Protection Officer - Civil Society & Empowerment

Shaping a stronger Oxfam for people living in poverty.

Oxfam in Algeria – Sahrawi Refugee Camps

Oxfam in Algeria has been active in the Saharawi refugee camps since 1975. Its humanitarian programme in the camps has been focusing on food security until 2016. The programme has transitioned from emergency aid to a combination of humanitarian (focusing on WASH and Food Security) and resilience interventions with policy and influencing work locally and globally.

Given the challenging funding environment, the costs and quality of services in the camps, particularly Water supply, overall programmatic approaches in the camp are going through key revisions. In this context, UNHCR commissioned Oxfam to develop a five-year strategy for extending the water-supply networks in the camps, with associated developments in the areas of systems operation, governance and capacity building, and community engagement. This strategy was completed in late 2019 and is meant to inform the overall water supply work over the coming 5 years.

Oxfam in Algeria has recently developed a series of projects contributing to the improvement of WaSH services and infrastructure for Sahrawi refugees living in the five camps of Tindouf, including the delivery of detailed design and bills of quantities for the improvement of water-supply infrastructure. Oxfam is also working on strengthening the capacity of the different actors in the WaSH sector through the development of a capacity strengthening strategy, implementation plan and the delivery of training. Additionally, Oxfam will be working on various projects contributing to improved water storage at household and production levels.

Oxfam in Algeria is seeking an experienced WASH Coordinator to support its programmes aiming at improving

access to safe water and overall WASH services. The WASH Coordinator will be working as part of the response team in the Sahrawi camps and will be based in Rabouni with regular travels to the different camps in the governorate of Tindouf. S/He will act as technical focal point for Oxfam and work closely with the local and international WASH actors in the camps.

Job Purpose

The Protection Officer contributes to Oxfam’s protection work in the Sahrawi refugee camps by fostering community empowerment, particularly among women, youth, and local associations. The position bridges Oxfam’s protection strategy and the initiatives of civil society actors, ensuring that protection principles are locally understood, applied, and sustained.

The role demands autonomy, creativity, and strong interpersonal skills — someone able to connect with communities, support emerging local leaders, and translate feminist and rights-based values into practical actions.

Key Responsibilities

1. Community Protection & Empowerment

• Lead community engagement processes to identify, analyse, and prioritise protection risks affecting women, youth, and vulnerable groups across all wilayas.

• Facilitate community consultations and focus groups ensuring safe, inclusive, and participatory approaches that amplify marginalised voices.

• Support the design and implementation of community-led protection initiatives — with special attention to empowerment, psychosocial well-being, and access to rights and services.

• Strengthen existing community-based protection networks, including women’s centres and youth associations, by supporting their organisational development and advocacy capacity.

• Promote approaches that foster self-reliance and dignity, encouraging communities to identify local solutions to protection challenges.

2. Integration of Protection Across Oxfam’s Programme

• Work collaboratively with WASH and EFSL teams to ensure the centrality of protection in programme planning, implementation, and monitoring.

• Support technical teams in applying feminist, gender-sensitive, and do-no-harm principles in their daily work and project cycles.

• Contribute to risk analysis and mitigation planning within sectoral interventions (e.g. safe access to water, equitable resource distribution, inclusive livelihood opportunities).

• Provide inputs during project design and proposal development to ensure protection and gender mainstreaming in multi-sectoral interventions.

• Facilitate cross-department learning on protection and gender, including the development of shared tools, referral mechanisms, and reporting templates.

3. Partnership Development & Capacity Building

• Accompany and strengthen national partners and local civil society organisations — particularly those led by women and youth — in developing and implementing protection activities.

• Design and deliver training modules on community protection, feminist leadership, safeguarding, and accountability to affected populations.

• Provide ongoing coaching and mentoring to partner staff and community facilitators on data collection, case identification, and ethical management of sensitive information.

• Encourage peer learning and experience sharing among partners and community networks to sustain collective empowerment and protection practices.

4. Coordination & Representation

• Actively participate in internal and external coordination platforms related to protection, gender, and accountability.

• Maintain regular contact with humanitarian and institutional actors (e.g. UNHCR, DRC, CISP, CRS, and local ministries) to strengthen coordination, information sharing, and referral mechanisms.

• Support advocacy and communication initiatives highlighting community-led protection and gender equality efforts, in coordination with Oxfam’s Advocacy and Policy teams.

• Represent Oxfam at local events and sectoral meetings when requested, promoting the organisation’s protection principles and ethical standards.

5. Monitoring, Learning & Reporting

• Support MEAL colleagues in developing and tracking protection indicators across projects.

• Conduct regular field visits to monitor ongoing protection and empowerment activities and gather qualitative insights.

• Document lessons learned, success stories, and challenges from community initiatives to inform programme adaptation and advocacy.

• Contribute to internal and donor reporting with accurate, sensitive, and rights-based analysis of protection trends and community feedback.

Job Requirements

Education and Experience

• University degree in social sciences, gender studies, human rights, or community development.

• At least 3 years of relevant experience in protection, gender, or community engagement within humanitarian or development contexts.

• Proven experience working with civil society, particularly women’s or youth organisations.

• Experience in capacity building, facilitation, and partnership development.

Skills and Competencies

• Solid understanding of feminist and rights-based approaches to protection.

• Strong facilitation, interpersonal, and communication skills.

• Demonstrated ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities.

• Analytical thinking and ability to transform field observations into practical recommendations.

• Excellent organisational and reporting skills.

• Fluency in Arabic (Hassaniya) and good command of French, English, or Spanish.

• Computer literacy (Microsoft Office, Excel, PowerPoint).

Desirable

• Female candidates, particularly Sahrawi or Algerian, are strongly encouraged to apply.

• Knowledge of Oxfam’s protection framework or similar approaches.

• Experience in inter-agency coordination and community-based protection mechanisms.

Key Attributes

• Commitment to Oxfam’s values, safeguarding, and code of conduct.

• Strong sense of accountability, transparency, and ethical leadership.

• High cultural awareness, diplomacy, and emotional intelligence in diverse teams.

• Proactive and solution-oriented mindset, capable of working independently in remote and challenging environments.

• Flexibility to travel frequently between Rabouni and the five refugee camps.

• Proven ability to lead teams and inspire staff in challenging environments. Strategic mindset with capacity to connect field realities to programme design. Demonstrated commitment to capacity development and learnin

Organisational Values

• Accountability – Our purpose-driven, results-focused approach means we take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable. We believe that others should also be held accountable for their actions.

• Empowerment – Our approach means that everyone involved with Oxfam, from our staff and supporters to people living in poverty, should feel they can make change happen.

• Inclusiveness – We are open to everyone and embrace diversity. We believe everyone has a contribution to make, regardless of visible and invisible differences.

How to apply

If you believe your qualifications meet the requirements, please send a CV and a covering letter explaining your suitability against the essential criteria in the job profile by the 10 December 2025