Protection Officer

Only candidates who are not nationals of the country of assignment are eligible to apply to this position

Hardship Level

E (most hardship)

Family Type

Non Family with Residential LocationDanger Pay

Residential location (if applicable)

Nairobi (CO), Kenya

Grade

PR3

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

Professional

• Staff members will not normally serve in International Professional positions in the country of their nationality. In addition, in case of a first appointment upon recruitment, the assignment must be outside the staff member’s country of nationality.

In practical terms this means that you are not eligible to apply for International Professional vacancies advertised in the country where you are national of.

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

Remote work accepted

No

Target Start Date

2024-04-01

Job Posting End Date

December 21, 2023

Standard Job Description

Protection Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

In the Bureaux, the Protection Officer works under the direct supervision of the Senior Protection Coordinator or Senior Protection Officer. In the Field, the incumbent normally reports to the Representative, Deputy or Assistant Representative (Protection), Head of Sub Office or Senior Protection Officer as appropriate. The incumbent may have direct supervisory responsibility for protection staff whose work may include RSD, community-based protection, registration, resettlement, complementary pathways, internal displacement and education, among other areas. In HQ, the incumbent may report to a Senior Protection Officer, Chief of Section or Deputy Director and may supervise other protection staff.

The incumbent acts as an advisor to senior management in, when not responsible for, designing a comprehensive protection strategy under the area of responsibility (AoR). S/he represents the Organization to authorities, UN sister agencies, partners and other stakeholders on protection policy and doctrine.

The Protection Officer coordinates quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern under the AoR. S/he ensures that persons of concern of all age, gender and diversity groups are involved with the Office in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying and implementing appropriate solutions to their problems. To undertake this role effectively, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with other relevant teams within the operation or the Bureau (including programme; PI and external relations; IM) and with DIP, communities of concern, authorities, protection and assistance partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection and achieving solutions.

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

• Provide technical guidance and support to UNHCR and partners on all protection related issues.
• Stay abreast of and report as relevant on legal political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment.
• Engage relevant national authorities and structures in identifying and expanding opportunities in view of developing or strengthening national asylum/RSD systems.
• Facilitate a consultative process with government counterparts, partners and persons of concern to develop and implement a comprehensive protection and solutions strategy addressing the specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older persons, persons with disabilities, persons of diverse sexual orientation and/or gender identities (LGBTI persons), persons living with HIV/AIDS; gender equality and Gender Based Violence (GBV) priorities with regard to these persons.
• In operations applying the Cluster Approach, seek to ensure the response of the Protection Cluster is grounded in a strategy which covers all assessed and prioritized protection needs of the affected populations.
• Support senior management to ensure the protection strategy is fully integrated into the Country Operations Plan, the UN Development and Assistance Framework (UNDAF), the Humanitarian Country Team’s common humanitarian response plan where applicable, as well as with the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees and the Three Year Strategy on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways.
• Promote relevant International, Regional and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct and ensure that all sectors and /or in clusters in applicable operations fulfil their responsibilities in mainstreaming protection.
• Promote the implementation of the AGD policy, including UNHCR’s updated commitments to women and girls, and, design, deliver I and monitor programmes on an AGD basis to address identified protection needs.
• Develop, implement and monitor community-based protection strategies and ensure systematic application and integration of participatory and community-based approaches in protection and solutions planning, programming and strategies.
• Support the establishment of feedback and response systems and the incorporation of feedback received from persons of concern into programme design and adaptation.
• Support the operation to develop and implement robust prevention, identification, and responses to fraud within protection processes and procedures, including registration, RSD, resettlement and complementary pathways, ensuring the integrity of interventions across all protection activities.
• Assist UNHCR management at country level to comply with polices and commitment on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse measures.
• Oversee and manage individual protection cases including those on GBV and child protection.
• Provide legal advice and guidance on protection issues to internal and external interlocutors; ensure legal assistance is accessible to persons of concern; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documents to persons of concern (including women and others in need of civil documentation, in particular birth certificates).
• As designated Data Protection Focal Point, assist the data controller in carrying out his or her responsibilities regarding the Data Protection Policy (7.2 DPP).
• Oversee and undertake eligibility and status determination within the AoR ensuring compliance with UNHCR procedural standards and international protection principles.
• Promote and implement effective strategies and measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness within the AoR.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of an education plan as part of protection strategy within the AoR as relevant.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of a child protection plan as part of the protection strategy within the AoR ensuring programmes use a child protection systems approach.
• Monitor, and intervene in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents through working relations with governments and other partners.
• Work to safeguard the rights of persons of concern in the context of mixed movements as relevant.
• Coordinate the preparation of, implement and oversee Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.
• Ensure that durable solutions through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement and complementary pathways are sought and provided to the largest possible number of persons of concern, including undertaking and/or overseeing resettlement and complementary pathways activities.
• Contribute to the coordination of the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related programming with implementing and operational partners.
• Contribute to and facilitate a programme of results-based advocacy through a consultative process with sectorial and/or cluster partners.
• Ensure that the Protection Sector or Cluster has an effective information management component which: provides disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems; researches, collects and disseminates relevant protection information and good practices to enhance protection delivery.
• Build the protection capacity of national and local government, partners and civil society to assume their responsibilities vis-à-vis all persons of concern through protection training, mainstreaming and related activities.
• Coordinate capacity-building initiatives for communities and individuals to assert their rights.
• Advise and capacitate national authorities, relevant institutions and civil society to strengthen legislation and status determination procedures and mechanisms.
• 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.

