Regional Protection Officer at International Organization for Migration


The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is the UN Migration Agency. With 174 member states it is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. Established in 1951 and now active in over 400 field locations worldwide, IOM works with partners, government, and civil society to:

  • Assist in meeting the operational challenges of migration and mobility
  • Advance understanding of migration issues
  • Encourage social and economic development through migration; and
  • Uphold the human dignity and well-being of migrants and mobile populations

Internal and external candidates will be considered for this vacancy. For the purposes of this vacancy, internal candidates are defined as staff members holding a regular, fixed-term or short-term graded or ungraded contract, including Junior Professional Officers (JPOs), staff on Special Leave Without Pay (SLWOP), and staff members on secondment/loan released by the Organization, unless otherwise specified in their contract. Staff members holding a regular, fixed-term or short-term graded contract will not retain their contract type if appointed to an ungraded position.

IOM’s Regional Office for the East and Horn of Africa supports and monitors the following countries: Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Through a team of specialists, the Regional Office supports the development, implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of projects and initiatives undertaken by country offices and regional programmes.

Context:

The Protection Unit at the IOM’s Regional Office for the East and Horn of Africa supports the delivery of protection interventions in the following countries: Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. IOM’s protection work in the region fall within the following 5 pillars: direct assistance, capacity building, law and policy development and implementation, data collection and analysis; thematic guidance and convening of relevant stakeholders to advance protection. Adopting a route-based approach, IOM coordinates the Regional Migrant Response Plan for East and Horn of Africa 2021-2024 (MRP) which is a migrant-focused humanitarian and development response strategy for vulnerable migrants from the Horn of Africa traveling along the Eastern Route. The MRP’s objectives are to ensure protection assistance to vulnerable migrants in the Horn of Africa, support durable and development-oriented approaches to return and sustainable reintegration, strengthen the protection of migrants in the Horn of Africa by building capacities of governments, and analyse trends of migration between the Horn of Africa and Yemen. To strengthen protection responses in the plan, the organization recently supported the establishment of a Regional Migrant Protection Working Group (MPWG) to ensure coordinated protection response along the Eastern Route. Under the overall supervision of the Regional Director and the direct supervision of the Senior Regional Protection Specialist and in close coordination with the MRP coordinator, BMM and MPRR Programme Coordinators the successful candidate will be responsible for supporting the implementation of protection activities in the region including coordination of the Regional Migrant Protection Working Group and the implementation of its priorities.

Core Functions / Responsibilities:

    1. Carry out preliminary assessments of protection and assistance needs at the regional level, identify problems/gaps and propose/priorities including timely practical actions to respond to protection concerns.
  1. In collaboration with the Regional and country programme teams coordinate assistance to individual cases of concern and facilitate the delivery of protection and assistance.
  2. Assist and provide technical guidance to IOM Country Offices (CO), as well as relevant partners and government entities in the establishment of referral mechanisms and other protection interventions.
  3. Support coordination and functionality of the Regional Migrant Protection Working Group in consultation with relevant participants at country and regional level including agency staff, humanitarian and development partners, governments and donors.
  4. Participate in reviewing proposals and reports related to protection activities for consistency and accuracy and facilitate information exchange on policy and operational aspects of the projects between IOM, partners, donors, and other stakeholders.
  5. Contribute to knowledge management by compiling and sharing information on protection tools and best practices.
  6. Assess training needs on protection issues and need for capacity building among IOM staff and relevant counterparts (government, civil society).
  7. Provide technical inputs for the development and delivery of relevant training curricula to at the regional and national levels.
  8. Participate in inter-agency regional protection fora (e.g., protection cluster, childprotection sub-cluster, Gender-Based Violence sub-cluster, relevant task forces, etc.) and monitor protection needs, risks and vulnerabilities.
  9. Standardize the application of protection related tools, guidelines and policies in protection programming, advocacy and policy development
  10. Support country teams in the planning, coordination and implementation of protection assessments and to develop sound protection analysis to inform protection programming, policy and advocacy.
  11. Undertake duty travel as per need.
  12. Perform such other duties as may be assigned.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

Education

  • Master’s degree in International Law, Development Studies, Political Science, International Relations, Social Studies, or a related field from an accredited academicinstitution with two years of relevant professional experience; or
  • University degree in the above fields with four years of relevant professional experience

Experience

  • Previous work on protection (e.g. child protection, GBV, counter-trafficking) including in the provision of direct assistance to vulnerable groups;
  • Experience in translating protection policies to activities
  • Experience in managing teams, mentoring and delivering trainings;
  • Experience working with donors and specialized international agencies (UN Agencies, International Organizations, and International NGOs);
  • Experience in project management and monitoring and evaluation an asset;
  • Experience in regional coordination between different stakeholders highly desirable; and,
  • Experience in working effectively with local authorities, stakeholders, beneficiaries, and the broader community to advance country office or regional objectives.

Skills

  • Efficiency, flexibility, high level of professionalism and ability to work under pressure and adhere to strict deadlines;
  • Ability to work effectively and harmoniously with colleagues from varied cultures and professional backgrounds;
  • Ability to guide and supervise staff and coordinate administrative matters;
  • In-depth communication and interpersonal skills as well as excellent strategic and creative thinking;
  • Demonstrated writing skills; and, Good understanding of regional migration trends and dynamics.
  • Ability to navigate through differing ideas or perspectives to reach to an independent judgment

Languages

IOM’s official languages are English, French and Spanish. External applicants for all positions in the Professional category are required to be proficient in English and have at least a working knowledge of one additional UN Language (French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian or Chinese).

For all applicants, fluency in English is required (oral and written). Knowledge of French is advantageous. Fluency/working knowledge of languages in the East and Horn of Africa is highly desirable.

Proficiency of language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments. Notes 1 Accredited Universities are the ones listed in the UNESCO World Higher Education Database (https://whed.net/home.php).

IOM’s competency framework can be found at this link. https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/about-iom/iom_revised_competency_framework_external.pdf Competencies will be assessed during a competency-based interview.

Other:

Internationally recruited professional staff are required to be mobile. Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this vacancy notice is subject to funding confirmation. For this staff category, candidates who are nationals of the duty station’s country and who do not have prior experience outside the duty station’s country as staff member in the Professional category cannot be considered eligible. Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

Vacancies close at 23:59 local time Geneva, Switzerland on the respective closing date.

No late applications will be accepted.

How to apply

Interested candidates should submit CV and a cover letter indicating the Position Title and Vacancy Number with three professional referees (supervisors), and their contacts (both email and telephone) to International Organization for Migration (IOM), RO Human Resources Department, via e-mail: ronairobihrdrec@iom.int

CLOSING DATE: 30 September 2022

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. Click here to access the Call for Application.

NOTE

NO FEE: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, process or training). IOM does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank details.

Posting period: From: 23.09.2022 to 30.09.2022

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