Protection Officer

Positive Action for Development (PAD) is an indigenous, non-governmental, non-profit, secular, and legally registered Ethiopian Civil Society Organization (Registration No. 2330). PAD is committed to promoting a just, compassionate, and inclusive society where all people can thrive. Guided by the values of optimism, integrity, kindness, excellence, and impactful action, PAD works to provide effective humanitarian and development support to communities in need.

Positive Action for Development (PAD) is seeking a qualified and experienced professional to join its team as a Protection Officer for an EHF-funded project based in Afar Region

Job Summary:

Under the supervision of the Project Coordinator, the Protection Officer will be responsible for the planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of all protection activities, with a specific focus on Child Protection, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), ensuring the highest quality and adherence to international standards and principles.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Program Implementation and Management

• Develop and contribute to detailed implementation plans (DIPs) and procurement plans for protection activities in line with project timelines, budgets, and donor requirements.
• Conduct and/or contribute to rapid needs assessments, protection risk assessments, and community consultations to identify key protection concerns, vulnerabilities, and capacities.
• Plan, design, and implement protection interventions based on identified needs, the project’s logical framework, and international best practices, including the National Case Management Framework, and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Guidelines on MHPSS.
• Ensure all protection programming is community-based, participatory, and inclusive of persons with disabilities, older persons, and other marginalized groups.

Case Management and Direct Support

• Supervise and support the implementation of a survivor-centered GBV case management approach, ensuring confidentiality, informed consent, and ethical handling of cases.
• Lead the implementation of Child Protection case management activities, including identification, registration, assessment, case planning, referral, and follow-up for vulnerable children, including Unaccompanied and Separated Children (UASC) and children with disabilities.
• Provide technical guidance and support to community workers and partners on case management and the referral pathway.
• Directly oversee and ensure the provision of need-based cash assistance to GBV survivors and other vulnerable households, in line with established protection cash assistance guidelines.
• Ensure the confidential procurement and distribution of dignity kits to women and girls of reproductive age.

Capacity Building and Community Engagement

• Design, lead, and facilitate training sessions for a wide range of participants, including community committees, government stakeholders, health workers, and community volunteers, about:
• Child Protection Case Management
• GBV Case Management and Survivor-Centered Approach
• Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
• Gender Equality, Disability Inclusion, and Social Inclusion (GESI)
• Child Safeguarding and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)
• Strengthen the capacity of community-based protection structures to identify, monitor, and refer protection cases.
• Facilitate community consultations and ensure meaningful participation throughout the project cycle.

Protection Monitoring, Awareness, and Coordination

• Plan and execute mass sensitization campaigns and community awareness-raising sessions on children’s rights, GBV prevention, harmful practices, protection services, and referral mechanisms.
• Organize and facilitate the commemoration of key international protection events, such as World Mental Health Day, International Day of the Girl Child, and the 16 Days of Activism.
• Organize and facilitate woreda-level protection coordination meetings with partners, government authorities, and relevant stakeholders to address referral gaps and enhance coordination.

Monitoring, Reporting, and Documentation

• Monitor progress against approved work plans, indicators (including protection-specific indicators), and budgets.
• Conduct regular field monitoring visits and technical quality assurance for all protection activities.
• Prepare regular progress reports (daily, weekly, monthly) on protection activities, documenting achievements, challenges, lessons learned, and recommendations.
• Maintain complete and confidential case files and other protection-related documentation.
• Support the collection and management of project data to ensure accurate reporting and analysis.
• Support Post-Distribution Monitoring (PDM) and other assessments to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of protection interventions.

Coordination and Representation

• Maintain close coordination with woreda and zonal Women and Social Affairs Offices, health offices, local authorities, and other government institutions.
• Coordinate with humanitarian and development partners, including other protection actors, GBV sub-cluster, and child protection sub-cluster.
• Actively participate in regional, zonal, and woreda protection cluster/sub-cluster coordination meetings.
• Represent PAD in relevant technical and coordination forums as assigned.

 Quality Assurance, Accountability, and Compliance

• Ensure that all protection interventions comply with approved activity designs, national standards (e.g., National Case Management Framework), international guidelines (e.g., IASC Guidelines), donor requirements, and PAD’s organizational policies and procedures (including PSEA and Child Safeguarding).
• Ensure protection interventions are inclusive, sustainable, and responsive to the specific needs of affected communities.
• Identify implementation risks and protection concerns, taking appropriate corrective actions.
• Promote accountability to affected populations by ensuring the CFM is functional and responsive

Qualifications: 

• BA/MA/MSc Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, Law, Gender Studies, International Development, or other related fields.

Experience:

• Minimum of four (4) years of relevant work experience, including at least three (2) years in INGOs/NNGOs within the protection sector, with a focus on GBV, Child Protection, and/or MHPSS.

Skills Required:

• Fluency in English, both written and verbal.
• Fluency in the local language (Afar), both written and verbal, is a mandatory requirement.
• Previous experience working in complex and volatile contexts, particularly in the Afar region, is highly desirable.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Team-management and leadership skills.
• Ability to handle insecure environments and work under pressure.
• Managing resources to optimize results.
• Innovation, flexibility, and a solution-oriented approach.

Computer Skills

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Experience using mobile data collection tools, such as Kobo Toolbox, is an advantage.

Stakeholder Engagement and Coordination

• Experience coordinating with woreda and zonal protection offices, local facilities, and implementing partners to ensure harmonized service delivery.
• Ability to represent the organization in protection cluster meetings, planning sessions, and joint field assessments.

Adaptability and Professionalism

• Flexible and solution-oriented, with the ability to adapt to changing project contexts, such as supply chain disruptions or emergency response needs.
• Maintains professional ethics, client confidentiality, and organizational values in all aspects of work.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in demanding humanitarian settings, including conflict-affected, resource-constrained, and remote areas.

Other:

• Willingness to travel to and work in remote and hard-to-reach locations.
• Ability to work effectively in a multi-sectoral emergency response setting, demonstrating flexibility, adaptability, and cultural sensitivity while collaborating with diverse teams and community stakeholders.
• Commitment to upholding humanitarian values and the organization’s mission.

Competencies

• Action facilitations
• Communications
• Ethics & Values
• Teamwork
• Behavioral Flexibility
• Client Orientation
• Initiative
• Interpersonal Relations
• Reasonable Judgment

Duty Station: Bidu Woreda, Zone 2

Number Required: 1 (One)

Female applicants are highly encouraged to apply

Equal Employment Opportunity

PAD promotes fairness, equity, and diversity in the workplace. We welcome applications from qualified individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of gender, age, disability, ethnicity, religion, or other personal status.

Hiring decisions are made solely based on skills, experience, and suitability for the role.
PAD is committed to creating a respectful and inclusive environment where all staff can thrive, contribute meaningfully, and grow professionally.

Zero Tolerance for Misconduct

PAD maintains zero tolerance for abuse, harassment, exploitation, or misuse of power. All staff, volunteers, and partners are expected to follow PAD’s policies and uphold our values at all times.
All successful candidates will undergo background checks and must adhere to PAD’s code of conduct and safeguarding principles.

Recruitment Flexibility

PAD reserves the right to:

• Recruit more than the required candidates from this announcement.
• Keep qualified applicants in our database for future similar roles.

Important Notice on Recruitment Fraud

If you encounter any misconduct, fraud, or corruption related to PAD’s recruitment process or operations, please report immediately via:

• Email: safeguarding@padethiopia.org
• Link: https://one-pad.org/guest_new/public_add_issue
• Toll Free Hotline: 9135

PAD treats all reports confidentially and takes them seriously, ensuring appropriate action is taken.