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Purpose
The Protection Officer is responsible for frontline implementation of Community-Based Protection (CBP) and protection monitoring activities within assigned project locations. The position supports community outreach, identification and screening of vulnerable individuals, protection assessments, referrals, awareness raising, engagement with Community Outreach Volunteers (COVs), and collection of protection information.
The role works closely with the Field Coordinator, Case Management Assistants, community structures, and service providers to ensure vulnerable individuals are identified and connected to appropriate protection services in a timely, safe, and principled manner.
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Key Responsibilities
Protection & Community-Based Activities
- Conduct community outreach, field visits, household engagement, and other CBP activities within assigned areas.
- Support community mapping, Broad-Based Community Meetings (BBCMs), community action planning, and strengthening of community structures.
- Conduct protection screening and vulnerability assessments to identify individuals requiring protection support or specialised services.
- Deliver awareness sessions on protection risks, rights, available services, referral options, and project mechanisms.
- Work with COVs and community structures to identify protection concerns, vulnerable individuals, and emerging community needs.
- Support COV engagement, orientation, training, and ongoing community-level activities under the guidance of the Field Coordinator.
Identification, Referral & Follow-up
- Identify individuals requiring further assessment or case management and refer them to the appropriate project staff or specialised service provider.
- Facilitate referrals to protection, legal, MHPSS, GBV, child protection, basic services, and other available services in accordance with established pathways.
- Support identification and referral of potentially eligible cases for Cash for Protection in accordance with approved procedures.
- Maintain updated knowledge of available services and referral pathways within assigned locations.
- Follow up on referrals where appropriate while respecting confidentiality and individual consent.
- Coordinate closely with Case Management Assistants to ensure individuals requiring case management receive timely support.
Protection Monitoring
- Support protection monitoring and collection of information on emerging risks, vulnerabilities, service gaps, and community concerns.
- Conduct or support Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), household surveys, and other approved data-collection activities.
- Follow approved tools, methodologies, informed-consent requirements, and data-protection standards during information collection.
- Promptly flag significant protection trends or concerns to the Field Coordinator.
- Support evidence-based identification of protection needs and appropriate programme responses.
- Protection monitoring includes FGDs, KIIs and household surveys conducted in accordance with data-protection requirements.
Documentation, Reporting & Coordination
- Maintain accurate and timely records of outreach, screenings, referrals, awareness activities, community engagement, and protection monitoring.
- Submit required activity and beneficiary information to the Field Coordinator and IM/Data staff within established timelines.
- Coordinate with Case Management Assistants, Interpreters, COVs, service providers, and other project staff as required.
- Participate in field-level meetings, trainings, community consultations, and stakeholder engagements.
- Provide regular updates on implementation progress, protection concerns, referral gaps, and field-level challenges.
Accountability, Compliance & Safeguarding
- Promote project CRM/AAP channels during community engagement and ensure feedback or complaints received are referred through established mechanisms.
- Maintain strict confidentiality of beneficiary information and obtain informed consent where required.
- Apply Do No Harm, survivor-centred, AGD, inclusion, and non-discrimination principles in all interactions.
- Comply with Safeguarding, PSEAH, Child Protection, data protection, Code of Conduct, and other applicable organisational and donor requirements.
- Immediately report safeguarding or serious protection concerns through established organisational channels.
Other Duties
- Perform any other duties related to the position, as reasonably assigned by the Supervisor, in line with organisational policies and operational requirements.
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Qualifications & Experience
- Preferably Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, Social Work, Psychology, Law, Development Studies, or a related field.
- Minimum 2 years of relevant experience in protection, community-based protection, community outreach, social work, or humanitarian/development programming.
- Experience in protection screening, vulnerability assessment, referrals, community engagement, or protection monitoring.
- Experience working with vulnerable communities, refugees, displaced populations, or other at-risk groups is preferred.
- Understanding of protection principles, safeguarding, PSEAH, confidentiality, informed consent, AAP, and Do No Harm.
- Strong interpersonal, community engagement, communication, documentation, and coordination skills.
- Proficiency in Urdu; knowledge of Pashto and/or Dari is a strong advantage. Basic working knowledge of MS Office and digital data-collection tools is desirable.
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