Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 24 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 50 countries, our 8,300 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

Action Against Hunger USA is part of the Action Against Hunger International network. As an independent NGO, Action Against Hunger USA currently manages operations in 8 countries: Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia and Haiti. Action Against Hunger-USA has over $100 million in programs, and approximately 1,800 permanent staff based in New York City, Washington D.C, Nairobi, and country offices. Additional growth is anticipated.

The Protection and Gender Officer will lead community mobilization and awareness-raising interventions in the IDP sites and host community to prevent incidents of GBV and Protection risk. The Protection and Gender Officer by collaborating with the Woreda Women and Social Affairs Office will be responsible for providing day-to-day case management and psychosocial support to vulnerable women, including survivors of GBV in the Woreda. The Protection and Gender Officer will also oversee Women’s and Girls’ Safe Space (WGSS) activities including psychosocial and recreational activities, information sessions, and skills-building activities.  The Protection and Gender Officer will work with community mobilizers and partners to identify any protection concern(s) for women and girls in the woreda through discussions, meetings, and outreach campaigns and share with actors for appropriate actions.

The ideal candidate will have experience in delivering protection activities within a humanitarian response, including working with other sectors (such as Health, Nutrition, WASH, FSL, and Cash), is an Afan Oromia speaker, and an advocate for the needs of women, men, and children affected by the recent situation. 

Under the supervision of the Protection and Gender Program Manager or similar, 

The Protection and Gender officer will be responsible for assisting in the implementation of the project activities. This will include working with other sectors, NGOs, UN agencies, and government services, on providing support to some of the most vulnerable members of the community. Activities will include supporting training and capacity building, advocacy, communicating key messages and increasing awareness, working with the community and local services to increase the capacity of services related to protection, providing basic psychosocial support, conducting assessments, and providing monitoring information. 

Duties and Responsibilities

• Advocate for the rights of vulnerable people and target beneficiaries through contact with local authorities, government officials, community leaders and elders, humanitarian partners, and other relevant actors.

• Link vulnerable women and girls including survivors of GBV to actors to access supportive services based on their needs, choices, and consent.

• Participate in protection/ GBV-related outreach and community mobilization interventions including information sessions.

• Conduct WGSS activities including psychosocial, recreational, information sessions, and skills-building activities for vulnerable women and girls in the woreda. 

• Facilitate community events such as International Women’s Day,16 Days of Activism, and other international day celebrations to create awareness on the prevention of and response to GBV and protection risk.

• Support the delivery of formal and on-the-job training and coaching for health and social workers, and other key stakeholders on protection principles, gender, and MHPSS (Mental Health and Psychosocial Support) 

• Participate in rapid needs assessments (including protection, gender analysis, and psychosocial support) through field visits in villages, camps, and other informal settlements with persons of concern within the community and identify individuals at risk and humanitarian needs. 

• Provide support to other agencies and local authorities to map services, collect data, and provide monitoring reports. 

• Monitor, assess, observe, and report on key protection concerns and rights violations in the field. 

• Provide support to other sectors (for instance WASH, NUT, Health, and FSL) as needed to deliver the program and mainstreaming activities. 

• Ensure that activities are recorded, and activity reports are provided to the line manager by the agreed deadline and are of high quality. 

• Provide individual and group Psychosocial Support and counseling to child and adult beneficiaries/survivors either directly or through supporting health/social workers. 

• Support the process of referring cases of vulnerable people internally, through government primary care services and specialist partners or UN agencies. 

• Participate in the assessment, monitoring, and auditing of mainstreaming activities.

• Monitor community workers and/or community activists in awareness-raising activities; provide training when needed and mentoring every week. 

• Develop IEC and BCC materials, ensuring messages are appropriate for the community and tested before dissemination. 

            2. Supervisory Responsibilities

• N/A

           3. Gender Equality Commitments  

• Foster an environment that supports the values of women and men, and equal access to information.

• Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.

• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion. Race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.

• Value and respect all cultures. 

           4. Fiscal Responsibility

• N/A

           5. Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

           6. Working Conditions, Travel, and Environment 

• The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required.

• Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business purposes. While performing the duties of this job in the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high-security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases. 

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in law, Psychology, Sociology, Social work, Gender, Public Health or a related field 

• Relevant work-related field experience in humanitarian response, minimum 2 years for BA related to Protection, GBV, Gender, or Mental Health/Psychosocial Support. 

              II. Required Skills & Competencies

• Excellent understanding of protection principles, human rights, and case management 

• Excellent communication skills including the ability to gain trust and build relationships with new communities. 

• Familiar with Community mobilization approach and other behavioral change strategies, GBV guidelines, and standards.

• Trained in IASC GBV Case management. 

• Experience in Psychosocial support, WGSS safe space activities, women empowerment, life skill training, counseling, and GBV case management. 

• Experience working in GBV programming in a humanitarian context is a plus.

• Language – high level of written and spoken English. 

• Knowledge of local customs and Afan Oromo language is mandatory.

How to Apply

Send your application composed of non returnable CV, Covering Letter with “Protection and Gender Officer-Wollega” written in the subject line through THIS LINK

NB: Only short-listed applicants will be, communicated and the selection process includes a technical test and an interview. 

Action Against Hunger-USA provides all staff with an _attractive salary & benefits package. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees & qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Action Against Hunger-USA complies with all applicable laws governing nondiscrimination in employment