Protection and Information Officer at Mercy Corps (Kos)

The current refugee flow is said to be the greatest migration in Europe since WWII. Displaced people from the conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan make up the majority of the refugees - all fleeing violence and searching for a better future. Many others come from South Asia and Africa - also searching for a better life. The migration is an accumulation of many events including years of poor governance, income inequality, unemployment rates and persecution. Greece is a transit country for these migrating refugees and Mercy Corps operates programs on the islands of Lesvos, Kos and Leros which are three of the main landing points of the unsafe, rubber dingy boats that depart from Turkey. Over 1,000,000 individuals crossed over from Turkey to the Greek islands in 2015 through trafficking networks and close to 50,000 have arrived so far this year.

The current response in Greece remains chaotic and overwhelming in both a legal and operational sense. The European Union neither planning nor funding have yet to materialize on the ground and leaves the majority of the response to refugee reception and services to volunteer groups and NGOs. Lesvos, Kos and Leros are designated as "Hotspots" in Greek and EU planning, meaning they will be proper reception and transit centers where arriving refugees applications are processed for onward movement and returns. Housing, food and all other services are to be provided at these Hotspots. But until they are established, other temporary measures are in place activities remain inconsistent.

The organization in Greece seeks for:

Protection and Information Officer.
The Protection and Information Officer will support a range of activities on Kos to provide humanitarian assistance to refugees and migrants. Currently those activities are centered at a hotel, where vulnerable refugees are housed. Services are also given to single men who are housed elsewhere. The venue may shift if a hotspot or relocation center is identified and activated. The staff ensure that from arrival to departure, refugees are checked in, logged and services such as meals and medical assistance are accessible.

Essential:
- BA/BS degree in a relevant field.
- Good reputation working within the community and/or volunteer groups.
- Previous experience in implementing humanitarian programs such as with food, protection and NFI programs
- Ability to show initiative and function effectively in a complex work environment that is constantly and rapidly changing.
- Patient and optimistic approach to problem-solving, excellent communication and facilitation skills.
- Ability to carry out responsibilities independently with minimal technical support from within the program organization.
- Demonstrated attention to detail, following procedures, meeting deadlines and working and problem-solving independently and cooperatively.
- Effective verbal and written communication, organizational, prioritization and Microsoft Office applications.
- Experience working with local authorities, national and international NGOs
- Experience working with the UN, and familiarity with the UN coordination system
- Knowledge of SPHERE and other humanitarian programming standards.
- Oral Arabic skills are required.
- Oral and written English skills required;
- Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment.