Hardship LevelE (most hardship)
Family TypeNon Family with Residential Location
Family TypeNon Family with Residential LocationDanger Pay
Residential location (if applicable)
Budapest, Hungary
GradeNOA
Staff Member / Affiliate TypeNational Professional Officer
ReasonRegular > Regular Assignment
Remote work acceptedNo
Target Start Date2024-11-01
Deadline for ApplicationsNovember 3, 2024
Standard Job Description
Assistant Protection Cluster Coordination Officer
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
In complex humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters where UNHCR is designated as the Protection Cluster Lead Agency under the Cluster Approach, UNHCR performs a dedicated coordination, strategy development and advocacy function through the positions of P5/P4 Protection Cluster Coordination Officer and the supporting positions of P3 Protection Cluster Coordination Officer, P2 Associate Protection Cluster Coordination Officer and/or P1 Assistant Protection Cluster Coordination Officer.
The Assistant Protection Cluster Coordination Officer normally reports directly to a higher-grade Protection Cluster Coordination Officer. The UNHCR Representative has final accountability for the performance of UNHCR as Cluster Lead Agency.
The Assistant Protection Cluster Coordination Officer supports UNHCR to work within the framework of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) and the Cluster Approach. The position reinforces UNHCR Protection Cluster Lead Agency functions by providing support to the role of Cluster Coordinator in ensuring UNHCR's leadership within a diverse protection community.
The Assistant Protection Cluster Coordination Officer is expected to support the work of the Protection Cluster through the provision of support in analysis, organization and reporting. This includes the provision of active support, as applicable, to sub-clusters or working groups of the Cluster which may be coordinated by other Agencies. As a result, the incumbent supports an inter-agency team in an environment that requires high standards of accountability, facilitation, negotiation and conflict resolution skills, in which respect the principles of partnership and collaboration are essential.
The Assistant Protection Cluster Coordination Officer supports the Protection Cluster Coordinator in Inter-Cluster Coordination mechanisms, for advocacy and facilitation of protection mainstreaming and cross-cutting issues of age, gender and diversity in the humanitarian response and early recovery activities.
The Assistant Protection Cluster Coordination Officer works closely with multi-functional Protection Cluster Support staff in the areas of data and information management, needs assessment, profiling, registration, reporting and advocacy.
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
- Support the Protection Cluster to ensure that protection informs and shapes the overall humanitarian response and that the protection response is integrated into the Humanitarian Country Team's common humanitarian action plan.
- Participate in meetings in line with the Principles of Partnership, ensuring that cluster meetings are consultative and results oriented.
- Support coordination with government counterparts and other relevant authorities
- Support the coordination and conduct of Protection Cluster or Inter-Cluster level protection needs assessments, including participatory assessments of affected populations.
- Provide inputs to development of common funding criteria, resource mobilisation and prioritization within the Protection Cluster for inclusion in Consolidated Appeals and pooled funds processes.
- Assist in the delivery of protection training activities for Protection Cluster members, other local partners, and relevant authorities.
- Contribute to initiatives building the protection capacity of the national and local government, partners and civil society.
- Through Cluster-wide consultative processes, provide input into the development of global protection policy and standards led by the Global Protection Cluster.
- Support reporting and information sharing within the Protection Cluster and at the inter-cluster level.
- Support and facilitate the Protection Cluster information management strategy and mechanisms.
- Contribute to Protection Cluster's regular updates and briefing notes on the protection concerns in the affected population, response activities, challenges and recommendations.
- Help foster a consistent interpretation and application of international law and related UNHCR and IASC legal standards and protection policies.
- Draft reports and prepare advocacy statements on behalf of the Protection Cluster - for clearance by Senior management.
- Facilitate cluster meetings, work and cooperate with focal points sub-groups/working groups and ad hoc/task-related bodies for specific issues.
- Facilitate negotiation with the Humanitarian Coordinator/Resident Coordinator, the Humanitarian Country Team and cluster members on the prioritization and inclusion of project proposals and common funding criteria for inclusion in inter-agency funding appeals.
- 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 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
Law; International Law; Political Sciences;
or other relevant field.
Certificates and/or Licenses
HCR Coordination Lrng Prog;
Tri-Cluster Knowl/Coord Skills;
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Good knowledge of International Refugee and Human Rights Law.
Desirable
Not specified.
Functional Skills
LE-Human Rights Law
LE-International Refugee Law
(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 Operational Context:
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has been present in Ukraine since 1994 and substantially increased its presence and response after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The geographical presence within Ukraine has significatively expanded to deliver the emergency response. The country office is located in the capital, Kyiv, and sub- and field offices, as well as field units, are located in Chernivtsi, Dnipro, Kyiv, Lโviv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Uzhhorod and Vinnytsia. However, the 2024 structure may be reviewed and slightly changed in 2025, in response to the evolving operational environment.
