Job Description
Senior Protection Assistant
Hardship Level: E (most hardship)
Family Type: Non-Family
Staff Member / Affiliate Type: UNOPS LICA5
Target Start Date: 2025-07-01
Deadline for Applications: June 30, 2025
Terms of Reference:
The Senior Protection Assistant is expected to:
- Have at least two years of multi-functional protection experience within UNHCR, including work in RSD, PRT counselling, research, and field protection activities.
- Demonstrate strong drafting skills, such as writing reports and minutes of meetings (MoMs).
- Be well-organized with proficiency in computer applications, particularly MS Office.
Standard Job Description
Position Title: Senior Protection Assistant
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships:
The Senior Protection Assistant reports to a more senior Protection colleague and supports monitoring of protection standards, operational procedures, and practices in line with international standards. They provide functional protection support to information management and programme staff, contribute to protection strategy design, and liaise with local authorities and partners on protection matters.
The incumbent also ensures that persons of concern (PoCs) are actively involved in decision-making affecting their rights and solutions. To do so, they maintain effective communication with communities, authorities, and assistance partners.
Duties:
- Apply international and national laws and relevant UN/UNHCR policies consistently.
- Provide counselling to PoCs on protection issues and liaise with authorities for personal documentation.
- Support AGD-based programming with operational and implementing partners.
- Conduct preliminary interviews and information gathering for eligibility, durable solutions, and social needs.
- Contribute to identifying, preventing, and reducing statelessness.
- Assist in developing national-level child protection and education strategies.
- Monitor SOPs for all protection and solutions activities.
- Manage individual protection cases, including GBV and child protection.
- Monitor and report protection incidents such as refoulement or expulsion.
- Support identification of durable solutions including voluntary repatriation, integration, or resettlement.
- Draft reports, routine correspondence, and compile statistics and data.
- Enhance national and local protection capacities through initiatives and collaboration.
- Select PoCs for interviews and determine relevant information for disclosure.
- Promote integrity in protection service delivery through oversight of implementing partners.
- Support risk identification and management; report risks or issues to supervisors.
- Perform other duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Education & Experience:
- With High School Diploma: Minimum 2 years of relevant experience
- With Bachelor’s degree: Minimum 1 year of relevant experience
Certificates:
- International Law
- Political Science
Functional Skills:
- IT-Computer Literacy
- PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards, and indicators
- PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
Language Requirements:
- Knowledge of English is required.
- Knowledge of the local language and/or another UN working language is desirable.
Additional Information:
- UNHCR promotes a safe and inclusive work environment with zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, harassment, and abuse.
- All staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.
- This position does not require a functional clearance.
- Remote work: No
- Important: No late applications will be accepted. Shortlisted candidates may be required to take a written test and/or interview. UNHCR does not charge fees at any stage of recruitment. Female applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.
Deadline: June 30, 2025
