Log In
Sign Up
The Global Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) program aims to provide assisted voluntary return (AVR) to migrants in the United States, receiving countries, and the Western Hemisphere, ensuring that returns are safe, dignified, and based on the migrants’ free, prior, and informed consent. Additionally, the program offers independent, needs-based post-arrival assistance at the request of countries of origin or receiving countries, always with the explicit consent of the migrants.
Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Mission (CoM) of CO w/ Coord Function, and in coordination with the Senior Program Advisor and the MPX Regional Thematic Specialist, Protection Officer will be in Cameroon, with responsibilities in Equatorial Guinea under the same programme and will have the following duties and responsibilities:
Responsibilities
1. In close coordination with the COM, the Regional Office, MPX RTS, relevant Units at HQ, and the Global AVR Program Team as well as with Government counterparts and other relevant public/private sector partner organizations, conduct protection assessments and identify risk mitigation strategies focusing on, among others, operational settings; access to and accessibility of services; shelter conditions; legal and immigration frameworks; vulnerabilities of specific groups (with systematic integration of gender and PSEAH considerations); protection actors on the ground and available referral pathways; and safe environments for return in countries of origin (CoOs).
2. Ensure rigorous application of the Return and Reintegration Due Diligence Process (DDP) , including identification and escalation of protection concerns and complex legal/protection concerns, while integrating gender sensitive analysis and PSEAH risk mitigation throughout case handling.
3. In coordination with the Specialist, Head of programmes, lead and provide technical guidance and day-to-day support to national and international protection staff to ensure high-quality outcomes for migrants, while providing operational management, coaching and day-to-day guidance, and ensuring adherence to IOM protection policies and standards, operational SOPs, and IOM’s institutional commitments to gender equality and PSEAH.
4. Support the COM by providing technical briefings and structured updates for engagement with Government counterparts, while maintaining all high level or political liaison under COM authority.
5. Coordinate with IOM missions in countries of origin to facilitate remote counselling, protection assessments, and case specific follow-up, ensuring that all actions are protection sensitive and contribute to safe and dignified return where relevant.
6. Liaise with consular authorities to facilitate access to documentation, including LPs, Travel Documents, passport retrieval, and identity verification, and support family tracing and reunification when feasible.
7. Collaborate with the Emergency Coordinator, RMO, MHD, MHPSS and other relevant units and programmes to ensure migrants have access to essential multidisciplinary services, including medical, psychosocial, protection, legal and basic needs support, in line with gender-responsive and PSEAH-compliant approaches.
8. Liaise with national actors and relevant protection actors in the country for referrals, when necessary, to appropriate services, including legal aid, health, shelter, psychosocial or protection-focused interventions.
9. Ensure appropriate protection information management in line with IOM’s Data Protection Principles and inter agency standards, including sensitive case documentation and secure information flows with CoOs and programme stakeholders.
10. Ensure compliance with Migrant Management Operational Systems Application (MiMOSA) reporting.
11. Oversee protection-related aspects of accommodation facilities, including incident management, follow-up on medical or psychological emergencies, monitoring of living conditions, and ensuring safe and PSEAH-compliant environments in coordination with relevant authorities.
12. Participate in relevant coordination mechanisms or task forces at the local level and maintain structured engagement with UN partners, NGOs, civil society actors and service providers.
13. Represent IOM in a variety of meetings and forums, including with programme donors, partners and stakeholders, ensuring consistent technical level communication and alignment with programme objectives.
14. Ensure coordinated preparation for return movements through operational readiness activities, including case verification, logistical arrangements, clearance with CoOs, and liaison with receiving missions for post-arrival support.
15. Monitor the implementation of protection activities and measure progress against objectives, indicators and targets, identifying gaps and recommending corrective measures where required.
16. Ensure relevant stakeholders at the mission, regional and HQ level are kept informed about ongoing activities and developments through the drafting of and contributing to weekly, quarterly and ad hoc reports.
17. Identify operational and protection priorities emerging during programme implementation and coordinate the design and development of new projects, concept notes or activities under the Programme based on solid results frameworks, donor priorities, evolving trends and operational realities.
18. Contribute to budget planning, allocation and monitoring in coordination with the RMO, CoM, RO and HQ, ensuring compliance with donor rules (including restrictions on government allowances) and supporting structural resourcing needs for the Global (Assisted Voluntary Return assistance to Third-Country Nationals) AVR/TCN caseload.
19. Perform other duties as may be assigned.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications and Experience
Education
Master’s degree in Social Sciences, International Relations/Affairs, Research, Law or a related field from an accredited academic institution with five years of relevant professional experience; or,
University degree in the above fields with seven years of relevant professional experience.
Accredited Universities are those listed in the UNESCO World Higher Education Database.
Experience
Experience working with migrants, civil society, and governments;
Proven experience in leading and managing a large multinational team;
Proven experience managing protection programming across multiple countries, as well as mainstreaming protection across operations;
Proven experience providing protection and assistance to migrants in vulnerable situations and communicating with individuals who have complex needs;
Experience working in programs that include a movement operations component is an advantage;
Experience coordinating complex protection and return cases in legally and politically sensitive contexts, including situations of unclear admission status;
Experience engaging with consular authorities and multiple IOM missions to facilitate documentation (LPs/TDs), remote counselling, family tracing and reintegration feasibility assessments;
Experience in budget coordination and donor-compliant resource planning, including inputs to project development for AVR/TCN and protection-related programming; and,
Experience with IOM or other UN agencies, particularly working on assisted voluntary return and reintegration, and specialized protection programs, is preferred.
Skills
Strong knowledge of IOM and inter-agency protection standards and operational procedures and guidelines;
Solid coordination skills;
Strong writing, editing, presentation and training facilitation skills;
Excellent computer skills: excellent knowledge of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and email/internet software, statistical analysis packages;
Knowledge of UN cooperation frameworks and bilateral donor programming requirements;
Ability to gather, consolidate, and attribute information from multiple sources;
High degree of judgment and initiative, ability to work with a high degree of independence within assigned areas;
Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills; and,
Proven ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with people of diverse cultural and national backgrounds.
Languages
All IOM staff members in all categories are required to be fluent in one of the IOM’s official languages (English, French, Spanish).
For this position, fluency in English and Spanish is required (oral and written).
Working knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian) is an advantage.
Proficiency of language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments.
How to apply
Internationally recruited professional staff are required to be mobile. Please refer to this link for guidance on IOM Job Category.
Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this vacancy notice is subject to funding confirmation.
This selection process may be used to staff similar positions in various duty stations. Recommended candidates will remain eligible to be appointed in a similar position for a period of 24 months.
Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, security clearances.
Vacancies close at 23:59 local time Geneva, Switzerland on the respective closing date. No late applications will be accepted.
IOM has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and IOM, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities.
IOM does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, processing, training or other fee). IOM does not request any information related to bank accounts.
IOM only accepts duly completed applications submitted through the [here] system (for internal candidates link here). The online tool also allows candidates to track the status of their application.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
For further information and other job postings, you are welcome to visit our website: IOM Careers and Job Vacancies