Senior Protection Assistant

GradeGS5

Staff Member / Affiliate TypeGeneral Service

ReasonTemporary > Temporary Assignment/ Appointment

Hardship LevelA (least hardship)

Family TypeFamily<p></p><p></p>

Residential location (if applicable)

Remote work acceptedNo

Target Start Date2024-02-19

Target End Date2024-05-18

Job Posting End DateJanuary 26, 2024

Standard Job Description

Senior Protection Assistant

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Senior Protection Assistant normally reports to a more senior Protection colleague. The incumbent monitors 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 Protection Assistant provides quality, timely and effective protection support to persons of concern (PoC) and identifies opportunities to mainstream protection methodologies and safeguards in operational responses. S/he contributes to designing a comprehensive protection strategy and may liaise externally with local authorities and partners on protection issues as guided by the supervisor.

The Senior Protection Assistant also ensures that PoC are involved in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying appropriate solutions to their problems. 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
- Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.
- Provide counselling on protection issues to PoC; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.
- Support activities in protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Conduct preliminary information gathering and interviews in support of eligibility, status determination, durable solutions and social needs assessment.
- 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 for PoC as part of the protection strategy.
- Monitor Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.
- Participate in individual protection case management including cases of GBV and child protection. Monitor and report on cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents.
- Assist in identifying durable solutions for PoC in voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement.
- Contribute to the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Draft reports, routine correspondence, update relevant databases and compiling statistics within the Area of Responsibility (AoR).
- Contribute to initiatives to enhance national and local protection capacities.
- Select PoC for preliminary interviews and decide which relevant information to share.
- Enforce integrity in the delivery of protection services by local implementing partners.

- 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
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
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
International Law;
Political Science;
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential: Not specified.
Desirable: Not specified.

Functional Skills
IT-Computer Literacy
PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
(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 ProfileThe Senior Protection Assistant is a member of the Policy Development Unit (PDU) in the Country Operation. The incumbent reports to the Associate Legal Officer and acts under the overall guidance of the Senior Protection Officer (Head of Unit). The incumbent supports the Unit in its work to enhance access to justice by refugees and stateless persons. The Senior Protection Assistant is expected to take an active role in the implementation, monitoring, and reporting of the Unit’s activities with legal stakeholders, including but not limited to the Union of Turkish Bar Associations and Bar Associations. The incumbent will be supporting the Unit in monitoring, reporting of legal developments, and implementation of cooperation frameworks with the stakeholders. The incumbent will support logistical arrangements for UNHCR activities with the relevant Units and external focal points, facilitating training sessions, and drafting notes. The incumbent will be conducting regular monitoring of international, regional, and national legislative and jurisprudential developments, as well as activities of legal stakeholders, and update the Unit accordingly.

The Senior Protection Assistant will be conducting regular correspondence with external counterparts, including national authorities, members of the judiciary, lawyers, partners refugees, and stateless persons in monitoring of legislative developments, organization and monitoring of activities, workshops, and meetings, and to analyze outcomes of these events. To achieve this, the incumbent is expected to build and maintain effective interfaces with beneficiaries, national and local authorities, partners, relevant units, and field offices as well as with other stakeholders as required.
The incumbent is expected to actively engage in different teams in PDU and other Units/FUs in UNHCR Türkiye to fulfill the tasks. The incumbent will not be taking supervisory responsibilities.

Very good drafting, verbal, and written communication skills in Turkish and English, as well as developed analytical skills, are required.

Experience in the legal field, especially in matters related to international/temporary protection procedures, is essential.

PLEASE DO NOT USE TURKISH CHARACTERS IN YOUR NAME & SURNAME INFORMATION.

This position is advertised in a replacement capacity to cover the maternity leave period of a regular staff member.

Temporary Appointment for 3 months with the possibility of extension subject to availability of operational need, funds, and performance.

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 clearance.

A break of minimum 31 days is required before a staff member who currently holds a Fixed-term or Indefinite Appointment may be rehired on a Temporary Appointment.

UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training or any other fees).

Only short-listed candidates will be notified. The recruitment process might include written test and/or oral interview for this job opening. No late applications will be accepted.

External candidates should be legally present in Türkiye at the time of application, recruitment and hire.

Non-Turkish citizens are required to upload their residence permits or relevant documents under the ‘Certifications’ section, by selecting the type as ‘Personnel Administration – Other’, in order to be considered for this job opening. Applications by non-Turkish citizens will NOT be considered if a valid residence permit is not attached to the application.

For further information on how to apply, please visit ‘UNHCR - Application and Selection’ page, at https://www.unhcr.org/how-to-apply.html .

Functional ClearanceThis position doesn't require a functional clearance

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

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Desired languages

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Additional Qualifications

SkillsIT-Computer Literacy, PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators, PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework

Education

CertificationsInternational Law - Other, Political Science - Other

Work Experience

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