D

Non Family with Residential Location

Non Family with Residential LocationDanger Pay

Budapest, Hungary

GS6

General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

No

2024-12-01

November 3, 2024

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.

Desired candidate profile:
The incumbent is expected to work in a dynamic environment with recurrent security incidents. The function requires field missions to areas subjected to military action. A successful candidate should have the skills and capacity to collaborate and coordinate with governmental and non-governmental counterparts in the three regions covered by the office. H/she should be able to work with communities to identify their protection concerns and priorities is critical, promote participatory approaches, ensuring that communities are involved in the design, implementation, and evaluation of protection programs. Strengthening the capacity of local actors, including community-based organizations and local authorities, is essential. The incumbent will support enhancement of the local protection mechanisms and AAP. H/she will work within the framework of the Protection Cluster and other coordination mechanisms, collaborate with other UN agencies, NGOs, and local partners to ensure a comprehensive and coordinated response to protection needs. H/she will implement regular monitoring and evaluation of protection programmes to ensure their effectiveness and accountability.

Operational context:
UNHCR, present in Ukraine since 1994, expanded its presence significantly following the 2022 invasion. UNHCR’s offices in Kyiv and field units across major cities bolster the emergency response. The war in Ukraine has led to extensive suffering and displacement. By 2024, 14.6 million people need humanitarian assistance, with 3.7 million internally displaced and 6 million refugees across Europe, mainly women and children. The destruction of civilian infrastructure, especially the energy sector, has severely disrupted access to essential services like electricity, water, heating, healthcare, education, and social protection. Humanitarian access remains challenging, particularly in areas under temporary Russian control, necessitating a deep understanding of protection needs and the implementation of community-based approaches in volatile areas. Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson have faced varying conflict levels due to their proximity to conflict zones, resulting in significant displacement and complex security environments. Military operations and checkpoints are common, affecting movement and access. Odesa Oblast: As a strategic port city, Odesa has seen influxes of displaced persons. The urban environment presents unique challenges in shelter and integration, requiring effective coordination with local authorities and communities. Mykolaiv Oblast: Proximity to conflict zones makes Mykolaiv critical for humanitarian intervention, facing infrastructure damage and access issues. Efforts focus on immediate relief and long-term recovery support. Kherson Oblast: Kherson experiences significant displacement and security concerns. Disruption to its agricultural base affects food security, with humanitarian responses providing emergency aid and supporting agricultural recovery.
Civilians face serious risks, especially in eastern and southern Ukraine. The risk of GBV, sexual violence, and child protection concerns is high among IDPs, returnees, stateless persons, and refugees. Separation of families is a common issue. Displaced or war-affected populations live in deprivation due to loss of housing, income, and access to essential services. The Ukrainian government leads the response to these needs, with UNHCR supporting protection, shelter, cash, and in-kind assistance. UNHCR’s strategic orientation aims to reach vulnerable people in frontline areas with immediate relief while supporting displaced and returning populations with protection advice, housing, and cash assistance for recovery and durable solutions. Engaging communities to identify protection concerns and promoting participatory approaches is crucial. Protection remains central to this response, with UNHCR leading the Protection Cluster. Given Ukraine’s sophisticated systems, UNHCR’s programs address immediate needs while supporting sustainable and inclusive national protection systems.

English

,

Ukrainian

,

,

,

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

Nature of Position:

Living and Working Conditions:

Additional Qualifications

Skills

IT-Computer Literacy, PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators, PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework

Certifications

International Law – Other, Political Science – Other

Competencies

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

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

Compendium

Additional Information

This position doesn’t require a functional clearance