Hardship LevelB
Family TypeFamily
Family TypeFamily
Residential location (if applicable)
GradeNOA
Staff Member / Affiliate TypeNational Professional Officer
ReasonRegular > Regular Assignment
Target Start Date2024-01-01
Job Posting End DateDecember 17, 2023
Standard Job Description
Assistant Protection Officer
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Assistant Protection Officer reports to the Protection Officer or the Senior Protection Officer. Depending on the size and structure of the Office, the incumbent may have supervisory responsibility for protection staff including community-based protection, registration, resettlement and education. S/he provides functional protection guidance to information management and programme staff on all protection/legal matters and accountabilities. These include: statelessness (in line with the campaign to End Statelessness by 2024), Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) commitments, age, gender, diversity (AGD) and accountability to affected populations (AAP) through community-based protection, Child protection, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention and response, gender equality, disability inclusion, youth empowerment, psycho-social support and PSEA, registration, asylum/refugee status determination, resettlement, local integration, voluntary repatriation, human rights standards integration, national legislation, judicial engagement, predictable and decisive engagement in situations of internal displacement and engagement in wider mixed movement and climate change/disaster-related displacement responses. S/he supervises protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards.
The Assistant Protection Officer is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern (PoC), ensuring that operational responses in all sectors mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards. The incumbent contributes to the design of a comprehensive protection strategy and represents the Organization externally on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor. S/he also ensures that PoC are meaningfully engaged in the decisions that affect them and support programme design and adaptations that are influenced by the concerns, priorities and capacities of them. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, authorities, protection and assistance partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection.
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 legal advice and guidance on protection issues to PoC; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.
- Conduct eligibility and status determination for PoC in compliance with UNHCR procedural standards and international protection principles.
- Promote and 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.
- Provide inputs for the development of protection policies and standards within the AoR.
- Implement and 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.
- Recommend durable solutions for the largest possible number of PoC through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement.
- Assess resettlement needs and apply priorities for the resettlement of individuals and groups of refugees and other PoC.
- Contribute to the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Contribute to and facilitate a programme of results-based advocacy with sectorial and/or cluster partners.
- Contribute to and facilitate effective information management through the provision of disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems.
- Assist capacity-building initiatives for communities and individuals to assert their rights.
- Participate in initiatives to capacitate authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen national protection related legislation and procedures.
- Intervene with authorities on protection issues.
- Assist the supervisor in deciding priorities for reception, interviewing and counselling for groups or individuals.
- Assist the supervisor in enforcing compliance of staff and implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.
- Enforce compliance with, and integrity of, all protection standard operating procedures.
- 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
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P1/NOA - 1 year relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or no experience with Graduate degree; or no experience with Doctorate degree
Field(s) of Education
Law,
International Law,
Political Sciences
or other relevant field.
Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified;
Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Knowledge of International Refugee and Human Rights Law and ability to apply the relevant legal principles
Desirable
Completion of the Protection Learning Programme, RSD- Resettlement Learning Programme.
Functional Skills
*PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
*PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD)
MG-Project Management
PR-Human Rights Doctrine/Standards
PR-International Humanitarian Law
PR-Assessment of IDPs Status, Rights, Obligation
PR-Climate change and disaster related displacement
CO-Drafting and Documentation
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 Experience working to advance protection outcomes in mixed migration movements, anti-trafficking services, detention/refoulement monitoring and statelessness is required. S/he should also have a track record of effective collaboration with government partners. Experience coordinating quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of displaced populations with numerous stakeholders is required. The desired candidate will be forward-thinker and solutions-oriented with strong intra-personal communication skills. Strong drafting skills are essential.
Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):
,
,
Desired languages
,
,
Operational context
To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link:
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel
Nature of Position:
As of 30 Sept 2023, Ethiopia is hosting nearly 1 million refugees from neighboring countries. UNHCR in Ethiopia continues to respond to new emergency refugee influxes, currently from Lacsanood, Somalia, Sudan, and South Sudan. In addition, since 2020, Ethiopians faced multiple displacement emergencies due to conflict and a drought which resulted in millions of people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. Protection remains central to all interventions in support of all displaced communities, yet the protection risks change rapidly, requiring constant monitoring and adaptability.
This position is part of the country based protection team in Addis Ababa. Together, they ensure functional protection oversight of the operation's emergency responses and drive toward results in key outcome areas under UNHCR's multi-year protection and solutions strategy (2022-2025). Priority areas for next year include a) enhancing access to asylum, including the strengthening and gradual handover of registration, documentation, and RSD activities to the government agency mandated to undertake them; b) supporting the protection of displaced communities including in their self-protection strategies to increase outcomes and minimize risks; and c) increasing solutions through resettlements, complementary pathways and returns in safety and with dignity.
Under the supervision of the Assistant Representative for Protection, the Assistant Protection Officer will serve as the engine driving refugee protection coordination and reporting processes while representing UNHCR in the Ethiopia National Partnership Coalition for Migration, and other relevant fora. S/he will also serve as the primary focal point for advocacy for key issues including prevention of refoulement, detention, onward movement, statelessness, and human rights reporting. S/he liaises and coordinates with government authorities to advance protection and solutions to forcibly displaced populations. The incumbent is also expected to manage and track individual protection cases referred from other countries, HQ and RB to the Ethiopia operation for follow-up.
Addis Ababa is a family duty station; the medical facilities are moderately available with the main services being offered at the UN-operated clinic which is available to all staff members and their dependents. Transportation outside the country is readily available as major airlines operate from Addis Ababa with direct flights to over 111 destinations. There are schools to accommodate international students. Hotels are of international standards with recreational facilities available within the city. Addis Ababa has good working and living conditions. It is a category B duty station in UN security Level 1 with a relatively calm environment with minimal reported crimes within the city. However, a sense of vigilance and alertness is required especially in view of the current situation in the country. Applicants are requested to adhere to security advisory before traveling to the country.
Additional Qualifications
SkillsCO-Drafting and Documentation, MG-Project Management, PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD), PR-Assessment of IDPs Status, Rights, Obligation, PR-Climate change and disaster related displacement, PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) Coordination, PR-Human Rights Doctrine/Standards, PR-International Humanitarian Law, PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
EducationBachelor of Arts (BA): International Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Political Science
Certifications
Work Experience
CompetenciesAccountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Judgement & decision making, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration
UNHCR Salary Calculator
https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales
Additional InformationAn elementary or complementary written test may be conducted which will be followed by a CBI oral interview.
Female candidates are encouraged to apply. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Functional clearanceThis position doesn't require a functional clearance