Assistant Representative - Protection

Only candidates who are not nationals of the country of assignment are eligible to apply to this position

Hardship LevelE (most hardship)

Family TypeNon Family with Residential LocationDanger Pay

Residential location (if applicable)

Budapest, Hungary

GradePR5

Staff Member / Affiliate TypeProfessional

* Staff members will not normally serve in International Professional positions in the country of their nationality. In addition, in case of a first appointment upon recruitment, the assignment must be outside the staff member’s country of nationality.

In practical terms this means that you are not eligible to apply for International Professional vacancies advertised in the country where you are national of.

ReasonRegular > Regular Assignment

Remote work acceptedNo

Target Start Date2023-10-13

Job Posting End DateNovember 9, 2023

Standard Job Description

Assistant Representative - Protection

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Assistant Representative- Protection is the senior protection manager in a Country Office and reports to the Representative. A member of the senior management team, the incumbent has direct or reviewing supervisory responsibility for protection staff who may include community services, registration, resettlement and education. He/she has country-wide functional supervisory responsibility for protection staff and provides protection oversight and guidance to the information and programme management functions.

The Assistant Representative- Protection transposes UNHCR's Global Strategic Priorities into a comprehensive protection strategy adapted to the country context. He/she is guardian of protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery at country level and represents the UNHCR to authorities, UN sister agencies, partners and other stakeholders on protection policy and doctrine. UNHCR is well integrated into the UN Resident Coordinator System.

The Assistant Representative- Protection is relied upon by the Office to plan, manage and guide country-wide protection delivery to populations of concern and to promote and gain support for UNHCR's protection agenda externally. This includes ensuring that operational responses in sectors are shaped in a protection optic, mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards. He/she ensures that persons and communities of concern are involved with the Office in making decisions that affect them and that their interests are effectively represented to authorities, protection and assistance partners and to the broad network of donors and 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 security developments that have an impact on the protection environment and protection delivery capacity and advise the Representative in the overall management of UNHCR's operations.
- Manage a consultative process with government counterparts, partners and persons of concern to develop and implement a comprehensive protection strategy 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; and Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) priorities with regard to these persons.
- In operations applying the Cluster Approach, ensure the response of the Protection Cluster is grounded in a strategy which covers assessed and prioritized protection needs of the affected populations.
- Ensure the protection strategy is fully integrated into the Country Operations Plan, the UN Development and Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and in respect of UNHCR's mandate, the Humanitarian Country Team's common humanitarian action plan where applicable.
- Ensure that necessary resources are allocated to address protection gaps.
- Promote International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct. Foster their consistent and coherent interpretation and application and ensure that sectors and /or in clusters in applicable operations fulfil their responsibilities mainstreaming protection.
- Design, deliver and monitor programmes on an AGD basis to address identified protection needs.
- Oversee the provision of expert legal advice and guidance on protection issues to internal and external interlocutors and ensure that legal assistance and documentation is accessible to persons of concern.
- Oversee Eligibility and Status Determination operations ensuring compliance with UNHCR procedural standards and international protection principles.
- Oversee the implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for protection /solutions processes and systems.
- Promote and supervise the delivery of effective measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness.
- Develop and implement a country-level education plan as part of the protection strategy. Ensure the provision of quality and protective education with an emphasis on learning outcomes and lifelong learning opportunities forging partnerships with the Ministry for Education, UNICEF and other partners as appropriate.
- Develop and implement a country-level child protection plan as part of the protection strategy ensuring programmes use a child protection systems approach.
- Ensure that appropriate interventions are undertaken by the Office, or intervene directly, in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents through working relations with governments and other partners.
- Coordinate the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Ensure with governments and partners that durable solutions through voluntary repatriation, local integration, and where appropriate, resettlement are sought and provided to the largest possible number of persons of concern.
- Oversee the development and implementation of a results-based advocacy programme in consultation with sectorial and/or cluster partners.
- Advocate with authorities and stakeholders for access to and respect for the rights of persons of concern and their access to services.
- Ensure the Protection Sector or Cluster strategy has an effective information management component to provide disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems; and researches, collects and disseminates relevant protection information and good practices to enhance protection delivery.
- Build the protection capacity of national and local government, partners and civil society to assume their responsibilities vis-à-vis persons of concern through protection training, mainstreaming and related activities.
- Coordinate capacity-building initiatives for communities and persons of concern to assert their rights.
- Advise and capacitate national authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen legislation and status determination procedures and mechanisms.
- Contribute to a communications strategy to generate external support for UNHCR's operations and the Protection Sector/Cluster.
- Provide effective supervisory and managerial oversight, direction and guidance of the protection function.
- Design and establish effective protection staffing structures in Offices ensuring staffing configurations, profiles and competencies are commensurate with protection challenges.
- Approve the comprehensive protection strategy for endorsement by the Representative and Regional Office or Headquarters.
- Chair strategic or operational protection meetings, including Protection Cluster meetings in applicable operations and represent the protection sector/cluster in inter-agency mechanisms.
- Issue advocacy statements on behalf of UNHCR or the Protection Cluster in applicable operations. Intervene with authorities on protection issues.
- Negotiate with resettlement countries and countries of return on behalf of UNHCR.
- Clear documents and reports prepared by the Protection Unit / Section.
- Take decisions on individual cases.
- Negotiate with the Humanitarian Coordinator/Resident Coordinator, the Humanitarian Country Team and partners on protection funding priorities in inter-agency funding appeals.
- Enforce compliance of staff and partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.
- Enforce compliance with, and integrity of protection standard operating procedures.
- Approve expenditures under the UNHCR protection budget and direct transparent and accountable financial and other resource allocation within the Protection Cluster in applicable operations.

