Assistant Protection & Inclusion Officer at HelpAge Ethiopia

The Assistant Protection & Inclusion Officer supports the implementation of protection and inclusion activities to ensure that vulnerable individuals, including women, children, older persons, and persons with disabilities, have safe, equitable, and dignified access to humanitarian assistance and protection services. The position assists in identifying protection risks, conducting community outreach, facilitating referrals, and promoting inclusive programming in accordance with humanitarian principles and organizational policies. Key Responsibilities Protection Programming Assist in implementing protection and inclusion activities according to project work plans. Support the identification of protection risks and concerns within target communities. Conduct regular field visits to monitor protection needs and project implementation. Assist in organizing awareness-raising sessions on protection, safeguarding, gender equality, child protection, and prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (PSEAH). Support community-based protection initiatives and strengthen community participation. Inclusion and Disability Mainstreaming Promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities, older persons, women, children, and other vulnerable groups in project activities. Assist in identifying and addressing barriers to accessing humanitarian services. Support accessibility assessments of project sites and facilities. Encourage meaningful participation of marginalized groups in community decision-making. Case Identification and Referral Identify individuals with protection concerns requiring specialized services. Provide information on available services and facilitate safe, confidential referrals. Maintain confidentiality and follow protection principles during all interactions. Coordinate with service providers and relevant stakeholders to ensure timely referrals. Community Engagement Build positive relationships with community leaders, volunteers, and local authorities. Support the establishment and strengthening of community protection committees. Collect community feedback and support complaint and feedback mechanisms. Promote accountability to affected populations (AAP). Monitoring, Reporting, and Documentation Collect and compile protection activity data. Maintain accurate beneficiary records while ensuring confidentiality. Prepare weekly, monthly, and activity reports. Support assessments, surveys, and data collection exercises. Document success stories, lessons learned, and best practices. Coordination Coordinate with other project staff to ensure protection is integrated across all sectors. Participate in coordination meetings as assigned. Maintain effective communication with local government offices and partner organizations. Support collaboration with referral service providers. Safeguarding and Compliance Promote compliance with safeguarding, PSEAH, child protection, and organizational policies. Immediately report any safeguarding or protection concerns through established reporting mechanisms. Ensure activities comply with humanitarian principles, protection standards, and donor requirements. About You Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in social work, Sociology, Psychology, Law, Human Rights, Development Studies, or another relevant social science field. Experience Minimum 1–2 years of relevant experience in protection, inclusion, community development, or humanitarian programming. Experience working with NGOs or humanitarian organizations is an advantage. Experience working with vulnerable populations, including persons with disabilities and displaced communities, is desirable. Required Skills and Competencies Knowledge of humanitarian protection principles and standards. Understanding of gender, disability inclusion, child protection, and safeguarding. Familiarity with referral pathways and case management principles. Strong communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to work effectively with diverse communities. Good report writing and documentation skills. Competence in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). Strong organizational and time management skills. Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information ethically. Willingness to travel frequently to field locations. Core Competencies Integrity and accountability Respect for diversity and inclusion Teamwork and collaboration Communication skills Problem-solving Cultural sensitivity Adaptability and flexibility Commitment to humanitarian principles Languages Fluency in English (written and spoken). Knowledge of local languages is an advantage. Working Conditions Frequent travel to field locations. Interaction with vulnerable populations in challenging environments. May require work outside normal office hours during emergency responses. Safeguarding Statement The organization maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment, child abuse, discrimination, and all forms of misconduct. The successful candidate must comply with the organization’s safeguarding, PSEAH, and Code of Conduct policies and participate in mandatory safeguarding training. This job description may be amended to meet organizational needs and operational requirements.