Hardship LevelC
Family TypeNon Family
Family TypeNon Family
Residential location (if applicable)
GradeNOA
Staff Member / Affiliate TypeNational Professional Officer
ReasonRegular > Regular Assignment
Remote work acceptedNo
Target Start Date2024-01-01
Job Posting End DateNovember 13, 2023
Standard Job Description
Assistant Child Protection Officer
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
UNHCR is committed to the effective protection to children of concern, with children representing more than half of the persons falling under its mandate. UNHCR adopts a rights and community-based approach to address the protection needs of children, with a strong emphasis on inclusion within national child protection, child friendly procedures and working with other sectors to protect children including education. Child protection is recognized as global organizational priority for UNHCR. Dedicated child protection positions are needed to provide technical support to improve UNHCR's operational capacity to deliver effective protection to children, adolescents and youth of concern.
The Assistant Child Protection Officer normally reports to a Protection Officer. The incumbent is expected to: support quality, timely and effective child protection responses to the needs of populations of concern; and support mainstreaming of child protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards in operational responses in all sectors. S/he contributes to identifying key child protection issues, implementation of child protection programmes and supports child protection partnerships and coordination as guided by the supervisor. The Assistant Child Protection Officer also works to involve children, adolescent youth and their families to participate with UNHCR in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying appropriate solutions to their problems. To achieve this, the incumbent builds and maintains 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
Needs Identification, Strategy and Advocacy
- Support in the formulation of the child protection key considerations in in multi-sectoral and protection specific assessments.
- Contribute to the formulation of child protection strategy as part of the operation's broader Protection and Solutions Strategy, which incorporates age, gender and diversity analysis, identifies the protection needs and capacities of children of concern, communities and services and reflects UNHCR's policies, standards and priorities, including the Framework for the Protection of Children.
- Ensure compliance with UNHCR's child protection policy, priorities and commitments, as well as other aligned policies on age, gender, diversity (AGD) and accountability to affected populations (AAP), GBV, gender equality, disability and youth empowerment.
- Participate in defining context - appropriate approaches for a meaningful participation of children, adolescents and youth in the development and implementation of strategies that address key child protection priorities.
- Support the analysis of the national systems and ensure that child protection programmes complement national child protection systems and work towards the inclusion of children of concern into national child protection laws, policies and services.
Programme planning and implementation
- Assist in the designing of child protection programmes, including multi-sectoral activities, and monitoring framework based on identified needs and in line with Child Protection Strategy and UNHCR's global, regional and national policies and standards, including the Framework for the Protection of Children and the Best Interests Procedure.
- Support in implementing quality child protection programmes, including multi-sectoral activities, in collaboration with partners and key stakeholders.
- Contribute to the effective implementation of Best Interests Procedure by UNHCR and partners for timely support for children at heightened risk including supervision of UNHCR case management staff in line with UNHCR Best Interests Procedures Guidelines.
- Work with the team to ensure that Best Interests Determination panels are carried out in a timely manner and recommendations are implemented as planned.
- Implement and monitor the application of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for child protection.
- Support UNHCR and partners' case workers to ensure that child protection information management is maintained in accordance with UNHCR's Policy and procedure as well as data sharing protocols.
- Support partners and communities in strengthening/ establishing community-based child protection programming.
- Support the monitoring of child protection partners' programmes in line with relevant partnerships-agreements to ensure all children at risk are identified and supported.
- Support protection and programme teams in identifying gaps and needs for the child protection and other related partners, participating closely in the annual programme cycle and partnerships revision.
- Provide functional guidance to UNHCR and partner staff involved in child protection activities.
Partnership and coordination
- Assist in strengthening strategic and innovative partnerships for Child Protection with community-based, local, national, and international organizations, with a focus on ensuring continuity and sustainability.
- Work with partners to ensure statistics and reporting on children at risk are provided on a regular basis.
- Support coordination among CP relevant stakeholders at the local level.
- Contribute to mainstreaming and integrating child protection considerations into other sectors.
- Contribute to interagency monitoring and reporting on child protection issues and programmes.
- Ensure CP issues are mainstreamed by working closely with other sectors.
Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
- Assist in identifying training needs of UNHCR, Government and partner staff in the area of child protection, and development of learning plans.
- Participate in initiatives to build capacity of authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen national protection related legislation and procedures.
