POSITION SUMMARY:

HIAS seeks to recruit a Protection Associate who will provide comprehensive protection services to vulnerable refugee populations. The Protection Associate will support HIAS’ protection programs by conducting assessments, case management, referrals, and follow-up to ensure timely and appropriate services for all clients in need. The role will contribute to strengthening HIAS’ overall protection response, addressing risks and vulnerabilities within refugee communities, and supporting the implementation of protection initiatives.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Case Management and Direct Support

Assessment

• Open and maintain case files in line with HIAS SOPs and broader protection case management guidelines
• Conduct initial interviews, risk assessments, and vulnerability screening for individuals referred across all subsectors.
• Conduct comprehensive protection assessments, including GBV and child protection risk assessments, and monitor socio-environmental risks affecting vulnerable individuals and households to ensure timely mitigation.
• Conduct one-on-one interviews with adults and children to understand emerging protection concerns, and support safe, confidential, and child-friendly reporting mechanisms for GBV and child protection cases.
• Participate in protection outreach, community dialogues, and awareness-raising activities to strengthen community prevention and response to GBV and child protection violations.

Case Planning:

• Develop individualized case plans, ensuring timely and appropriate service provision, referral, and follow-up.

Referral Pathways:

• Maintain and regularly update a comprehensive service mapping of referral partners (health, legal, shelter, police, specialized MHPSS, etc.) and facilitate safe and confidential referrals.

Documentation:

• Ensure all case data and documentation are handled with strict adherence to confidentiality principles and organizational data protection standards
• Update client information in the data management system and generate periodic analyses to inform program decisions.
• Prepare regular reports on client progress, protection activities, and overall case management interventions.

2. Thematic Expertise and Program Implementation functions

Gender-Based Violence (GBV):

• Identify and provide post-incident protection services to refugee women and girls who are survivors of GBV, child protection risks, or other forms of trauma.
• Support the running of safe spaces and facilitate psycho-educational sessions focused on GBV prevention, risk mitigation, and available services.
• Provide immediate support and crisis intervention to survivors, following the global GBV Guiding Principles (Safety, Confidentiality, Respect, and Non-Discrimination).
• Facilitate referrals of GBV survivors and children at risk to partner agencies and follow up to ensure clients access appropriate external services.

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS):

• Review all social and psychological assessment reports and coordinate referrals to the MHPSS department and other internal services as needed.
• Facilitate community-level MHPSS activities, including group support sessions and recreational activities, focused on resilience-building.
• Identify individuals requiring specialized mental health care and facilitate onward referral to clinical professionals.

LGBTQI+ Protection:

• Establish and maintain contact with LGBTQI+ individuals and community focal points to understand specific protection risks and needs (e.g., housing, discrimination, physical safety).
• Provide or coordinate tailored and discrete assistance, ensuring interventions are culturally sensitive and affirm the individual's identity.

Monitoring, Reporting, and Coordination

• • Reporting:
• Prepare accurate and timely weekly and monthly activity reports, highlighting key protection trends, challenges, and service gaps across all subsectors.
• Monitor GBV, MHPSS, and child protection trends through data collection and analysis, prepare summaries for presentation in psychosocial panels, and implement panel decisions.
• Prepare monthly analyses on key protection concerns, including GBV and child protection trends, to inform programming, referrals, and community awareness
  • Advocacy:
• Contribute to protection monitoring reports and support advocacy efforts aimed at improving the legal and operational environment for refugees and asylum seekers.
• Strengthen community participation and accountability by working with outreach workers, child protection committees, community leaders, teachers, and partners to identify and support the most vulnerable.
• Identify and support community-based protection interventions aimed at enhancing resilience, safety, and self-reliance among vulnerable women, girls, boys, and families.
• Establish and maintain working relationships with community structures, child protection actors, health and legal partners, and other service providers for referrals and collaboration
  • Training:
• Participate in and, where appropriate, deliver training sessions to community members and partner staff on protection issues, PSEA, etc.
• Support training of HIAS staff and community outreach workers on GBV, child protection, safeguarding, and safe case handling
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor's degree in social work, Community Development or Gender and Development Studies
• At least 1- 2 years of working experience in the field of Social Work.
• Experience in working with NGOs involved in humanitarian work will be an added advantage
• Knowledge in UN Convention on the Refugee Act, Prevention and Responses to Sexual Abuse
• Experience in capacity building including facilitation of diversity and inclusion, community-based training and awareness raising
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Knowledge of Computer Applications
• Ability to work in a demanding and high-pressure environment
• Knowledge of Accountability to Affected Populations is an added advantage
• Knowledge of PSEA and Anti-Fraud.

