Job Identification (Reference Number): 17839
Position Title: Senior Protection Coordinator (P)
Duty Station City: Ankara
Duty Station Country: Turkiye
Grade: P-4
Contract Type: Fixed-term (1 year with possibility of extension)
Recruiting Type: Professional
Vacancy Type: Vacancy Notice
Initial duration: 1 year with possibility of extension
Closing date: 16 December 2025
Introduction
Established in 1951, IOM is a Related Organization of the United Nations, and as the leading UN agency in the field of migration, works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.
IOM is committed to ensuring a workplace where all employees can thrive professionally, while working towards harnessing the full potential of migration. Read more about IOM's workplace culture atย IOM workplace culture | International Organization for Migration
Applications are welcome from first- and second-tier candidates, particularly qualified female candidates as well as applications from the non-represented member countries of IOM. For all IOM vacancies, applications from qualified and eligible first-tier candidates are considered before those of qualified and eligible second-tier candidates in the selection process.
For the purpose of this vacancy, the following are considered first-tier candidates:
Internal candidates External female candidates Candidates from the following non-represented member states:Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Comoros, Congo (the), Cook Islands, Dominica, Federated States of Micronesia, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Holy See, Iceland, Israel, Kiribati, Madagascar, Marshall Islands, Namibia, Nauru, Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu
Second tier candidates include:
All external candidates, except candidates from non-represented member states of IOM and female candidates.
Organizational Context and Scope
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. IOM acts with its partners in the international community to assist in meeting the growing operational challenges of migration management; advance understanding of migration issues; encourage social and economic development through migration and uphold the human dignity and well-being of migrants affected by the ongoing emergency.
The IOM Turkiye mission has established a dedicated Protection Unit responsible for overseeing and coordinating all protection-related activities. This unit supervises the implementation of protection activities in key programmes, including the Refugee Response Programme, Emergency Response Programme, Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Programme, and Counter-Trafficking Programme. The Senior Protection Coordinator will collaborate closely with programme managers to ensure the effective integration of protection activities throughout all areas of mission operations.
Under the overall administrative supervision of the Chief of Mission, and direct supervision of the Deputy Chief of Mission and in close coordination with all relevant stakeholders, the Senior Protection Coordinator will lead the Protection Unit and provide thematic guidance and formulate, develop and manage IOM Turkiyeโs Protection portfolio in Turkiye and exercise technical, operational, financial and administrative management responsibility for projects and/or programmes in coordination with the relevant Programme Managers.
The successful candidate will also develop and manage the implementation of the country protection strategy.
Develop, plan and implement protection programmes and strategy and provide strategic oversight, leadership, and management of the Protection Unit, from staff management, recruitment, supervision, resource mobilization and planning, monitoring quality of activities and ensuring adaptation of response.Provide guidance and the elaboration and follow-up of workplans, a monitoring, evaluation and reporting system as well as operational administrative and financial management for the protection aspects of relevant projects including amongst others Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR), counter-trafficking (CT), Emergency response and Refugee Response Programme (RRP), Labour Migration and Social Inclusion.ย Provide guidance to Project Managers (PMs) implementing protection programmes to maintain oversight of project cycles, and ensure programmes are consistent with audit and donor requirements.Lead in mainstreaming of protection across all IOM Turkiyeโs interventions in line with IOM internal guidance into overall IOM response and decision-making.In coordination with Headquarters (HQ) and RO (Regional Office) Protection Division (PXD), advocate for and disseminate the protection division mandate, provide authoritative advice and direction for training and capacity building sessions where needed in line with IOM and global standards.Develop and update an IOM Protection strategy based on a Protection Analysis, for IOM Turkiye that is inscribed with IOM country, regional and global strategic frameworks, and in coordination with the PXD HQ, and RO Vienna Emergency and Post Crises (EPC) and PXD teams. Ensure coherent, consistent and complementary protection activities and approaches within various programmes and projects. Regularly update the senior management on the protection mainstreaming and key protection challenges arising in various programme and advise on course of actions to be taken to address them.In link with PXD HQ, Global MHPSS, and RO Vienna as relevant, and in close cooperation with the protection project managers, oversee the updating of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and ensure the continuous review and adaptation of the SOPs and other tools for protection, child protection and gender-based violence (GBV) casework, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) programmes, and community engagement strategies. Oversee the endorsement and good application of a multi-partners referral pathway for critical incidents case management and for child protection including unaccompanied and separated children (UASC).In coordination with relevant programme managers, oversee and ensure the integrity and quality of the response for persons with specific needs and vulnerabilities, including unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) and ensure the development and implementation of early identification procedures, referral pathways, trends analysis and risk mitigation.Ensure the recruitment of qualified Protection team including Protection (directly) and MHPSS (in coordination with MHPSS HQ) and organigram based on the Protection analysis and strategy, assessment of risks, needs of the population, staffing requirements and programme capacities. Establish a delegation of tasks for the overall management of the IOM protection team.Ensure regular collaboration and communication among all protection colleagues, including protection officers and caseworkers; MHPSS teams; interpreters/cultural mediators and child protection specialists and the rest of the IOM Turkiyeโs teams. Maintain regular communication with the protection experts in IOM Headquarters (HQ-PXD) and RO Vienna EPC and PXD to ensure the operations priorities and protection issues are also flagged globally.Actively participate in internal and multi-partners senior management coordination meetings. Liaise with key protection partners including the implementing partners. Represent IOM and the Protection portfolio in coordination fora and other meetings, in coordination with IOM EPC and PXD RO and HQ who represent the Organization in regional and global level protection platforms.Liaise and coordinate all matters related to protection with other IOM missions as needed.Provide strategic advice, guidance and expertise to partners and team members and all mission staff, including overseeing training on protection related matters, including protection mainstreaming in all the response; protection principles; child safeguarding and child protection; accountability to affected populations (AAP); gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response; prevention of sexual abuse and exploitation (PSEA); disseminate tools and guidance to build a protective environment.