Protection Officer

IOM; Bogotá; Presencial; COP 70.000.000 - 110.000.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

IOM Bogota, Colombia seeks a Protection Officer to support planning and implementation of protection activities aligned with international standards and the country office strategy. The role focuses on safeguarding vulnerable migrants and ensuring program coherence across AVRR, counter-trafficking, child protection, SOGIESC, and PSA interventions.

The officer will provide technical assistance, oversee work plans, M&E, and reporting, while strengthening partnerships with government and civil

Formación

• Master’s degree or equivalent with relevant humanitarian protection experience.
• Experience in protection programming and case management preferred.

Responsabilidades

• Support planning and implementation of protection activities in line with strategy and policies.
• Monitor activity quality, contribute to M&E, and prepare reports.
• Mainstream protection across the Country Office and coordinate AVRR, CT and CP/PSA activities.
• Provide guidance for training and build staff capacity within the protection unit.
• Develop partnerships and prepare regular protection reports.

Conocimientos

Protection programming

Stakeholder relations

Report writing

MS Excel & databases

teamwork & collaboration

Educación

Master’s degree in International Relations / Political Science / Humanitarian Affairs / related field

University degree with 4 years relevant experience

Herramientas

START

MIMOSA

iGATOR

Descripción del empleo

Organizational context: The International Organization for Migration (IOM), established in 1951, is a leading UN agency promoting humane and orderly migration. It operates globally, saving lives, protecting people on the move, and facilitating pathways for regular migration. This role is situated within IOM Bogota, Colombia, under the direct supervision of the Head of Programmes, contributing to the quality and coherence of the country office's protection activities.

Job purpose: The Protection Officer provides essential technical and operational support for the implementation of IOM Colombia's protection activities. This role ensures that interventions are evidence-based, contextually responsive, and aligned with international protection standards, organizational policies, and humanitarian principles. The officer contributes to the overall quality, coherence, and accountability of protection programs. By mainstreaming protection across the country office and coordinating specialized interventions, the role directly supports vulnerable migrants, refugees, and internally displaced persons, enhancing IOM's capacity to address complex migration challenges and uphold the rights of those on the move.

Responsibilities: The Protection Officer is responsible for supporting the planning and implementation of protection activities in line with the country strategy and IOM policies. This includes monitoring activity quality, contributing to program planning, resource allocation, and mobilization efforts. The role promotes protection mainstreaming across the Country Office and coordinates specialized interventions such as Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR), Counter-Trafficking (CT), and protection for individuals with diverse SOGIESC, Child Protection (CP), and PSA. The officer provides technical assistance for work plans, M&E, and reporting, collaborating with program managers to identify and address protection risks and the needs of vulnerable individuals. They also disseminate the protection division mandate, provide guidance for training, and contribute to updating the Country Office Protection Strategy. Additionally, the role involves supervising and building the capacity of protection staff, coordinating the protection unit, supporting partnership development with stakeholders, and preparing regular reports on protection activities.

Education: A Master’s degree in international relations, Political Science, Humanitarian Affairs, Economic Development, Business or Public Administration, International Studies, or a related field is required, along with two years of relevant professional experience. Alternatively, a University degree in the same fields with four years of relevant professional experience is acceptable. Accredited universities are those listed in the UNESCO World Higher Education Database.

Work experience: Required experience includes project development in Latin American developing countries with governmental or international organizations, and direct implementation of protection programming in migration or displacement contexts. Experience in managing general and community-based protection programs, with knowledge of specialized areas like Child Protection and GBV, is essential. Demonstrated experience in protection case management, capacity building, supervision, and developing technical tools is also required. Experience in mainstreaming protection across sectors, including PSEA and AAP, and conducting capacity development activities is necessary. A strong track record of effective partnerships and demonstrated managerial experience are also key.

Skills: Proficiency with systems like START, MIMOSA, and iGATOR is advantageous. A demonstrated record of establishing and maintaining good working relationships with governmental, diplomatic, national, regional, and international institutions, as well as civil society actors, is required. Sound knowledge of program implementation and familiarity with IOM’s administrative, financial, and business rules is desired. Excellent computer skills, particularly in spreadsheet and database applications, are required. Proven teamwork, collaboration, and excellent verbal and written communication skills are essential.

Required languages: English, French, Spanish

Desired languages: Arabic, Russian