DISCLAIMER:

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills required or permanent location. Location is subject to change based on programmatic needs. Flexibility is essential as we grow and develop. The successful candidate must be comfortable in a fast-paced, changing work environment with many crucial deadlines. All team members may be required to perform duties outside of their normal work hours of responsibilities as needed.

SAMPLE HIRING PROCESS:

We are committed to a fair and respectful hiring process, and we do our absolute best to respond to every applicant. We prioritize communication and transparency with all candidates, even those who are not moving forward. Here’s a snapshot of our hiring process:

Step 1: Submit your application!

Step 2: Phone screen with a Human Resources staff person. Step 3: Interview with the hiring manager.

Step 4: Interview with a panel of HIAS employees. Step 5: Reference check.

Step 6: Offer and background check.

Step 7: Start your professional journey with HIAS!

Note: Some of our hiring processes may vary, and not all candidates will advance to each step.

ABOUT US:

Over one hundred years ago, the Jewish community founded HIAS (originally the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) in New York City, the immigrant gateway to America. Supporting Jews fleeing persecution and poverty in Eastern Europe, our founders were guided by the traditions, texts and history of the Jewish people—a history of oppression, displacement and diaspora. HIAS has since helped generations of Jews facing violence because of who they were, and HIAS remains committed to helping Jewish refugees anywhere in the world. Today, our clients at HIAS come from diverse faiths, ethnicities and backgrounds, as do our staff. We bring our experience, history and values to our work across five continents, ensuring that refugees today receive the vital services and opportunities they need to thrive.

HIAS is a learning community, committed to diversity and inclusion. We do our work with integrity, accountability, transparency and a commitment to the highest ethical standards. We seek employees from diverse backgrounds and life experiences to join our teams located in the United States and across the globe. People who identify as BIPOC, people with disabilities, people from the LGBTQ+ community and people with lived experiences of forced displacement or immigration are all encouraged to apply. We are committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects our vision, mission and values.

VISION:

HIAS stands for a world in which refugees find welcome, safety and opportunity.

MISSION:

Drawing on our Jewish values and history, HIAS provides vital services to refugees and asylum seekers around the world and advocates for their fundamental rights so they can rebuild their lives.

VALUES:

Welcome • Acogimiento • Hospitalité • (Hachnasat Orchim)

We Welcome the Stranger

Justice • Justicia • Justice • (Tzedek)

We Pursue Justice

Empathy • Empatía • Empathie • (Chesed)

We Approach our Clients with Empathy

Partnership • Compañerismo • Coopération • (Chevruta)

We Believe in Changing the World through Partnership

Courage • Coraje • Courage • (Ometz)

We Act with Courage to Build a Better World

Resilience • Resiliencia • Résilience • (Ruach)

We Adapt and Thrive, Continuously Demonstrating our Resilience

DIVERSITY:

HIAS is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnic background, ancestry, citizenship status, religious creed, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, familial status, pregnancy, childbirth, military status, protected veteran status, political orientation, or other legally protected status.

SAFEGUARDING:

HIAS is committed to the protection of children, vulnerable adults and any other person from any harm caused directly or indirectly due to their coming into contact with HIAS. We will not tolerate sexual exploitation, abuse or any form of child abuse or neglect by our staff or associated personnel. Any candidate offered a job with HIAS will be expected to sign and adhere to HIAS’ Code of Conduct and Safeguarding policies. All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records. HIAS also participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. Likewise, HIAS will share this information when other organizations inquire about current and former HIAS staff as part of their recruitment process. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

How to Apply:

All applications should be completed through the online portal.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

HIAS is an equal opportunity employer, does not charge candidates for recruitment and dissociates itself from any entity defrauding candidates.