For positions in Bureaux

• Support the Regional Bureau and Country Operations to reflect the protection and solution angle in support of persons of concern within regional processes.
• Support Country Operations in the development of strategies to build and further develop national asylum/RSD systems with a view to ensuring their fairness, efficiency, adaptability and integrity, favourable protection environment and solutions.
• Assist UNHCR management at regional and country level to comply with polices and commitment on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse measures.
• Support Country Operations and ensure they meet their complementary pathways objectives and resettlement quotas.
• In close collaboration with DIP, (a) contribute to the development of background and general normative, policy, and legal positions, in compliance with UNHCR’s global protection policies and standards; (b) contribute to the development of strategies at the regional and country level on the usage of law and policy approaches, including legislative and judicial engagement and UN human rights mechanisms – and/or regional ones – and other protection frameworks, and integrated human rights standards in protection strategies and advocacy; and (c) support coordination and review of UNHCR’s country reports to the UN human rights mechanisms.
• Engage in relevant international and regional fora and contribute to forging regional partnerships to advocate for key protection and mandate issues, and engage in cross-cutting protection-related matters, including mixed movement, internal displacement and climate change/disaster-related displacement responses, as well as Statelessness, in cooperation with DIP and where relevant RSD.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level

For P3/NOC – 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education

Law; International Law; International Refugee Law;

International Human Rights Law; International Humanitarian Law;

Refugee and Forced Migration Studies; Political Sciences

or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses

Protection Learning Programme

RSD- Resettlement Learning Programme

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

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

Minimum 4 years of relevant professional experience in the area of refugee protection, internal displacement, human rights or international humanitarian law, including experience in working directly with Field Offices. Good knowledge of International Refugee and Human Rights Law and ability to apply the relevant legal principles. Excellent legal research, analytical skills and drafting.

Desirable

Diverse field experience. Good IT skills including database management skills.

Functional Skills

• PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
• PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD)

PR-Human Rights Doctrine/Standards

PR-International Humanitarian Law

PR-Comprehensive Solutions Framework

LE-Judicial Engagement

PR-Assessment of IDPs Status, Rights, Obligation

PR-Climate change and disaster related displacement

PR-Accountability to Affected People – Principles and Framework

PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) Coordination

(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

• Candidate should have experience in both emergency and protracted displacement situations.
• Extensive experience working in complex Inter-Agency context of IDP operations is desirable.
• Candidate should have demonstrated experience and expertise in IDP legal frameworks and UN/HCR policies as well as IASC policy.
• Intensive experience in developing solutions strategies and interventions for internally displaced is desirable.

