Job vacancies at the Opportunities Industrialization Centers, Ethiopia (OIC-E)
Today, OIC-E is a pioneer in implementing skills development, job creation, and integrated support programs for both refugees and host communities. OIC-E currently operates two project sites in Addis Ababa—at Bole and Gulele sub-cities.
Founded in 1973 by visionary community leaders, Opportunities Industrialization Centers – Ethiopia (OIC-E) was established to combat the growing unemployment among women and youth in Ethiopia […]
Open Positions:
01. Protection Officer
- Duty Station: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Duration: One (1) year with possibility of extension, subject to funding and performance
- Reports to: Program Manager
- Deadline: December 10, 2026
Position Summary:
OIC-E is seeking an experienced Senior Protection Officer to lead protection programming in Addis Ababa. The post holder will take technical and operational responsibility for protection case management, psychosocial support, the OIC-E temporary shelter, and family tracing and reunification for unaccompanied and separated children.
The Senior Protection Officer provides technical oversight and case supervision to OIC-E’s Social Worker and Psychologist, maintains case management standards and safeguarding practice, and represents OIC-E in protection coordination forums and in technical discussions with donors and partner agencies. The ideal candidate combines strong case management expertise with the judgement needed to handle high-risk protection cases and the coordination skills to work across government, development partners, and civil society actors.
Key Responsibilities:
Protection Programming and Case Management:
- Lead the delivery of protection case management in Addis Ababa, including assessment, case planning, referral, follow-up, review and case closure.
- Maintain and apply standard operating procedures, consent forms, case files and confidentiality protocols in line with national standards and donor guidance.
- Oversee the operation of the OIC-E temporary shelter for individuals facing immediate protection risks and for children awaiting reunification.
- Ensure protection data is collected, stored and reported in line with data protection and confidentiality requirements.
Family Tracing and Reunification:
- Oversee child protection case management for unaccompanied and separated children, including best interest assessments and individual care plans.
- Direct family tracing through national, regional, and cross-border mechanisms, in coordination with government and non-governmental partners.
- Authorize reunification decisions and ensure safe handover, reintegration support and post-reunification follow-up at three and six months.
Technical Oversight and Capacity Building:
- Provide technical oversight and regular case supervision to the Social Worker and Psychologist, including caseload allocation and review of case decisions.
- Promote a safe and confidential working environment and ensure all team members understand and apply OIC-E’s safeguarding and PSEA commitments.
Coordination, Monitoring and Reporting:.
- Represent OIC-E in protection coordination forums, child protection sub-cluster and multi-sectoral referral meetings.
- Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual protection reports and trend analysis for OIC-E management and donors.
- Contribute to OIC-E’s feedback and complaints response mechanism and to quarterly review and reflection sessions.
Education and Experience
•Master’s Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Law, Sociology, Development Studies or a related field with at least 3 years of relevant experience; or a Bachelor’s Degree in the same fields with at least 5 years of relevant experience.
•Demonstrated experience leading protection or child protection case management in a humanitarian or development setting, including supervision of case workers.
•Practical experience of family tracing and reunification, best interest assessment and the Ethiopian child protection case management framework.
•Experience working with migrants, returnees, refugees or other people on the move is a strong advantage.
Skills and Competencies:
•Sound knowledge of protection principles, PSEA, safeguarding and confidential data handling.
•Strong judgement in managing high-risk cases and making defensible decisions under pressure.
•Proven coordination and representation skills with government, international development organizations, and civil society actors.
•Clear written and spoken English and Amharic; a further language spoken along the Eastern Route is an advantage.
•Competent in case management tools, reporting systems and standard office software.
- Psychology, Law, Sociology, Development Studies.
02. Social Worker
- Duty Station: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Duration: One (1) year with possibility of extension, subject to funding and performance Reports to: Program Manager
- Deadline: December 10th, 2026
Position Summary:
OIC-E is seeking a committed Social Worker to carry the protection and child protection caseload in Addis Ababa. The post holder will identify and register people on the move who need protection support, manage individual cases from assessment through to closure, and lead the day-to-day work of family tracing and reunification for unaccompanied and separated children.
This is a frontline role working directly with children and adults who have experienced difficult journeys. The ideal candidate is a skilled caseworker who can build trust quickly, keep accurate and confidential records, and work alongside government offices, community structures and service providers to get people the support they need.
Key Responsibilities:
Identification and Case Management:
- Conduct community outreach at transit points, terminals and community structures to identify people on the move in need of protection support, working with local government and civil society partners.
- Register and document cases, carry out protection assessments and develop individual case plans with each client.
- Manage an assigned caseload through follow-up, review and case closure, keeping case files complete, accurate and confidential.
- Facilitate referrals to health care, legal aid, shelter, livelihoods and other essential services, and track referral outcomes to completion.
Child Protection and Family Reunification:
- Identify, register and document unaccompanied and separated children on the move through outreach and partner referrals.
- Conduct best interest assessments and prepare individual care plans, including interim care arrangements for children awaiting tracing.
- Carry out family tracing through national, regional and cross-border referral mechanisms and verify family circumstances before reunification.
- Accompany and escort children during reunification travel and complete formal handover to parents or caregivers.