The war in Ukraine has caused death and suffering on a dramatic scale. In 2024, more than 14.6 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and protection, according to the 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan. Some 3.7 million people are internally displaced, while around 6 million refugees from Ukraine are recorded across Europe and beyond, most of them women and children. Ukraine also hosts a few thousand asylum-seekers and refugees and is home to more than 35,000 people who are stateless or at risk of statelessness.
The massive destruction of civilian infrastructure, with the energy sector being particularly targeted has made life extremely challenging for millions of people who have lost their homes and livelihoods, and has severely disrupted access to electricity, water, heating as well as critical services, including healthcare, education and social protection services. Humanitarian access continues to be hampered, particularly in areas in the East under the temporary military control of the Russian Federation.
Civilians remain exposed to serious risks to their physical security and integrity, particularly in eastern and southern regions of Ukraine. The risk of GBV, including sexual violence, is high particularly in areas of active hostilities. The separation of families is one of the problems most reported by protection actors among IDPs and war-affected people. Populations displaced or affected by the war live in situations of deprivation, following the loss or damage of their housing, loss of income, and the lack of access to essential services, such as health care or education.
The Government of Ukraine maintains a strong lead role in responding to the needs of its population and UNHCR supports the Government and its central and local institutions to provide protection, shelter/housing, cash and in-kind assistance to people impacted by the war. Currently, UNHCR has MOUs with four line ministries, 18 regional state administrations and agreements with 20 partners, including 16 local partners to deliver assistance and support the localization of the response.
Under the leadership of the UN Humanitarian Coordinator, UNHCR operates as part of the inter-agency humanitarian response, working in close coordination with local authorities and humanitarian partners. UNHCR is leading three clusters - Protection, Shelter and NFIs, and CCCM and is part of the Durable Solutions Steering Committee.
The strategic orientation of UNHCRโs response is to reach people, particularly those with specific vulnerabilities, who remain in frontline and heavily affected areas with immediate relief while supporting displaced people and those who have remained in their homes, or returned, with protection advice, housing support and cash assistance to enable their recovery and attainment of durable solutions.
Protection is at the center of this response, as the highest critical needs of the population caused by the international armed conflict are in the area of protection, and UNHCR leads this sector through the Protection Cluster. Since Ukraine is a highly sophisticated country with a strong government leadership and well-established administrative, social protection and digital systems, it is essential to design and deliver UNHCRโs protection and assistance programs in a way which simultaneously addresses immediate needs and supports the further development of sustainable and inclusive national protection systems.
With the EU having voted to confirm Ukraineโs accession to the EU at the end of 2023, Ukraine will also embark on a series of substantial and long-term reforms in numerous sectors, including justice and home affairs, which presents an opportunity to contribute to strengthened and more inclusive protection, asylum and statelessness reduction systems. Working closely with government authorities, local community representatives and partners from the embassies, UN, civil society and international financial institutions, amongst others, is thus key to ensuring that UNHCRโs response is closely aligned with and complementary of national and local strategies and recovery plans.
As the war continues, new urgent humanitarian needs are created every day, alongside protracted ones and peoplesโ and communitiesโ efforts to recover and rebuild their lives in war-torn communities. Among the IDPs and refugees from Ukraine, the majority express a hope and desire to return to their homes as soon as the security situation allows. The protection needs of the population thus need to be analyzed and addressed both from a humanitarian as well as from an early recovery and durable solutions perspective, with UNHCR playing a leading role in this work. As a result, the incumbent supports protection coordination in an environment that requires high standards of accountability and facilitation, in which respect for the principles of partnership and collaboration are essential. The candidate will be expected to directly engage with partners and to ensure effective coordination and engagement for the implementation of Protection activities. For this it is expected that the candidate coordinate partners implementing legal assistance, psychosocial support and community-based protection programming and establishing linkages with other sectors engaged in the response. The Assistant Protection Cluster Coordinator supports the Protection Cluster Coordinator in Inter-Cluster Coordination mechanisms at sub-national level, for advocacy and facilitation of protection mainstreaming and cross-cutting issues of age, gender, and diversity in the humanitarian response in non-protection sectors. Experience in protection response and humanitarian coordination is a plus. Familiarity with the Protection Cluster coordination tools would be also an asset, as the incumbent will be required to promote their use by partners at the sub-national level.
Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level): Ukrainian
,English
,
Desired languages
,
,
Operational context
Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:
Nature of Position:
Living and Working Conditions:
Additional Qualifications
Skills
EducationBachelor of Arts (BA): International Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Political Science
CertificationsHCR Coordination Learning Program - UNHCR, Tri_Cluster Knowledge/Coord Skills - Other
Work Experience
CompetenciesAccountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Teamwork & collaboration
UNHCR Salary Calculator
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Compendium
Additional Information
Functional clearanceThis position doesn't require a functional clearance