Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)U (unclassified)
Family Type (not applicable for home-based)
Family
Staff Member / Affiliate TypeUNOPS LICA4
Target Start Date2023-11-01
Job Posting End DateOctober 15, 2023
Terms of ReferenceTitle: Protection Assistant
Project: UNHCR – Protection of Refugees in Ecuador
Duty station: Field Unit, Cuenca - Ecuador
Section/Unit: UNHCR Protection Unit
Contract/Level: Local Support, LICA 4 (USD 1.671,oo)
Duration: From 01 November to 31 December 2023
Supervisor: Ms. Veronica Machuca, Head of Field Unit, Cuenca
1. General Background
Ecuador is part of the United Nations Convention of 1951 relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, as well as major international and regional human rights instruments that recognize the right to asylum. It is also part of the United Nations Convention of 1954 relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the United Nations Convention of 1961 on the Reduction of Statelessness. The asylum procedure in Ecuador is regulated by the Organic Law of Human Mobility, effective February 6, 2017.
Ecuador is a country of transit and destination for people who need international protection. In the last two decades, Ecuador hosted more than 68,708 recognized refugees (mainly Colombian) and has become one of the leading countries of transit and destination for refugees and migrants Venezuelans. Ecuador receives the second highest number of Venezuelans after Colombia. Since 2016, more than 4.7 million Venezuelans have left their country, making it the biggest exodus in the history of Latin America. Of these, 2.2 million have entered Ecuador, of which 400,000 Venezuelans have been established in the country.
In 2019, approximately 2,100 Venezuelans per day entered Ecuador (with peaks of 6,000) until 26 August, when Ecuador began requiring visas for Venezuelans. Since 2018, the number of Venezuelan asylum seekers exceeded the number of asylum seekers from Colombia. According to monitoring protection of UNHCR, in 2019, nearly four out of ten Venezuelans did to the least part of their journey on foot, and three in ten have specific needs (pregnant women, unaccompanied or separated children, people with disabilities or catastrophic and elderly diseases).
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees works in Ecuador supporting the Ecuadorian government to protect refugees. UNHCR's operation in Ecuador began in 2000 as part of the strategy of the organization to protect and provide assistance, particularly to the victims of the Colombian conflict. The operation aims to support the Government of Ecuador to: (i) the development of mechanisms of protection, (ii) strengthening national asylum system, (iii) and identification of durable solutions for refugees.
The operation of UNHCR in Ecuador has a multiyear Protection Strategy and Solutions, which encompasses the dimensions of the legal, economic and social protection of refugees in Ecuador and which have a decisive role the approaches to gender, ethnicity, and age and other diversities.
2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment
The Protection Assistant normally reports to a more senior Protection colleague. The incumbent provides functional and administrative support to the protection unit on protection related liaison, correspondence, monitoring, case management and reporting activities.
The Protection Assistant also supports the protection unit in designing a comprehensive protection strategy and in providing quality, timely and effective protection responses to persons of concern (PoC). S/he may liaise externally with local authorities and partners on correspondence and/or protection issues as guided by the supervisor.
The Protection Assistant also facilitates the involvement of PoC 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.
Duties:
- Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.
- Observe and respect protection related Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Provide functional and administrative support in all protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Provide functional and administrative support in implementing participatory approaches, needs assessments, monitoring, reporting and case management.
- Support assessments on durable solutions through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement.
- Facilitate liaison with competent authorities for the issuance of personal and other relevant documents.
- Assist in drafting reports, routine correspondence, updating relevant databases and compiling statistics within the Area of Responsibility (AoR).
- Select PoC for preliminary interviews and decide which relevant information to share.
- Enforce integrity in the delivery of protection services by local implementing partners.
- Perform other related duties as required.
3. Monitoring and Progress Controls
- Compliance and reporting of weekly and monthly monitoring activities in various communities.
- Case management, using the PRIMES database.
- Reports on field visits and activities to strengthen protection networks.
- Preparation and compilation of information for the monthly report based on the regional Platform.
- File notes of relevant meetings, workshops and events.
- Preparation of reports.
- Periodic entry of the cases attended in the ProGres database.
