National Protection Officer

Job Posting Organization:
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is an intergovernmental organization established in 1951, with a mission to promote humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. IOM operates in over 100 countries and has a workforce of more than 17,000 employees. The organization focuses on various aspects of migration, including humanitarian assistance, development, and policy advocacy, aiming to ensure that migration is safe, orderly, and dignified.

Job Overview:
The National Protection Officer will play a crucial role in overseeing protection operations within Ukraine, reporting directly to the Head of Programs (Humanitarian) and under the overall supervision of the Chief of Mission. This position entails managing project activities, supervising staff, coordinating with partners, engaging with donors, and representing IOM in relevant protection coordination structures. The officer will be responsible for developing, planning, and implementing protection strategies and programming, providing strategic oversight, and managing administrative structures such as staff recruitment and resource mobilization. The role also involves leading key processes related to protection, including negotiation and advocacy, and contributing to building strategic alliances to achieve IOM Ukraine's protection program objectives. The officer will support the Protection Unit in providing leadership and substantive contributions to technical working groups and policy platforms, particularly in risk and needs analysis, response planning, and reporting. Additionally, the officer will strengthen collaboration between the protection program and IOM Ukraine’s humanitarian, recovery, and development programs, ensuring that protection risks are mitigated and crisis preparedness is supported. The position requires frequent travel to challenging operational areas and the ability to adapt to dynamic and complex environments.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The National Protection Officer will be responsible for a comprehensive set of duties, including: overseeing protection operations and project activities; supervising and mentoring staff; coordinating with partners and stakeholders; engaging with donors and representing IOM in protection coordination structures; developing and implementing protection strategies and programming; managing administrative structures such as recruitment and resource mobilization; leading negotiation and advocacy efforts; contributing to risk and needs analysis; supporting the Protection Unit in technical working groups; ensuring accountability to affected populations; conducting awareness efforts to mitigate risks; and maintaining oversight of project cycles to ensure compliance with audit and donor requirements. The officer will also be tasked with strengthening collaboration between various IOM programs and ensuring the mainstreaming of protection across all interventions, in line with IOM’s internal guidance and global standards.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Master’s degree in International Relations, Political Science, Social Sciences, or a related field from an accredited institution, along with five years of relevant professional experience. Alternatively, a University degree in the aforementioned fields with seven years of relevant experience is acceptable. Candidates should demonstrate expertise in implementing and coordinating specialized protection programming, including counter-trafficking activities, and have experience in supporting government and civil society in developing protection strategies and policies. Strong skills in inter-agency coordination, representation, and capacity development related to protection topics are essential, as well as experience in managing case management programming and ensuring quality assurance.

Educational Background:
The educational requirements for this position include a Master’s degree in a relevant field such as International Relations, Political Science, or Social Sciences from an accredited academic institution. Candidates with a University degree in these fields must have additional years of relevant professional experience to qualify for the role. The educational background should provide a solid foundation for understanding complex social and political environments, which is critical for the responsibilities of the National Protection Officer.

Experience:
Candidates should have a demonstrated level of experience directly implementing and coordinating specialized protection programming, particularly in counter-trafficking activities. Experience in developing strategic and operational program plans, inter-agency coordination, and supporting cross-sectoral mainstreaming of protection is essential. Additionally, candidates should have experience in conducting capacity development activities related to protection topics, designing prevention and risk-mitigation activities, and managing case management programming with a focus on quality assurance and oversight of referral pathways. Proven experience in supervising, mentoring, and building the capacity of staff is also required.

Languages:
Fluency in English and Ukrainian is mandatory for this position, both oral and written. This linguistic proficiency is crucial for effective communication and collaboration with various stakeholders, including government officials, UN agencies, NGOs, and communities. Knowledge of additional languages may be considered an asset but is not explicitly required for this role.

Additional Notes:
The position is subject to funding confirmation, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The selection process may be used to fill similar positions in various duty stations, and recommended candidates will remain eligible for appointment in similar roles for a period of 24 months. National Professional Officers must be nationals of the country of their employment, and appointments will be contingent upon medical fitness certification, residency verification, and necessary government authorizations. IOM maintains a zero-tolerance policy regarding conduct incompatible with its objectives, including sexual exploitation and abuse, and does not charge any fees during the recruitment process. Applications must be submitted through the IOM online recruitment system.