Senior Protection Officer (Child Protection), (re-advertised), P4, HQ Amman, Jordan

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 Senior Protection Officer (Child Protection) reports to the Chief of Protection Division
and coordinates with and provides technical advice to Child Protection Officers in each of the
field locations in designing and implementing inclusive Agency-wide child protection policy
and strategies.
Responsibilities
– Coordinates the development of agency-wide child protection strategies, policies, and
associated priorities to promote sustainable results on child protection including defining
approaches for child protection situation monitoring and analysis, policy advocacy,
humanitarian responses and child protection mainstreaming, performance measurement
service packages, risk assessment and analysis, and defining protection roles and
responsibilities.
– Coordinates and technically supports the development of inclusive child protection
programmes/projects either through direct UNRWA child protection interventions or the
integration of child protection into existing programmes and projects.
– Leads the development, keeps up-to-date, researches, benchmarks, and introduces
innovation and best practices in inclusive community-based inclusive child protection
prevention and response, child participation, research with children, child safeguarding and
accessible child friendly feedback and accountability mechanisms. Institutionalizes and
disseminates best practices and knowledge and designs, organizes, and implements capacity
building initiatives to enhance the competencies of UNRWA staff, targeted community
structures, and other stakeholders.
– Leads in agency-wide discussions on inclusive child protection emergency preparedness,
programming and contingency planning to ensure proactive and appropriate responses are in
place to meet onset of emergencies for UNRWA operations.
– Supports the Agency’s engagement with the monitoring and reporting mechanism (MRM)
on grave violations against children in armed conflict.
– Collaborates with UNRWA programmes and other members of the protection division to
mainstream child protection in all UNRWA programmes, systems, and services including the
design and implementation of new initiatives and technically support current ones.
– Prepares advocacy and communication strategies and implementation plans and activities to
promote children’s rights and outreach to promote awareness and establishes
partnerships/alliances.
– Builds and strengthens strategic partnerships through networking and advocacy with host
authorities, UN Agencies, Funds, and Programmes, donors, NGOs, research institutes and
private sector to reinforce cooperation and/or pursue opportunities for child protection.
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.
– Managing Complexity and Change
– Creating and Maintaining Impact and Partnership
– Applying Technical Expertise
– Deciding and Initiating Action
– Planning and Organizing
For guidance on how to prepare for competency-based interviews: https://careers.un.
org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=AYI
Education
Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) from an accredited educational
institution in international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international
law, or other related social science field.
Job Specific Qualifications
Work Experience
A minimum of eight years of progressively responsible and relevant professional experience
in child protection, social development, social protection, human rights, disability inclusion or
related areas is required.
At least four years of relevant work experience in programme development and management
and/or technical support in child protection related areas in a UN system agency, NGO or
international organization is required.
Unless already serving as an international staff member in the UN Common System, a
candidate for an international post must have at least two 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.
Experience in an emergency or conflict context is desirable.
Previous experience in Middle East & Northern Africa or in any of UNRWA’s fields of
operation is desirable.
Languages
Excellent command of spoken and written English.
Working level 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.
Note: This post is re-advertised. Applicants who applied to JO number 175379 need not to reapply.
The Senior Protection Officer (Child Protection) will be required to reside in Amman and will
be required to travel frequently within, and occasionally outside, the Agency’s area of
operations in the Middle East.
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.
Equivalency:
A first level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying
experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
NB: Work experience alone or formal qualifications with no relevant work experience are not
considered an acceptable combination.
UNRWA welcomes applications from qualified candidates with disabilities.
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/