Protection Officer at Terre des hommes Foundation (Tdh)

Minimum Basic salary: NGN 610,000

Position Summary

Reporting to the Protection Project Manager or Supervisor, the Protection Officer supports the implementation of inte-grated protection programming, including Child Protection (CP), Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), Community-Based Protection (CBP), and prevention and response to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), in line with project objectives and Terre des hommes (Tdh) policies, Child Protection Minimum Standards (CPMS), the Inter-Agency Case Management Guidelines, the IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, and relevant national protection frame-works. The role contributes to improving the safety, wellbeing, resilience, and ac-cess to services of vulnerable children, adolescents, women, caregivers, and other at-risk populations through case management, psychosocial support, community engagement, awareness raising, referrals, and coordination with relevant stakeholders.

The position focuses on field-level implementation, technical quality, routine coordination, monitoring, and documentation. It contributes to programme quality through continuous engagement with communities, government structures, and humanitarian partners while operating within established project frameworks and under the guidance of the supervisor

Key Responsibilities

Technical Responsibilities Support :

Programme Implementation

• Support implementation of integrated protection interventions across Child Protection, MHPSS, Community-Based Protection and SGBV programming.
• Identify protection risks affecting women, girls, boys and other vulnerable groups and support appropriate prevention and response activities.
• Deliver structured psychosocial support activities for children, adolescents and caregivers through Child Friendly Spaces, Child Clubs, Youth Clubs and other safe spaces.
• Support safe referrals and survivor-centred approaches for individuals affected by gender-based violence in accordance with established referral pathways and protocols.
• Promote community-based protection mechanisms and inclusive participation of women, youth, persons with disabilities and community leaders.
• Ensure integration of safeguarding, accountability, inclusion and protection mainstreaming across all activities.
• Support family strengthening, resilience building and positive parenting interventions.
• Identify implementation challenges and recommend practical solutions to the supervisor.

Child Protection Case Management

• Identify children requiring protection services through outreach, referrals and community engagement.
• Conduct child protection assessments in accordance with Inter-Agency Case Management Guidelines.
• Develop and implement individualized case plans together with children and caregivers.
• Conduct regular case follow-up visits and monitor progress toward case objectives.
• Facilitate referrals to appropriate health, education, legal, nutrition, MHPSS and social services.
• Participate in multidisciplinary case conferences where required.
• Apply Best Interest Principles throughout the case management process.
• Maintain accurate and confidential case files.
• Ensure timely documentation within CPIMS+/Primero or other approved information management systems.
• Conduct safe and appropriate case closure. 

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)

• Plan and facilitate structured age, gender and disability-sensitive MHPSS activities for children, adolescents and caregivers, using approved and evidence-based methodologies such as Psychological First Aid (PFA), Problem Management Plus (PM+), EASE, BLOOM, individual counselling approaches, and other relevant MHPSS interventions approved by Tdh. 
• Organise recreational, life skills, sports, arts and resilience-building activities.
• Facilitate caregiver support groups and parenting sessions.
• Provide Psychological First Aid (PFA) within the scope of the role.
• Conduct individual supportive counselling within the scope of competence and organizational guidelines.
• Identify and refer individuals requiring specialized mental health or psychiatric services.
• Provide basic supportive counselling and emotional support while respecting referral thresholds.
• Promote children\'s participation, inclusion and positive peer interaction.
• Ensure MHPSS interventions remain culturally appropriate and conflict-sensitive.
• Monitor children\'s wellbeing and identify those requiring specialised mental health services.

Community Engagement and Prevention

• Conduct awareness sessions on child protection risks, safeguarding, positive parenting and psychosocial wellbeing.
• Support establishment and strengthening of Community-Based Child Protection Mechanisms.
• Engage community volunteers, teachers, religious leaders and traditional leaders.
• Promote community ownership of child protection initiatives.
• Strengthen community referral pathways.
• Support community action plans addressing child protection concerns.

