Protection Assistant at Center for Advocacy, Transparency, and Accountability Initiative (CATAI)

Location: Adamawa and Borno States (Madagali, Gwoza, Bama, Banki and Ngala)

Overall, Purpose of the Role:

The Protection Assistant, reporting to the Protection Team Leader and supported by the Protection Officers, is responsible for the day-to-day implementation of protection activities in assigned field locations.

Key tasks include Protection Monitoring, managing and following up on referrals (including establishing referral pathways), identifying IPA (Individual Protection Assistance) beneficiaries and managing cases, delivering psychosocial support activities, and supervising protection casual workers.

The Protection Assistant will also support needs assessments, contribute to protection activity reports and analyses, identify and communicate protection concerns and programmatic needs, support capacity building of key stakeholders, and ensure that project data is collected, managed, and protected to the highest standards of confidentiality.

Key Responsibilities:

Under the supervision of the Protection Team Leader, the Protection Assistant will:

Program Implementation & Community Engagement:

• Organize and implement all field-level protection activities in line with the work plan and international standards.
• Facilitate and participate in community-based protection (CBP) meetings, workshops, awareness campaigns, and structured protection dialogues with diverse community members.
• Conduct community-based awareness sessions on protection-related issues, including PSS, GBV, CP, stress management, and other thematic areas.
• Facilitate partner-led GP awareness sessions with community members, and coordinate Partners’ FGDs, KIIs, HH surveys, and feedback forums.
• Organize and support protection-related commemorative events such as 16 Days of Activism, Women’s Rights Day, Anti-Trafficking Day, and other advocacy initiatives.
• Identify and maintain relationships with community focal points, actors, and networks, ensuring regular communication and knowledge exchange.

Protection Monitoring, Referrals & Case Management:

• Conduct protection monitoring within communities and displacement camps using tools such as observations, household surveys, KIIs, FGDs, and contingency assessments.
• Provide and track regular protection updates based on community feedback and observations.
• Identify and refer persons with protection needs in accordance with safe identification and referral standards.
• Monitor referrals using the Referral Information Management System (RIMS) and follow up on service delivery.
• Provide individual protection assistance (IPA) to persons with urgent protection concerns, set protection objectives, and track impact.
• Conduct protection assessments, safety audits, and contingency planning (e.g., related to camp closures or requests from Protection AoRs including Mine Action, HLP, CP, and GBV).
• Refer cases to relevant service providers and advocate for appropriate support and services.

Capacity Building & Partner Engagement:

• Support Protection Officers in training community members, local authorities, and partners on protection principles and practices.
• Participate in knowledge-sharing events such as partner workshops, CBP/PM actor exchanges, and discussions on best practices.
• Engage in protection roundtables and partner-led coordination forums to enhance collaboration and learning.
• Contribute to partner capacity building initiatives, including technical support and follow-up.

Information Management & Reporting:

• Prepare timely activity and protection reports (weekly, monthly, ad hoc) and contribute to program documentation and knowledge sharing.
• Ensure proper documentation of all protection activities including attendance sheets, consent forms, referral documentation, and case notes.
• Use digital platforms (e.g., KOBO, SharePoint) for accurate and timely data entry and ensure that data is complete and validated.
• In collaboration with the PIM specialist, maintain accurate and ethical information management practices to support evidence-based decision-making.
• Draft individual work plans, participate in supervision sessions, and support regular coordination meetings and reporting exercises.

Operational Support & Compliance:

• Liaise with CATAI security personnel to stay updated on security developments and adjust field operations accordingly.
• Support the planning and logistics of field visits by external staff, donors, or coordination teams.
• Monitor and account for CATAI protection assets deployed at field level.
• Participate in assessments of operational gaps, needs analysis, and contribute to protection budgeting and planning.
• Support the implementation of M&E frameworks to evaluate project impact and ensure protection mainstreaming across all programs and partners.
• Manage protection casual workers or social workers as required and provide field-based guidance and supervision.

Other:

• Perform any other duties related to the role as assigned by the Protection Team Leader.

Note:

• The responsibilities outlined above are not exhaustive and may be revised based on operational needs, while remaining consistent with the purpose of the role.

Essential Requirements:

Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in Law, Social Sciences, Social Work, Community Development, Psychology, Sociology, Education, Counselling, Human Rights, or other relevant fields.

• Minimum 2 years’ work experience in a humanitarian organization or with displacement-affected populations; or significant experience as a CATAI protection social/outreach worker.
• Knowledge of protection norms, principles, and activities.
• Excellent communication skills (oral and written).
• Professional fluency in English, Kanuri, and Hausa is required; Higgi and Marghi are an added advantage.
• Ability and willingness to maintain a regular presence at project sites (remote/field locations) and to work during irregular hours and in insecure environments.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills.
• Self-motivated, able to take initiative, propose solutions, and work independently while being resilient and positive.
• Good understanding of the Northeast Nigeria operational context.
• Basic computer literacy.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of protection activities such as protection monitoring, case management, and psychosocial support services.
• Good IT skills (especially Microsoft Office) and familiarity with Kobo Collect.
• Highly self-driven, with a commitment to excellence under minimum supervision.

Key stakeholders: 

Internal:

• Field Coordinator
• Protection Officer/ Team Leader
• Protection Officers and field teams
• Local stakeholders
• PIM Specialist

External:

Relevant stakeholders