Protection Officer

• Job TitleProtection Officer
• OrganisationInternational Rescue Committee (IRC)
• ProgrammeReSET Pillar 1 (Lifesaving Assistance)
• Duty StationsYumbe, Kiryandongo or Palabek, Uganda
• Job TypeFull Time
• Experience3 to 5 years
• ReferenceJR00005506
• DeadlineWednesday, 28 October 2026 (rolling review)

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing and power to people affected by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC works in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities.

IRC and its consortium partners were selected by the British High Commission (BHC) Kampala for the Refugee Support, Empowerment and Transformation (ReSET) Programme. IRC leads Pillar 1 (Lifesaving Assistance) with the Refugee-Led Organisations Network (RELON), TPO Uganda and UGANET, using a cash-first approach linked to protection and referrals across 10 refugee settlements in West Nile, Mid-Western, Northern and South-Western Uganda.

The Protection Officer is responsible for the delivery and quality of ReSET’s protection component in the assigned settlement. Protection is the entry point and the safeguard of the cash-plus model: households are screened at first contact, overrides are applied where lives, safety or dignity are at risk, and survivors receive safe, confidential case management.

Working closely with the Protection and Referral Specialist, the officer guides case workers and community volunteers, ensures cash and protection operate as one client journey, and keeps good relations with refugees, host communities, refugee-led organisations, partners and government.

General Duties

• Carry out protection monitoring, identify protection concerns and facilitate access to services through the referral system.
• Provide individual protection assistance, awareness-raising and advocacy for the rights of forcibly displaced and stateless persons.
• Monitor activities against plans, ReSET SOPs and quality standards.
• Document case studies, good practice and lessons learned.
• Develop mitigation strategies for challenges in the settlement and contribute to proposals.

Protection Screening and Cash-Protection Integration

• Apply integrated protection screening for people who come through protection, GBV, child protection, legal, disability or MHPSS services, including cash eligibility screening.
• Make sure vulnerability assessments capture GBV, child protection, disability, documentation and MHPSS risks.
• Identify and support Persons with Specific Needs (PSNs) and oversee their needs assessments.
• Support placement of households in assistance packages, including Package B (Protection and Protection Plus).
• Give protection input to the targeting panel and the Safer Cash approach.
• Escalate urgent protection appeals the same day and protect confidential information.

Protection Case Management

• Deliver GBV, child protection and other case management to established standards.
• Oversee child protection case management, including unaccompanied and separated children.
• Coordinate with TPO Uganda for MHPSS and UGANET for legal aid, documentation and Housing, Land and Property support.
• Support case conferences for complex cases and escalate suicide, self-harm or safeguarding risks immediately.
• Record case data in the right case management systems.

Community-Based Protection

• Support community risk assessments, safety audits and Targeted Individual Assistance.
• Strengthen Refugee Welfare Councils, Community Protection Committees, women’s and youth groups and para-social workers.
• Run awareness sessions on rights, services, referral pathways and complaints mechanisms.
• Support peaceful coexistence between refugees and host communities using Do No Harm principles.

Monitoring, Referrals and Access to Services

• Document the needs and risks of new arrivals, women and girls, children, persons with disabilities, older persons and minority groups.
• Maintain the service directory and referral pathways and make sure referrals are closed loop.
• Ensure Pillar 2 referrals are voluntary and based on informed consent.
• Flag referral failures, long waits and service gaps to the Protection and Referral Specialist.

Safeguarding, Accountability and Inclusion

• Uphold IRC safeguarding policies and PSEAH.
• Acknowledge feedback within 1 working day and resolve or escalate it within 3 working days.
• Apply the GEDSI approach, including Washington Group Questions and accessibility audits.
• Protect consent, confidentiality and data in all protection work.

Reporting, Monitoring and Coordination

• Contribute to weekly, monthly and quarterly reports and protection monitoring tools.
• Support MEAL field visits, ReSET indicator data and participatory assessments.
• Complete the protection working group 4W matrix.
• Work as one team with TPO Uganda, UGANET and RELON field staff.
• Represent IRC in settlement protection, child protection and GBV meetings and take minutes.
• Maintain relationships with OPM, UNHCR, district officials, police and health authorities, and perform other duties assigned.

Education

• University degree, preferably in social work, sociology, law, human rights or a related field.
• A postgraduate qualification is desirable.

Experience

• 3 to 5 years of protection experience (GBV, child protection or protection monitoring) in a refugee or displacement setting.
• Demonstrated protection case management experience.
• Knowledge of community-based protection, protection monitoring and referral systems; community mobilisation is an asset.
• Understanding of cash assistance and Safer Cash is an asset.
• Experience supervising field teams and partnering with national and refugee-led organisations.
• Experience training staff, volunteers and community structures.

Technical Skills

• Case management: GBV and child protection practice.
• Protection monitoring: Data collection and referral tracking.
• Safeguarding: PSEAH, confidentiality and data protection.
• Digital tools: Data collection and case management tools.
• Languages: Fluent English; a settlement language is an advantage.

Soft Skills

• Leadership: Coaching case workers and volunteers.
• Communication: Clear reporting and representation.
• Independence: Sound decisions with minimal supervision.
• Teamwork: Working as one team with partners.
• Organisation: Good planning and report writing.

Salary and benefits are not stated in the advert.

• Frontline protection work in Yumbe, Kiryandongo or Palabek.
• Part of a funded, multi-partner refugee programme.
• Direct impact on survivors and at-risk families.
• Strong next step for case workers moving into officer roles.
• Grow your career in international development jobs in Uganda.

Apply online through the IRC careers portal (JR00005506) by Wednesday, 28 October 2026. IRC reviews applications on a rolling basis, so early applications are encouraged. See more NGO jobs in Uganda, international development jobs in Uganda and jobs in Yumbe and jobs in Kiryandongo.

• Apply early: IRC reviews applications as they arrive.
• Say which duty station you prefer and why.
• Give numbers: caseloads handled, referrals closed, volunteers trained.
• Mention any settlement language you speak.
• Show experience with GBV or child protection case management.