Technical Support

• Provide day-to-day technical support to community facilitators, volunteers and incentive workers.
• Support implementation of Tdh technical guidelines and tools.
• Assist with training delivery and coaching under the supervision of the Project Manager.
• Promote quality standards during implementation.
• Escalate technical challenges requiring specialist support.

Coordination and Operational Collaboration

• Coordinate closely with Education, Health, Nutrition, WASH, MEAL and Logistics teams.
• Support integrated service delivery across programme sectors.
• Maintain regular communication with government social welfare officers, education authorities and community structures.
• Participate in field coordination meetings when delegated.
• Support referral coordination with humanitarian partners.

Monitoring, Documentation and Reporting

• Collect and report routine programme data.
• Maintain beneficiary registers, attendance sheets and activity records.
• Ensure timely entry of case management data into CPIMS+/Primero.
• Prepare weekly, monthly and ad hoc activity reports.
• Support monitoring visits, assessments and evaluations.
• Document lessons learned, success stories and good practices.
• Support beneficiary feedback and accountability mechanisms. 

Compliance, Safeguarding and Accountability

• Fully comply with the Tdh Code of Conduct.
• Adhere to Child Safeguarding, PSEA and confidentiality requirements.
• Promote inclusion, dignity and non-discrimination.
• Report safeguarding concerns immediately through established reporting mechanisms.
• Follow Tdh administrative, finance, logistics and security procedures.
• Perform other duties assigned by the supervisor.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, Psychology, Sociology, Guidance and Counselling, Human Rights, Education, Public Health, Community Development or another relevant social science discipline. 
• Minimum of 2 years of professional experience implementing Child Protection and/or MHPSS programmes in humanitarian or development settings. 
• Demonstrated experience in one or more of the following areas: Child Protection, MHPSS, Community-Based Protection, or SGBV programming.
• Experience delivering or supporting evidence-based MHPSS interventions, including PFA, PM+, EASE, BLOOM, individual counselling, or similar methodologies.
• Experience facilitate ng community engagement and protection risk mitigation activities.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary referral systems and protection service providers.
• Demonstrated experience conducting child protection case management.
• Experience facilitating structured psychosocial support activities.
• Experience working with children, adolescents and caregivers in humanitarian or development settings.
• Experience working in North Central or Northeast Nigeria is desirable.

Languages

• Fluency in English.
• Fluency in relevant local languages (Idoma, Eggon, Gwandara, Hausa, and Igede) spoken in the project area is required. Candidates who do not meet the required language proficiency for the assigned location will not be considered.

IT Knowledge  

• Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Kobo Collect, CommCare or similar digital data collection platforms.
• Experience using CPIMS+/Primero is highly desirable.
• Basic data management and reporting skills.

Desirable

• Knowledge of Child Protection Minimum Standards (CPMS).
• Knowledge of the Inter-Agency Case Management Guidelines.
• Knowledge of IASC MHPSS Guidelines.
• Experience working with community-based protection structures.
• Experience facilitating Positive Parenting programmes.
• Experience working with NGOs in humanitarian contexts.
• Knowledge of Nigerian child protection systems and referral pathways.

Core Competencies

• Manages time and priorities and meets deadlines. 
• Cooperates and contributes to achieving team goals. 
• Communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders. 
• Demonstrates respect, integrity and accountability. 
• Adapts effectively to changing humanitarian contexts.As well as the following specific “professional” competencies

Child Protection Case Management. 

• Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Programming. 
• Community-Based Child Protection and Community Engagement. 
• SGBV prevention, Risk Mitigation, and Safe Referral.
• Coordination, Referral Pathways and Interagency Collaboration. 
• Monitoring, Reporting and Information Management.

Additional Requirements

• Adherence to Tdh Code of Conduct, Child Safeguarding, and PSEA policies.
• Compliance with Tdh administrative and security procedures.
• Previous experience in Northeast Nigeria is an advantage.
• This job description is not exhaustive and may evolve according to project needs.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Terre des hommes – Nigeria is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status.