Hardship LevelH (no hardship)
Family TypeFamily
Family TypeFamily
Residential location (if applicable)
GradeGS5
Staff Member / Affiliate TypeGeneral Service
ReasonRegular > Regular Assignment
Target Start Date2023-05-13
Job Posting End DateMay 23, 2023
Standard Job DescriptionSenior Protection Assistant Organizational Setting and Work Relationships 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. The Senior Protection Assistant also ensures that PoC are involved in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying appropriate solutions to their problems. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, local authorities and protection and assistance partners. 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 - 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 Years of Experience / Degree Level G5 - 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher Field(s) of Education Not applicable Certificates and/or Licenses International Law; Political Science; (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential) Relevant Job Experience Essential: Not specified. Desirable: Not specified. Functional Skills IT-Computer Literacy PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework (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 The incumbent should have very good understanding and demonstrated competencies in protection field delivery. The incumbent should have good knowledge of the local context and protection environment in the Greek islands. Experience in working with (UN)HCR or any humanitarian NGO is highly desirable. Knowledge of Greek and English languages at minimum C1 level is mandatory. Excellent written and verbal communications skills are required for this position.
Strong organizational skills, demonstrated flexibility and proactive approach and accountability and ability to meet deadlines are added advantage. Stakeholder management and coordination with Implementing Partners are highly desirable.
Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level): Greek
,English
Desired languages
,
Operational context
Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:
To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link:
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel
Nature of Position:
The area of responsibility of Field Office Kos covers all Dodecanese islands, with main activities taking place on Kos and Leros, where two Closed Controlled Access Centres, a Pre-Removal Detention Centre and two Asylum Offices operate. The Senior Protection Assistant reports to the Protection Associate.
In collaboration with the rest of the Protection team, s/he works towards strengthening protection and assistance delivery to people forced to flee and creating a better protection environment to ensure that people can effectively access rights and services available, in line with international principles and protection standards.
UNHCR has multiple interventions in protection, solutions, monitoring and advocacy on the island, thus the incumbent should be ready to undertake tasks in a number of areas, such as community-based protection, communication with communities, gender-based violence, child protection, education, among others. S/He works closely with authorities at the local level supporting capacity building activities, and will foster peaceful co-existence of refugees with the local community and work towards self-reliance and integration for beneficiaries of international protection. S/He will participate in activities for effective monitoring of the protection environment in the area of responsibility of FO Kos, in particular as concerns safe access to the territory, prevention of refoulement, and first-line reception procedures/conditions and/or detention practices.
Kos is designated as the main UNHCR office in the Dodecanese region, thus frequent travel to other islands within the area will be required, often at short notice. Daily transportation to the CCACs is foreseen, therefore, holding an EU driving licence would be considered an asset.
Living and Working Conditions:
Greece has been one of the main entry points of refugees wishing to reach the EU. UNHCR has supported - and will continue doing so - the Government, which leads the refugee response working closely with the EU, state and municipal actors, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, refugees, local communities. While Greece is still considered a transit country, it has also become a country of asylum. UNHCR estimates that some 70,000-80,000 refugees, including those with subsidiary and temporary protection status, are currently living in Greece, in addition to some 30,000 asylum-seekers. While most refugees and asylum-seekers are in the mainland, living in and outside camps, there are currently over 4,500 in the islands. The large majority of the latter live in camps. UNHCR Greece is focused on a protection-driven approach around two pillars: 1.access to international protection and 2.durable solutions with a focus on integration. UNHCR uses a mix of operational engagement, CB protection efforts, expert advice provision to the Government, monitoring and improved data collection, targeted interventions and advocacy, aiming to support Greece in fulfilling its obligations to provide protection and solutions to persons in need of international protection. Child protection, prevention of sexual and gender-based violence and sexual exploitation and abuse, and institutional capacity strengthening in these areas will continue to be priority, in line with the Office’s age, gender and diversity mainstreaming approach. In doing so, UNHCR seeks to build on the strengths and capacities of refugees, working together and in consultation with them.
Additional Qualifications
Skills
Education
CertificationsInternational Law - Other, Political Science - Other
Work ExperienceWorking with Persons of Concern: Asylum Seekers, Working with Persons of Concern: Refugees
CompetenciesAccountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration
UNHCR Salary Calculator
https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales
Additional InformationShortlisted candidates might be required to sit for a written test and will have to undergo an oral interview.
Recruitment as a UNHCR staff member is subject to proof of vaccination against Covid-19.
Functional clearanceThis position doesn't require a functional clearance