Protection Officer

Job Title: Protection Officer

Job location: Palestine, Gaza

Reports to: Country Representative

JOB SUMMARY

The Protection Officer plays a critical role in advancing the organization's operations by overseeing and ensuring the effective implementation of the Gaza Protection Response Strategy within vulnerable communities. This responsibility includes managing and regularly providing contextual updates on protection needs and risks in Gaza, particularly those related to health, nutrition and emergency response. The officer ensures adherence to relevant policies, accountability standards, and operational protocols, while also delivering technical support and representing the organization in engagements with stakeholders.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical Support and Guidance:

• Deliver technical expertise to project teams in the design and implementation of protection and preservation programs, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and high-quality reporting across all outputs.
• Promote the consistent application of the Community Protection Approach (CPA) within all targeted communities.
• Collaborate closely with the community engagement team and programs coordinator & project officers to develop timely and responsive community protection plans.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and capacity-building efforts for staff across field sites, with a strong emphasis on protection and safeguarding protocols.
• Ensure that all implementation and recruitment processes integrate safeguarding standards, particularly the Do No Harm principle.
• Facilitate and conduct safeguarding trainings for staff and partners in Gaza, reinforcing awareness of the Safeguarding Policy and ensuring that a functional feedback and complaint mechanism is in place.
• Support Safeguarding training for staff and partners in Gaza on the Safeguarding Policy and the feedback and complaint mechanism is in place
• Support Safeguarding training for staff and partners in Gaza on the Safeguarding Policy and the feedback and complaint mechanism is in place.

Field Implementation and Reporting:

• Monitor and document the progress of shelter-based emergency interventions through timely, accurate, and comprehensive reporting, supporting continuous improvement and accountability.
• Manage donor requirements related to data collection and reporting, including the documentation and communication of protection and safeguarding incidents in accordance with established protocols.
• Ensure effective budget oversight by conducting regular follow-ups, preparing financial projections, and implementing budget re-alignments as necessary to support programmatic needs and compliance.

Protection Management:

• Conduct follow-up on MHPSS team, ensuring timely coordination of referrals through established Protection mapping systems and facilitating safe access to services in accordance with the Protection Approach.
• Ensure that referral pathways for survivors are clearly mapped, regularly updated, and fully functional across all response areas to support effective case management and service delivery.
• Ensure all actions align with the Protection Approach, emphasizing survivor-centered, rights-based, and do-no-harm principles.
• Collaborate with relevant actors to strengthen inter-agency coordination and service delivery mechanisms and complete all required data and documentation related to the Protection sector, as requested by donors and partners such as UNICEF, WHO, WFP, and others.

Community Engagement and Support:

• Participate in the implementation of gender-related projects.
• Support the integration of gender-sensitive approaches into broader community engagement strategies, ensuring that interventions are responsive to the specific needs of women, men, girls, and boys.
• Assist in the development of culturally appropriate outreach materials and communication tools that promote protection and gender-related messaging.
• Facilitate awareness-raising sessions and community dialogues on gender equality, protection, and safeguarding to foster a safe and supportive environment.

Administrative Support:

• Maintain well-organized records and filing systems for all documents related to field activities, ensuring easy access and secure storage.
• Assist in the planning, coordination, and logistical arrangements for field visits and meetings, facilitating smooth communication and operational efficiency across the team.

 Reporting & Documentation:

• Monitor the referral system to ensure individuals in targeted communities have access to services.
• Submit timely reports on activities, including weekly plans and reports as per MG’s guidelines.

Other Duties:

• Assess and ensure the effectiveness of interventions from other organizations to avoid duplication.
• Support other tasks as requested by the direct supervisor or sector coordinators.
• The Protection Officer will represent the position of MG in Gaza with:

o   Humanitarian Clusters and Coordination

o   Palestine PSEA Network

o   Peer organization in Technical Working Groups or in Consortium

o    Humanitarian donors for existing projects as well as exploring new partnerships

o   Establish and consolidate relationships with partners, including national and international NGOs, UN, donors and relevant government representatives for improved project implementation and to position Medglobal as a credible, effective humanitarian organization.

o   Represent Medglobal in relevant forums and alliances on sector-wide Safeguarding.

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

Should have the following skills, education, and experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in the field of protection and safeguarding, psychology or any other related field.
• Minimum of 4-5 year of experience in social work, protection, or data analysis, preferably with international organizations.
• Strong understanding of protection principles, child safeguarding, gender-based violence (GBV), and psychosocial support
• Knowledge of the humanitarian context in Palestine and experience working in community protection or empowerment.
• Strong competency in data collection and analysis, using global protection definitions and frameworks.
• Understanding of cross-cutting protection issues (GBV, PSEA, child safeguarding) and familiarity with safe referral pathways.
• Ability to handle sensitive information with confidentiality and professionalism.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including problem-solving, teamwork, and facilitation.
• Proficiency in English (written and spoken).
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Proficient in MS Office applications.

ABOUT MEDGLOBAL

MedGlobal is a global humanitarian non-profit organization providing medical and health education services to people in need, including refugees and displaced persons, in disaster and underserved regions. The organization is composed of medical and public health professionals of diverse backgrounds.

CODE OF CONDUCT

MedGlobal Code of Conduct reflects the profession’s core set of beliefs and values of care, respect, trust, and integrity. These beliefs and values are fundamental to MedGlobal employees, volunteers, interns, consultants, and contractors to guide their practice and conduct. The Code is organized into categories, as follows:

• Always act with fairness, honesty, integrity, and openness; respect the opinions of others and treat all with equality and dignity without regard to gender, race, color, creed, ancestry, place of origin, political beliefs, religion, marital status, disability, age, or sexual orientation.
• Provide a positive and valued experience for those receiving service within and outside MedGlobal.

CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

Child abuse in all forms is unacceptable to MedGlobal, which recognizes its responsibility to protect children from harm in all areas of its work. MedGlobal is committed to ensuring a child-safe environment and is applying a zero-tolerance approach towards any kind of child abuse and exploitation.

DISCRIMINATION, ABUSE AND HARASSMENT POLICY

MedGlobal provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and expressly prohibits and will not tolerate any form of discrimination, abuse, harassment (sexual or otherwise), based upon race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, citizenship status, disability, or military status. MedGlobal employees and related personnel must under no circumstances take part in any form of discrimination, harassment, or abuse (physical, sexual or verbal), intimidation or exploitation, or in any other way infringe the rights of others inside or outside the organization.