- Assist in providing functional guidance to UNHCR and partner staff involved in child protection activities
- Identify and document lessons learnt and good practices.
- Perform other related duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P1/NOA - 1 year relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or no experience with Graduate degree; or no experience with Doctorate degree
Field(s) of Education
International Law, Human Rights, International Development,
International Relations, Anthropology, Social Work,
Gender Studies, Political Science, Social Science
or other relevant field.
Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified.
Relevant Job Experience
Essential
- Experience in the field of protection of children, broader protection or social work involving children and youth, with knowledge of issues relating to child protection, education, gender, humanitarian and development issues, and GBV prevention and response.
- Applied experience in child protection prevention and response.
- Skills and experience in interviewing and working with children and families including on child protection case management.
Desirable
- Knowledge of protection in forced displacement settings and knowledge and demonstrated use of UNHCR and Interagency child protection tools and Guidance.
- Knowledge of the international legal and policy framework governing refugees, asylum seekers and returnees and IDPs
- Knowledge and good understanding of the UNHCR Best Interests Procedures Guidelines
- Experience in working with children, adolescents and youth and participatory child friendly approaches.
- Experience implementing child protection case management and/or implementation of best interests procedures.
- Experience working with partners.
Functional Skills
PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD)
IT-Computer Literacy
CO-Cross-cultural communication
TR-Training - Virtual and face to face
PR-Child Protection Information Management System
*PR-Child Protection Prevention and Response Programming
PR-Child Protection Case Management and Best Interests Procedures
CL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community
(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 Assistant Child Protection Officer is a member of the Protection Coordination team in Erbil and will report to the Senior Protection Officer covering the countrywide thematic protection portfolio. S/He would be responsible for all Child Protection (CP) activities in the country, supported by her/ his counterpart, the Assistant Protection Officer (GBV).
Iraq generously hosts some 298,000 refugees and asylum seekers, mostly Syrians. Over 252,000 of them are residing in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KR-I), with limited immediate return prospects. KR-I hosts roughly 93% of Iraqโs Syrian refugee population across three governorates: Erbil, Duhok, and Sulaymaniyah. Despite some years of relative stability and the transition from a humanitarian emergency response toward one rooted in recovery and development plans, forcibly displaced populations in Iraq still have residual humanitarian needs.
With a generally favorable protection environment in the KR-I, refugee families continue to face constrained access to livelihood opportunities, which translates into poor economic conditions and increased protection concerns including child labour and early marriage. The gaps in services and capacity to address child protection concerns in Iraq is well documented with differing capacities in the federal Iraq and KR-I structures.
With this as the backdrop, the Iraq operation requires a skilled and experienced staff member, able to demonstrate an in-depth understanding and familiarity of working on CP in refugee and IDP transition contexts, with different government actors. S/He will be responsible for coordinating with the field teams and providing guidance to CP actors on case management systems, Best Interest Procedures, and reporting indicators. S/He will also closely collaborate with UNICEF and CP actors in strengthening partnerships and response; is required to have experience in monitoring ongoing project partnership agreements with government entities and in facilitating capacity building for all engaged in CP activities.
Interagency coordination, partner programming, strong writing and reporting skills are essential requirements for the position.
Important Note:
- When completing the application, candidates are required to list all of their language skills โ including their mother tongue. The three broad levels are A1/A2 (\"Basic User\"), B1/B2 (\"Independent User\"), and C1/C2 (\"Proficient User\")
Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level): Kurdish
,Arabic
,English
Desired languages
,
,
Operational context
Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:
Nature of Position:
Living and Working Conditions:
Additional Qualifications
SkillsCL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community, CO-Cross-cultural communication, IT-Computer Literacy, PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD), PR-Child Protection Case Management and Best Interests Procedures, PR-Child Protection Information Management System, PR-Child Protection Prevention and Response Programming, TR-Training - Virtual and face to face
EducationBachelor of Arts (BA): Anthropology, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Gender Studies, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Human Rights, Bachelor of Arts (BA): International Development, Bachelor of Arts (BA): International Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): International Relations, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Political Science, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Social Science, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Social Science
Certifications
Work ExperienceChild Protection, Protection
CompetenciesAccountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Teamwork & collaboration
UNHCR Salary Calculator
https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales
Compendium
Additional InformationShortlisted candidates will be invited for an eliminatory written test and successful candidates will be interviewed thereafter.
No remote work accepted.
Functional clearanceThis position doesn't require a functional clearance