Protection Associate

D

Family Type

Non Family with Residential Location

Family Type

Non Family with Residential LocationDanger Pay

Residential location (if applicable)

Bangkok, Thailand

Grade

GS6

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

Remote work accepted

No

Target Start Date

2024-01-01

Job Posting End Date

December 20, 2023

Standard Job Description

Protection Associate

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Protection Associate normally reports to the Protection Officer or the Senior Protection Officer. 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 Protection Associate is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern (PoC) and identify opportunities to mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards in operational responses in all sectors. S/he contributes to designing a comprehensive protection strategy and liaises externally with authorities and partners on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor.

The Protection Associate 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

• Stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment.
• Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.
• Assist in providing comments on existing and draft legislation related to PoC.
• Provide advice on protection issues to PoC; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.
• Assist in conducting eligibility and status determination for PoC.
• 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 as part of the protection strategy.
• Monitor Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.
• Manage individual protection cases including those on GBV and child protection. Monitor, and intervene in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents.
• Assist in identifying durable solutions for the largest possible number of PoC through 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.
• Facilitate effective information management through the provision of disaggregated data on PoC and their problems.
• Participate in initiatives to capacitate authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen national protection related legislation and procedures.
• Assist the supervisor in prioritizing PoC for interview, counselling and propose protection support for individual cases.
• Assist the supervisor with enforcing compliance of local implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.
• Assit the supervisor with enforcing compliance with, and integrity of, all protection standard operating procedures.
• Submit individual payments request for PoC for approval.
• 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

For G6 – 3 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

or other related field

(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

Not specified

Desirable

Protection Learning Programme

Functional Skills

IT-Computer Literacy

PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework

PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators

(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

Under the cluster approach, UNHCR is the Protection Cluster Lead Agency in Myanmar and performs a dedicated coordination, strategy development and advocacy function through the Cluster Coordination Officer (Protection). The Protection Associate reports directly to a Cluster Coordination Officer (Protection). The UNHCR Representative has final accountability for the performance of UNHCR as Cluster Lead Agency.

The Protection Associate supports UNHCR to work within the framework of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) and the Cluster Approach. The position reinforces UNHCR Protection Cluster Lead Agency functions by providing support to the role of Cluster Coordinator in ensuring UNHCR’s leadership within a diverse protection community. The Protection Associate is expected to support the work of the Protection Cluster through the provision of support in analysis, organization, training and reporting. This includes the provision of active support, as applicable, to sub-clusters or working groups of the Cluster which may be coordinated by other Agencies. As a result, the incumbent supports an inter-agency team in an environment that requires high standards of accountability, facilitation, negotiation and conflict resolution skills, in which respect the principles of partnership and collaboration are essential.

The Protection Associate supports the Protection Cluster Coordinator in Inter-Cluster Coordination mechanisms, for advocacy and facilitation of protection mainstreaming and cross-cutting issues of age, gender and diversity in the humanitarian response and early recovery activities.

The Assistant Protection Cluster Coordination Officer works closely with multi-functional Protection Cluster Support staff in the areas of data and information management, needs assessment, profiling, registration, reporting and advocacy. Under the direct supervision of the Cluster Coordination Officer (Protection), the incumbent will perform the following duties:

• Support the Protection Cluster to ensure that protection informs and shapes the overall humanitarian response and that the protection response is integrated into the Humanitarian Country Team’s common humanitarian action plan.
• Support the coordination and conduct of Protection Cluster or Inter-Cluster level protection needs assessments, including participatory assessments of affected populations.
• Provide inputs to development of common funding criteria, resource mobilisation and

prioritization within the Protection Cluster for inclusion in Consolidated Appeals and pooled funds processes.

• Have experience of and be able to assist in the delivery of protection training activities for Protection Cluster members, other local partners.
• Support reporting and information sharing within the Protection Cluster and at the inter-cluster level.
• Contribute to Protection Cluster’s regular updates and briefing notes on the protection concerns in the affected population, response activities, challenges and recommendations.
• Draft reports and prepare advocacy statements on behalf of the Protection Cluster – for clearance by Senior management.
• Facilitate cluster meetings, work and cooperate with focal points sub-groups/working groups and ad hoc/task-related bodies for specific issues.
• Work on the Protection Monitoring Incident tool of the cluster, work on enhancing the tool and be the focal point for the tool amongst the cluster members.

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

,

,

Desired languages

,

,

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

Nature of Position:

Living and Working Conditions:

Skills

Additional Qualifications

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

Education

Certifications

International Law – Other, Political Science – Other

Work Experience

Competencies

Accountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Judgement & decision making, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration

UNHCR Salary Calculator

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

Compendium

Additional Information

Functional clearance

This position doesn’t require a functional clearance