Inter-Agency Prot Coord Off

Inter-Agency Protection Coordination Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The Inter-Agency Protection Coordination Officer, under the supervision of the Head of Sub Office, and in coordination with other Inter-agency Coordination Officers in BO and in the field and with functional directives by the Deputy Representative (Protection), ensures that UNHCR maintains predictable and effective leadership in the Protection Sector in the South East of Turkey.

The Inter-Agency Protection Coordination Officer represents the protection sector in inter-sector coordination mechanisms in SE Turkey. The Inter-Agency Protection Coordination Officer advocates for the centrality of protection in the refugee response and spearheads the integration of cross-cutting issues into the work of the Protection Sector, especially age, gender, and diversity.

The Inter-Agency Protection Coordination Officer is expected to discharge UNHCR's lead role in the protection sector, and to represent impartially the interests of sector members, including the provision of active support, as applicable, to sub-working groups within the sector that may be coordinated by other agencies. The Inter-Agency Protection Coordination Officer leads an inter-agency team (comprised of Technical Advisors and co-chairs, of the protection sector/sub-sectors) in South East-Turkey in an environment that requires high standards of accountability and demonstrable leadership, coordination, negotiation and conflict resolution skills, and in which the principles of partnership and collaboration are essential.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

Accountability
- The protection needs of populations of concern are identified and met through timely, coordinated action by all sector members.
- The protection of populations of concern is maximized through research, advocacy and effective consultative and feedback mechanisms.
- Effective coordination mechanisms and tools, including information management, are established and maintained with sector members, government counterparts and donors, ensuring timely and effective needs assessment, planning, prioritization, implementation, reporting and evaluation.
- Strategies and activities delivered by the Protection sector enjoy political and/or financial support by government, donors and other partners through effective prioritization, advocacy and resource mobilization.

Responsibility
- Ensure that the protection response is driven by the protection sector and is an integrated part of the Regional Refugee and Resilience (3RP) common humanitarian response plan.
- Convene and facilitate meetings in line with the Principles of Partnership, ensuring that sector meetings are consultative and results-oriented.
- Ensure that refugee responses build on local capacities.
- Ensure coordination with government counterparts and other relevant authorities.
- Represent the interests of the sectorial group in discussions with stakeholders on prioritization, resource mobilization and advocacy.
- Provide strategic direction to development of common funding criteria, resource mobilisation and prioritization within the Protection sector. Coordinate planning and reporting activities for the Protection sector.
- Coordinate the integration of cross-cutting issues in the work of the Protection sector, including any work developed by sub-working groups.
- Ensure proper coordination among the protection sector Working Group and its sub-working groups in the field as well as their feedback to the Syria Task Force in Ankara.
- Ensure adherence of protection sector activities to Guidelines on Age, Gender and Diversity Mainstreaming.
- Through sector-wide consultative processes, provide input into the development of protection programmes to be implemented within the protection sector.
- Facilitate reporting and information sharing within the Protection sector and at the inter-sector level.
- Ensure that the protection sector produces regular updates on the protection concerns in the affected population, response activities, challenges and recommendations as established within the 3RP framework.
- Identify core advocacy concerns for the protection sector through a consultative process: develop joint sector initiatives to ensure regular and consistent advocacy.
- Ensure a consistent interpretation and application of international law and related UNHCR legal standards and protection policies.
- Ensure a consistent interpretation and application of national law that pertains to the protection of refugees (ex. Temporary Protection Regulation).
- Ensure the Protection sector¿s adherence to international human rights instruments, as well as other relevant international and regional instruments.

Authority
- Chair sector meetings and represent the protection sector in meetings with sectoral and external partners, authorities and other relevant interlocutors in SE Turkey.
- Issue reports and make advocacy statements on behalf of the protection sector working group.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- University degree in Law, International Law, Political Sciences or related field with good knowledge of International Refugee and Human Rights Law.
- Minimum 8 years (6 years with advanced university degree) relevant professional experience of which experience in progressively responsible protection functions and coordination.
- Excellent knowledge of English and working knowledge of another UN language.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES
- Coordination Learning Programme.
- Management Learning Programme.
- Protection Learning Programme.
- Training on Protection in Natural Disaster Situations.
- Training on child protection in emergencies and/or gender-based violence in emergencies.
- Training in humanitarian coordination.