E (most hardshi

Family

Family

NOA

National Professional Officer

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

No

20241003

October 17, 2024

Assistant Protection Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Assistant Protection Officer reports to the Protection Officer or the Senior Protection Officer. Depending on the size and structure of the Office, the incumbent may have supervisory responsibility for protection staff including communitybased protection, registration, resettlement and education. S/he provides functional protection guidance to information management and programme staff on all protection/legal matters and accountabilities. These include: statelessness (in line with the campaign to End Statelessness by 2024), Global Compact on Refugees (GCcommitments, age, gender, diversity (AGand accountability to affected populations (AAthrough communitybased protection, Child protection, GenderBased Violence (GBprevention and response, gender equality, disability inclusion, youth empowerment, psychosocial support and PSEA, registration, asylum/refugee status determination, resettlement, local integration, voluntary repatriation, human rights standards integration, national legislation, judicial engagement, predictable and decisive engagement in situations of internal displacement and engagement in wider mixed movement and climate change/disasterrelated displacement responses. S/he supervises protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards.

The Assistant Protection Officer is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern (Po, ensuring that operational responses in all sectors mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards. The incumbent contributes to the design of a comprehensive protection strategy and represents the Organization externally on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor. S/he also ensures that PoC are meaningfully engaged in the decisions that affect them and support programme design and adaptations that are influenced by the concerns, priorities and capacities of them. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, authorities, protection and assistance partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, crossfunctional and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
Stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment.
Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.
Assist in providing comments on existing and draft legislation related to PoC.
Provide legal advice and guidance on protection issues to PoC; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.
Conduct eligibility and status determination for PoC in compliance with UNHCR procedural standards and international protection principles.
Promote and contribute to measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness.
Contribute to a countrylevel child protection plan as part of the protection strategy.
Contribute to a countrylevel education plan as part of the protection strategy.
Provide inputs for the development of protection policies and standards within the AoR.
Implement and monitor Standard Operating Procedures (SOPfor all protection/solutions activities.
Manage individual protection cases including those on GBV and child protection. Monitor, and intervene in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents.
Recommend durable solutions for the largest possible number of PoC through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement.
Assess resettlement needs and apply priorities for the resettlement of individuals and groups of refugees and other PoC.
Contribute to the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
Contribute to and facilitate a programme of resultsbased advocacy with sectorial and/or cluster partners.
Contribute to and facilitate effective information management through the provision of disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems.
Assist capacitybuilding initiatives for communities and individuals to assert their rights.
Participate in initiatives to capacitate authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen national protection related legislation and procedures.
Intervene with authorities on protection issues.
Assist the supervisor in deciding priorities for reception, interviewing and counselling for groups or individuals.
Assist the supervisor in enforcing compliance of staff and implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.
Enforce compliance with, and integrity of, all protection standard operating procedures.

Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(.
Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P1/NOA1 year relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or no experience with Graduate degree; or no experience with Doctorate degree

Field(of Education
Law,

International Law,

Political Sciences
or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified;

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Knowledge of International Refugee and Human Rights Law and ability to apply the relevant legal principles

Desirable
Completion of the Protection Learning Programme, RSDResettlement Learning Programme.

Functional Skills
*PRProtectionrelated guidelines, standards and indicators
*PRAge, Gender and Diversity (AG
MGProject Management
PRHuman Rights Doctrine/Standards
PRInternational Humanitarian Law
PRAssessment of IDPs Status, Rights, Obligation
PRClimate change and disaster related displacement
CODrafting and Documentation
PRGender Based Violence (GBCoordination
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essentia

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

The Assistant Protection Officer at FO Bétou reports to the Head of Field Office and leads all protectionrelated activities in the area of responsibility of FO Bétou in close coordination with the Protection Officer and Senior Development Officer in Brazzaville.

Based on UNHCR Mandate, the Refugee Coordination Model, IASC reform and Global Compact on Refugees, the candidate is expected to contribute to the implementation of the UNHCR strategy in the Congo that encompasses both local integration as a solution and contingency preparedness.

