Senior Protection Officer (Centrality of Protection)

at  International Organization for Migration

Position Title : Senior Protection Officer (Centrality of Protection)
Duty Station : Geneva, Switzerland
Classification : Professional Staff, Grade P4
Type of Appointment : Fixed term, one year with possibility of extension
Estimated Start Date : As soon as possible
Closing Date : 03 November 2024
Established in 1951, IOM is a Related Organization of the United Nations, and as the leading
UN agency in the field of migration, works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and
non-governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the
benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.
IOM is committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. Read more about diversity and
inclusion at IOM at www.iom.int/diversity.
Applications are welcome from first- and second-tier candidates, particularly qualified female
candidates as well as applications from the non-represented member countries of IOM. For all
IOM vacancies, applications from qualified and eligible first-tier candidates are considered
before those of qualified and eligible second-tier candidates in the selection process.
For the purpose of this vacancy, the following are considered first-tier candidates:
1. Internal candidates
2. External female candidates:
3. Candidate from the following non-represented member states:
Antigua and Barbuda; Barbados; Comoros; Congo (the); Cook Islands;
Guinea-Bissau; Holy See; Iceland; Kiribati; Lao People’s Democratic
Republic (the); Madagascar; Marshall Islands; Micronesia (Federated
States of); Namibia; Nauru; Palau; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia;
Samoa; Sao Tome and Principe; Solomon Islands; Suriname; The Bahamas;
Tonga; Tuvalu; Vanuatu
Second tier candidates include:
All external candidates, except candidates from non-represented member states of IOM and
female candidates.

EDUCATION

• Master’s degree in law, political or social science, human rights, international relations,
  humanitarian aid, social work, or a related field from an accredited academic institution with

seven years of relevant professional experience; or,

• University degree in the above fields with nine years of relevant professional experience.

EXPERIENCE

• Extensive experience and expertise in implementing varied protection programs in multiple
  duty stations (i.e., protection, gender-based violence, protection of civilians, housing land and
  property, child protection, community-based protection, protection advocacy, protection

information management, and others);

• Specific experience working within the humanitarian protection sectors, including project

development and implementation, programme coordination, representation and managerial

responsibilities;

• Demonstrated experience in developing operational guidance and tools, such as position

papers, protection strategies, protection analyses and advocacy notes;

• Demonstrated experience in working in inter-agency and multisectoral coordination platforms

to advance strategic, thematic, or operational objectives;

• Experience in designing and training modules to various stakeholders, including thematic

experts, senior management, and leadership teams, on protection and related cross-cutting

areas;

• Experience with developing comprehensive action plans and advancing the internalization and

implementation of policies related to protection;

• Experience in leading and organizing events such as consultations, roundtables, workshops,

and webinars; and,

• Professional experience must include fieldwork in multiple duty stations, including in

emergency, humanitarian and transitional settings.

SKILLS

• Proven ability to liaise, coordinate and communicate with multiple stakeholders, and provide

strategic advice and guidance on protection in humanitarian action;

• In depth knowledge of various protection specialized fields and activities in different crisis and

conflict contexts, and their respective inter-agency global standards;

• Proven leadership and negotiation skills, particularly in a multi-stakeholder and multi-cultural

environment, and in complex socio-political contexts;

• Excellent coordination and communication skills, and ability to work with minimum supervision;
• Excellent organizational, monitoring and evaluation skills applied in protection programming;
• In-depth knowledge and understanding of the humanitarian ecosystem, IASC and UN systems;
• Strong strategic, analytical and creative thinking, with the ability to work under pressure;
• Knowledge of donor programming and cycles, and of project development processes;
• Knowledge of the humanitarian, development and peace nexus; and,
• Flexibility and focus on processes and their improvements.

CORE FUNCTIONS / RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Coordinate with relevant departments, regional (RO) and country offices to identify selected
   IOM operations in need of scale up of internalization of global and institutional protection
   policies. Liaise with selected Chief of Mission and senior management, including Emergency
   coordinators, and provide close strategic advice on Protection both through in-country and
   sustained remote support.
2. Through in-country deployments to selected ROs and country missions with an Humanitarian
   Coordination Structure (HCT), assess the internalization of Protection (both global and internal
   policy and minimum standards) and act as an advisor to IOM Chiefs of Mission and senior
   management, including emergency coordinators and colleagues, to facilitate the internalization
   of the IASC Protection Policy by providing strategic and technical guidance on positioning on
   protection risks, on scaling up protection integrated programs and protection mainstreaming,
   and on specialized protection programs, in line with Centrality of Protection benchmarks,
   internal policies and global commitments.
3. Advise Department of Humanitarian Response and Recovery (DHRR) and Protection Division
   (PXD) - Regional Thematic Specialist (RTS) in ROs, as well as chiefs of mission and relevant
   senior managers, including emergency coordinators, on internalizing and contributing to
   protection analysis, contextualized positioning on protection, and advocacy for protection.
   Support and review the elaboration of contextualized guidance and tools as relevant, including
   contextualized protection analysis flows -with the support of relevant HPX (humanitarian
   protection unit) team members, protection advocacy strategies or position papers.
4. Support the selected supported missions with drafting of protection analysis, advocacy notes,
   lines to take or position papers on contextual protection risks, as required.
5. Coordinate as relevant to fundraise on protection, such activities may comprise of organizing
   donors’ discussions on protection in close coordination with relevant internal departments, or the
   elaboration of concept notes and project proposals.
6. Lead and organize regular events such as roundtables, workshops, webinars, to raise
   awareness on the Centrality of Protection with relevant departments and IOM senior managers,
   and follow-up any pending actions, in close coordination with HPX and PXD at headquarters
   and ROs.
7. Elaborate strategic frameworks, action plans, guidance or tools on Centrality of Protection,
   and other related fields such as advocacy for protection, as required. Contribute to talking points
   on Humanitarian Protection.
8. Create training modules targeting senior management and leadership on relevant topics
   linked to the implementation of the IASC Protection Policy and Centrality of Protection, to be
   delivered in-person and online to IOM staff and leadership in selected country missions, ROs,
   and at headquarters.
9. Produce a repository of good practice and case studies from IOM country missions on the
   internalization and implementation on the Centrality of Protection and introduce relevant tools,
   guidance and resources.
10. Develop an overall action plan defining the approach and strategic, and institutional
    recommendations and workplans to further scale-up the internalization and implementation of
    the IASC Protection Policy and Centrality of Protection.
11. Review and advance relevant IOM policies such as on protection mainstreaming or on child
    protection, under lead and close coordination with PXD.

responsibilities;

• Demonstrated experience in developing operational guidance and tools, such as positio