Back Senior Community-Based Protection Associate

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)H (no hardship)

Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

Family

Staff Member / Affiliate TypeCONTR Local Senior Level Support

Target Start Date2023-10-02

Job Posting End DateAugust 27, 2023

Terms of ReferenceOverall purpose and scope of the assignment
In the past year Ireland has received an unprecedented increase in asylum seekers seeking international protection along with the arrival of over 90,000 beneficiaries of temporary protection following the invasion of Ukraine.
The project will consist of ensuring there is a community-based protection programme in place as part of the work of the protection team in UNHCR Ireland. The contractor’s primary role will be the continuance of regular outreach visits to accommodation centres and emergency facilities hosting refugees from Ukraine and IP applicants. They will also explore ways to engage other refugee communities and continue the CBP activities from 2022. Working under the overall supervision of the Protection Unit, and in coordination with other UNHCR staff, government, NGO partners and other stakeholders, the incumbent will work directly with communities to identify the risks they face and to leverage their capacities to protect themselves, their families and communities and link them in with national support structures where available. She/he will develop a national community-based protection strategy and workplan and support the application of community-based protection standards, operational procedures and practices. To fulfil this role, the Senior Community-Based Protection Associate will be required to spend a proportion of their time outside the office developing and maintaining constructive relationships with people within UNHCR’s mandate, including international protection applicants, refugees and beneficiaries of temporary protection.

The contractor’s duties will include the following:
 Plan, co-ordinate and deliver, both with UNHCR colleagues and partners, outreach visits to accommodation centres for international protection applicants and beneficiaries of temporary protection to deliver information sessions and speak with residents.
 Provide operational support and expertise to the Refugee Advisory Board and advise on the further development of the board.
 Through relationships with refugees, international protection applicants, communities and partners, stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment and provide advice to the protection team.
 Assist in analysis that identifies the capacities of communities and risks they face, highlighting the specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older persons, persons with disabilities and marginalised groups.
 Through consultation and participation, promote and facilitate meaningful community engagement in the development of programmes and responses.
 Support communities in establishing representation and coordination structures.
 Ensure community understanding of UNHCR's commitment to deliver on accountability and quality assurance in its response.
 Draft and type routine correspondence, documents and reports and maintain up-to-date filing systems
 Assist in working with host communities to involve national civil society groups in improving protection responses.
 Perform other related duties as required.

Required qualifications and experience
 Fluency in English, both oral and written is essential
 Minimum 4 years work experience relevant to the role with a High School diploma or two-year relevant work experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher
 Experience in stakeholder engagement or consultations
 Knowledge and experience of asylum and refugee law, practice and policy in Ireland
 Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills

Desirable
 A university degree in law, human rights, international development, social sciences or a related field
 Good understanding of displacement and protection issues
 Fluency in a second language commonly spoken by international protection applicants and refugees in Ireland
 Knowledge and experience of participatory approaches to engaging with and mobilizing communities.
 Excellent team working and communication skills
 Ability to work flexibly, independently and on own initiative
 Good drafting skills
 Previous experience working with UNHCR or another UN agency would be considered an asset.
 Driving license valid in Ireland

Standard Job Description Senior Community-Based Protection Associate Organizational Setting and Work Relationships The Senior Community-Based Protection Associate is a member of the Protection Unit and may report to the Protection Officer, Community-Based Protection Officer, or another more senior staff member in the Protection Unit. Under the overall direction of the Protection Unit, and in coordination with other UNHCR staff, government, NGO partners and other stakeholders, the Senior Community-Based Protection Associate works directly with communities of concern to identify the risks they face and to leverage their capacities to protect themselves, their families and communities. The incumbent may have direct supervisory responsibility for part of the protection and/or support staff and supports the application of community-based protection standards, operational procedures and practices in community-based protection delivery at the field level. To fulfil this role, the Senior Community-Based Protection Associate is required to spend a substantial percentage of the workday outside the office, building and maintaining networks within communities of persons of concern (PoC). The development and maintenance of constructive relationships with PoC that measurably impact and enhance protection planning, programming and results, form the core of the work of the incumbent. S/he also supports the designing of a community-based protection strategy by ensuring that it is based on consultation with PoC. 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 - Assist functional units, the Multi-Functional Team (MFT) and senior management to integrate participatory and community-based approaches in the overall protection strategy and operational procedures. - Through relationships with PoC and network of partners, stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment and provide advice to the protection team. Understand the perspectives, capacities, needs and resources of the PoC and advise the protection team accordingly, highlighting the specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older persons, persons with disabilities, marginalized groups. - Work with host communities to identify opportunities for national civil society involvement in improving the protection of PoC. - Work with implementing and operational partners as well as with displaced and local communities to develop community-owned activities to address, where applicable, the social, educational, psycho-social, cultural, health, organisational and livelihood concerns as well as child protection and prevention and response to GBV. - Perform analysis that identifies the capacities of communities of concern and risks they face. - Contribute to participatory assessments and ongoing consultation with PoC using multifunctional teams. - Plan and monitor programmes and budgets with an AGD perspective. - Build capacity to maximize opportunities for participatory and community-based approaches and to make appropriate use of guidelines and tools in working with partners and other relevant entities. - Support communities in establishing representation and coordination structures. - Ensure community understanding of UNHCR's commitment to deliver on accountability and quality assurance in its response. - Assist in developing UNHCR communication strategies by emphasizing the participatory, community-based and AGD approaches. - Act as an interpreter in exchange of routine information, contribute to related liaison activities and respond directly to routine queries. - Contribute to the enforcement of participatory AGD sensitive analysis as an essential basis for all of UNHCR's work. - Initiate AGD sensitive interventions at the appropriate level on community-based protection issues and to respond to protection concerns and incidents within the office, with external interlocutors, groups and individuals based on agreed parameters. - Identify and select which individuals or groups to prioritize for counselling and field visits based on agreed criteria. - Intervene with authorities on protection. - Enforce compliance of staff and implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services. - As instructed by the supervisor, approve individual payment requests for PoC. - Perform other related duties as required. Minimum Qualifications Years of Experience / Degree Level For G7 - 4 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher Field(s) of Education Not applicable. Certificates and/or Licenses Development, Human Rights, nternational Law Social Work, Social Science, Political Science, (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential) Relevant Job Experience Essential Not specified. Desirable UNHCR learning programmes (PLP). Knowledge of MSRP. Functional Skills *IT-Computer Literacy IT-Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures PR-Community-based Protection - Principles and methodologies CL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community PG-Stakeholder management and coordination with Implementing Partners (Gov/NGO/Corporate) TR-Capacity Building (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.

Required Languages

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Desired Languages

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Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

CertificationsCommunity Development/Social Work - Other, Development Studies - Other, Human Rights - Other, International Law - Other, Political Science - Other, Social Sciences - Other

Work Experience

Other informationOnly candidates with a valid residence permit in Ireland will be considered. The successful candidate will be offered an initial 3-month Contractor's contract with a potential one-year extension subject to satisfactory performance and donor funding.This position doesn't require a functional clearance