- Lead risk assessments and discussions with team(s) to proactively manage risks and seize opportunities impacting objectives. Ensure that risk management principles are integrated in decision-making both at strategic and operational levels. Allocate resources for planned treatments with resource requirements in Strategic Plans. Ensure that risks are managed to acceptable levels and escalate, as needed. If a Risk Owner, designate the Risk Focal Point and certify that the annual risk review is completed and ensure that the risk register is updated during the year, as needed.
- Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P5 - 12 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 11 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 10 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Humanitarian Law; International Relations; Law;
Political Science; International Refugee Law; or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
HCR Learning Prog;

HCR Management Lrng Prg;

HCR Protection Learning Prg;
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
- minimum 11 years of previous work experience in progressively responsible functions in an organisation or institution that administer/manage and assist a large number of asylum seekers, refugees and Displaced persons, preferably within the UN.
- Thorough knowledge in International refugee law, its applications under different circumstances; ability to analyse and advocate the application of various regional refugee instruments for the benefits of the persons of concern to UNHCR. Field experience, preferably in the context of UNHCR, in repatriation and resettlement of refugees.

Desirable
- Solid UNHCR experience from both the Field (including Hardship Duty stations) and Headquarters.
- UNHCR specific learning/training activities (i.e. Management Learning Programme, Protection Learning Programme).

Functional Skills
*PR-International Humanitarian Law
*PR-Refugee Resettlement programs
*PR-Managing large influx of Persons of Concern
*PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
FO-Operational activities in hardship duty stations
*PR-Application of various regional refugee instruments
(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 Representative (Protection) must bring the highest level of functional expertise, experience and demonstrated skills and abilities, including the following qualities:

- Maturity, sensitivity and decisiveness, with extensive experience in engaging and communicating effectively with senior government officials, member states/donors and UN and I/NGO partners, including towards the development of protection and solutions/recovery strategies and efficient protection programmes;

- Political astuteness and ability to navigate complex government relations in a politically sensitive environment, where reputational risks can be high;

- Demonstrated analytical and strategic and operational planning skills, with excellent English drafting and presentation skills;

- Demonstrated experience in emergency, return and reintegration and social protection work and settings, as well as the application of humanitarian-development approaches in fluid context, where humanitarian needs coexist with recovery and durable solutions needs;

- Experience working in inter-agency contexts, including with Humanitarian Clusters and UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks.

