Regional Protection Officer – Pretoria

About the role

The Regional Protection Officer will support protection programming across the East Horn and Southern Africa region, providing technical assistance, coordination and capacity‑building for assisted voluntary return and reintegration programmes. The role reports to the Deputy Regional Director for Operations and works closely with IOM headquarters, the Global Office in Washington, D.C., and country offices.

Required profile

• Master’s degree in Social Sciences, International Relations, Law or a related field with at least five years of relevant professional experience (or a university degree with seven years of experience).
• Proven experience working with migrants, civil society and governments, supporting protection programming and return‑and‑reintegration initiatives across multiple countries.

Required skills

• Strong knowledge of IOM and inter‑agency protection standards and operational procedures.
• Solid coordination and research abilities, with capacity to adapt to diverse operational and cultural contexts.
• Excellent writing, editing, presentation and training facilitation skills.
• Advanced computer skills, including MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and statistical analysis packages.
• Knowledge of UN cooperation frameworks and bilateral donor programming requirements.