data minimization and data protection practices in all protection data collection and sharing.
• Contribute to timely and quality weekly and monthly reports including protection monitoring reports and input to quarterly program reports.
• Provide input in designing protection monitoring tools and formats.
• Contribute to daily quality implementation, monitoring and evaluation of protection interventions working with MEAL staff.
• Support data collection for ReSET indicators and learning questions disaggregated by sex, age, disability and displacement status.
• Identify, document and disseminate relevant project successes and challenges and follow up on action points.
• Assist in participatory needs, vulnerability and capacity assessments of affected communities.
• Ensure timely completion of protection working group’s 4W matrix and other sector reporting.
• Perform any other duties assigned by supervisors.
• Collaborate with internal and external technical experts and ensure integration with other IRC sectors.
• Work as part of an integrated team with partners including joint planning, case conferences and field visits.
• Ensure good coordination with refugee leadership structures and provide appropriate support.
• Represent IRC in settlement-level protection, child protection, GBV and other coordination meetings and draft minutes.
• Maintain strong relationships with OPM, UNHCR, district local government, social welfare officers, police, justice actors, health authorities and other humanitarian actors.

Requirements

• University degree, preferably in social work, sociology, law, human rights, or a related field.
• A postgraduate qualification in the same field is desirable.
• 3–5 years of experience in protection programming, including GBV, child protection or protection monitoring, in a refugee or other displacement setting.
• Demonstrated experience in protection case management.
• Knowledge of community-based protection approaches, protection monitoring and referral systems; experience with community mobilization is an asset.
• Understanding cash and voucher assistance and of protection mainstreaming in cash programs (such as Safer Cash) is an asset.
• Strong knowledge of protection principles, safeguarding and PSEAH practices, confidentiality and data protection.
• Demonstrated experience in program cycle management and understanding of monitoring, evaluation and accountability practices.
• Proven ability to supervise and coach field teams and to work in partnership with national and refugee-led organizations.
• Proficiency in delivering training to staff, volunteers and community structures.
• Good report writing, organizational and leadership skills; ability to use digital data collection and case management tools.
• Ability to represent the organization effectively in meetings with local authorities and stakeholders.
• Strong communication, representation and people-centered management skills.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and make sound decisions.
• Fluency in English and in a language commonly spoken in the assigned settlement is an advantage.

Skills

• Protection Programming
• GBV Prevention
• Child Protection
• Protection Monitoring
• Protection Case Management
• Community-Based Protection
• Protection Referral Systems
• Social Mobilization
• Cash and Voucher Assistance
• Protection Mainstreaming
• Protection Principles Application
• Safeguarding Practices
• PSEAH Practices
• Patient Confidentiality
• Data Protection
• Program Cycle Management
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Accountability Practices
• Field Team Supervision
• Training Delivery
• Digital Data Collection
• Case Management Tools
• Report Writing
• Stakeholder Representation
• People-Centered Management

Languages

English