- Solid UNHCR experience in the field and sound knowledge of UNHCR Protection policies, including community-based protection approaches (community outreach volunteers, IDP-led organizations).

- Experience in developing child protection and GBV programming, will be an advantage.

- Experience of working on legislative reform processes and with State asylum and statelessness determination procedures, including through capacity-building and supporting advocacy and legislative reform processes.

- Adaptability to change course in a dynamic context, while still pursuing strategic objectives; Ideally, the candidate should have engaged in innovation and in the development of new, progressive approaches and designs of protection and solutions programs;

- Strong track record of functional supervision and building and managing large, diverse teams in challenging settings;

- Proven skills in undertaking complex humanitarian negotiations and effective engagement with local officials;

- Excellent coordination, stakeholder development and management and interpersonal skills;

- Excellent communication and external relations abilities, and ability to represent UNHCR vis-à-vis senior stakeholders, including government, donor, HCT and UNCT;

Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):

,

,

Desired languages

,

,

Operational context

General:

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, L’viv, Odesa, Poltava, Uzhhorod and Vinnytsia. The current set-up is the foundation for the 2024 structure, which, however, may need to be continuously reviewed and adjusted in response to the evolving operational environment.

The war in Ukraine has caused death and suffering on a dramatic scale and left at least 17.6 million people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and protection. At the end of September 2023, some 5 million people are estimated to be internally displaced, while around 6 million refugees from Ukraine have been recorded across Europe, 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 unbearable 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, particularly following displacement. Populations displaced or affected by the war live in situations of deprivation, following the loss or damage of their housing, loss of incomes, 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 three line ministries, 17 regional state administrations and agreements with 29 partners, mainly local NGOs. 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 UNHCR’s response is to reach people 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 truly at the centre 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. The Assistant Representative (protection) is therefore not only a key member of the senior management team in the Operation, s/he also regularly represents UNHCR in meetings/conferences, before donors and on the Humanitarian Country Team and in other fora where protection strategies and programmatic responses are developed. 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 UNHCR’s protection programs in a way which simultaneously addresses immediate needs and supports the further development of sustainable and inclusive national protection systems. As an EU candidate country, Ukraine will also embark on substantial 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 UNHCR’s 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 peoples’ and communities’ efforts to recover and rebuild their lives in war-torn communities. Among the some 5 million IDPs and 6 million 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 analysed 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.

The Assistant Representative (protection) supervises a large team in the Kyiv Country Offices and provides functional supervision of the protection teams in the sub- and field offices.

Working and Living conditions:

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has been present in Ukraine since 1994 but has increased its presence by a substantially larger scale up in the operation’s structure, staffing and response after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The geographical presence within Ukraine has significatively expanded to deliver the emergency response. The Country Office is based in Kyiv and new operational offices have been established in the central and western regions. UNHCR now has direct operational presence in Chernivtsi, Dnipro, Kyiv, L’viv, Odesa, Poltava, Uzhhorod and Vinnytsia. The current structure will be continuously reviewed and adjusted in response to the evolving operational environment.

International and national staff live in private apartments in the cities of their duty stations. The quality of life is high, as Ukraine is a developed country with functioning infrastructure. However, the volatile security situation, which includes frequent missile and drone attacks that trigger air raid alarms, affects the living and working environment on a more or less daily basis, including during the winter when energy infrastructure has been attacked.

Security

There is an ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine and parts of some oblasts, including Donetska, Luhanska, Khersonska, and Zaporizka oblasts, are temporarily controlled by the Russian Federation Armed Forces. The Line of Contact (LoC) is the primary area of kinetic military operations, particularly in the east (Donbas) and southeast regions. Cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, aero-ballistic missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been targeting vital civilian and military sites, including airports, since the start of the invasion. As a result, commercial air travel is suspended, and vehicles and trains are the only modes of transportation. Critical energy and transportation infrastructure have also been targeted in large-scale aerial attacks since October 2022, resulting in frequent power outages and connectivity issues. These conditions may lead to additional challenges during the upcoming winter season, affecting staff safety and well-being. The UN has not been targeted and retains its impartiality and neutrality when delivering its mandate. However, the danger cannot be fully ruled out, and risks to personnel and dependents, assets, and programmatic activities remain extant.

