Senior Protection Associate

Organizational Context

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), established in 1951, is a UN-related agency focused on promoting humane and orderly migration. The IOM Protection Unit in Honduras leads and coordinates protection programming for vulnerable populations, including migrants and displaced persons affected by various crises. This role operates within a complex humanitarian and migration context, aiming to deliver integrated protection services and mainstream protection across all programs.

Job Purpose

The Senior Protection Associate will be based in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, and will support the IOM Protection Unit. This role is crucial for addressing the needs of migrants, internally displaced persons, and vulnerable host communities impacted by violence, poverty, and climate shocks. The Associate will contribute to the delivery of integrated protection services, including GBV, counter-trafficking, child protection, MHPSS, and AVR/RR. A key aspect of the role involves promoting protection mainstreaming across all programs, strengthening partnerships and referral systems, and ensuring compliance with IOM standards and humanitarian principles to reduce risks, safeguard rights, and support durable solutions for populations at risk.

Responsibilities

The Senior Protection Associate will lead and coordinate the work of Protection Case Workers, managing workloads, assigning cases, and providing technical support. This includes overseeing case management services, ensuring quality assurance, and identifying/addressing challenges in line with IOM standards. The Associate will ensure case workers are updated on relevant guidance and maintain accurate data in case management systems, upholding data protection and confidentiality. Coordination with the Head of Sub-Office, Protection Officer, and other operational staff is essential for timely service provision and escalation of constraints. The role involves leading internal case coordination and participating in local protection forums, collaborating with partners to enhance referral networks. Responsibilities also include assisting in report preparation, contributing to protection assessments, and conducting field visits for monitoring services.

Work Experience

Experience in protection case management (including for GBV survivors, human trafficking victims, and children at risk) within humanitarian or migration contexts is required. Experience working with vulnerable individuals with complex needs, such as returnees or deported migrants, is essential. Proficiency in referrals and coordination with local protection actors, NGOs, or government services is necessary. Experience in programs with a movement operations component is advantageous, as is prior experience with IOM or other UN agencies, particularly in assisted voluntary return and reintegration programs.

Skills

Case management, data collection, data protection, confidentiality, coordination, partnership building, referral systems, reporting, monitoring, technical support, quality assurance, protection mainstreaming, GBV, counter-trafficking, child protection, MHPSS, AVR/RR.

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