4. Qualifications and Experience
a. Education
- University Degree (4 years) in Law, Social Sciences, Social Work, Psychology or any other related field.
b. Work Experience
- 1 year relevant experience with High School Diploma; or Bachelor or equivalent or higher
- Work experience in response to populations in need of international protection.
- Experience in protection or social work that involves the empowerment of women and girls, gender, the protection of children and adolescents, LGTBIQ+ community.
- Knowledge of humanitarian and community development frameworks.
- Experience working with social organizations, public sector institutions and/or international organizations will be an advantage.
- Experience with refugee populations or groups in vulnerable situations is highly desirable.
- Good understanding of displacement dynamics and protection, including child protection, education and implementation of age, gender and diversity policy.
c. Key Competencies
- Ability to work in difficult conditions and under stress
- Ability to work in an international and multicultural environment
- Ability to work with vulnerable individuals
- Willingness to work in emergency situations
- Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information in a professional manner
- Availability to mobilize at the community level and other cities.
- Client and results orientation
- Computer knowledge: Word, Excel, internet, powerpoint.
- Languages: Fluent Spanish, spoken and written. English would be a benefit.
d. Functional Skills
- IT-Computer Literacy
- CL-Protection & Solutions Awareness
- PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
- PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
5. Submission of applications
A. English Desirable.
B. The shortlisted candidates may sit a technical Test.
C. Foreign candidates, to be considered eligible for this position, must have a temporary or permanent residence in Ecuador that allows them to carry out work activities in the country.
D. If hired, the candidate must submit a current and updated RUC Unique Taxpayer Registry and a voluntary contribution certificate to the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security IESS. Voluntary IESS securities will be covered by the staff member.
E. If you wish to be considered for this vacancy, please submit your application according to the following instructions:
- CANDIDATES WITH ACCESS TO THE WORKDAY: In order to apply, you must first create your profile in the WORKDAY system.
- EXTERNAL CANDIDATES:
Candidates who do NOT have access to the WORKDAY system must submit their application through UNHCR's official site for applications: https://www.unhcr.org/careers.html
For any questions about the selection process, please contact Human Resources (ecuquhr@unhcr.org).
NOTE
UNHCR is committed to diversity and welcomes applications from qualified candidates regardless of disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, race, color 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).
If you are a person with a disability and need additional assistance during the application and/or recruitment process, please contact us by email: ecuquhr@unhcr.org
CVs WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED BY EMAIL. ONLY THOSE APPLICATIONS SENT BY THE SYSTEM WILL BE CONSIDERED
Standard Job Description Protection Assistant Organizational Setting and Work Relationships The Protection Assistant normally reports to a more senior Protection colleague. The incumbent provides functional and administrative support to the protection unit on protection related liaison, correspondence, monitoring, case management and reporting activities. The Protection Assistant also supports the protection unit in designing a comprehensive protection strategy and in providing quality, timely and effective protection responses to persons of concern (PoC). S/he may liaise externally with local authorities and partners on correspondence and/or protection issues as guided by the supervisor. The Protection Assistant also facilitates the involvement of PoC 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. - Observe and respect protection related Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). - Provide functional and administrative support in all protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners. - Provide functional and administrative support in implementing participatory approaches, needs assessments, monitoring, reporting and case management. - Support assessments on durable solutions through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement. - Facilitate liaison with competent authorities for the issuance of personal and other relevant documents. - Assist in drafting reports, routine correspondence, updating relevant databases and compiling statistics within the Area of Responsibility (AoR). - Select PoC for preliminary interviews and decide which relevant information to share. - Enforce integrity in the delivery of protection services by local implementing partners. - Perform other related duties as required. Minimum Qualifications Years of Experience / Degree Level For G4 - 1 year relevant experience with High School Diploma; or Bachelor or equivalent or higher Field(s) of Education Not applicable Certificates and/or Licenses Protection (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential) Relevant Job Experience Essential: Not specified. Desirable: Not specified. Functional Skills PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework IT-Computer Literacy (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.
Required Languages
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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
CertificationsHCR Learning Program - UNHCR, HCR Protection Induction Prog - UNHCR, HCR Protection Learning Program Statelessness - UNHCR, HCR Protection Learning Program - UNHCR, HCR Thematic Protection Learning Program - UNHCR
Work Experience
Other informationThis position doesn't require a functional clearance