Project Associate (Protection)
Organizational Context
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is a UN agency promoting humane and orderly migration. This role supports the 'Vivre ensemble' project in Northern Chad, aiming to strengthen migration governance and migrant protection. The position contributes to reducing vulnerabilities related to human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and irregular migration along key corridors.
Job Purpose
Under the general supervision of the Protection Officer and direct supervision of the Senior Protection Assistant, the incumbent will provide operational support for the implementation of the 'Vivre ensemble' project in Northern Chad. This role is crucial for enhancing migration governance and migrant protection, specifically targeting the reduction of vulnerabilities associated with human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and irregular migration. The Project Associate will contribute to fostering safer migration pathways and ensuring the well-being of migrants in the region, aligning with IOM's mandate to promote orderly migration and protect people on the move.
Responsibilities
Develop work plans, timelines, and operational tools for protection activities in four provinces. Support the organization and implementation of community campaigns on safe migration, irregular migration, human trafficking, and migrant smuggling. Adapt, translate, and disseminate accessible awareness materials. Plan and execute training for administrative, customary, traditional, and security authorities on migrant protection, vulnerability identification, and referral mechanisms. Contribute to identifying vulnerable migrants, conducting initial assessments, and confidential referrals. Maintain and update a mapping of protection services and actors, facilitating coordination of referrals. Liaise with provincial and local authorities, relevant committees, technical services, civil society, and community leaders. Support community-based protection, dialogue, prevention, and orientation mechanisms with inclusive participation. Contribute to establishing and monitoring community feedback and complaint mechanisms. Collect, verify, compile, and analyze protection activity data. Prepare reports, mission summaries, and contributions to project narratives. Monitor activity quality, participation, outcomes, and challenges, reporting deviations and proposing solutions. Participate in coordination meetings and represent the protection unit as requested. Ensure systematic integration of rights-based, gender- and age-sensitive approaches, and principles of do no harm, inclusion, and accountability. Perform other related tasks.
Work Experience
Experience liaising with government authorities, technical services, community organizations, UN agencies, and NGOs. Experience in implementing protection activities, migrant assistance, anti-trafficking efforts, and community mobilization. Experience in vulnerability identification, referral, case follow-up, or service mapping, respecting confidentiality and protection principles. Experience organizing awareness campaigns, training, community dialogues, and capacity-building activities. Professional experience in Northern Chad and knowledge of migration, community, and protection dynamics in the BEET provinces are advantageous. Experience within an international, humanitarian, or development organization in a multicultural setting is a plus.
Skills
Good knowledge of migrant protection principles, person-centered approaches, and referral mechanisms. Understanding of issues related to irregular migration, human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and migration governance. Ability to facilitate discussions with diverse communities and communicate sensitive topics clearly and respectfully. Capacity to work in remote areas, plan frequent travel, and manage multiple operational priorities. Proficiency in common office software and ability to maintain simple, reliable tracking databases. Excellent writing, organizational, analytical, and teamwork skills.