- Conduct post-reunification follow-up at three and six months and complete case closure
Shelter and Direct Support:
- Support the running of the OIC-E temporary shelter, including intake, resident welfare and onward planning for individuals and children accommodated there.
- Work closely with a psychologist to ensure that clients requiring psychosocial support are promptly identified and referred internally, and seek technical guidance from relevant staff on case-related decision.
Documentation and Coordination:
- Maintain accurate case records in OIC-E’s case management database and submit timely case updates to relevant staff.
- Participate in case conferences, supervision sessions and multi-sectoral referral meetings.
- Contribute to monthly reporting, the feedback and complaints response mechanism, and quarterly review and reflection sessions.
Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s Degree or above in Social Work, Sociology, Psychology or a related field with at least 3 years of relevant experience; a Master’s Degree with 2 years of relevant experience will also be considered.
- Demonstrated experience in protection or child protection case management, including assessment, case planning and referral.
- Experience working with unaccompanied and separated children, migrants, returnees or other vulnerable groups.
- Familiarity with the Ethiopian child protection case management framework and referral pathways in Addis Ababa.
Skills and Competencies:
- Strong interviewing and assessment skills, with the ability to build trust with children and adults in distress.
- Careful, accurate record keeping and a firm understanding of confidentiality and data protection.
- Practical knowledge of safeguarding and PSEA requirements.
- Willingness to travel within Ethiopia to accompany children during reunification.
- Good written and spoken English and Amharic; a further language spoken along the Eastern Route is an advantage.
- Social work, Sociology, Psychology, Child Development, Law, Public Health.
03. Psychologist
- Duty Station: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Duration: One (1) year with possibility of extension, subject to funding and performance Reports to: Program Manager
- Deadline: December 10, 2026
Position Summary:
OIC-E is seeking a qualified Psychologist to deliver psychosocial support to people on the move in Addis Ababa. The post holder will provide individual and group psychosocial support and psychological first aid at the OIC-E shelter and at outreach points, and will offer technical guidance to the wider program team on how to work with clients who have experienced distress, violence or separation from family.
The ideal candidate is a practicing psychologist with experience of needs-based psychosocial work in a humanitarian or community setting, and the clinical judgement to recognize when a client needs specialized care beyond what OIC-E can provide.
Key Responsibilities:
Psychosocial Support Delivery:
- Deliver individual psychosocial support and counselling sessions based on assessed need, at the OIC-E shelter, at the protection desk and at outreach locations.
- Facilitate group psychosocial support, stress management and structured recreational sessions for adults and for children.
- Provide psychological first aid to people arriving in acute distress, including survivors of violence and children separated from their families.
- Prepare and maintain session plans, materials and recreational supplies appropriate to the age and circumstances of participants.
Assessment, Referral and Follow-up:
- Carry out psychosocial assessments and agree individual support plans with each client.
- Identify clients who need specialized mental health care and refer them to appropriate services, following up to confirm the referral was completed.
- Record session notes and progress against support plans, keeping all records confidential and secure.
Technical Guidance and Staff Care:
- Provide technical guidance and case supervision to case workers and community volunteers on psychosocial approaches and psychological first aid.
- Contribute to training for OIC-E staff, frontline workers and partners on psychosocial support, case management and safeguarding.
Monitoring and Reporting:
- Maintain accurate records of psychosocial support provided and report against agreed targets.
- Contribute to monthly and quarterly reporting, client satisfaction reviews and quarterly review and reflection sessions.
- Participate in multi-sectoral coordination meetings where psychosocial expertise is needed.
Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s Degree or above in Psychology, Clinical Psychology or Counselling Psychology with at least 3 years of relevant experience; a master’s degree with 2 years of relevant experience will also be considered.
- Demonstrated experience providing individual and group psychosocial support in a humanitarian, community or clinical setting.
- Training in psychological first aid and experience working with survivors of violence or with separated children is a strong advantage.
- Experience working with migrants, returnees, refugees or other people on the move is desirable.
Skills and Competencies:
- Strong assessment, counselling and group facilitation skills, with both adults and children.
- Sound clinical judgement, including knowing the limits of the service and when to refer on.
- A firm understanding of confidentiality, informed consent, safeguarding and PSEA.
- Ability to work calmly and sensitively with people in distress.
- Good written and spoken English and Amharic; a further language spoken along the Eastern Route is an advantage.
- Psychology, Clinical Psychology or Counselling Psychology
How to Apply
Qualified candidates are invited to submit their CV and cover letter outlining their suitability for the role and contact information for three references to: oicethiopia0@gmail.com by November 18, 2026. Please use “[Position Title] Application – [Your Name]” as the subject line.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
OIC-E is committed to safeguarding and to the protection of the people it serves. All positions are subject to reference checks and the signing of OIC-E’s Code of Conduct, Safeguarding Policy and PSEA Policy. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
OIC-E is a non-governmental, non-profit organization committed to empowering vulnerable communities, including refugees and migrants, across Ethiopia. Initially established as a vocational training institute, OIC-E has grown into a comprehensive development organization addressing critical socio-economic challenges such as unemployment, irregular migration, and forced displacement.
Through a holistic and integrated approach, OIC-E strives to create sustainable pathways to economic inclusion and social resilience. The organization actively collaborates with government institutions, international donors, civil society organizations, and the private sector to advance its mission and achieve lasting impact.
