About the Role
The Protection Officer will oversee the implementation of protection activities for displacement-affected individuals and communities. The role focuses on supervision of protection staff, legal counselling and assistance, protection monitoring, case management, psychosocial support, reporting, coordination, and ensuring quality and accountability in line with NRC protection strategy and humanitarian standards.
Key Responsibilities
Generic Responsibilities
- Adhere to NRC policies, guidance, and procedures
- Ensure protection projects target the most vulnerable beneficiaries
- Contribute to improved approaches for assisting target populations
- Perform any other tasks assigned by the line manager
Specific Responsibilities
Supervision (30%)
- Oversee daily implementation of protection activities including protection monitoring, case management, and psychosocial support
- Supervise Protection social workers and Technical Assistants through proper planning, guidance, and performance follow-up
Legal Counselling and Assistance (40%)
- Support social workers and TAs in identifying and assessing persons with specific needs through referral pathways and vulnerability criteria
- Conduct community awareness sessions on protection issues, rights, and available services
- Provide individual protection counselling to beneficiaries
- Ensure proper case management including documentation, follow-up, and referrals
- Conduct protection assessments, monitoring, and data collection to identify risks and gaps
- Organize and facilitate capacity building sessions for local authorities, community structures, and partners
- Provide on-the-job training to Protection TAs
Staff Capacity Building (10%)
Integrated Programming (10%)
- Coordinate with other core competencies for integrated protection programming
- Promote co-ownership of integrated activities with protection staff
- Supervise and verify monthly data entry into the electronic database and maintain hard copy documentation
- Identify advocacy, access, and protection needs from the field and report to the coordinator
- Raise purchase requests and follow up with logistics as needed
- Liaise with governmental, non-governmental, and UN agencies for referral networks
- Update the M&E matrix regularly and share with the Protection Project Coordinator
- Submit weekly and monthly progress reports to the line manager
Administrative and Reporting (10%)
Qualifications and Competencies
Professional Competencies
- Experience working as a Legal or General Protection Project Officer in humanitarian or recovery contexts
- Experience working in complex and volatile environments
- Documented results related to similar responsibilities
- Good knowledge of English
Context-Related Skills and Experience
- University degree in Law or related social science field with strong knowledge of Ethiopian law
- Experience in protection or legal assistance implementation
- 1–2 years of project management experience including staff supervision and policy compliance
- Experience in monitoring, evaluation, and reporting
- Experience representing an I/NGO and advocating on behalf of beneficiaries in public forums
- Willingness to travel to hard-to-reach areas in the Somali region
- Fluency in Somali language is mandatory
- Advanced computer skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
About NRC
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is a global humanitarian organization helping people forced to flee. NRC works in some of the world’s most dangerous and difficult crises to provide high-quality aid and defend the rights of refugees and internally displaced people. NRC promotes responsibility, professional growth, innovation, diversity, equity, and inclusion within a supportive work culture.
Safeguarding is central to NRC’s work. All employees are expected to treat everyone with respect and dignity, contribute to a safe environment, never engage in exploitation or harassment including sexual exploitation, abuse, and sexual harassment, and always report concerns. NRC has zero tolerance for inaction against exploitation and abuse.
About the Team
NRC operates in around 31 countries with approximately 14,000 staff. NRC Geneva leads representation with UN agencies and donors and works closely with the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC). NRC applies a rights-based approach to protect displaced and vulnerable populations and works in line with humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, independence, and impartiality.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to apply before February 17, 2026.
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