Senior Protection Officer (International Protection)

Vacancy Announcement

Senior Protection Officer (International Protection), P-4

Amman, Jordan

Deadline for Applications

14 August 2018

(31 July 2018 for internal applicants)

Duration

1 year, renewable

Vacancy Announcement Number

18-HQ-AM-36

UNRWA is committed to achieving gender parity at all levels of staffing under the current UN-wide gender agenda and strongly encourages applications from qualified women.

UNRWA welcomes applications from qualified candidates with disabilities.

Protection for every Palestine refugee

Over 5 million registered Palestine refugees are covered under UNRWA’s protection mandate: to provide protection activities that aim to respond to the protection needs of Palestine refugees amidst increasing conflict and displacement in the region. For a wide range of reasons, Palestine refugees do not enjoy basic human rights, and the vulnerability of women and children to violence and abuse is also increasing.

In recent years, UNRWA has significantly strengthened its capacity to provide protection to Palestine refugees through various initiatives. We apply a holistic approach to protection: an ‘internal’ dimension, focusing on realizing the rights of Palestine refugees in and through the Agency’s service delivery programmes, and an ‘external’ dimension involving engagement with relevant duty bearers to ensure respect for Palestine refugee rights.

Do you want to make a lasting difference? 

If you are passionate about ensuring protection for Palestine refugees, this role will give you the opportunity to lead and coordinate the development and implementation of an international protection strategy (monitoring, reporting and advocacy) for the Agency, including different ‘modes of action’ and approaches, in conjunction with other relevant HQ departments, representative offices and protection staff in all the Fields of operation: Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

The main responsibilities include:

•   Providing technical support to field office protection staff on the documentation of protection incidents of alleged violations of international law and developing guidance and capacity-building activities to support this; advising and participating in demarches with relevant authorities to address documented concerns;

•   Coordinating, developing and implementing advocacy and mobilization activities on protection issues affecting Palestine refugees across the Agency with external stakeholders including Member States, regional organizations (European Union, League of Arab States, etc.), UN agencies, etc.;

•   Supporting the Agency’s engagement - led by the Department of Legal Affairs (DLA) - with the International Human Rights System (IHRS) mechanisms;

•   Developing tools for conducting regular protection risk assessment and profiles for UNRWA field operations and ensuring that this is an integral part of programmes, operations and advocacy;

•   Providing input from a protection perspective into communications and public information campaigns, events and materials (press statement, briefing documents, etc.)

•   Establishing partnerships with external protection actors (UN agencies, NGOs, etc.) on international protection and representing UNRWA in the Protection Cluster and other coordination fora at the Palestine or regional level as required.

Conditions of service 

UNRWA offers an attractive compensation package including annual salary starting at $71,332 net tax free with post adjustment of 46.1% (subject to change without notice). All UNRWA duty stations (with the exception of Gaza and Syria) are family duty stations. Other benefits, subject to eligibility, include:

•  Dependency allowances

•  Rental subsidy

•  Education grant for children

•  Home leave travel

•  6 weeks (30 working days) annual leave

•  Pension fund entitlements under the

    UN Joint Staff Pension Fund

•  International health insurance; optional

    life insurance

•  Disability protection

Additional information

The incumbent will be required to travel frequently within, and occasionally outside, the Agency’s area of operations in the Middle East.

To qualify for this position, you will need:

Education

Advanced university degree from an accredited institution in international law, social or political science, international relations or other relevant field; a first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree;

Work

experience

A minimum of eight years of relevant professional experience including positions of operational responsibility in human rights and protection at the field level, including at least two years of relevant experience at international level outside your home country;

Language(s)

Excellent command of spoken and written English.

Desirable qualifications:

•   Familiarity with relevant organizations of the UN system (e.g. OHCHR, UNHCR, UNICEF and OCHA);

•   Familiarity with the work of non-UN organizations working in protection-related fields;

•   Understanding of international human rights, humanitarian and refugee law;

•   Knowledge and understanding of the  Palestine refugee situation and the political context of the Middle East;

•   Working knowledge of Arabic.

You will also need to demonstrate the following competencies:

•   Leadership of complex strategy processes Agency-wide to develop and take forward protection activities and demonstrate results;

•   In-depth knowledge of best practice approaches to protection, human rights and advocacy in both theory (policies) and operational delivery;

•   Planning and organization of international protection and advocacy activities and interventions;

•   Excellent communication skills (both written and oral) and demonstrated ability to handle sensitive situations diplomatically.

For guidance on how to prepare for competency-based interviews:

      https://careers.un.org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=AYI

How to apply

To start the application process, applicants are required to register at http://jobs.unrwa.org by creating a personal profile and completing UNRWA Personal History Form. Only applications received through http://jobs.unrwa.org will be considered. Due to the large number of applications received for UNRWA vacancies, only applicants short-listed for interview will be contacted. The United Nations does not charge fees at any stage of the recruitment process. The United Nations does not concern itself with information related to bank accounts.

General information

UNRWA staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity, neutrality and impartiality at all times. This includes respect for and commitment to human rights, diversity, and non-violent means of dealing with all kinds of conflict. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for UNRWA jobs. UNRWA is a non-smoking work environment.

The retirement age for staff entering or re-entering service in the UN Common System after 1 January 1990 is 62 and 65 after 1 January 2014. For external applicants, only those who are expected to complete a term of appointment will normally be considered.

The Agency reserves the right not to make an appointment, to make an appointment at a lower grade, or to make an appointment with a modified job description.

Date of issue: 18 July 2018/ LF