The candidate needs to have a robust protection background enabling her/him to effectively provide protection guidance internally, and externally with authorities and partners at local level – including on asylum capacity development and naturalization. This cannot be realized without a candidate who is innovative and ready to encompass sustainable programming and alternative pathways. His/her ability to manage the protection team at FO Bétou and nurture changes will be key.

Eventually, the candidate must be proficient in the use of proGres V4, and possess excellent analytical, oral and written communication skills in both English and French.

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

The UNHCR team in Betou covers the northern departments of Likouala and Sangha and some localities in Cuvette, where the roads are mostly unpaved with significant truck movements, particularly those transporting wood of logging companies operating in the region. Malaria is endemic in the region which has only basic health services. Some activities require traveling by speedboat on the Ubangi and Congo rivers and their tributaries. The level of security is minimal in this peaceful region (Security Phase 1). Hazards such as traffic accidents, flooding and erosion remain threats across the operation area, particularly during the rainy season. For more safety and health details for this duty station, please visit these links:

https://dss.un.org/TravelAdvisory

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/congo?s_cid=nceziddgmqtravelsingle001

Nature of Position:

The Assistant Protection Officer (NOis a member of the UNHCR protection team in the Republic of Congo. Based in Bétou, s/he is supervised by the Head of Field Office and works in close coordination with the Protection Officer and Senior Development Officer based in Brazzaville. The incumbent will be the officer in charge in the absence of the Head of Office.

FO Bétou covers the departments of Likouala, Sangha and part of Cuvette, in the north of the Republic of Congo. As of March 31, 2024, around 39,000 refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from the CAR and the DRC, live in the area, in villages and towns where they are included within the communities and socioeconomic services.

The role of the Assistant Protection Officer in Bétou will involve managerial responsibilities in supervising and training junior staff, ensuring that protection standards are always maintained, and fully participating in the implementation of the UNHCR Vision and Strategy in the Congo.

To achieve this, the incumbent will be expected to build and maintain effective relationships with affected communities, authorities, protection, development, United Nations, NGOs, private sector, civil society and other stakeholders who can contribute to strengthening protection and solutions.

The role of the Assistant Protection Officer in Bétou will involve managerial responsibilities in supervising and training junior staff and assisting in implementing organisational objectives and priorities, advising the Head of Field Office and providing analytical inputs to the Protection Officer and Senior Development Officer in Brazzaville.

Living and Working Conditions:

Betou is a small, dynamic town, located on the banks of the Oubangui River, facing the DR Congo, approximately 1,300 km from the capital Brazzaville. The city is characterized by a growing and diverse population, a dynamic economic sector with agricultural products and essential products available on the market. The town of Ouesso, about 6hour drive away, is the main destination for shopping and banking. Nationals, refugees (CAR, DRC, etc.), migrants from Central and West Africa as well as expatriates working for United Nations agencies, NGOs and forestry companies coexist there. The UNHCR office and Guest House receive electricity and drinking water from the Agency’s own facilities, as these services are limited and often interrupted in the town. During the rainy season it is recommended to have within reach a raincoat or an umbrella and boots as the streets become very muddy and slippery.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

CODrafting and Documentation, MGProject Management, PRAge, Gender and Diversity (AG, PRAssessment of IDPs Status, Rights, Obligation, PRClimate change and disaster related displacement, PRGender Based Violence (GBCoordination, PRHuman Rights Doctrine/Standards, PRInternational Humanitarian Law, PRProtectionrelated guidelines, standards and indicators

Bachelor of Arts (B: International Law, Bachelor of Arts (B: Law, Bachelor of Arts (B: Political Science

Certifications

Competencies

Accountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Judgement & decision making, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Additional Information

Written test may be conducted. NPOs should be locally recruited but do not have to be the nationals of the country of employment. They need to be able to legally work and reside in the country. UNHCR will not sponsor/facilitate residency and work permit.

The English version is considered original and authoritative, translation to other language(serve the purpose of advertisement of local positions where applicable but are not considered as official translations

Un test écrit peut être passé.
Les administrateurs nationaux doivent être recrutés localement mais ne doivent pas nécessairement être ressortissants du pays d’emploi. Ils doivent pouvoir travailler et résider légalement dans le pays. Le HCR ne parrainera ni ne facilitera la délivrance de permis de séjour et de travail.

This position doesn’t require a functional clearance