JOB DESCRIPTION

E (most hardship)

Non Family with Residential Location

Non Family with Residential Location

Addis Ababa,Eth Fed Dem Rep

PR2

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2025-07-23

August 8, 2025

Associate Community-Based Protection Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Associate Community-Based Protection Officer is a member of the Protection Team in a Regional Bureau or a Country Office and normally reports to the Senior Community-Based Protection Officer, the Senior Protection Officer, Head of Sub-Office or the Assistant Representative for protection.
For a regional position, the incumbent may have direct supervisory responsibility for Protection and Community-Based Protection staff in the regional office, and a technical support role for Community-Based Protection staff in the region. For a country level position the incumbent may have direct supervisory responsibility for Community-based Protection staff and other protection staff in the operation.
S/he supports the implementation of protection standards and provides advice on community-based protection to senior management and Country Operation(s) in close collaboration with the Division of International Protection and Solutions (DIPS).
The incumbent is relied upon by senior management to support a coordinated approach in the implementation of UNHCR’s rights-based and community-based engagement with all forcibly displaced and stateless persons and contributes to the achievement of UNHCR’s commitments to accountability to affected people.
S/he maintains close working relationships and supports Protection and Community-Based Protection staff in the field, who act as the critical interface between UNHCR and communities of concern, enabling them to provide the AGD-sensitive analysis of community risks and capacities that form the essential foundations of national and regional programmes. The incumbent maintains close working relations with sister UN entities, governmental entities, non-governmental organisations and academic institutions that can contribute to enhancing protection and achieving solutions through people centred, community-based and gender responsive approaches.
The incumbent provides guidance to country operations to strengthen their coordination and advocacy on community-based approaches to protection with governments, partners and other key stakeholders.

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
– Be fully informed about community structures and the protection and security situation of the population of concern and develop strong links with a cross-section of members of refugee/IDP/stateless communities, using an AGD approach.
– Through relationships with forcibly displaced and stateless persons and network of partners stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment and provide advice to senior management.
– Ensure that the perspectives, capacities, needs and resources of the forcibly displaced and stateless persons are reflected in the protection strategy, planning processes and operations plan addressing the specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older persons, persons with disabilities, minority groups such as sexual minorities and persons living with HIV/AIDS.
– Ensure, through direct action and advocacy with more senior protection staff, that the necessary resources are allocated to enable community work to identify and address protection and assistance gaps.
– Support a consultative process with government counterparts at local levels, partners and forcibly displaced and stateless persons to develop and implement integrated strategies that address the key protection priorities, including, for example, child protection, education and GBV, and solutions approaches.
– Provide technical guidance and support to UNHCR and partners and implement and oversee Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on all community-based protection related issues.
– Support the design, implementation and evaluation of protection centred and solutions oriented programming with implementing and operational partners guaranteeing that community-owned activities are integrated.
– Support communities in establishing representation and coordination structures
– Promote confidence building and conflict resolution among forcibly displaced and stateless persons, authorities and host communities.
– Maintain protection presence through regular field missions and reports, making direct contact with forcibly displaced and stateless persons, host communities, local authorities and partners. In operations applying the humanitarian cluster system, contribute to the development of an AGD-compliant strategy on which the response of the Protection Cluster is grounded in and covers all assessed and prioritized protection needs of the affected populations.
– Support the Operation’s work to fully integrate the protection strategy into the Country Operations Plan, the UN Development and Assistance Framework (UNDAF), the Humanitarian Country Team’s common humanitarian action plan where applicable.
– Contribute to the Protection team’s information management component which: provides disaggregated data on forcibly displaced and stateless persons and their problems; researches, collects and disseminates relevant protection information and good practices to enhance protection delivery and provide technical advice if necessary.
– Support the inclusion of participatory, community-based protection and AGD approaches in strategies and plans within the Area of Responsibility (AoR).
– Support community understanding of UNHCR’s commitment to deliver on accountability and quality assurance in its response.
– Support forcibly displaced and stateless persons to develop structures that enhance their participation and protection.
– Contribute to the design of the community-based protection strategy, project submissions and budgets for endorsement by the supervisor.
– Intervene with authorities on community-based protection issues.
– Negotiate with local counterparts, partners and forcibly displaced and stateless persons.

– 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

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P2/NOB – 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
International Development, Cultural Studies, Human Rights,
International Social Work, Social Science, Political Science,
Anthropology, International Law or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified.
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Relevant professional experience, including in the areas of community based protection, community services, social work, and human rights.

Desirable
Proven communication skills, both oral and written.
Demonstrated knowledge of community communication and engagement approaches.
Understanding of and demonstrated competencies in forced displacement and protection, particularly GBV prevention and response, child protection, education, gender equality, and the application of the Age, Gender and Diversity Policy.

Functional Skills
DM-Database Management
IT-Computer Literacy
PR-Coordination in Forced Displacement situations
PR-Convention on the Rights of the Child / International Legal Framework
PR-Gender Equality
PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD)
CO-Drafting and Documentation
ED-Technical support to education programmes and proposals
PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) prevention programming
PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) response programming
(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.

• Proven experience implementing community-based protection activities in remote and complex displacement settings, preferably in humanitarian contexts affected by insecurity, environmental pressures, and limited infrastructure.
• Demonstrated ability to engage communities through participatory methods and support the establishment or strengthening of inclusive community structures.
• Practical knowledge and field-level implementation experience in at least two of the following areas: gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response, child protection, social cohesion/conflict resolution, or education in emergencies.
• Proven ability to work independently in an isolated duty station with limited support, and to coordinate effectively with implementing partners, operational partners and other UN agencies, and UNHCR technical teams.
• Strong reporting, planning, and monitoring skills.
• Fluency in French (spoken and written) is essential. Working knowledge of English is highly desirable. Knowledge of local languages (e.g., Arabic, Zaghawa, Tama) is a strong asset.

