UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Job Opening: 38609
Job Title: Senior Protection Assistant
Contract Type: UNOPS LICA-5
Duration: until 31st December 2022
Location: Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Eligible Candidates
This position is advertised to internal and external applicants.
Candidates must be legally present in Honduras at the time of application, recruitment and hire. Only candidates holding a valid work permit in Honduras will be considered eligible.
Duties and Qualifications
General Background
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has an international mandate on protection of refugees, asylum seekers, IDPs, statelessness and returnees. The Country Office in Tegucigalpa is located in the region of Francisco Morazán and requires support in the protection area to analyze the protection needs and risks of the displaced population and strategies for their protection. The Senior Protection Assistant will support the work of the unit to strengthen response capacities of governmental institutions and resilience capacities of communities, through the 3 priority strategies: 1) Enhancement of national protection systems, 2) developing comprehensive measures to improve durable solutions, and 3) strengthen strategies with partners and coordination with other humanitarian and Human Rights agencies working in the area.
Purpose and Scope of Assignment
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.
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.
– Perform other related duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience:
Complete secondary education preferably a Bachelor equivalent or higher in Political Sciences or International Law.
Years of Experience / Degree Level:
For UNOPS LICA-5 -2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher
Functional Skills:
- IT-Computer Literacy
- CL-Protection & Solutions Awareness
- PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
- PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)
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.
Position Competencies
Core Competencies
– Accountability
– Communication
– Organizational Awareness
– Teamwork & Collaboration
– Commitment to Continuous Learning
– Client & Result Orientation
Cross-Functional Competencies
– Analytical Thinking
– Planning and Organizing
– Stakeholder Management
Additional Information
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. No late applications will be accepted.
Shortlisted candidates may be required to sit for a technical assessment or written test (eliminatory or complementary) and later on, invited for an oral interview.
UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing or any other fees).
Engagement under a UNHCR affiliate scheme is subject to proof of vaccination against Covid-19.
Duration: until 31st December 2022.
Language Requirements
Fluency in Spanish and working knowledge of English.
Closing Date
The closing date for submission of applications is 27th July 2022 (midnight Geneva time).
How to apply
Instructions to apply:
- Enter through Google Chrome to the address https://www.unhcr.org/careers.html select “Vacancies/Carreras”
- Sign in to access your account. If you have not created a user, select the link “New User/New User” to create an account.
- Access to the page and you will find the vacancies by selecting “Country / Country – Honduras”
- Review the job description of your interest and select “Apply” to begin your online application.