Senior Protection Officer

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.

Senior Protection Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
The Senior Protection Officer (SPO) is Head of the Protection Unit in a Country or Sub-Office and reports to the Assistant or Deputy Representative for Protection, directly to the Representative or as appropriate, to the Head of Sub-Office. The incumbent has direct supervisory responsibility for protection staff who may include community services, registration, resettlement and education. He/she provides functional protection oversight to information management and programme staff and supervises protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery at the country level. The incumbent also acts as an advisor to senior management in designing a comprehensive protection strategy and represents the organization to authorities, UN sister agencies, partners and other stakeholders on protection policy and doctrine.

The Senior Protection Officer is normally a member of the Office senior management team and is relied upon by the Office to plan, lead and coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern. This includes ensuring that operational responses in all sectors are shaped in a protection optic, mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards. Another important element of the SPO's functions is to ensure that persons of concern are involved with the Office in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying appropriate solutions to their problems. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, authorities, protection and assistance partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT
Accountability
- The protection needs of populations of concern are met through the application of International and National Law, relevant UN/UNHCR protection standards and IASC principles governing humanitarian coordination.
- The operation has a clear and coherent comprehensive protection strategy which incorporates a thorough age, gender and diversity (AGD) analysis and reflects the Organization's global, regional and country level priorities.
- The Participation of persons of concern is assured through continuous assessment and evaluation using participatory, rights and community based approaches.
- National protection capacities are improved through direct engagement, research and advocacy with all relevant external interlocutors.
- Instances of refoulement of refugees, forced return of IDPs, arbitrary deprivation of nationality resulting in statelessness and other protection incidents are immediately identified and addressed through direct intervention and advocacy.

Responsibility
- Stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment.
- Manage a consultative process with government counterparts, partners and persons of concern to develop and implement a comprehensive protection strategy addressing the specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older persons, persons with disabilities, minority groups such as sexual minorities and persons living with HIV/AIDS; and Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) priorities with regard to these persons.
- In operations applying the Cluster Approach, ensure the response of the Protection Cluster is grounded in a strategy which covers all assessed and prioritized protection needs of the affected populations.
- Ensure that the protection strategy is fully integrated into the Country Operations Plan, the UN Development and Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and the Humanitarian Country Team's common humanitarian action plan.
- Promote International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct and ensure that all sectors and /or in clusters in applicable operations fulfil their responsibilities mainstreaming protection.
- Design, deliver and monitor programmes on an AGD basis to address identified protection needs.
- Provide technical guidance and support to UNHCR and partners on all protection related issues.
- Oversee the management of individual protection cases including those on SGBV and child protection.
- Provide legal advice and guidance on protection issues to internal and external interlocutors; ensure legal assistance is accessible to persons of concern; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documents to persons of concern (women and civil documentation in particular birth certificates).
- Oversee eligibility and status determination in the country ensuring compliance with UNHCR procedural standards and international protection principles.
- Promote and implement measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness.
- Develop and implement a country-level education plan as part of the protection strategy and ensure partnerships are forged with the Ministry for Education, UNICEF and other partners.
- Develop and implement a country-level child protection plan as part of the protection strategy ensuring programmes use a child protection systems approach.
- Monitor, and intervene in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents through working relations with governments and other partners.
- Implement and oversee Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.
- Ensure that durable solutions through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement are sought and provided to the largest possible number of persons of concern.
- Coordinate the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Develop and implement a programme of results-based advocacy through a consultative process with sectorial and/or cluster partners.
- Ensure that the Protection Sector or Cluster has an effective information management component which: provides disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems; researches, collects and disseminates relevant protection information and good practices to enhance protection delivery.
- Build the protection capacity of national and local government, partners and civil society to assume their responsibilities vis-à-vis all persons of concern through protection training, mainstreaming and related activities.
- Coordinate capacity-building initiatives for communities and individuals to assert their rights.
- Advise and capacitate national authorities, relevant institutions and civil society to strengthen legislation and status determination procedures and mechanisms.

