Protection Officer (Statelessness)

Before submitting an application, UNHCR staff members intending to apply to this Job Opening are requested to consult the Recruitment and Assignments Policy (RAP, UNHCR/HCP/2017/2 and the Recruitment and Assignments Administrative Instruction (RAAI), UNHCR/AI/2017/7 OF 15 August 2017.

Protection Officer (Statelessness)

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
In the Bureau for Europe/Protection Support Unit (PSU), under the direct supervision of the Head of PSU, the Protection Officer (Statelessness), in close cooperation with the DIP Statelessness Unit, will promote and support the implementation of UNHCR's statelessness mandate in Europe, particularly in the context of the ten year campaign to end statelessness. The Protection Officer (Statelessness) will monitor and analyse all statelessness related developments and activities in the region and keep the relevant colleagues and senior management in the Bureau, the Liaison Offices, the Regional Representations and the Country Offices in the region, as well as Divisions at HQs informed and engaged.

More specifically, the incumbent will:

- Support the operations in Europe in implementing the Europe Strategy to End Statelessness and update the strategy when needed.
- Support the relevant operations in developing and implementing national strategies to address statelessness that are consistent with the operational context and also support the Global Campaign to End Statelessness.
- Ensure that strategies are in line with UNHCR policies and doctrine, provide operational responses involving governmental bodies, civil society organizations and other relevant actors, are based on a gaps analysis and take into account good practices that have emerged in the region and beyond.
- Ensure incorporation of these national strategies and activities in the annual planning processes.
- Identify key and common challenges and appropriate responses in coordination with all stakeholders.
- Ensure coordination and harmonization of national interventions.
- Ensure that programme design is based on participatory approaches, community-based and in line with age, gender and diversity principles.

The incumbent will also:

- Provide technical support to UNHCR offices including through PI activities, training, legal analyses, comments on draft legislation, mapping studies, strategic litigation, etc.
- Help establish and/or cultivate relationships at the working level with international and national actors (such as academics and the European Network on Statelessness and its member organizations) and regional institutions (notably the EU institutions but also the OSCE and the Council of Europe through the relevant liaison offices) to promote their engagement on statelessness in Europe.
- As required, represent UNHCR in external meetings in the area of coverage.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT
Accountability
- Timely and pertinent technical support on statelessness and policy guidance and advice are provided to the country operations in the region and regional representations, in close cooperation with the DIP Statelessness Unit.
- Support is provided for the coordination of regional protection strategies and activities to address key statelessness issues in the region.
- Approaches on statelessness issues across Europe are consistent and in line with UNHCR policy and doctrine.

Responsibility
- Serve as the focal point for thematic issues of law and policy relating to statelessness and provide technical advice and policy support on these issues to the Bureau, the Liaison Offices, the Regional Representations and Country Offices in the region.
- Collect, monitor, and analyse information, trends, statistics, and developments related to statelessness in the region, and disseminate analysis of this work to the Bureau, the Liaison Offices, the Regional Representations and Country Offices in the region.
- Analyse regular and ad hoc reporting from the field and provide support to UNHCR Regional Representations and Country Offices in Europe to react to and initiate actions to address statelessness in line with relevant international standards and UNHCR policy, including through the annual programme cycle.
- Provide support to Country Offices as necessary in dealing with counterparts (authorities, international and national agencies) and develop strategies at the national level on statelessness.
- Provide quality capacity building and/or training to staff in the Regional Representations and Country Offices, as well as to external partners.
- Provide advice to UNHCR Regional Representations and Country Offices in determining whether a person/ population is stateless according to the international definition of a stateless person and relevant UNHCR guidelines or at risk of statelessness in accordance with UNHCR guidelines.
- Develop modules and presentations to assist in capacity building and promotional activities related to statelessness in Europe, in close liaison with Regional Representations, Country Offices, targeting UNHCR staff, government and civil society counterparts.
- Explore funding possibilities and support preparation of project proposals to implement statelessness strategies as required.
- Help the Bureau, the Liaison Offices, the Regional Representations and Country Offices in the region build partnerships with government counterpart, relevant EU institutions, UN agencies and civil society partners, as appropriate, to develop and implement advocacy and operational responses.
- Systematically apply an age, gender and diversity as well as rights-based and community-based perspectives in all aspects of his/her protection and solutions work on behalf of persons of concern.
- Perform other related duties as required.
Authority
- Engage with the Liaison Offices, the Regional Representations, the Country Offices in the region and relevant divisions at Headquarters to devise strategies to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness and protect stateless persons and persons/populations at risk of statelessness.
- Identify potential partners outside UNHCR, including for operational responses, training and fundraising, and, in close consultation with Regional Representations and Country Offices initiate and maintain contact with them.
- Represent UNHCR at the appropriate level in external meetings on statelessness in Europe and report on such meetings.


ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) in Law and/or International Law as well as good knowledge of international human rights standards plus minimum 6 years of previous professional experience in areas relevant to protection activities, including 2 years of working experience at the international level and 2 years of experience working on nationality or statelessness issues. Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master's) plus 5 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 4 years of previous relevant work experience may also be accepted.
- Fluency in English and excellent English drafting skills.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES
- Excellent analytical and research skills.
- Experience developing/implementing activities to address statelessness.
- Sound knowledge of international legal standards on statelessness, protection standards and doctrinal issues related to nationality and statelessness.
- Completion of the Protection Learning Programme and Thematic Protection Learning Programme on Statelessness.
- Knowledge of other European languages (French, German, Scandinavian, Russian or Slavic languages). C001L3 - Accountability Level 3
C002L3 - Teamwork & Collaboration Level 3
C003L3 - Communication Level 3
C004L3 - Commitment to Continuous Learning Level 3
C005L3 - Client & Result Orientation Level 3
C006L3 - Organizational Awareness Level 3
M001L3 - Empowering and Building Trust Level 3
M003L3 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 3
M006L3 - Managing Resources Level 3
X001L3 - Analytical Thinking Level 3
X006L3 - Policy Development & Research Level 3
X007L3 - Political Awareness Level 3 <p>The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.</p>
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See below for this postion's Operational Context
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For those people applying for High Risk Duty Stations, we strongly encourage colleagues to read the country specific security and welfare profiles which can be found on the Intranet under Support Services - Duty of Care (https://intranet.unhcr.org/en/support-services/duty-of-care.html). These profiles have been specifically designed to answer some of the key questions (on security conditions, medical provisions, staff welfare, living and working conditions) potential applicants might have before deciding to apply. Ensuring staff are better informed is part of the increased attention UNHCR is paying to Duty of Care. This project is still in the pilot phase, and as such some of the information leaflets are being produced as we speak and might not be available yet. They will be soon, so keep checking. 

-  University degree in Law and/or International Law as well as good knowledge of international human rights standards.
-  Minimum 8 years (6 years with advanced university degree) of previous professional experience in areas relevant to protection activities, including 2 years of working experience at the international level and 2 years of experience working on nationality or statelessness issues.
-  Fluency in English and excellent English drafting skills.
- Excellent analytical and research skills.
- Experience developing/implementing activities to address statelessness.
- Sound knowledge of international legal standards on statelessness, protection standards and doctrinal issues related to nationality and statelessness.
- Completion of the Protection Learning Programme and Thematic Protection Learning Programme on Statelessness.
- Knowledge of other European languages (French, German, Scandinavian, Russian or Slavic languages) desirable. Statelessness remains a pervasive issue in Europe with legacy situations affecting certain categories of persons (Roma, IDPs), regular reforms of nationality laws that could be in contradiction with the provisions of the 1961 Convention, new emerging issues resulting from the presence in Europe of foreigners and their dependents whose situation may raise statelessness issues and countries establishing statelessness determination procedures. Therefore, in the Bureau for Europe/Protection Support Unit (PSU), under the direct supervision of the Head of PSU, the Protection Officer (Statelessness), in close cooperation with the DIP Statelessness Unit, will promote and support the implementation of UNHCR's statelessness mandate in Europe, particularly in the context of the ten year campaign to end statelessness and in preparation of the related 2019 mid-term event. The Protection Officer (Statelessness) will monitor and analyse all statelessness related developments and activities in the region and keep the relevant colleagues and senior management in the Bureau, the Liaison Offices, the Regional Representations and the Country Offices in the region, as well as Divisions at HQs informed and engaged. Geneva has all the amenities of a European city with a lively international community. Living conditions are of high standard. As the incumbent will cover the whole region s/he will have to travel extensively to countries such as Greece, Germany and/or Spain. n/a

Please note that the closing date for all vacancies in the Add.4 to March 2018 Compendium is Wednesday 5 Septembe 2018 (midnight Geneva time).