Senior Protection Casework Associate (AVR) (National Position)

Description

The Global Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) program aims to provide assisted voluntary return (AVR) to migrants in the United States, receiving countries, and the Western Hemisphere, ensuring that returns are safe, dignified, and based on the migrants’ free, prior, and informed consent. Additionally, the program offers independent, needs-based post-arrival assistance at the request of countries of origin or receiving countries, always with the explicit consent of the migrants.

Under the Overall supervision of the Head of Sub-Office, the Senior Protection Casework Associate (AVR) will be based in Majuro, Marshall Islands, and will have the following duties and responsibilities:

Responsibilities

1. Conduct individual protection screening of migrants upon arrival, in line with standard institutional tools, recording information from screening (including cases such as survivors of GBV and human trafficking, children at risk, including unaccompanied and separated, individuals with serious health condition and psychosocial support needs), and supporting the preparation of case plans under supervision.

2. Support case management services and assistance: follow up on cases, track delivery of post arrival services, monitor progress, coordinate referrals to specialized services including legal, health, psychosocial, family tracing, GBV, child protection as needed, and support continuity of assistance.

3. Assist in the implementation of safe and dignified post arrival assistance, maintaining privacy, confidentiality, and informed consent; support with documentation and coordination with relevant government authorities.

4. Support communication with beneficiaries: explain available assistance, provide clear, culturally, age and linguistically appropriate information.

5. Maintain accurate data collection and case notes in IOM’s case management systems (such as MiMOSA or other approved tools), in line with data protection and confidentiality standards.

6. Coordinate with Head of Sub Office and other operational staff (health, psychosocial, logistics) to facilitate timely service provision and flag operational constraints or gaps.

7. At request, participate in protection coordination forums at local level; collaborate with partners (NGOs, UN agencies, government) to enhance referral networks and services. In addition, attend coordination meetings with the North Pacific country teams to facilitate information sharing and exchange of lessons learned on AVR implementation. Assist in preparing reports, summaries, outcomes of case work, and contribute to protection assessments, lessons learned and monitoring of protection related project indicators as required by programme.

8. Carry out duty travel as required for field visits, monitoring of services or partner organization sites.

9. Assist migrants with protection needs, namely asylum seekers, potential victims of trafficking, survivors of gender-based violence, unaccompanied minors, stateless persons, or migrants with urgent medical/psychological needs, by facilitating referrals and follow-up in line with established procedures and under supervision.

10. Perform other duties as may be assigned by the Head of Sub Office.

Qualifications

Experience

• Familiarity with protection case management (including for survivors of GBV and human trafficking, children at risk) in humanitarian or migration contexts.

• Experience working with vulnerable persons, ideally including returnees or forced returnees, who have diverse needs, is an asset.

• Experience with referrals and coordination with local protection actors, NGOs, or government services.