To promote diversity within the operation, including geographic diversity, candidates from underrepresented nationalities in Chad operation are particularly encouraged to apply.

French

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Nature of Position:

The armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which broke out on April 15, 2023, in Khartoum, Sudan, has entered its second year. Yet there is still no glimmer of hope for a resolution. None of the side has managed to gain the decisive and lasting upper hand to impose its victory. Hostilities have not ceased, and the security situation continues to deteriorate. All efforts to reach a negotiated settlement – including a proposed ceasefire during the holy month of Ramadan – have failed due to the intransigence of the belligerents, suggesting that the conflict and its devastating impact on civilians could persist for several more months, particularly in North Darfur.

As of April 13, 2025, exactly two years after the start of the crisis, air strikes and ground fighting have displaced more than 2.6 million people within the country and forced more than a million others to flee across borders into neighboring Chad, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Egypt. Over 700,000 refugees have arrived in Chad, mainly in the provinces of Ouaddai, Wadi Fira and Sila, from the Darfur Regions (El Geneina, Nyala, El Fasher, Zalingei, Kabkabiya) and Khartoum. Around 8,000 new arrivals are registered every month due to the threat of attacks and the worsening humanitarian situation.

April 13, 2025, marked a further escalation in violence. Murderous attacks on the Zamzam camp for internally displaced persons, home to over 500,000 people, triggered a new wave of mass displacement towards Chad. In less than a month, 37,929 people, or 10,889 households, crossed the border into Chad via the Wadi Fira and East Ennedi regions. All these people depend mostly on assistance from the international community and live alongside a host population with one of the lowest poverty lines. In addition, various multi-sectoral assessments have identified numerous problems and protection risks requiring appropriate action.

As part of the response to refugees in eastern Chad, UNHCR has restructured its operations, transforming Iriba into a sub-office. Since January 2025, the Iriba sub-office covers Iriba and Guéréda in the Wadi Fira province, and Amdjarass in the province of Ennedi Est. The towns of Iriba, Guéréda and Amdjarass are remote and landlocked, and are served only by UNHAS flights: three times a week for Iriba and twice a week for Guéréda and Amdjarass. Today, the Sub-Office oversees seven organized refugee sites, hosting a total of 378,623 people divided into 95,364 families, of whom almost 50,000 remain in transit sites near the border areas of Tiné, Kulbus and Birak. For such a large refugee population and so many sites, protection issues pose a particular challenge.

Therefore, for an appropriate protection response, and the promotion of human rights, the recruitment of an Associate Community-Based Protection officer P2 is necessary at the UNHCR Iriba sub-delegation level. This officer will cover activities related to community mobilization, women’s rights, gender-based violence, education and child protection. CBP’s work will also focus on identification, inclusion in national social systems and the strategic partnership program. As such, he or she will contribute to the implementation of UNHCR’s community-based approach to protection by supporting refugee communities in identifying, preventing and responding to protection risks, while strengthening their capacity for self-reliance.

He or she will have two Community-Based Protection Associates working directly under his/ her supervision, as well as an international UN Volunteer (IUNV) in charge of education.

Living and Working Conditions:

Candidates applying to positions in Chad should be prepared to work under challenging conditions and be able to manage stressful situations. All the duty stations in Chad are classified E, except N’Djamena which is at D.

In terms of working and living conditions, Farchana is a small town that has only very basic infrastructure with very limited leisure and recreational facilities. There are no banking facilities in Farchana. The nearest bank facility is in Abeche where ATMs are also operational. Malaria is prevalent and all staff need to be vigilant by taking the relevant measures. Farchana is an E non-family location. There are also very limited health facilities available locally.
UNHCR managed guest houses provide and facilitate accommodation to UNHCR staff.
All communications within the office and with external partners such as Government and humanitarian agencies are conducted in French. Fluent French (both written and spoken) is essential for this position. However, working knowledge of English, especially written, is also required as reports, internal as well as external, are requested in English.
R&R circle is every 8 weeks.

There are specific security measures to be taken into consideration. Aside from the mandatory security briefing provided to the staff upon arrival in N’Djamena with specific location information and requirements:

• All UN personnel must complete their BSAFE training online
• Per the classification of roads, all road movements between cities should be accompanied by an armed escort in the SRM East zone. These movements are conditioned by a granted security clearance through TRIP
• Unless exceptionally allowed all road movements between cities must be started after 6 a.m. and completed by 6 p.m.
• All movements of UNSMS vehicles in Abeche are allowed only between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m, while all movements of UNSMS vehicles in Farchana, Goz Beida, Iriba, Amdjarass and Guéréda are allowed only between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Bachelor of Arts: Anthropology, Bachelor of Arts: Cultural Studies, Bachelor of Arts: Human Rights, Bachelor of Arts: International Development, Bachelor of Arts: International Law, Bachelor of Arts: International Social Work, Bachelor of Arts: Political Science, Bachelor of Arts: Social Science

Certifications

Competencies

Accountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Organizational awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration

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

Compendium

Add. 2 to the Bi-Annual 2025 Compendium – Part B

Additional Information

This position doesn”t require a functional clearance