UN Security Management System (UNSMS) is using comprehensive Security Risk Management (SRM) processes to identify and evaluate security threats and risk levels, which are regularly reviewed. Currently, the most significant threats and hazards are associated with armed conflict, with current risk levels ranging from “high” to “very high” or “unacceptable” in areas with ongoing hostilities. This has resulted in a reduction of humanitarian space, making it difficult and sometimes impossible to access beneficiaries in contested areas. When assessing risk levels, the security personnel and the UNHCR Representative, as part of the country’s Security Management Team, adhere to the SRM process as defined by the UNSMS. However, it's important to note that, in general, the projected risk levels in all three SRM areas where the UN/HCR operates are “high”. Therefore, those applying for positions in Ukraine should be prepared to work in a highly dynamic security environment where unexpected events occur frequently. Air raids are common, and staff may be required to work from bunkers or underground carparks, metro stations, and other locations for extended periods. Power and water outages could be expected during the winter months and disruptions to public services such as shops and restaurants may occur. Curfews are in place throughout the country, and mission travel must be authorized by the Representative or designated managers, subject to the completion of mandatory BSAFE, SSAFE, and IFAK training and security clearance procedures. The security unit works closely with UNDSS to ensure that program activities can be implemented within the acceptable level of risk by following the required measures and procedures set up and approved by the Designated Official. Due to the evolving operational and security environment in the country, UNHCR is flexible and may relocate its offices to better serve its mandate of providing protection and assistance to those in need.

The Assistant Representative (Protection) must bring the highest level of functional expertise, experience and demonstrated skills and abilities, including the following qualities:

• Maturity, sensitivity and decisiveness, with extensive experience in engaging and communicating effectively with senior government officials, member states/donors and UN and I/NGO partners, including towards the development of protection and solutions/recovery strategies and efficient protection programmes;
• Political astuteness and ability to navigate complex government relations in a politically sensitive environment, where reputational risks can be high;
• Demonstrated analytical and strategic and operational planning skills, with excellent English drafting and presentation skills;
• Demonstrated experience in emergency, return and reintegration and social protection work and settings, as well as the application of humanitarian-development approaches in fluid context, where humanitarian needs coexist with recovery and durable solutions needs;
• Experience working in inter-agency contexts, including with Humanitarian Clusters and UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks.
• Solid UNHCR experience in the field and sound knowledge of UNHCR Protection policies, including community-based protection approaches (community outreach volunteers, IDP-led organizations).
• Experience in developing child protection and GBV programming, will be an advantage.
• Experience of working on legislative reform processes and with State asylum and statelessness determination procedures, including through capacity-building and supporting advocacy and legislative reform processes.
• Adaptability to change course in a dynamic context, while still pursuing strategic objectives; Ideally, the candidate should have engaged in innovation and in the development of new, progressive approaches and designs of protection and solutions programs;
• Strong track record of functional supervision and building and managing large, diverse teams in challenging settings;
• Proven skills in undertaking complex humanitarian negotiations and effective engagement with local officials;
• Excellent coordination, stakeholder development and management and interpersonal skills;
• Excellent communication and external relations abilities, and ability to represent UNHCR vis-à-vis senior stakeholders, including government, donor, HCT and UNCT;
• Security management experience and ability.

  
  

  Additional Qualifications

  Skills

  EducationBachelor of Arts (BA): Humanitarian Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): International Refugee Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): International Relations, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Political Science

  CertificationsHCR Learning Program - UNHCR, HCR Management Learning Program - UNHCR, HCR Protection Learning Program - UNHCR

  Work Experience

  CompetenciesAccountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Leadership, Managing performance, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Stakeholder management, Strategic planning & visions, Teamwork & collaboration

  UNHCR Salary Calculator

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

  Compendium Bi-annual Compendium 2023 Part B - October 2023

  Additional Information

  Functional clearanceThis position doesn't require a functional clearance