JOB DESCRIPTION

D

Non Family with Residential Location

Non Family with Residential Location

Maputo, Mozambique

GS6

General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2025-09-15

August 26, 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.

• The successful candidate should support comprehensive protection interventions, combining strategic oversight of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention, response, and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) frameworks with the management of protection initiatives, such as civil documentation campaigns and housing, land, and property (HLP) rights.

• The candidate should drive community engagement by conducting participatory assessments, focus groups discussions, establishing feedback and referral mechanisms, and coordinating with and engaging affected communities. In this capacity, the candidate should support protection monitoring systems, produce and present timely protection trends, main issues, and alerts, and support decision-making to address identified gaps.

• The candidate should build and sustain local capacity through targeted training of government counterparts, service providers, and community members, and cultivate high-level partnerships with UN agencies, NGOs, and civil-society actors to ensure principled protection outcomes. The candidate will have hands-on experience with internally displaced persons and refugees and will have coordinated closely with government counterparts, community groups, and NGOs to implement protection-sensitive interventions. Experience in directly working with and mobilizing local communities, including engaging with multiple stakeholders in affected areas, is expected.

• Exceptional communication skills are required, including the ability to draft clear and concise reports, present complex protection activities to diverse audiences—such as humanitarian actors, donors, and authorities—and establish robust accountability to affected populations (AAP) and community engagement mechanisms. Experience in project monitoring, providing constructive feedback to implementing partners, and building stakeholder capacity will ensure that the Protection Associate effectively drives results in a fast-paced, multi-sectoral environment.

• The candidate should be fluent in English and Portuguese, with proficiency in local Cabo Delgado languages considered a strong asset. The candidate should bring extensive experience working in challenging field contexts for UN agencies or similar international organizations, demonstrating autonomy, sound judgment, and resilience under limited supervision. Prior experience in Cabo Delgado and/or Nampula supporting internally displaced and/or refugee populations is an asset.

• Knowledge of local languages is an asset.

Portuguese

,

English

,

,

,

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 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is an international organization with the mandate to assist persons in need of international protection, asylum seekers, refugees, stateless persons, and internally displaced persons. The UNHCR operation in Mozambique has its main office in Maputo, a field office in Nampula, a sub-office in Pemba and field units in Cabo Delgado. The working language in the UNHCR offices in Mozambique is English.

Cabo Delgado’s northern districts continue to experience large-scale displacement driven by sustained attacks from non-state armed groups, even as spontaneous returns occur in areas that have seen varying degrees of stabilization. As of May 2025, the IOM DTM records 609,243 internally displaced persons alongside approximately 701,462 returnees. Though smaller in scale, some 700 refugees and asylum-seekers—primarily located in agricultural and mining zones—face comparable protection threats and assistance needs.

Cabo Delgado’s humanitarian crisis is characterized by cyclical displacement, acute protection gaps, and pervasive gender-based risks. Families who had attained relative stability are often uprooted again, losing vital documentation, homes and livelihoods in the process. Repeated attacks generate widespread trauma, while individuals with specific needs—older persons, people with disabilities—frequently struggle to access essential assistance. Women and girls face heightened exposure to conflict-related sexual violence by armed actors, escalated intimate partner violence in displacement settings, and exploitation or abuse when seeking aid. An estimated 60 percent of IDPs and returnees arrive without civil documents, effectively blocking their access to services, impeding freedom of movement and exposing them to detention, discrimination or stigmatization.

Cabo Delgado is subject to recurrent natural hazards, such as cyclones, which significantly aggravate existing protection challenges. Most recently, Cyclone Chido (December 2024) caused extensive infrastructure damage, displacement and loss of livelihoods. These events undermine community resilience, disrupt essential services and precipitate secondary protection risks, requiring that response operations remain agile and integrate disaster-sensitive measures at every stage.

The Protection Associate position is based in Pemba and should support activities in areas of displacement and return in Cabo Delgado and Nampula Provinces. As a member of the Protection Unit, the Protection Associate will support all protection activities aimed at addressing the protection risks and needs highlighted above.

Living and Working Conditions:

The position is based in Pemba, the capital of Cabo Delgado Province, in the north of Mozambique. Pemba is a D, Non-Family duty station.

Mozambique has a total population of about 29 million people and Maputo is its capital city. The total area of Mozambique is 799,380 Km square from North to South. It is tropical, hot, and humid. The hottest and wettest months are December to February, when the average daily minimum temperatures are around 22 °c and the average daily highs of 30 °c. The rainy season is between October and April. Winters (June to August) are mild with the average daily temperature ranging from 13 °C to 24 °C.

Cabo Delgado is bordering Tanzania, with a population of over 2.2 million individuals according to the 2017 census. The province, considered one of the poorest in the country, was hit by cyclone Kenneth in April 2019 and Cyclone CHIDO in December 2024, which affected several villages, causing material damage and the displacement of many residents. The province has also been targeted by armed groups that have been attacking local villages since October 2017.

Communication and transport services are available at various costs. The housing market is healthy but quite expensive (from US$ 800 to US$ 1,500 per month). Pemba has several supermarkets and one international airport. The metical is the local currency and exchange rate stands at USD 1 equivalent to about 63.25 meticais (MZN) as of January 2025. Pemba has several health facilities including ISOS clinic, CLIDIS private clinic and the Provincial hospital. There is a wide range of Banks and ATMs to meet financial needs. Credit/debit cards are accepted in most places.

UNDSS-cleared hotels are available, with rates differing depending on the availability and season. MOSS compliant apartments are available.

The current operational circumstances require frequently long working hours. This is a stressful work context, making a capacity for self-care critical.

According to the security level system, Cabo Delgado is at level 4. Crime in Pemba and villages outside of the capital is concerning, and UN personnel must remain vigilant and aware of their surroundings. Traffic accidents are common in Mozambique due to the poor condition of the roads and poor driving and vehicle standards.

 

Additional Qualifications

Skills

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