Hardship LevelB
Family TypeFamily
Family TypeFamily
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 DateDecember 31, 2023
Standard Job Description
Assistant Protection Officer
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Assistant Protection Officer reports to the Protection Officer or the Senior Protection Officer. Depending on the size and structure of the Office, the incumbent may have supervisory responsibility for protection staff including community-based protection, registration, resettlement and education. S/he provides functional protection guidance to information management and programme staff on all protection/legal matters and accountabilities. These include: statelessness (in line with the campaign to End Statelessness by 2024), Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) commitments, age, gender, diversity (AGD) and accountability to affected populations (AAP) through community-based protection, Child protection, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention and response, gender equality, disability inclusion, youth empowerment, psycho-social support and PSEA, registration, asylum/refugee status determination, resettlement, local integration, voluntary repatriation, human rights standards integration, national legislation, judicial engagement, predictable and decisive engagement in situations of internal displacement and engagement in wider mixed movement and climate change/disaster-related displacement responses. S/he supervises protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards.
The Assistant Protection Officer is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern (PoC), ensuring that operational responses in all sectors mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards. The incumbent contributes to the design of a comprehensive protection strategy and represents the Organization externally on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor. S/he also ensures that PoC are meaningfully engaged in the decisions that affect them and support programme design and adaptations that are influenced by the concerns, priorities and capacities of them. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, authorities, protection and assistance partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection.
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 legal advice and guidance on protection issues to PoC; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.
- Conduct eligibility and status determination for PoC in compliance with UNHCR procedural standards and international protection principles.
- Promote and 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.
- Provide inputs for the development of protection policies and standards within the AoR.
- Implement and 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.
- Recommend durable solutions for the largest possible number of PoC through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement.
- Assess resettlement needs and apply priorities for the resettlement of individuals and groups of refugees and other PoC.
- Contribute to the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Contribute to and facilitate a programme of results-based advocacy with sectorial and/or cluster partners.
- Contribute to and facilitate effective information management through the provision of disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems.
- Assist capacity-building initiatives for communities and individuals to assert their rights.
- Participate in initiatives to capacitate authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen national protection related legislation and procedures.
- Intervene with authorities on protection issues.
- Assist the supervisor in deciding priorities for reception, interviewing and counselling for groups or individuals.
- Assist the supervisor in enforcing compliance of staff and implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.
- Enforce compliance with, and integrity of, all protection standard operating procedures.
- 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
Not specified;
Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Knowledge of International Refugee and Human Rights Law and ability to apply the relevant legal principles
Desirable
Completion of the Protection Learning Programme, RSD- Resettlement Learning Programme.
Functional Skills
*PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
*PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD)
MG-Project Management
PR-Human Rights Doctrine/Standards
PR-International Humanitarian Law
PR-Assessment of IDPs Status, Rights, Obligation
PR-Climate change and disaster related displacement
CO-Drafting and Documentation
PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) Coordination
(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 Experience:
- Completion of the Protection Learning Programme, RSD- Resettlement
Learning Programme.
- Extensive knowledge of UNHCRโs frameworks and policies for engagement in
IDP operations
- Knowledge on existing regional and country level climate action plans and
emerging regional engagements
- Sensitive and dynamic political and operational context requires ability to work
collaboratively with IDP interagency actors and advocate for principled,
pragmatic protection interventions and solutions.
- Strong analytical skills are required to ensure that protection is adequately and
appropriately factored into coherent program strategies and advocacy efforts,
which takes into account dynamic and fast-evolving local contexts and
regional dynamics.
- Prior experience working in the region and in protracted IDP displacement
contexts is a plus, including the ability to identify pragmatic solutions for
longstanding displaced populations of concern.
- Ability to build consensus and maintain team spirit in a difficult operational
context.
- Strong cultural sensitivity and emotional intelligence is required to multi-
agency for a comprised of international and national organizations.
- Strong knowledge of IDP protection laws, principles, and strategies is
essential.
- Prior work experience with regional economic communities (EAC, IGAD) and
the AU on IDPs and climate change will be added advantage.
Education:
โข Degree in Law, Refugee Law,
โข International Law,
โข Social studies and Gender Studies
โข Political Sciences or other relevant field.
Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):
,
,
Desired languages
,
,
Operational context
Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:
To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel.
Nature of Position:
The Assistant Protection Officer in the Bureaux will work under the direct supervision of the Senior Community Based Protection Officer. The incumbent will be responsible for climate induced internally displaced persons, and community-based protection activities and interventions in the Bureau with a focus on standard-setting, oversight and consolidating protection risk assessment and analysis, community engagement and empowerment and supporting operations address evolving needs. S/he will monitor the implementation of the UNHCR Regional Bureau Climate Action and Protection and Solutions Strategy for IDPs in the Bureau and will ensure that country operations implement tri cluster approach in the region and ensure that protection is mainstreamed in all programmes for IDPs and refugees taking into consideration age, gender, and diversity principles.
S/he will coordinate and provide technical support and guidance to protection and programme units at the Bureau on all matterโs pertaining to accountabilities. These include: Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) commitments, age, gender, diversity (AGD) and accountability to affected populations (AAP) through community-based protection, Child protection, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention and response, gender equality, disability inclusion, youth empowerment, psycho-social support and PSEA, registration, asylum/refugee status determination, resettlement, local integration, voluntary repatriation, human rights standards integration, national legislation, judicial engagement, predictable and decisive engagement in situations of internal displacement and engagement in wider mixed movement and climate change/disaster-related displacement responses. S/he supervises protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery to IDPs and refugees in line with international standards.
The Assistant Protection Officer is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of forcibly displaced populations ensuring that operational responses in all sectors mainstream protection and climate methodologies and integrate protection safeguards. The incumbent contributes to the design of country protection strategies including the HCT centrality of protection strategies and represents the UNHCR externally on IDP protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor. S/he will also ensure that forcibly displaced persons are meaningfully engaged in the decisions that affect them and support programme design and adaptations that are influenced by the concerns, priorities, and capacities of them.
To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with protection and technical/ expert staff and partners at regional level as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection and solutions for IDPs and refugees.
Living and Working Conditions:
Despite the security concerns mentioned below, Nairobi is a good duty station for families. It has good medical facilities. Recreational facilities, schools and hotels are of international standards.
Sufficient housing is available, as well as good banking facilities, unlimited access to communication means, such as internet, telephone etc.
There is no malaria in Nairobi, but cholera, malaria and yellow fever occur in other parts of Kenya.
Security Considerations
Nairobi is in UN security level 6, but politically instigated demonstrations and riots may occur at any time.
General crime in Nairobi is high and like many other large cities. A high sense of vigilance and alertness is required .โ
Additional Qualifications
Skills
EducationBachelor of Arts (BA): International Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Political Science
Certifications
Work ExperienceProtection
CompetenciesAccountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Judgement & decision making, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration
UNHCR Salary Calculator
https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales
Compendium
Additional Information- Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
- Only shortlisted candidates may be required to sit for a written test. Oral interviews are mandatory.
- Female candidates are encouraged to apply
Functional clearanceThis position doesn't require a functional clearance