Associate Protection Officer

Overview

Support the implementation of protection activities across Northern Mozambique.

You have:

• Minimum 3 years of relevant professional experience in protection in an international humanitarian or development context, including at least 2 years of field-based experience.
• Sound knowledge of protection principles, including Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD), Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA).
• Experience in the implementation and/or monitoring of protection programmes, including engagement with partners and government counterparts.
• Knowledge of GBV prevention, risk mitigation, and response, including application of survivor-centered principles.
• Experience in coordinating with or engaging government counterparts and humanitarian partners.
• 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree.
• Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station in addition to English. Knowledge of Portuguese is Essential.

Deadline for Applications

April 7, 2026Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

DFamily Type (not applicable for home-based)

Non Family with Residential LocationStaff Member / Affiliate Type

UNOPS IICA1Target Start Date

2026-05-01Terms of Reference

TERMS OF REFERENCE (Individual Contractor Agreement)

Title: Associate Protection Officer Project: 0000001443 Duty station: Pemba, Mozambique Section/Unit: Pemba ICA Level: IICA-1 Corresponding level: IICA-1 Duration: from 01/05/2026 to 31/12/2026 Supervisor: Eduardo Burmeister, Senior Protection Cluster Coordination Officer

1. General Background The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is mandated to lead and coordinate international action to protect and assist refugees, asylum-seekers, stateless persons, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees, and to seek durable solutions to their displacement. In Mozambique, UNHCR operates through a Country Office in Maputo, a Sub-Office in Pemba, a Field Office in Nampula, and Field Units in Mueda and Mocímboa da Praia, where large-scale conflict- and climate-related displacement continues to generate acute and complex protection needs.

The Associate Protection Officer (P-2), based in Pemba, provides protection leadership and technical support across Cabo Delgado and Nampula Provinces, which together constitute the core displacement-affected region of Northern Mozambique. These provinces host large numbers of IDPs, returnees and vulnerable host communities affected by ongoing insecurity, secondary displacement, family separation, gender-based violence, loss of civil documentation, housing, land and property disputes, and limited access to essential services and justice mechanisms. The position plays a critical role in ensuring that UNHCR’s protection mandate is effectively implemented across this highly dynamic and operationally challenging environment.

The Associate Protection Officer reports to the Senior Protection Cluster Coordination Officer and works within the framework of UNHCR. The incumbent provides technical support and coordination support to ensure that protection responses across Cabo Delgado and Nampula Provinces are strategic, coherent and aligned with international standards and national frameworks. The role includes direct engagement with Government authorities at provincial and district level, including social action, civil registry, justice and disaster management entities, as well as with national and international partners delivering protection, legal, psychosocial and community-based services.

2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment

Under the supervision of the Senior Protection Cluster Coordination Officer, the Associate Protection Officer will support the implementation, monitoring, and analysis of protection activities across Northern Mozambique, with a strong focus on field engagement, partner support and oversight, protection monitoring, and emergency response. The position requires a protection profile with strong operational, analytical, and coordination capacities. Duties: Monitoring of Protection Activities and Partner Oversight • Monitor the implementation of protection activities carried out by UNHCR partners and relevant government counterparts, including through regular field missions to areas of operation. • Assess the quality, coverage, and effectiveness of protection interventions, including community-based protection, protection monitoring, civil documentation, gender-based violence, and solutions-oriented activities. • Review partner reports and provide technical feedback to ensure alignment with UNHCR standards, policies, and agreed workplans. • Support follow-up on identified gaps in implementation, including through engagement with partners and relevant authorities. • Contribute to ensuring accountability to affected populations (AAP) is integrated into programme implementation, including through feedback and complaints mechanisms.

Protection Monitoring, Data Analysis, and Reporting • Support the implementation and strengthening of Protection Monitoring systems, including data collection, verification, and consolidation. • Analyse protection risks, trends, and patterns, including those related to displacement dynamics, access to services, and vulnerabilities of affected populations. • Contribute to the drafting of protection monitoring reports, analytical briefs, situation updates, and inputs to inter-agency products. • Support the use of data to inform programming, prioritization, and evidence-based advocacy. • Ensure that data collection and analysis are conducted in line with safe and ethical standards.

Emergency Response and Field Support • Support emergency response activities, including rapid protection assessments in newly affected or hard-to-reach areas. • Participate in field deployments to respond to new displacement, returns, or emerging protection risks. • Contribute to the identification of urgent protection needs and support the design and implementation of appropriate response interventions. • Coordinate with partners and local authorities at field level to facilitate timely and effective protection responses.

