Protection Officer

About the Lutheran World Federation (LWF)

We are a global communion of churches in the Lutheran tradition, living and working together for a just, peaceful, and reconciled world. LWF World Service is the humanitarian and development arm of the Lutheran World Federation. We are a widely recognized, international, faith-based organization working in over 20 countries. Our aim is to unite individuals from diverse backgrounds in a shared pursuit of justice, peace, and reconciliation, especially in our increasingly complex and divided world.

Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Ethiopia

LWF World Service Ethiopia, a registered foreign charity, has been implementing various development and humanitarian projects across Ethiopia since 1973. LWF World Service Ethiopia works closely with the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY), the Ethiopian Government, UN organizations and other funding partners. Its thematic areas include the promotion of food security and sustainable livelihood, sustainable natural resources management, emergency preparedness, response and rehabilitation, and capacity building.

A commitment to the human rights of every individual, regardless of their status, guides our work, actions, and operations. We are particularly known for our timely, compassionate, and professional humanitarian work, and our field presence in hard-to-reach areas. Our work is people-centred and community-based. Above all, we work with the most vulnerable, and to claim and uphold their rights, we actively collaborate with local government and community structures.

LWF Safeguarding Commitment

LWF World Service is committed to creating and maintaining a safe organization where people we come in contact with are protected from harm and abuse. Harm and abuse may include, but are not limited to, physical, psychological, and sexual violence and abuse, financial and material abuse, all forms of modern slavery, and all forms of maltreatment and exploitation.

Job Purpose

The Protection Officer is responsible for ensuring the effective implementation and monitoring of protection interventions, with a focus on legal aid, mobile court services, livelihood support, and advocacy initiatives. The role aims to empower vulnerable refugees and surrounding host communities by facilitating their access to essential livelihood opportunities and legal assistance, thereby enhancing protection outcomes and community resilience.

Main Responsibilities:

• Promote, implement, and uphold the vision, mission, core values, and objectives of LWF/DWS-ET.

• Provide legal information, counseling, and assistance to individuals and communities on legal issues such as civil documentation, family law and others. 

• Conduct legal awareness sessions and disseminate information on rights and procedures through community outreach and IEC materials.

• Close coordination with local organizations, government agencies, and community leaders to identify and address the specific needs of those at risk, with particular attention to gender-based violence (GBV) and barriers to exercising economic rights

• Advocating for the enhancement of rights and protection for marginalized groups at the local level, ensuring their voices are heard and their protection needs are met.

• Monitor the legal environment to identify protection challenges, report findings, and suggest interventions.

• Facilitate referrals to legal aid partners and coordinate with local authorities, judiciary, and humanitarian actors.

• Assist in developing and delivering legal information materials and awareness campaigns.

• Support capacity-building activities for staff, partners, and community-based structures on refugee law and protection standards.

• Maintain accurate, confidential records of cases and activities, ensuring data protection.

• Advocate for the rights of at-risk groups and support peaceful dispute resolution.

• Prepare and submit regular progress reports to supervisors.

• Deliver coordinated and integrated humanitarian interventions, aligning grassroots priorities with local-to-global processes and broader development strategies, emphasizing rights-based approaches at the community level.

• Contribute to proposal development in coordination with the protection team.

• Prepare work plans and reports (internal and external) with clear timelines and quality standards.

• Ensure quality project implementation and share lessons learned from local to national levels.

• Develop strategies to engage partners and build strategic alliances at the local level.

• Define specific change targets with partners aligned with sector policies and humanitarian standards in refugee settings.

• Support and guide community development facilitators in protection, access to justice, and livelihood activities.

• Support the implementation of the Mobile Court and coordinate with justice and court officials locally.

• Uphold principles of respect, accountability, transparency, courage, excellence, innovation, collaboration, and effective communication.

• Follow procedures outlined in the LWF-ET Staff Rules, Collective Agreement, and operational manuals.

• Fulfil additional duties assigned by the protection manager or coordinator.

Experience and Technical Competencies:

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Sociology or Psychology, Human Rights, International Development, Law (LLB) or related field. 

• Minimum 3 years of experience in protection programming, preferably in humanitarian or development contexts in the Somalia region.

• Knowledge of the humanitarian protection frameworks, Ethiopian legal and policy context related to protection, refugee law, and human rights.

• Experience with legal aid programming, legal counseling, and legal awareness raising.

• Familiarity with international refugee law and protection principles

• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and training skills

• Ability to work independently and as part of a diverse team

• Knowledge and understanding of the local language is preferred

How To Apply

Interested candidates who meet the above requirements should submit a detailed CV and application letter exclusively through Ethiojobs.

Women are encouraged to apply, and only short-listed applicants will be contacted.