ย Establish and strengthen partnerships with key stakeholders on Protection-related matters through potential new joint or integrated activities or ensuring the implementation of ongoing coordination or joint activities.Make strategic recommendations, provide advice and regular updates on the implications of established programme, policies and needs, on plans, priorities and strategic objectives to the Chief of Mission, Senior Operations Officer and the Site Coordinator and prepare report covering protection related activities; briefing, statistical/narrative reports and background notes including specific information requested by IOM, the Donor, Governments, and other entities. Ensure all reportingย requirements are met in a timely manner.Perform such other duties as may be assigned.Required Qualifications and Experience
Education
Masterโs degree in Law, Political or Social Sciences, International Relations/Cooperation/Humanitarian Aid, Human Rights, Social Work, or a related field from an accredited academic institution with seven years of relevant professional experience; or,University degree in the above fields with nine years of relevant professional experienceExperience
Specific experience working within the humanitarian protection sector, including established programme coordination, representation, and managerial responsibilities;Proven experience managing complex emergency, humanitarian, and transitional programming;Demonstrated experience in implementing and supervising case management programmes, including through remote-support;ย Proven experience in the field of prevention of and response to sexual and gender-based violence;Experience in management of counter human trafficking projects and/or in conducting complex case-management;Demonstrated experience in advocacy on sensitive matters;Experience in liaising with governmental authorities, other national/international institutions;Demonstrated Experience in working with multisectoral coordination system in Nexus (Humanitarian, development, peacebuilding);Extensive experience in coordinating activities with various stakeholders both at global level and in the field, including with implementing partners;Professional experience in the humanitarian and development fields relating to migration, refugee, IDP issues, showing increasing levels of responsibility;Professional experience should include fieldwork in multiple duty stations; and,Working experience in the MENA region is asset.Skills
Excellent track record of effective working relationships with private sector, government officials and UN agencies;Knowledge of IASC and Protection global standards (GPC and GBV, CP and HLP AoRs.), including notably the Best interest procedure and Protection Information Management (PIM);Proven leadership and negotiation skills, particularly in a multi-stakeholder and multi-cultural environment;Understanding of complex social-political environments;Strong strategic and creative thinking;Ability to work under extreme pressure in difficult conditions while maintaining security awareness; and,Flexibility and focus on processes and their improvements.Languages
IOMโs official languages are English, French, and Spanish.ย
For this position, fluency in English language is required (oral and written). Working knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish and French) and/or Turkish is an advantage.
Proficiency of language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments.
Required Competencies
IOMโs competency framework can be found at thisย link. Competencies will be assessed during the selection process.
Valuesย - all IOM staff members must abide by and demonstrate these five values:
Inclusion and respect for diversity: Respects and promotes individual and cultural differences. Encourages diversity and inclusion.Integrity and transparency: Maintains high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.Professionalism: Demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.Courage: Demonstrates willingness to take a stand on issues of importance.Empathy: Shows compassion for others, makes people feel safe, respected and fairly treated.Core Competencies โ behavioural indicators Level 3
Teamwork: Develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals and optimize results.Delivering results: Produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner. Is action oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes.Managing and sharing knowledge: Continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge and innovate.Accountability: Takes ownership for achieving the Organizationโs priorities and assumes responsibility for own actions and delegated work.Communication: Encourages and contributes to clear and open communication. Explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.Managerial Competencies โ behavioural indicators Level 3
Leadership: Provides a clear sense of direction, leads by example and demonstrates the ability to carry out the Organizationโs vision. Assists others to realize and develop their leadership and professional potential.Empowering others: Creates an enabling environment where staff can contribute their best and develop their potential.Building Trust: Promotes shared values and creates an atmosphere of trust and honesty.Strategic thinking and vision: Works strategically to realize the Organizationโs goals and communicates a clear strategic direction.Humility: Leads with humility and shows openness to acknowledging own shortcomings.ยNotes
Internationally recruited professional staff are required to be mobile.
Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this vacancy notice is subject to funding confirmation.
This selection process may be used to staff similar positions in various duty stations. Recommended candidates will remain eligible to be appointed in a similar position for a period of 24 months.
The list of NMS countries above includes all IOM Member States which are non-represented in the Professional Category of staff members. For this staff category, candidates who are nationals of the duty stationโs country cannot be considered eligible.
Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, security clearances.
Vacancies close at 23:59 local time Geneva, Switzerland on the respective closing date. No late applications will be accepted.
IOM has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and IOM, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities.
IOM does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, processing, training or other fee). IOM does not request any information related to bank accounts.
IOM only accepts duly completed applications submitted through theย IOM e-Recruitmentย systemย (for internal candidates linkย here). The online tool also allows candidates to track the status of their application.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.ย
For further information and other job postings, you are welcome to visit our website:ย IOM Careers and Job Vacancies.