Hardship LevelH (no hardship)
Family TypeFamily
Family TypeFamily
Residential location (if applicable)
GradeGS5
Staff Member / Affiliate TypeGeneral Service
ReasonRegular > Regular Assignment
Remote work acceptedNo
Target Start Date2023-09-01
Job Posting End DateJune 27, 2023
Standard Job DescriptionSenior Community-Based Protection Assistant Organizational Setting and Work Relationships The Senior Community-Based Protection Assistant is a member of the Protection Unit and may report to the Protection Officer, Community-Based Protection Officer, or another more senior staff member in the Protection Unit. Under the overall direction of the Protection Unit, and in coordination with other UNHCR staff, government, NGO partners and other stakeholders, the Senior Community-Based Protection Assistant works directly with communities of concern to identify the risks they face and to leverage their capacities to protect themselves, their families and communities. The incumbent supports the application of community-based protection standards, operational procedures and practices in community-based protection delivery at the field level. To fulfil this role, the Senior Community-Based Protection Assistant is required to spend a substantial percentage of the workday outside the office, building and maintaining networks within communities of persons of concern (PoC). The development and maintenance of constructive relationships with PoC that measurably impact and enhance protection planning, programming and results, form the core of the work of the incumbent. S/he also supports the designing of a community-based protection strategy by ensuring that it is based on consultation with PoC. 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 - Assist functional units, the Multi-Functional Team (MFT) and senior management to integrate participatory and community-based approaches in the overall protection strategy. - Through relationships with PoC and network of partners, stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment and provide advice to the protection team. Understand the perspectives, capacities, needs and resources of the PoC and advise the protection team accordingly, highlighting the specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older persons, persons with disabilities, marginalized groups. - Assist in initiatives with host communities to involve national civil society groups in the protection of PoC. - Support implementing and operational partners as well as displaced and local communities to develop community-owned activities to address, where applicable, the social, educational, psycho-social, cultural, health, organisational and livelihood concerns as well as child protection and prevention and response to GBV. - Assist in the analysis that identifies the capacities of communities of concern and risks they face. - Support participatory assessments by multifunctional teams and ongoing consultation with PoC. - Support efforts to build the office capacity for community-based protection. - Support communities in establishing representation and coordination structures. - Ensure community understanding of UNHCR's commitment to deliver on accountability and quality assurance in its response. - Collect data for monitoring of programmes and budgets from an AGD perspective. - Draft and type routine correspondence, documents and reports and maintain up-to-date filing systems. - Act as an interpreter in exchange of routine information, contribute to related liaison activities and respond directly to routine queries. - Assist in the enforcement of participatory AGD sensitive analysis as an essential basis for all of UNHCR's work. - Initiate AGD sensitive interventions at the appropriate level on community-based protection issues and to respond to protection concerns and incidents within the office and with persons and communities of concern based on agreed parameters. - Identify and recommend which individuals or groups to prioritize for counselling and field visits based on agreed criteria. - Enforce compliance of implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services. - Perform other related duties as required. Minimum Qualifications Years of Experience / Degree Level For G5- 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher Field(s) of Education Not applicable Certificates and/or Licenses Development, Human Rights, International Law Social Work, Social Science, Political Science, (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential) Relevant Job Experience Essential Not specified Desirable UNHCR learning programmes (PLP). Knowledge of MSRP. Functional Skills UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures *IT-Computer Literacy IT-Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) PR-Community-based Protection - Principles and methodologies 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 Demonstrated experience promoting and implementing inclusion and socio-economic integration strategies for refugees and displaced populations.
Practical experience facilitating access to refugee education and employment opportunities, ideally including program design, management, and evaluation.
Ability to interact effectively with various stakeholders, including refugees, government officials, municipalities, and civil society organizations.
Proven expertise in understanding and applying International and National Law and applicable UNHCR policies and standards for refugees and displaced persons.
Experience in managing protection cases, including gender-based violence and child protection cases.
In-depth understanding of durable solutions for displaced persons and experience in supporting local integration
Skills and Competencies:
Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to clearly and concisely express ideas and concepts in written and oral form.
Proficiency in report writing, with experience in drafting reports, routine correspondence, and maintaining databases.
Proactive, solution-oriented approach, able to identify and prevent potential protection issues and contribute to national and local protection capacity-building initiatives.
Personal qualities of professionalism, integrity, and respect for diversity align with UNHCR's core values.
Fluency in English and Bulgarian are required; knowledge of additional relevant languages would be an asset
Candidates may be required to set a written assessment
Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level): Bulgarian
,English
,
Desired languagesRussian
,
,
Operational context
Background Information:
Bulgaria's State Agency for Refugees (SAR) registered 17,378 asylum seekers from January to October 2022, most from Syria and Afghanistan. Since the start of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022 and until the end of October, Bulgaria has granted Temporary Protection (TP) to approximately 143,670 Ukrainian refugees, of whom 50 per cent are women, and 36 per cent are children. As of the end of October 2022, 54,968 Ukrainian refugees remain within the country.
UNHCR, as a refugee-led organization, coordinates UN-Inter Agency for the Ukrainian Refugee Response. UNHCR supports refugees and asylum seekers with legal information and legal aid, including through a one-stop protection shop – Safe Space, Protection, and Support Hubs, commonly known as Blue Dots, a dedicated legal hotline and other outreach mechanisms, and communication with community channels.
The UNHCR's priority protection interventions include GBV response, Child Protection, identification of persons with specific needs, and mitigation of the risks relating to trafficking and other forms of abuse and exploitation – while addressing any gaps in the government-led response to their urgent humanitarian needs mostly through the provision of one-off targeted cash assistance for people at heightened protection risks.
Nature of Position:
The Senior Protection Assistant works under the supervision of the Senior Protection Officer in Sofia and is responsible for the activities related to the socio-economic inclusion and integration of refugees.
The Senior Protection Assistant will be working closely with other members of the Protection Unit and will be responsible for a number of activities, including handling protection interventions in the following thematic areas: persons with specific needs, child protection, GBV, case processing and referrals, and communication with communities. The incumbent is expected to interface and liaise with relevant governmental authorities and stakeholders, including civil society.
Additional Qualifications
Skills
Education
CertificationsCommunity Development/Social Work - Other, Development Studies - Other, Human Rights - Other, International Law - Other, Political Science - Other, Social Sciences - Other
Work ExperienceAnnual Budget OL in Operation/Office, Number of Persons of Concern Served, Number of Workforce in Operation/Work Setting, Workforce to Supervise, Working with Persons of Concern: Asylum Seekers, Working with Persons of Concern: Others of Concern, Working with Persons of Concern: Refugees, Working with Persons of Concern: Stateless
CompetenciesAccountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Organizational awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration
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Additional Information
Functional clearanceThis position doesn't require a functional clearance