Center for Civilians in Conflict Seeks Director of Protection of Civilians (PoC) Division in Geneva – Hybrid|Deadline 23 Jul 2026

Senior Humanitarian Protection Leader Opportunity with CIVIC

Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) is seeking an experienced humanitarian professional for the position of Director, Protection of Civilians (PoC) Division based in Geneva, Switzerland.

This senior leadership opportunity is designed for professionals with extensive experience in civilian protection, humanitarian affairs, peacebuilding, security engagement, international law, and conflict response.

The successful candidate will provide strategic, technical, and programmatic leadership across CIVIC’s global operations while strengthening the organization’s role as a leading voice on the protection of civilians affected by armed conflict.

The position is full-time and hybrid, with candidates required to have authorization to work in Geneva without current or future visa sponsorship.

Application Deadline: July 23, 2026

About the Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)

CIVIC is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the protection of civilians living in conflict-affected environments.

The organization works with communities, armed actors, governments, and international institutions to prevent civilian harm and strengthen responses when harm occurs.

CIVIC combines:

• Field-based protection programs
• Policy advocacy
• Humanitarian diplomacy
• Research and evidence generation
• Engagement with security actors

The organization believes that civilians affected by conflict must be protected and that practical solutions can help reduce suffering during wars and crises.

Overview of the Director, Protection of Civilians Role

The Director of the Protection of Civilians (PoC) Division will serve as CIVIC’s senior technical leader on civilian protection issues.

As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), the Director will guide organizational strategy, strengthen technical quality, support country programs, and represent CIVIC in high-level international discussions.

The role will oversee technical advisors and ensure that protection expertise is integrated throughout the organization’s programs, policies, research, and humanitarian engagement.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic and Technical Leadership

The Director will provide high-level guidance to CIVIC’s global and country programs, ensuring that protection approaches remain aligned with international standards and evolving conflict realities.

Responsibilities include:

• Leading the strategic direction of the Protection of Civilians Division
• Identifying emerging protection priorities and growth opportunities
• Providing technical advice throughout the program cycle
• Ensuring quality programming across global operations

The Director will help shape CIVIC’s future approaches to civilian protection and conflict-related challenges.

Managing Technical Teams and Organizational Capacity

The position involves leadership of CIVIC’s technical advisory team, including specialists working on:

• Gender and children’s protection
• Monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL)
• Community-based protection
• Military engagement
• Research and policy

The Director will promote:

• Collaboration across departments
• Professional development
• Knowledge sharing
• Technical excellence
• Innovation in humanitarian programming

Global Representation and Humanitarian Diplomacy

The Director will represent CIVIC in strategic engagements with:

• Governments
• Donors
• United Nations agencies
• Multilateral organizations
• Security actors
• Academic institutions
• Policy forums

The role requires strong diplomatic skills and the ability to influence global conversations on civilian protection and conflict response.

Connecting Field Programs With Policy Influence

A major responsibility of the role is strengthening the connection between CIVIC’s field operations and global advocacy efforts.

The Director will:

• Translate international policies into practical guidance for field teams
• Ensure lessons from field programs influence research and policy
• Identify emerging protection trends
• Support advocacy initiatives and policy recommendations

This field-to-policy approach helps ensure that humanitarian strategies are informed by real experiences from conflict environments.

Innovation and Thought Leadership

The Director will lead efforts to explore new approaches to protecting civilians, including:

• Civilian harm mitigation strategies
• Community-led protection approaches
• Technology and artificial intelligence
• Misinformation challenges
• Changing conflict dynamics

The successful candidate will encourage collaboration between humanitarian, peacebuilding, development, security, and defense sectors.

Required Qualifications and Experience

CIVIC is looking for a senior professional with significant experience in humanitarian protection and conflict settings.

Applicants should have:

• At least 10 years of progressively senior experience in humanitarian protection, Protection of Civilians, peacebuilding, civilian-military engagement, security sector engagement, or related fields
• A Master’s degree in a relevant discipline such as:
  • International Relations
  • Humanitarian Affairs
  • Peace and Conflict Studies
  • International Law
  • Human Rights
  • Political Science
  • Security Studies
  • Development Studies
  • Public Policy

Candidates should demonstrate expertise in:

• Protection of Civilians frameworks
• International humanitarian law
• Human rights law
• Civilian harm prevention
• Community-based protection
• Humanitarian diplomacy
• Policy development

Leadership and Management Skills

The ideal candidate will have proven experience leading multicultural and multidisciplinary teams.

Required abilities include:

• Strategic leadership
• Organizational development
• Team management
• Partnership building
• Negotiation
• External representation

Experience contributing to:

• Proposal development
• Donor engagement
• Program growth strategies

will also be highly valued.

Language Requirements

Candidates must have:

• Fluency in English
• Fluency in French

Additional languages are considered an advantage.

Location and Employment Details

Position: Director, Protection of Civilians (PoC) Division
Organization: Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Work Arrangement: Hybrid
Employment Type: Full-Time
Department: Advisory
Travel: Required as needed

Candidates must already have legal authorization to work in Geneva without requiring visa sponsorship.

Why Apply for This Opportunity?

This leadership position offers an opportunity to influence global humanitarian policy and contribute to improving protection outcomes for civilians affected by conflict.

The Director will play a critical role in:

• Strengthening global civilian protection standards
• Supporting communities affected by violence
• Influencing humanitarian policy discussions
• Building stronger protection programs worldwide
• Advancing practical solutions to reduce civilian harm

Experienced humanitarian leaders with a strong background in protection, advocacy, and international conflict response are encouraged to apply before July 23, 2026.

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