International Protection Officer

Job Title:                                                 International Protection Officer

Function:                                                 Programme Implementation

Job Group:                                              Programme

Duty Station:                                           Various

Administrative Line Manager:              Team Leader

Technical Line Manager:                       Team Leader

Line Management Responsibility:        N/A

Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) is a dynamic, international non-governmental organization. We work with people affected by violent conflicts to enhance their security and dignity through Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP). We work to reduce violence, protect civilians in countries affected by violent conflict and its aftermath, and help transform the world’s response to conflict situations.

OVERVIEW

NP is in the process of scaling up its country program in Sudan to support the strengthening of safety and security of conflict-affected communities in North Darfur, South Kordofan and the Eastern Region. Working through Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP), NP centers local communities in preventing violence and promoting positive peace. The NP programming will focus on building capacities within local communities to engage in nonviolent self-protection methods such as protective accompaniment/presence, community-led safety and security initiatives such as conflict de-escalation techniques and early warning/response mechanisms. Secured funding spans several years and offers an exciting opportunity to be at the forefront of sustainable, civilian protection.

ABOUT YOU

Experienced International Protection Officer to implement community-based violence reduction and prevention programming in various locations in Sudan, in the context of an on-going civil conflict and extremely high levels of displacement. You will be a person with a genuine commitment to working at the community level, to promote Human rights and are skilled at building trusting relationships in an extremely polarized political climate. You are not deterred by the complexity of conflict; you are able to analyze conflict dynamics; you are motivated and unendingly persistent in finding and implementing protection and prevention strategies. You will be responsible for working together with other international and national colleagues to directly implement the project and to participate in reporting and documentation. You are comfortable living and working in a remote, physically demanding environment, living full-time in a shared compound environment while enjoying a simple diet.

The successful candidate combines creativity, innovation and demonstrated knowledge of protection, conflict prevention and peacebuilding. S/he is experienced and skilled at converting protection, violence reduction and conflict analysis theory into practical, locally appropriate solutions that effectively increases safety and security of civilians affected by violent conflict. S/he has excellent interpersonal skills and flair for connecting and building trust with people from a wide variety of backgrounds. S/he is solutions focused, strategic and is driven by a keen interest and personal commitment to civilian protection.

KEY OBJECTIVES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide protective presence and accompaniment to vulnerable groups and persons with specific needs, with particular focus on improving child protection and combating gender-based violence.
• Assess security risks and implement mitigation strategies for both host and IDP communities.
• Continuously monitor conflict situation in order to track conflict trends and identify protection needs.
• Work and live within conflict affected communities to build trust, to establish deep contextual understanding and to effect nonpartisan position
• Design and implement protection interventions appropriate to context and need within parameters of mandate and projects
• Identify and flag communities or individuals in need of specialized support services, maintain updated referral pathway, ensure effective dissemination of information
• Establish and support community protection mechanisms, provide technical skills training in conflict analysis, nonviolent conflict resolution and community based protection strategies
• Facilitate active participation and leadership of women and persons with disabilities in community peace and security strategies
• Monitor all protection issues and coordinate with concerned local authorities and NGOs to ensure that relevant protection partners are fully informed on the situation in the region;
• Facilitate communications and relationships between communities in conflict, providing proactive engagement to mitigate potential conflict including facilitated dialogue, shuttle diplomacy and the development of specific implementable agreements

QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES:

Education, Knowledge and Experience

• 3 -5 years’ work experience in human security, child or civilian protection.
• Demonstrated successful experience in working in complex security environments
• Demonstrated experience working with state authorities, negotiation and mediation
• Demonstrated ability to live, work and solve problems independently and effectively in remote, highly challenging locations
• Demonstrated ability to analyze conflict, security and political contexts
• Post secondary education in law, human rights, international human rights law, international humanitarian law, negotiation, mediation, human security or related, or equivalent experience

Skills

Independent Judgment/Analytical:

• Ability to set priorities, solve problems and analyze data
• Ability to manage information with discretion
• Demonstrable conflict analysis skills, identify entry points and design prevention and protection strategies

Interpersonal:

• Ability to communicate effectively with individuals and motivate and provide leadership to team and to work and live in a multi-cultural environment
• Solutions focused, creative problem solver
• Proven ability to build relationships with the full range of actors including government, chiefs, military, police and non state actors
• Genuine commitment and interest in living and working at the community level
• Flexibility and adaptability

Language:

• Ability to interact confidently in English with colleagues and external contacts, to write documents and reports, and to present effectively relevant information
• Arabic language a significant asset

Information Technology:

• Good skills in Microsoft Office applications.

Other Specialized Requirements

• This posting can be physically demanding. Some teams work in remote areas, live in tents, and during field visits there is limited access to electricity or running water.  Many of the field visits will require driving through rough terrain or walking long distances.
• This field site is a complex security environment where conditions change rapidly – experience in insecure environments is essential to success in this position.

HOW TO APPLY

• Candidates meeting the above requirements are requested to submit a CV (max. 2 pages) and cover letter (max. 1 page) through our website. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• The closing date for applications is Friday, 31st Oct 2025.
• Candidates may be selected before the closing date, apply early
• As part of the recruitment process, shortlisted candidates may be asked to complete a written assignment before participating in an interview.

SPECIAL NOTICE

Nonviolent Peaceforce is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against based on disability.

Nonviolent Peaceforce acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of employees, contractors, volunteers, interns, communities we work with, and other stakeholders and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities and government guidance and complies with best practices in the Humanitarian and Development sector. NP expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We priorities ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organization.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. NP also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

NO FEE

We never ask for payment as part of our selection process, and we always contact candidates via our corporate accounts and platforms. If you are approached for payment, this is likely to be fraudulent. Please check whether the role you are interested in is posted here on our website.