UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
Org. Setting and Reporting
UNRWA, the largest United Nations operation in the Middle East with over 30,000 staff working across five areas of operation, is looking for highly committed personnel wishing to make a change.
If you are looking for a rewarding opportunity to make a tangible difference for one of the most vulnerable communities in the world, UNRWA would like to hear from you.
The Director of UNRWA Affairs is overall responsible and accountable for the implementation of humanitarian principles as well as the UNRWA protection mandate at the field level.
The Deputy Director of UNRWA Affairs (Programme) plays an important role to ensure that protection is mainstreamed through UNRWA programmes and services. The Protection and Neutrality Team Leader reports to the Deputy Director of UNRWA Affairs (Programmes).
The position receives technical advice and strategic direction from the Chief, Protection Division and the Senior Humanitarian Principles Coordinator at Headquarters.
Responsibilities
– Oversees the leadership and management of the Protection Unit/Department through the daily supervision of relevant staff and the development and implementation of annual workplans and operational plans in order to complete agreed-upon tasks with adequate resource mobilization, administration and logistical matters; provides mentoring of other staff at the field office level on technical issues related to protection and neutrality as needed. – Leads the development and implementation of the protection strategy – both prevention and response – and operational measures to address protection issues at the field level in particular by providing technical guidance in support of programmes and other interlocutors in accordance with the Agency’s protection policy, framework and priorities to make sure that protection principles and standards are mainstreamed through UNRWA services through the programme cycle and the protection needs of Palestine refugees are addressed. – Acts as the technical focal point on all matters relating to neutrality in the field office in line with Agency policies and frameworks ensuring that the concept is widely understood within the office and that related training and SOPs remain relevant; plays a key role in identifying potential neutrality concerns before they become a concern by, amongst other things, ensuring regular comprehensive installation inspections by senior programme area staff and overseeing spot-check visits for the most serious neutrality violations. – Provides coordination on all protection matters including the facilitation of protection coordination mechanisms and relevant working groups at the field and area level, and representing UNRWA in external Protection Clusters and other relevant coordination fora and with external protection partners including UNHCR, OHCHR, UNICEF and NGOs. – Provides technical guidance – in particular to programmes – on neutrality and protection matters including general protection, gender, gender-based violence, child protection and disability in accordance with Agency policies, frameworks, strategies and guidelines and ensures their implementation at the field level. This includes the translation of these approaches through in particular supporting programmes in the development of practical field-based guidelines, manuals, user-friendly tools, procedures, etc. for staff to apply in their day-to-day work as well as capacity building, quality assurance and monitoring and assessment of results and outcomes on protection. These field based approaches shall build upon – and not replace – those already developed by programmes and ensure consistency between fields. – Leads the monitoring, documentation and reporting – as required – on external protection incidents, patterns and trends and provides analysis with the production of reports and other products so appropriate responses are implemented either through referral internally to UNRWA services or through advocacy (oversees data collection and other information management systems in this regard). – Conducts advocacy based upon neutrality and protection analyses and messages with a range of different interlocutors including private advocacy meetings, field briefings and public advocacy and communication activities.
Competencies UN Core Values of Integrity, Professionalism and Respect for Diversity, and Core Competencies of Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results apply by default.
Default managerial competencies may apply. – Leading and Supervising – Applying Technical Expertise – Persuading and Influencing – Planning and Organizing – Excellent analysis skills – Negotiations skills
For guidance on how to prepare for competency-based interviews: https://careers.un. org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=AYI Education Advanced university degree from an accredited educational institution in law, political or social sciences, or related field.
Job Specific Qualifications
Work Experience A minimum of eight years of progressively responsible and relevant professional experience including the supervision and management of protection interventions and projects as part of humanitarian operations at the field level is required.
Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of humanitarian protection and neutrality policies and approaches is required. Unless already serving as an international staff member in the UN Common System, a candidate for an international posts must have a minimum of 2 continuous years of relevant international experience outside UNRWA, and outside the country(s) of which the candidate is a national or holds citizenship, a passport or a national identity number is required. Languages Excellent command of written and spoken English. Working knowledge of Arabic is desirable.
Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
Type of Contract and duration: 2 years, with the possibility of further extension. Gaza is a non-family duty station. The Protection and Neutrality Team Leader will be required to reside in Gaza and to travel within UNRWA area of operations in the Middle East (Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and West Bank). Applicants have to complete the Personal History Profile (PHP) in inspira in order to be considered. The PHP should be completed with full relevant work experience as per the requirements in the Job Opening, in order to be considered.
A roster may be created from the selection exercise, and successful candidates may become eligible for an appointment to the same post or a similar post.
UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states, regional bodies, business foundations and individual contributions. The mission of UNRWA is to help Palestine refugees achieve their full potential in human development under the difficult circumstances in which they live.
For more details on UNRWA, please visit: https://www.unrwa.org/
How to apply
To start the application process, applicants are required to register at https://careers.un.org/lbw/Home.aspx go to Department and choose UNRWA for UNRWA posts. Only applications received through https://careers.un.org/lbw/Home.aspx will be considered. Due to the large number of applications received, only short-listed applicants will be contacted via e-mail only.
Link to TJO is: https://careers.un.org/lbw/jobdetail.aspx?id=187062&Lang=en-US