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

,

,

Desired languages

,

,

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations

Since the start of the fighting in Sudan on 15 April 2023, the influx of people fleeing to South Sudan has increased significantly. As of October 2023, over 350,000 people, the majority South Sudanese returnees, have arrived in South Sudan. Most people have endured long, arduous journeys, are traumatized by the lived experience of violence against civilians, and many arrivals – particularly women and girls – have experienced various forms of gender-based violence (GBV). People are arriving in South Sudan in extremely bad health, nutrition and physical conditions, almost all have been detected to experience food insecurity at various degrees and the inability to meet basic needs. The UN and partners mobilized immediately to support the authorities of South Sudan in assisting people in hard-to-reach areas with very limited infrastructure, particularly in the most remote border areas, and in those locations where host communities are already extremely vulnerable. The authorities identified main border entry points along the Sudan-South Sudan border as areas expected to receive large number of cross-border movements. In these locations, UNHCR is supporting the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) in collecting data at 27 points of entry, setting up transit facilities and supporting voluntary movement of individuals to various areas, including areas of origin.

In South Sudan, the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management is tasked to assist returning South Sudanese citizens and coordinate the response for internally displaced populations. On the other hand, the Commission for Refugee Affairs (CRA) is responsible for the overall management and coordination of refugee and asylum matters and takes the lead in preparedness and regulating the refugee reception mechanisms with the support of UNHCR.

Prior to the conflict, Sudan hosted some 1.1 million refugees and asylum-seekers, of which 800,000 were registered South Sudanese nationals. Many more South Sudanese live in Sudan and have not sought international protection. Since 2018, an estimated 174,000 South Sudanese had spontaneously and independently returned from Sudan.

Nature of Position

The Protection Officer will be leading the IDP unit and will report directly to the Senior Protection Officer.

Living and Working Conditions

South Sudan is classified as an E non-family High Risk duty station with a 6-week R&R cycle and is prone to malaria. Movement to and from locations require official vehicle transport; use of taxi is not allowed. There are very limited medical facilities in South Sudan, with facilities concentrated in Juba.

All international personnel reside in UNHCR provided accommodation equipped with furniture, cafeteria, housekeeping services and a gym or some sports equipment. In Juba, all basic foods are available in the market ranging from meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables. There are a few hotels with pools and restaurants where staff can visit. While in the field, food supply varies depending on the season. Taking photos is strongly discouraged in all locations, as may result in arrest by local security forces. Extreme caution is required while driving a UN vehicle due to bad local driving culture, lots of motorbikes and three-wheelers (boda-boda) and periodic attempts by local police to extort money from the driver for whatever violation claimed.

There are several airlines flying from most destinations to Juba via Dubai, Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Istanbul, Khartoum, Cairo or Entebbe. Travel to field offices in South Sudan are handled by UN humanitarian flights.

Staff can open USD bank accounts in South Sudan and only high US Dollar bills i.e. US$50 and US$100 are accepted for foreign currency exchange transactions. South Sudan bank notes exist in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 South Sudanese Pounds. Foreign exchange transactions can be done at any commercial bank in a safe and secure location. There are very few ATMs and credit card facilities in South Sudan to draw USD (max $500 per 24 hours).

Skills

Additional Qualifications

Education

Bachelor of Arts (BA): International Humanitarian Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): International Human Rights Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): International Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): International Refugee Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Political Science, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Refugee and Forced Migration Studies

Certifications

HCR Protection Learning Program – UNHCR, HCR Resettlement Learning Program – UNHCR

Work Experience

Competencies

Accountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Managing performance, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Political awareness, Teamwork & collaboration

UNHCR Salary Calculator

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

Compendium

Add. 2 to Bi-annual Compendium 2023 – Part B

Additional Information

Functional clearance

This position doesn’t require a functional clearance