Engagement with Government and Stakeholders • Engage with government counterparts, including provincial and district social protection authorities (e.g., DPGCAS, SPAS), to support coordination and monitoring of protection activities. • Strengthen collaboration between UNHCR, partners, and government entities to ensure complementarity and sustainability of interventions. • Support the integration of protection principles within broader humanitarian and government-led responses. PSEA, Community Engagement, and Cross-Cutting Protection Priorities • Support the implementation of Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) activities, including community awareness, strengthening of complaints and feedback mechanisms, and safe referral pathways. • Contribute to community-based protection approaches, ensuring meaningful engagement with affected populations, including women, children, older persons, and persons with disabilities. • Promote the integration of Age, Gender, and Diversity (AGD) considerations across all protection activities. • Support partners in mainstreaming protection principles, including GBV risk mitigation, across sectoral interventions. Capacity Building and Technical Support • Provide technical support to partners and field teams on protection monitoring, reporting, and implementation of activities. • Contribute to the organization of trainings and capacity-building initiatives for partners and stakeholders on key protection topics, including PSEA, AAP, and protection monitoring. • Support the dissemination and application of UNHCR protection policies, standards, and tools.

• Perform other related duties as required to support the effective delivery of protection activities and emergency response.

Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Prevention, Risk Mitigation and Response • Support the integration of GBV risk mitigation measures across protection activities and other sectoral interventions, ensuring that programming is informed by identified risks and vulnerabilities. • Contribute to the identification and analysis of GBV-related risks and trends through protection monitoring and other data sources, ensuring that findings inform operational response and advocacy. • Support partners and field teams in the application of GBV guiding principles, including safety, confidentiality, respect, and non-discrimination, in all interactions with affected populations. • Facilitate safe and ethical referral pathways for GBV survivors, ensuring that individuals at risk are able to access appropriate services, including health, psychosocial, safety, and legal support. • Support the strengthening of coordination and collaboration with GBV actors, including UN agencies, NGOs, and government counterparts, to ensure a coherent and survivor-centred response. • Contribute to the capacity building of partners and community structures on GBV risk mitigation and safe identification and referral of cases, in line with inter-agency standards. • Ensure that GBV-related data collection and reporting are conducted in accordance with safe and ethical standards, and that sensitive information is handled appropriately. • Perform other related duties as required.

3. Monitoring and Progress Controls

The candidate will receive frequent support from the supervisor and heads of units. The performance will be evaluated by the supervisor against the required tasks as specified in the TORs.

4. Qualifications and Experience

3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1-year relevant experience with Doctorate degree.

a. Education (Level and area of required and/or preferred education)

Human rights, Social Anthropology, Social work, Law; International Development, Social Sciences, or other relevant field.

b. Work Experience

Relevant Job Experience

Essential • Minimum 3 years of relevant professional experience in protection in an international humanitarian or development context, including at least 2 years of field-based experience. • Experience in the implementation and/or monitoring of protection programmes, including engagement with partners and government counterparts. • Experience in protection monitoring, data collection, analysis, and reporting, including the ability to identify and interpret protection risks, trends, and vulnerabilities. • Sound knowledge of protection principles, including Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD), Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), and their application in humanitarian programming. • Experience in coordinating with or engaging government counterparts and humanitarian partners to support the implementation and monitoring of protection activities. • Demonstrated ability to contribute to analytical outputs, including reports, situation analyses, and programme monitoring documentation. • Knowledge of GBV prevention, risk mitigation, and response, including application of survivor-centred principles and safe and ethical referral practices. • Familiarity with UNHCR and inter-cluster protection frameworks, tools, and guidance

Desirable Experience in data management and analysis, including the use of protection monitoring tools and systems to support evidence-based programming and advocacy. Demonstrated understanding of safe and ethical data collection, particularly in relation to sensitive protection issues, including GBV. Experience in capacity building and training of partners, community structures, or government counterparts on protection-related topics. Knowledge of participatory approaches and community engagement methodologies in humanitarian settings. Good understanding of displacement contexts and cross-cutting protection issues, including GBV, disability inclusion, and access to services such as civil documentation and HLP. Previous experience working in emergency or conflict-affected settings, particularly in remote or hard-to-access areas.

c. Key Competencies

Functional skills: IT-Computer Literacy PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) Coordination PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) prevention programming PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) risk mitigation PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) response programming PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) Capacity development and training PR-Refugee Women issues PR-Interviewing and counselling refugees/asylum seekers and in individual case management PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) TR-Training/Coaching/Facilitation

Core Competencies Accountability Communication Organizational Awareness Teamwork & Collaboration Commitment to Continuous Learning Client & Result Orientation

Managerial Competencies Empowering and Building Trust

Judgement and Decision Making

Managing Performance

Cross-Functional Competencies Analytical Thinking

Political Awareness

Stakeholder Management

d. Language Requirements: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station in addition to English. Knowledge of Portuguese is Essential

Project Authority (Name/Title): Contract holder (Name/Title):

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Other information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance Remote

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Potential interview questions

Added 2 months ago - Updated 2 months ago - Source: unhcr.org