What we do
Since 1863, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has worked to preserve human dignity and relieve suffering caused by war and armed violence.
In collaboration with our Red Cross and Red Crescent partners around the world, we do everything we can to deliver life-saving aid, reconnect families and locate missing people – helping those who need it most, regardless of who they are and what side of the front line they are on.
We engage with authorities and armed forces on all sides, often confidentially, pressing for access to detainees to improve their living conditions and urging compliance with international humanitarian law to protect non-combatants, including from digital threats.
Purpose
The Protection Field Officer contributes to the implementation and monitoring of the MAL Sub-Delegation’s protection activities in Upper Nile State and part of Jonglei (Canal and Pigi).
S/he ensures a quality and timely management of the PFL file and contributes to the documentation of PCP events. S/he supports colleagues for activities in favour of detainees when required.
Accountabilities & functional responsibilities
- Implements protection activities under the supervision of the line manager.
- Participates or leads field trips to implement the protection response
- Ensures administrative and financial follow-up after field missions.
- Must be able to work autonomously and ensure interaction with other departments and staff as necessary
- Contribute to the overall context and security analysis in the AoR, with a focus on protection information.
- Engages the affected persons and communities, to understand and assess their protection needs, ensure accountability, and tailor the ICRC response, based on their input and feedback.
- Develops and maintains the network of contacts with relevant interlocutors in her/his AoR, in close coordination with the PTL, Management and the Field teams.
- Develops, in coordination with other departments, multidisciplinary responses to the identified protection needs, and promotes internal and external referral mechanisms for PROT beneficiaries.
- Contributes to internal written reporting and the institutional filing of her/his work, in line with data-protection principles.
- Monitors protection-related issues in the AoR, including the behaviour of weapon-bearers and share any relevant information with the PTL and HoSD. Documents relevant events in PROT6.
- Promotes synergies with COM/PREV to address the behaviour of weapon-bearers and supports sessions/trainings as need be.
- Assesses PFL-related needs in the AoR, pay particular attention in this regard to movements of populations and their potential impact on family links.
- Builds the capacity of the SSRC and its volunteers, to assess and respond to such needs and to follow-up on the existing caseload.
- Ensures a proper management of the tracing caseload and a regular follow-up through active tracing and calls for news, in coordination with the SSRC.
- Ensures that other PFL services (phone calls, airtime, RCMs) are being effectively offered, targeting the areas where they are most needed.
- In areas with no to little ICRC/SSRC presence, identifies potential relays (community leaders, NGOs, etc) that could support PFL activities in the area.
- Engages the community leaders and members in the various tracing efforts and in better understanding the PFL needs of the communities.
- Pays particular attention to the needs of vulnerable persons and offer support and/or reunification as adequate.
- Contributes to the assessment of the needs of the Families of Missing persons, and offer adapted support, in a multidisciplinary manner (MHPSS, ECOSEC,etc).
- Does the data-entry in, and extraction of PFL cases/lists from PROT6.
- Monitors and shares information about the arrest and detention of persons arrested in relation to the conflict.
- Supports with the follow-up on Allegations of Arrest, including through maintaining regular contact with enquirers; Provides logistical support for the visits and the provision of assistance to places of detention, when relevant.
Additional information
- Type of role:
- Working rate:100%
- Starting date: 03/08/2026
- Location: Malakal (MAL)
- Hardship : H0 : family posting and full amenities
- Job level: B2 (B2)
- Length of assignment: 1-year fixed term contract (renewal subject to budget and performance)
- Type of position: Resident
- Application deadline: Tuesday 30 June 2026 at 5:00 PM
Our values
- At the ICRC, we value impact, collaboration, respect, and compassion. We seek candidates who demonstrate behaviors based on these shared values. For more information on the ICRC values, please visit this page.
Reports to (role)
- ProtectionDelegates and Team Leaders
People management responsibilities
No
Scope & impact
- Remit: local, national and regional.
- In charge of small-to-medium protection activities (detention, protection of the civilian population, restoring family links, missing and/or urban violence).
- May have financial responsibilities.
Relationships
- Internally, interacts with stakeholders on matters related to protection.
- Externally, interacts with a network of contacts at local level, such as authorities, civilians, etc., under the supervision of their line manager (subject to staff risk management).
Certifications / Education required
- University Degree and vocational training in a humanitarian area, socio-economic development, humanitarian law, human rights, or equivalent field.
- Advanced level of written and oral English, Nuer and Arabic. Additional local language is an asset
- Expert level in computer skills, including Outlook, Word and Excel.
Professional experience required
- Minimum 3-5 years of experience in a humanitarian area, socio-economic development, humanitarian law, human rights or similar position.
- Skilled in the following competencies: Beneficiary-focused; Representing the ICRC; Networking & Communication; Adapting & Learning; Responsibility & Autonomy; Communication (ability to express views and ideas); Analysis & Synthesis.
- Good knowledge of geographically assigned area of responsibility in Upper Nile State.
