Project Associate (Protection - GBV/CP)

Established in 1951, IOM is the leading intergovernmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental, and non-governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting human and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.

IOM Ethiopia's vision is to place the rights and well-being of migrants at the centre of its interventions, adopting a preventive, protective, and responsive approach. Its protection interventions in Ethiopia follow a six-pillar intervention that includes direct assistance to migrants, displaced persons and affected communities, thematic guidance, capacity development, advocacy, and research. The Protection Unit (PXU) works closely with the Government of Ethiopia and various stakeholders in emergency, displacement, and migration settings to reduce protection risks and address the needs of vulnerable individuals and communities, including children and adolescents exposed to violence, exploitation, abuse, neglect, family separation, trafficking, or other child protection concerns. IOM is guided by rights-based, survivor-centred, child-sensitive, and age- and gender-responsive approaches across migration programming, demonstrating commitment to the safeguarding of vulnerable groups.

Within PXU, and under the Migrant Protection and Assistance sub-unit, non-emergency programming areas include Counter-trafficking, Assistance to Vulnerable Migrants (AVM), Child Protection, and Community Outreach. These areas support the identification, referral, and assistance of migrants in vulnerable situations, including unaccompanied and separated children and children exposed to protection risks along migration routes.

IOM’s CT work focuses on prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership-strengthening, grounded in data, research, survivor engagement, and policy. It employs case management services, capacity development for service provision and protection, and referral systems, among others, with the aim to support the Government of Ethiopia’s efforts to combat the crime, improve the protection of trafficking victims, and follow international practices and trauma-informed approaches.

IOM, through its Migration Response Centres (MRCs), provides vulnerable migrants with protection and assistance delivering needs-based assistance and referrals, prioritizing victims of trafficking, unaccompanied and separated children, children in situations of vulnerability, and those with health needs. IOM’s MRCs are strategically located on the key migratory routes in Ethiopia, with three on the Eastern Route, one on the Southern Route, and the final one on the Northern Route. These MRCs provide, often, lifesaving assistance and tailored protection support to migrants that have been returned, stranded, or otherwise find themselves in very difficult situations, including identification of child protection risks, safe referral to relevant services, and coordination with child protection actors where required.

Through its Community Outreach and behavioural change area of work, communities are empowered to actively engage in protecting vulnerable groups, report on human traffickers, and become agents of change in reducing irregular migration. This supports communities to explore and access alternatives to unsafe and perilous journeys on the different migratory routes throughout Ethiopia. Due to the Community Conversations platform, strong community leaders have emerged, and norms and attitudes perpetuating irregular migration situations are challenged.

Under the overall supervision of the Programme Officer (Protection Emergencies), and direct supervision of the National Officer (Protection), the successful candidate will support in the implementation of the activities under the Protection Non-emergencies portfolio, including the MRCs, Counter-trafficking, Child Protection, and Community Outreach work. The selected candidate will also be required to provide additional support as necessary to other protection teams, including the Return and Reintegration teams, Protection Emergencies, Policy and Liaison, and support coordination with other programmatic units in the mission, particularly where activities involve children and adolescents in vulnerable situations.

In particular, he/she will undertake the following responsibilities and accountabilities.

1. Support the National Officer (GBV) in the implementation of protection, legal, MHPSS, CP, and GBV activities including its financial, administrative and technical implementation, in compliance with IOM policies and standards, as well as donor requirements, agreed timeline and deliverables

2. Support the provision of assistance to vulnerable migrants with implementing partners, service providers, and local authorities including access to safe shelter, healthcare, psychosocial support, and reintegration services
3. Coordinate referrals and service delivery with relevant government entities, civil society actors, and service providers
4. Identify protection trends and closely coordinate with supervisor to respond and report such concerns
5. Support in conducting intake interviews, needs assessments, risk evaluation, and follow-up for m migrants in vulnerable situations (including VoTs, UASC, and GBV survivors) applying IOM's vulnerability model to assist migrants exposed to violence, exploitation, or abuse
6. Collect and record accurate data using IOM's standard tools and case management system, in compliance with data protection standards and informed consent.
7. Support operational aspects of implementation, including logistics and procurement processes in close coordination with other IOM teams
8. Coordinate mapping of service providers operating in target locations to help update internal and external referral pathways
9. Maintain constructive relationships with community leaders, local government counterparts, and service providers
10. Draft and/or produce progress and other reports and facilitate proper information exchange on all operational aspects of the programmes between IOM, the programmes’ donors and other stakeholders in line with IOM and donor requirements
11. Support the National Officer (GBV) in providing training sessions for staff, partners and key stakeholders on migrant protection topics such as case management, counter-trafficking, GBV, trauma-informed care, referral pathways for victims of trafficking or survivors of gender-based violence, and rights-based approaches
12. Undertake duty travel to field locations as required.
13. Perform such other duties as may be assigned.

• School diploma with five years of relevant experience; or,

• Bachelor’s degree in Political or Social Sciences, International Relations, Development Studies, Migration Studies, Human Rights, Law or related fields from an accredited academic institution with three years of relevant professional experience.

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

• At least 3 years of relevant professional experience, preferably within a protection role, focused on GBV and/or CP preferred. 

• Experience in coordinating implementing partner agreements, conduct regular quality and activity monitoring, and provide on the job capacity building.

• Experience in liaising with governmental authorities, national/international institutions, United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations; 

• Experience in working with migrants, refugees, internally displaced persons, victims of trafficking and other vulnerable groups; 
• Prior work experience with international humanitarian organizations, non-government or government institutions/organization in a multi-cultural setting is an advantage; and
• Experience in humanitarian and/or development programming relating to migration, refugee, and internally displaced persons (IDP) issues.

• Good knowledge on broad range of migration-related subject areas including assistance to vulnerable migrants, community outreach, and other migrant proteciton areas
• Excellent interpersonal, cross-cultural and diplomatic skills and the ability to lead and work collaboratively with a diverse team
• Ability to deliver effective capacity building on migrant protection, trafficking, and community-based protection topics and areas for protection and non-protection teams, as well as partners including local government and partners
• Solid reporting and organizational skills, and ability to be flexible and work well under pressure in a fast-paced and detail-oriented team environment
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, SharePoint, and PowerPoint
• Sound knowledge of IOM protection standards and frameworks

IOM’s official languages are English, French, and Spanish. 

REQUIRED

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

DESIRABLE

Working knowledge of Amharic is desirable.

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

Please refer to this link for guidance on IOM Job Category.

Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this vacancy notice is subject to funding confirmation.

This selection process may be used to staff similar positions in various duty stations. Recommended candidates will remain eligible to be appointed in a similar position for a period of 24 months.

Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, security clearances.

IOM has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and IOM, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities.

IOM does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, processing, training or other fee). IOM does not request any information related to bank accounts.

IOM only accepts duly completed applications submitted through the IOM e-Recruitment system (for internal candidates link here). The online tool also allows candidates to track the status of their application.

No late applications will be accepted. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

For further information and other job postings, you are welcome to visit our website: IOM Careers and Job Vacancies