JOB DESCRIPTION

D

Non Family with Residential Location

Non Family with Residential LocationDanger Pay

Nairobi (CO), Kenya

GS6

General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2025-08-01

July 27, 2025

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.

La/le Protection Associate, G6, est basé(e) à Goma et travaille sous la supervision directe du/de la Protection Officer. Elle/il collabore étroitement avec les autres membres du personnel du HCR au sein des différentes Sections/Unités, ainsi qu’avec un large éventail de parties prenantes telles que les autorités, les autres agences des Nations Unies, les organisations non-gouvernementales (ONG) internationales, nationales et locales, les acteurs de développements, etc., ainsi que les personnes relevant du mandat du HCR elles-mêmes, sur des sujets d’intérêt commun visant à renforcer la protection et les solutions en faveur de ces dernières.

La/le Protection Associate, G6, contribue à renforcer les interventions dans les domaines identifiés comme prioritaires par la Sous-Délégation de Goma, en particulier en appuyant les activités relatives à la protection à base communautaire, à la redevabilité envers les populations affectées (AAP) et à la protection contre l’exploitation et les abus sexuels (PEAS), y compris en représentant le HCR dans les mécanismes de coordination afférant à ces thématiques. Il est ainsi attendu qu’elle/il ait déjà de l’expérience dans les domaines susmentionnés. Selon les besoins, elle/il appuiera d’autres activités ayant trait au secteur de la Protection et sera par ailleurs activement engagé(e) dans la préparation et la réponse aux urgences.

La/le Protection Associate, G6, doit avoir un haut niveau d’intégrité. Elle/il doit être motivé(e), flexible et capable de gérer des priorités concurrentes. Elle/il doit également posséder un très bon esprit d’équipe et d’excellentes compétences interpersonnelles, y compris avec les personnes relevant de la compétence du HCR, ainsi que d’analyse, d’organisation et de communication. Elle/il doit aussi avoir de très bonnes capacités rédactionnelles et parler couramment le français.

La/le Protection Associate, G6, doit déjà avoir une certaine expérience en matière de plaidoyer, coordination, renforcement de capacité et, plus généralement, de gestion de projets et de programmes dans des contextes ayant trait aux personnes en situation de déplacement forcé et aux personnes apatrides, ou à risque de l’être, en considérant les approches basées sur le droit, la communauté, et l’âge, le genre et la diversité (AGD). Une bonne connaissance du contexte de l’Est de la RDC et une expérience préalable dans cette zone seraient un avantage.

,

,

,

,

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