Hardship LevelU (unclassified)
Family TypePending
Family TypePending
Residential location (if applicable)
GradeGS7
Staff Member / Affiliate TypeGeneral Service
ReasonRegular > Regular Assignment
Remote work acceptedNo
Target Start Date2024-01-01
Job Posting End DateJanuary 23, 2024
Standard Job Description
Senior Child Protection Associate
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 Senior Child Protection Associate is a member of the protection team in an Office. S/he may report to a\\ (Child) Protection Officer, or the Head of Field-Office/Unit and/or Head of Sub-Office. The incumbent monitors child 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 Senior Child Protection Associate is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern (children, women, marginalized groups) and is responsible for implementation of Best Interests Procedures for children at risk in their area of responsibility, under the guidance of the supervisor. S/he may also supervise staff undertaking Best Interests Procedures. S/he identifies opportunities to mainstream Child Protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards in operational responses in all sectors and liaises externally with authorities and partners on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor. The incumbent works directly with communities and children of concern to identify the risks they face and to leverage their capacities to protect themselves, their families and communities. 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
Needs identification, Strategy and Advocacy
- Support in the formulation of the child protection key considerations in multi-sectoral and protection specific assessments and participate in the assessment teams.
- Participate in 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 and community and reflects the 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.
- Support identification of, and the implementation of 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.
- Provide input to Protection Unit and undertake advocacy to address key child protection concerns under the guidance of the supervisor.
Programme planning and implementation
- Support development and implementation 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.
- Conduct Best Interest Procedures for individual children at heightened risks, including BIA, case conferences and BID.
- Oversee Best Interests Procedures for children at risk, including Best Interests Determination Panels and supervision of staff undertaking Best Interests Procedures.
- Implement and monitor the application of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for child protection.
- Provide support to UNHCR and partners' case workers to ensure that child protection case files are stored and regularly updated in accordance with UNHCR's Policy and procedure as well as with data sharing protocols.
- Engage children, youth and communities in the implementation of child protection activities, provide information to children, youth and communities about child protection services and monitor and report on needs and issues to inform the Operations Response.
- Support partners and communities in strengthening/ establishing community-based child protection programming.
- Support partners and communities in ensuring quality alternative care arrangements for unaccompanied and separated children as referral to family tracing services.
- Monitor and support appropriate care arrangements for unaccompanied and separated children and referral of children to ICRC or other relevant partners for establishment of family linkages.
- Enforce compliance of staff and implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of child protection services.
- Provide functional guidance to UNHCR and partner staff involved in child protection activities.
- Regularly report on emerging protection issues and concerns voiced by children, youth and communities and assist in drafting reports, compiling and preparing data for the protection unit/section.
Partnership, coordination and capacity building
- Assist the Child Protection interagency coordination and information management activities as needed.
- Represent UNHCR in interagency fora related to child protection.
- 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.
- Provide technical support and monitoring to child protection partners.
- Assist in carrying out learning needs assessment and analysis of findings.
- Contribute to development/ adaption of training packages and co-facilitate training for the UNHCR and partners staff, refugee community.
- Identify and document lessons learnt and good practices.
- 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 G7 - 4 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;
Law;
Social Sciences;
Human Rights;
Community Dvpt/Social Work;
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Relevant Job Experience
Essential
4 years of previous work experience relevant to the function of child protection in a local context and having experience in the field of child protection prevention and response, broader protection or social work involving empowerment of women and girls, gender, child protection, mental health, counselling and working with survivors, humanitarian and development issues. Skills and experience in interviewing and working with children and families including supervision of child protection case management.
Desirable
Knowledge of UNHCR child protection policies and tools including the UNHCR Best Interests Procedures Guidelines, and interagency child protection Minimum Standards, Guiding Principles and GBV case management standards. Knowledge of local child protection laws, policies and services. Knowledge and experience of participatory approaches to engage with and mobilize communities. Understanding of displacement and protection issues including GBV, education and the application of the Age, Gender and Diversity Policy. Completed Protection Learning Programme. Experience working with marginalized groups. Knowledge of protection information management tools, including but not limited to proGres and/or CPIMS.
Functional Skills
IT-Computer Literacy
PR-Child Protection Case Management and Best Interests Procedures
PR-Child Protection Information Management System
PR-Child Protection Prevention and Response Programming
(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 Recruitment as a UNHCR staff member and engagement under a UNHCR affiliate scheme or as an intern is subject to successful reference checks, and integrity clearances.
