Community Based Protection Officer

Over the past few years, Afghanistan has witnessed a relative improvement in security and stability across much of the country. This has allowed humanitarian actors like INTERSOS to maintain uninterrupted access and expand services in areas that were previously hard to reach. Despite this progress, the humanitarian situation remains critical, with millions of Afghans continuing to face acute vulnerabilities due to prolonged economic hardship, natural disasters, and limited access to essential services.

In 2025, more than half of the population is in need of humanitarian assistance, with food insecurity, child malnutrition, and displacement remaining key concerns. Natural disasters, such as floods and recent earthquakes, have further compounded the needs of already struggling communities.

INTERSOS continues to operate through a community-based approach with field bases in Kabul, Kandahar, and Zabul, delivering primary healthcare, nutrition, and protection services with a focus on women, children, and persons with disabilities. The organization enjoys strong community acceptance and collaborates closely with relevant national authorities, including maintaining the full participation of female staff in all activities.

While the operational environment is largely stable and conducive, funding shortfalls and systemic barriers such as restrictions on financial flows and administrative bottlenecks continue to impact the scope and scale of humanitarian response. Sustained support is crucial to ensure the continuity of life-saving services and to address the urgent needs of Afghanistan’s most vulnerable populations

Under the direct supervision and technical support and collaboration of the Technical Protection Manager, the Community-Based Protection Officer will be responsible for the management and implementation of community-based protection activities across project/s, including close monitoring and follow-up of activities, gathering of data and evidence-based information to inform program development and adaptation. The position will play a crucial role in supporting the roll out of INTERSOS Community-Based Protection Guidelines, guaranteeing adequate support and guidance to projects’ staff, reporting on quality and impact of community-based protection activities, and will be responsible for supervision of outreach workers and volunteers in the communities.
Reporting to:
Hierarchical: Technical Protection Manager
Functional: Technical Protection Manager
Tasks
● Plan, coordinate, supervise and manage community-based protection activities, in coordination with the Technical Protection Manager and in adherence to
INTERSOS community-based protection guidelines, ensuring the step-by-step process is implemented according to its principles
● Ensure qualitative and timely planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of INTERSOS community-based protection activities in compliance with standards, tools and localization principles
● Lead protection risk analysis and community mapping exercises in the community, in line with INTERSOS community-based protection guidelines and protection analysis framework, to inform design and implementation of community-based
protection process
● Conduct Asset Mapping in the community in order to map Community strengths, assets, resources and allies
● Participate in the recruitment of outreach workers/volunteers, build capacity on core protection principles and standards, and provide feedback on staff
performance and areas for growth and professional development
● Provide supervision, technical guidance and support to protection team including outreach workers/volunteers, in the planning and implementation of participatory community activities, in communication with communities in line with INTERSOS
community-based protection guidelines.
● Lead on development of capacity building material, as needed and requested by communities, ensuring they are context appropriate and in line with community plans
● Develop Awareness material based on local culture and traditions on topics identified through Protection Risk Analysis done with the community
● Review data and information collected during the implementation of
community-based protection activities and ensure timely development and submission of weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports and/or as requested
● Ensure community safe spaces like CCCs are run as per internal and
international guidelines ensuring safety and security and community considerations are respected.
● Conduct and lead community dialogues, discussions, Protection Awareness and Engaging with Men and Boys in the community with respect to Community culture and context.
● Work in close collaboration with Case worker team leaders to identify root causes of Protection issues and with Protection Team leaders to analyze and understand whether the same risks are seen in the community.
● Identify and map existing community groups and CBOs and support the Technical Protection Manager in identifying the most suitable partnerships
● Ensure good relationships with partner CBOs and be responsible for their capacity building
● Serve as Focal point for CBOs and Community groups/ Committees on Community Led Initiatives and ensure the initiatives are delivered in accordance with the
Protection principles and internal SOPs
● Provide regular technical feedback to the relevant protection project staff, highlighting on gaps, challenges, best practices and lessons learned of
community-based protection activities to inform programming
● Conduct regular field monitoring of activities within communities, ensuring process is in line with agreed community partnerships
● Establish and maintain collaborative relations with relevant stakeholders working in targeted communities, and ensure linkages are made across existing
community-based structures and others as needed to maximize impact.
● Proactively participate in relevant working groups and coordination meetings
related to community-based protection and promote INTERSOS positioning and values on working with communities on protection
● Establish feedback mechanisms with communities, ensuring participation and inclusion of all groups
● Ensure outreach workers/volunteers are trained on Safeguarding, relevant protection trainings and conduct regular refresher trainings as needed

Requirements

Education

● University degree in Social Sciences, Social Work, and/or any field related to Community Development

Professional Experience

● Minimum 4 years of relevant working experience in the implementation of humanitarian protection activities

● Demonstrated experience in working with communities in humanitarian contexts

Professional Requirements

● Clear understanding of localization principles and approach, do no harm and community ownership

● Excellent reporting and writing skills

● Sound and proven understanding of applying protection principles and standards

● Demonstrated knowledge and commitment to humanitarian principles, gender equity and protection

Personal Requirements

● Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work and integrate in a multicultural team.

● Excellent communication skills and ability to tailor style to suit a variety of audiences.

● Strong organizational skills and ability to manage efficiently multiple priorities, deadlines and tasks.

● Solid time-management skills, resourcefulness and attention to details.

● Flexibility and adaptability; Ability to work under pressure.

● Initiative

● Strong analytical and practical problem-solving skills

● Decision making

● Leadership; Developing and motivating others

● Strategic thinking

● Driving and achieving results

● Plan and design the Community Based Protection activities in collaboration with the Specialists, the Technical Protection Managers and all the team members, accordingly to INTERSOS guidelines; ● Ensure the protection team have the approriate respurces neccessary for conducting group activities

● Ensure all Community spaces - CCCs are designed as per internal and

International guidelines and colloborate with CBPO in the establishment of the same

● Ensure that the Guidance and advice provided by the MHPSS specialists, Protection Technical Managers and Project Program Manager are followed by the team and provide feedback to them

● Ensure that the PSS needs of the community are properly assessed, mapped and

analyzed and work with the Technical Manager - Protection and MHPSS specialists to fine tune our intervention to address the needs ● Ensure all tools for assessment and measuring impact are used properly by the team ● Ensure the MHPSS Platform is updated on an ongoing basis; review entries and highlight any discrepancies to the MHPSS specialist, Technical Protection Managers and PM; ● Ensure the Referral Database is updated on a weekly basis and submitted to the Technical Protection Manager ● Ensure proper storage of sensitive data through a correct use of internal databases; ● Assist Project Manager in the planning and facilitation of the induction process for all newly recruited CWs, PSS Workers and other staff members on protection principles, the case management process, the relevant SOPs and the data filing and storing procedures (and other relevant topics); ● Assist the Technical Manager - Protection in planning and delivering capacity building trainings

Respected Applicants, please visit the link below and fill in the required information.

https://forms.gle/i1bawMJqvwiUYmez8

Please note that only shortlisted applicants will be contacted and called for a test/Interview.

INTERSOS is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.