Women's Protection and Empowerment (WPE) Officer

The Women's Protection and Empowerment (WPE) Officer will lead the delivery of GBV prevention, response, and empowerment activities under the BRIDGE project in Lare and Itang woredas, Gambella, serving both refugee (Itang) and host-community (Lare) populations.

The WPE Officer will establish a new Women and Girls Safe Space (WGSS) in Lare and renovate the existing WGSS in Itang, which will serve as the foundational protection service delivery points for an area where no functioning safe space, survivor service, or referral pathway currently operates.

The WPE Officer will build the Bureau of Women and Social Affairs' (BoWCA) basic case-management function from the ground up, including simple documented protocols for reaching survivors in kebeles separated by seasonal flooding of the Baro River, and will support refugee-led associations to progressively become first-line community responders for GBV concerns.

The role also involves replacing the current ad hoc, letter-based referral system with standardized multi-sectoral SoPs, facilitating EMAP sessions, and coordinating with government, refugee-community, and humanitarian coordination structures, with a focus on building sustainable local capacity ahead of the project's end in late 2029.

Major Responsibilities:

• Lead direct implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of WPE/GBV activities in Lare and Itang, ensuring the programme is delivered in line with the IASC GBV Guidelines and Ethiopia's national GBV frameworks and SoPs.
• Support the establishment of a new WGSS in Lare and the renovation of the existing WGSS in Itang, applying IRC's safety, accessibility, privacy, and referral-proximity site criteria, and securing community buy-in from both host and refugee communities.
• Pair the regular WGSS activities with periodic mobile/outreach sessions to maintain access for communities cut off by seasonal flooding, and support planning for the progressive, readiness-based transition of the WGSS to community ownership.
• Provide or co-deliver confidential, survivor-centered GBV case management and MHPSS, including case action planning, informed consent, and referrals, following IRC and national survivor-centered standards.
• Establish and build the capacity of refugee-led associations in GBV identification, safe referral, and protection principles, supporting their progressive transition (from Year 2) into first-line community responders with clear linkages to formal referral systems.
• Support the establishment and regular update of standardized, multi-sectoral referral SoPs, and ensure referral information reaches communities with low literacy and limited access.
• Ensure safe and accurate documentation of GBV incidents using GBVIMS-consistent case intake, action plan, follow-up, and client satisfaction tools strictly following data protection and information-sharing protocols; share quality data monthly with the Protection Information Management manager.
• Facilitate and/or coordinate training for BoWCA case workers and referral focal points from health, police, and legal services on survivor-centred response, safe disclosure, confidentiality, and their role-specific responsibilities.
• Facilitate EMAP (Engaging Men through Accountable Practice) sessions with men and boys on gender norms and GBV prevention, adapting materials to Anuak and Nuer as relevant.
• Organize or support International Women's Day, and other community awareness campaigns, adapting materials to Anuak and Nuer languages as relevant.
• Support the Gambela Signpost scalability and efficiency as an information channel for women, girls, and other vulnerable groups.
• Support disability-inclusive service delivery across WGSS, case management, and community outreach activities.
• Actively participate in camp-level, woreda and GBV sub-cluster coordination meetings and GBV safety audits and other assessments as requested.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with BoWCA, health, justice, and police offices, refugee community structures, and other implementing partners; represent the WPE programme in relevant coordination meetings.
• Develop quarterly, monthly and weekly work plans and outreach plans informed by case-trend analysis, with attention to women and girls who are more isolated, have specific needs, or face access barriers due to flooding.
• Work with the WPE manager on timely budget utilization, BvA, M&E, and supply/logistics needs, in line with IRC policies.
• Identify opportunities to integrate WPE activities with other sectors (ERD, WASH, health, Education and child protection) to improve women's and girls' inclusion and participation.
• Compile periodic reports (weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual reports) and share with WPE Manager.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the direct and technical supervisors