Candidates must be legally present in Romania at the time of application, recruitment and hire.
For further information on how to apply, please visit the โUNHCR - Application and Selectionโ page, at https://www.unhcr.org/how-to-apply.html.
The recruitment process might include a written test and/or oral interview for this job opening. No late applications will be accepted.
UNHCR is committed to diversity and welcomes applications from qualified candidates regardless of disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour or ethnic and national origins, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training or any other fees).
NOTE: An individual whose mother, father, son, daughter, brother or sister is a staff member of UNHCR, including a Temporary Appointment holder or a member of Affiliate Workforce, is not eligible to apply.
Remuneration:
In case of appointment, a competitive compensation and benefits package is offered.
G7 - Salary range: NET 132268 RON - NET 167813 RON (per year) based on the candidate relevant experience.
Benefits:
Annual leave: UNHCR staff members holding a fixed-term appointment will accrue annual leave at the rate of 2.5 working days for each full calendar months of service (i.e. 30 working days per year).
Pension system: Staff members holding a fixed-term appointment will become participants in the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF).
Health insurance plan: locally recruited staff members in Romania will be enrolled in the Medical Insurance Plan (MIP). The coverage is also optionally available for eligible family members.
Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level): Romanian
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,
Desired languagesEnglish
,
,
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
By 18 February 2023, more than 2.8 million refugees from Ukraine had arrived in Romania. Prior to this, Romania was hosting some 4,000 asylum-seekers and refugees, with 10,000 persons being the largest number to arrive in a single year. The number of refugees arriving from Ukraine is therefore at an unparalleled scale for the country. Governmental coordination structures have been activated for the emergency and protection response. The emergency response has relied and built on coordination structures established for the COVID-19 pandemic, while the protection response is structured around thematic working groups.
UNHCR coordinates the response of UN agencies and NGOs in support of the Romanian Government, with inter-agency co-leads attending government-led working groups to inform the humanitarian response in alignment with and supporting governmental agencies. The Romania chapter of the RRP represents the commitment of 32 partners including UN agencies, and international and national NGOs to work jointly and through a coordinated sectoral structure on the complex challenges affecting refugees from Ukraine and the host communities in line with the Refugee Coordination Model.
The Senior Child Protection Associate is a member of the protection team in Constanta Field Unit, which is under Galati Field Office supervision. S/he may report to the Associate Protection Officer, or the Head of Galati Field Office. The incumbent monitors child 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 Senior Child Protection Associate is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern (children, women, marginalized groups) and is ensuring Best Interests Procedures for children at risk is taking into consideration in the areas of responsibility, under the guidance of the supervisor. S/he may also provide necessary support to the Child protection partner in this regard. S/he identifies opportunities to mainstream Child Protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards in operational responses in all sectors and liaises externally with authorities and partners on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor. The incumbent works directly with communities and children of concern to identify the risks they face and to leverage their capacities to protect themselves, their families and communities. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, local authorities and protection and assistance partners.
Living and Working Conditions
Constanta is a family duty station with H classification located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, and the Black Sea to the southeast. The official language in the country is Romanian with English as official UN working language.
Romania has a temperate-continental climate and four different seasons with temperatures varying throughout the year:
Spring: (from March to May; mild)
Summer: (from June to August; usually torrid and dry)
Autumn: (from September to November; rainy season)
Winter (from December to February; quite harsh with frequent snowfall).
Romania has a well-established public transportation network. The most common way to travel within the city is by taxi, bus, tram, or metro. Online taxis application is commonly used in the city. Trains are almost available to/from all major cities. The major international airport in Bucharest, Romania is Henri Coanda (IATA: OTP) International Airport. Major streets in larger cities and major inter-city roads are generally in fair to good conditions.
The accommodations with minimum standards are available in the field offices.
Additional Qualifications
SkillsIT-Computer Literacy, PR-Child Protection Case Management and Best Interests Procedures, PR-Child Protection Information Management System, PR-Child Protection Prevention and Response Programming
Education
CertificationsCommunity Development/Social Work - Other, Human Rights - Other, International Law - Other, Law - Other, Political Science - Other, Social Sciences - Other