Protection Officer, Horn of Africa Operations

About the role

Two-year fixed-term P-3 Protection Officer position with UNHCR’s Horn of Africa regional bureau in Addis Ababa, supporting protection operations across Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Djibouti, Kenya, Eritrea, and Uganda. The Protection Officer leads refugee status determination, child protection, and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) prevention work in the region. Application deadline 5 July 2026.

Responsibilities

• Lead refugee status determination (RSD) procedures for caseloads in assigned country operations.
• Design and oversee child protection and SGBV programmes in collaboration with NGO partners and government counterparts.
• Conduct protection monitoring missions to refugee camps and host communities (up to 40 percent of working time).
• Engage with host-government Bureaus for Refugees and Returnees and refugee leadership committees on key protection concerns.
• Co-author UNHCR’s Operational Update for the Horn of Africa and annual protection reports.
• Train UNHCR staff and partner NGO staff on international refugee law, the 1951 Refugee Convention, and OAU Refugee Convention.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in international law (with refugee law specialisation), international relations, human rights, or a closely related field.
• Five to seven years of professional experience in protection or refugee work, including field-based positions in fragile or conflict-affected settings.
• Strong working knowledge of international refugee law (1951 Convention, 1967 Protocol, OAU Convention) and human rights frameworks.
• Fluent English. Working knowledge of Arabic, Amharic, Somali, or French is a strong asset.
• Cultural sensitivity, diplomatic discretion, and resilience for working in high-stress environments.
• Available for emergency deployment within the region with short notice.

Nice to have

• Prior UNHCR or major refugee-protection NGO experience (Norwegian Refugee Council, Danish Refugee Council, IRC).
• Bar admission or formal legal qualification.
• Experience working in the Horn of Africa specifically.
• Familiarity with the IGAD regional frameworks on refugees and migration.

How to apply

Open the UNHCR Careers portal at the apply link, search for “Protection Officer Horn of Africa”, and submit through the UNHCR Workday system. Submit CV, motivation letter, UN Personal History Form (P11), and three professional references. Closing date 5 July 2026 at 23:59 Geneva time.