Organizational Context

The Senior Protection Assistant normally reports to a more senior Protection colleague. The incumbent monitors protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards and provides functional protection support to information management and programme staff.

The Senior Protection Assistant provides quality, timely and effective protection support to persons of concern (PoC) and identifies opportunities to mainstream protection methodologies and safeguards in operational responses. S/he contributes to designing a comprehensive protection strategy and may liaise externally with local authorities and partners on protection issues as guided by the supervisor.

The Senior Protection Assistant also ensures that PoC are involved in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying appropriate solutions to their problems. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, local authorities and protection and assistance partners.

Duties

• Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.
• Provide counselling on protection issues to PoC; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.
• Support activities in protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
• Contribute to capacity development by providing training to local authorities, community leaders, national NGOs and other relevant stakeholders on protection and humanitarian principles in AoR
• Provide support to the protection sub-cluster coordination mechanism in the AoR.
• Contribute to a country-level child protection plan as part of the protection strategy.
• Contribute to a country-level education plan for PoC as part of the protection strategy. 
• Monitor Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.
• Participate in individual protection case management including cases of SGBV and child protection. Monitor and report on cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents.
• Assist in identifying durable solutions for PoC in voluntary return, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement.
• Contribute to the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
• Draft reports, routine correspondence, update relevant databases and compiling statistics within the Area of Responsibility (AoR).
• Contribute to initiatives to enhance national and local protection capacities.
• Enforce integrity in the delivery of protection services by local implementing partners.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Type of Contract: Temporary Appointment

Duration of Contract: 6 Months

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience

Years of Experience / Degree Level

• For G5 - 5 years relevant experience with High school diploma

Certificates and/or Licenses

• International Law;
• Political Science;
• or other relevant field.

(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Functional Skills

• IT-Computer literacy
• CL-Protection & Solutions Awareness
• PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
• PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
• IASC Policy on Protection in Humanitarian Action

Language Requirements

• For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

Competency Requirements

All jobs at UNHCR require six core competencies and may also require managerial competencies and/or cross-functional competencies. The six core competencies are listed below.

Core Competencies:

• Accountability
• Communication
• Organizational Awareness
• Teamwork & Collaboration
• Commitment to Continuous Learning
• Client & Result Orientation

Managerial Competencies:

• Judgement and Decision Making
• Empowering and Building Trust

Cross-Functional Competencies:

• Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
• Political Awareness
• Stakeholder Management