Grade

GS6

General Service

Reason

Temporary > Temporary Assignment/ Appointment

A (least hardship)

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2024-04-01

2024-10-31

March 17, 2024

Standard Job Description

Protection Associate

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Protection Associate normally reports to the Protection Officer or the Senior Protection Officer. 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 Protection Associate is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern (PoC) and identify opportunities to mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards in operational responses in all sectors. S/he contributes to designing a comprehensive protection strategy and liaises externally with authorities and partners on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor.

The Protection Associate 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.

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, cross-functional 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 advice on protection issues to PoC; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.
– Assist in conducting eligibility and status determination for PoC.
– Contribute to measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness.
– Contribute to a country-level child protection plan as part of the protection strategy.
– Contribute to a country-level education plan as part of the protection strategy.
– Monitor Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for 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.
– Assist in identifying durable solutions for the largest possible number of PoC through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement.
– Contribute to the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
– Facilitate effective information management through the provision of disaggregated data on PoC and their problems.
– Participate in initiatives to capacitate authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen national protection related legislation and procedures.
– Assist the supervisor in prioritizing PoC for interview, counselling and propose protection support for individual cases.
– Assist the supervisor with enforcing compliance of local implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.
– Assit the supervisor with enforcing compliance with, and integrity of, all protection standard operating procedures.
– Submit individual payments request for PoC for approval.

– 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(s).
– Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G6 – 3 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not applicable

Certificates and/or Licenses
International Law, Political Science
or other related field
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Not specified

Desirable
Protection Learning Programme

Functional Skills
IT-Computer Literacy
PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

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 Protection Associate (Communication with Communities) will report to the Community-based Protection Officer. The incumbent will act as the countrywide focal point for CwC in the operation. In coordination with Protection, Public Information, Information Management units in the country office and the field offices she/he is expected to formulate a clear and coherent CwC Strategy, aligned to the overall Community-Based Protection objectives and incorporate a thorough age, gender and diversity (AGD) analysis reflecting the operations and organization´s global and country-level priorities.

The Protection Associate (CwC) supports UNHCR´s external outreach as relevant, including in the areas of social media, website, WhatsApp, e-mail, community radio as well as through the production of leaflets, posters, graphics, and videos. The incumbent monitors communications channels and gathers information of relevant stakeholders through (surveys, Q&A, analyzing feedback received through feedback mechanisms including hotline, suggestion boxes by e-mail) and support the upkeep outreach activities (outreach volunteers, info desks, community- based groups).

The Protection Associate (CwC) contributes to designing a comprehensive CwC strategy and may liaise externally with local authorities and partners on CwC issues as guided by the supervisor. He or she also ensures that persons of concern are involved with the Office 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.

S/he will also assist in the design and implementation of communication interventions, including the production of both print and online materials that inform people of concern of their rights, obligations and the services available to them. To effectively carry out his/her duties, the Protection Associate (CwC) will liaise with fellow UNHCR colleagues, partners, and communities of concern.

2. Duties

– Formulate of a clear and coherent Communications with Communities (CwC) Strategy, aligned to the overall Community Based Protection Objectives.
– Implement the Communications with Communities (CwC) initiatives and develop communication material for Refugees, Guatemalans with protection needs, host communities and other persons of concern, with focus on services provision and feedback mechanism to UNHCR.
– Identify the most appropriate channels and tools for conveying messages, including the most complex and sensitive protection messages, with focus on ensuring an effective implementation of communication with communities on the protection.
– Ensure that the perspectives, capacities, needs and resources of the Persons we Serve(PwS) are reflected in the CwC initiatives including those of girls, boys, women, men, older persons, persons with disability, youth, LGBTI and indigenous groups.
– In collaboration with the field offices and informed by participatory processes oversee the rollout of expanded feedback and response mechanisms. This will include strengthening existing complaint and feedback systems and introducing new approaches.
– Any feedback from PwS is systematically collected and shared among and presented to the Community-based Protection Officer to adapt the communications and outreach messages accordingly
– Coordinate with suppliers to produce communication materials and the dissemination of communication products as required.
– Lead coordination with field offices, partner agencies, and other humanitarian actors to ensure harmonized approaches to communicating with communities.
– Establishment of communication networks with community groups/ leaders and engage them in the communication and information dissemination process.
– Maintain an overview of CwC activities in the operation and by partner organizations and coordinate between the relevant departments to harmonize activities and timelines.
– Coordinate UNHCR´s CwC activities through participation in field-level coordination meetings with Government, partners, and the refugee community. Monitor and assess the impact of the CwC activities and prepare monitoring reports.
– Provide training for the UNHCR staff and its partner organizations on UNHCR mass communication approaches and initiatives.

Other duties as required

– Provide advice on protection issues to PwS
– Contribute to the design, implementation, and evaluation of protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
– Facilitate effective information management through the provision of disaggregated data on PwS
– Assist the supervisor with enforcing compliance with, and integrity of, all protection standard operating procedures.
– Perform other related duties as required.

3. Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience

Years of Experience/Degree level
– Minimum 2 year of previous work experience relevant to the function with Bachelors, equivalent or Higher.
– Minimum 3 years of previous work experience relevant to the function with a High School Diploma.

Certificates and licenses
– University Degree in Social Sciences or related fields or in Communication, Journalism.

Relevant Job Experience

Desirable

– Excellent interpersonal communication skills.
– Knowledge of social media, website.
– Good IT skills including database management skills.
– Proven drafting, writing or research skills.
– Excellent presentation skills
– Proven experience in managing communication campaigns in humanitarian agencies
– Well organised and able to coordinate

Language Requirements
– Fluency in English and Spanish.

Functional Skill
– Computer literacy.
– Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators.
– Refugee Protection Principles and Framework;
– PR-Accountability to Affected People – Principles and Framework

4. Competency Requirements

Core Competencies
– Accountability
– Communication
– Organizational Awareness
– Teamwork & Collaboration
– Commitment to Continuous Learning
– Client & Result Orientation

Managerial Competencies
– Judgement and Decision Making

Cross-Functional Competencies
– Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
– Stakeholder Management
– Political Awareness

This position doesn’t require a functional clearance

English

,

Spanish

,

,

,

Skills

Computer Literacy, PR-Accountability to Affected People – Principles and Framework, PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD), PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators

Education

Bachelor of Arts (BA): Communication (Required), Bachelor of Arts (BA): Social Science

Certifications

International Law – Other, Political Science – Other

Communications, Protection

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