Assistant Protection Officer at United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

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 countrylevel child protection plan as part of the protection strategy.
•  Contribute to a countrylevel 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 resultsbased 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 capacitybuilding 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,

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

• *PRProtectionrelated guidelines, standards and indicators
• *PRAge, Gender and Diversity (AGD)
• MGProject Management
• PRHuman Rights Doctrine/Standards
• PRInternational Humanitarian Law
• PRAssessment of IDPs Status, Rights, Obligation
• PRClimate change and disaster related displacement
• CODrafting and Documentation
• PRGender 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 

Work Experience

It is essential that the incumbent has minimum 4 years of relevant professional experience in the area of refugee protection, internal displacement, human rights or international humanitarian law, including experience in working directly with Field Offices and has good knowledge of International Refugee and Human Rights Law and ability to apply the relevant legal principles. 

The following job experience would be desirable: 

• Completion of the Protection Learning Programme, RSD Resettlement Learning Programme, certification of international protection and mixed movement/ migration related trainings.
• Solid knowledge on Protection issues including mixed movement and ability to coordinate and manage mixed movement related programming in country operations. 
• Sound and demonstrated knowledge and experience in interagency coordination.
• Excellent drafting skills and analytic skills. 
• Excellent legal research.
• Knowledge of the regional dynamics and protection environment.
• Ability to work with other pillars/ unit at regional and country levels. 
• Ability to work with diverse team and within cultural sensitivity environments.