Senior Protection Officer

About the role

OIC-E is seeking an experienced Senior Protection Officer to lead protection programming in Addis Ababa. The post holder takes 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 role also involves supervising the Social Worker and Psychologist, maintaining safeguarding practice, and representing OIC-E in protection coordination forums and with donors and partners.

Key responsibilities

• Lead protection case management in Addis Ababa, covering assessment, case planning, referral, follow-up, review and closure, and apply SOPs, consent forms, case files and confidentiality protocols.
• Oversee the operation of the OIC-E temporary shelter for people facing immediate protection risks and children awaiting reunification.
• Collect, store and report protection data in line with data protection and confidentiality requirements.
• 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 with government and NGO partners, authorise reunification decisions and ensure safe handover, reintegration support and follow-up at three and six months.
• Provide technical oversight and regular case supervision to the Social Worker and Psychologist, including caseload allocation and review of case decisions.
• Promote a safe, confidential working environment and ensure staff apply safeguarding and PSEA commitments.
• Represent OIC-E in protection coordination forums, child protection sub-clusters and multi-sectoral referral meetings.
• Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual protection reports and trend analysis, and contribute to feedback and complaints responses and quarterly reviews.

Required profile

• 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 with at least 5 years.
• Demonstrated experience leading protection or child protection case management in a humanitarian or development setting, including supervision of case workers.
• Practical experience in family tracing, reunification, best interest assessment and the Ethiopian child protection case management framework.
• Experience with migrants, returnees, refugees or other people on the move is a strong advantage.

Required skills

• Knowledge of protection principles, PSEA, safeguarding and confidential data handling.
• Judgement in managing high-risk cases and making defensible decisions under pressure.
• Coordination and representation skills with government, international organisations and civil society actors.
• Clear written and spoken English and Amharic; another language spoken along the Eastern Route is an advantage.
• Case management tools, reporting systems and standard office software.