Authority
- Approve the protection strategy for endorsement by the Deputy / Representative and Regional Office or Headquarters.
- Chair protection coordination meetings, including Protection Cluster meetings in applicable operations and represent the protection sector/cluster in inter-agency mechanisms.
- Issue advocacy statements on behalf of UNHCR in protection sectoral meetings and/or on behalf of the Protection Cluster in applicable operations.
- Intervene with authorities on protection issues.
- Negotiate locally and as appropriate with resettlement countries and countries of return on behalf of UNHCR.
- Take review decisions on individual cases.
- Enforce compliance of staff and partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.
- Approve expenditures under the UNHCR protection budget and direct transparent and accountable financial and other resource allocation within the Protection Cluster in applicable operations. 

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master's) in Law, International Law, political Sciences or related field with good knowledge of International Refugee, Human Rights and Humanitarian Law plus minimum 8 years of previous work experience relevant to the function of which 3 years in the field and 5 years in an international capacity. Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) plus 9 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 7 years of previous relevant work experience may also be accepted.
- Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES
- Diverse field experience desirable.
- Good IT skills including database management skills.
- Completion of the Protection Learning Programme, RSD-Resettlement Learning Programme and Management Learning Programme desirable.
- Knowledge of additional UN languages.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR Senior Protection Officer positions. 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. 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
M002L3 - Managing Performance Level 3
M006L3 - Managing Resources Level 3
M005L3 - Leadership Level 3
M003L3 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 3
M004L3 - Strategic Planning and Vision Level 3
X005L3 - Planning and Organizing Level 3
X004L3 - Negotiation and Conflict Resolution 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 them – before deciding to apply- to read the country specific security and welfare country 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). Ensuring staff are better informed is part of the increased attention UNHCR is paying to Duty of Care.

Staff after having applied to High Risk Duty Stations will have access to country specific information webinars with Field Safety Section (FSS) and Staff Welfare Section (SWS) colleagues and provided with a tool to test their psychological preparedness for serving in High Risk Duty Stations. Applicants who applied for a position in a High Risk country will receive, after the deadline for applications has expired, a joint invitation from the Staff Welfare Section (SWS) and the Field Safety Section (FSS) to participate in these webinars. During the Webinars, latest updates on security and well-being will be provided, and FSS and SWS will address questions raised by participants. Applicants are highly encouraged to benefit, when applicable, from all measures as they provide most up-to-date security and well-being information helpful to assess staff’s readiness to serve in a High Risk Duty Station. A Staff Welfare Officer will also be available, if and when required, to discuss with interested applicants the results of the psychological preparedness tool as well as readiness for assignment in High Risk Duty Stations.

Following preliminary findings of an investigation and various reviews undertaken by the Bureau and DIP on protection modalities and processes, Kakuma operation has put in place a new strategy to mitigate risks of fraud and corruption and in line with that has enhanced its staffing structure.

Under the new structure, the ideal candidate will lead UNHCR Process Team under the supervision of Senior Protection Coordinator. The sectors under UNHCR Process are as follows; Registration, Refugee Status Determination, Resettlement, Voluntary Repatriation, Local Integration, Complementary Pathways and Registry.

The candidate must be familiar with the provision of technical guidance and support to UNHCR and partners to implement and oversee Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) especially the Government of Kenya on the transition period for the handover of Registration and Refugee Status Determination. The candidate must have previous work experience to coordinate the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related programming with implementing and operational partners especially working with the authorities guaranteeing on transition process.

The incumbent will be responsible for the implementation of protection monitoring, information dissemination programming on UNHCR Process so he/she should be knowledgeable on data management systems. The incumbent should be familiar using several innovation humanitarian tools like KoBo Toolbox, Fresh Desk and others.

The incumbent must have proven communication and coordination skills; knowledge of Kenyan Refugee system and relevant laws; previous relevant experience in similar complex operations; and, equally important, familiarity with similar transition operations. UNHCR Sub-Office Kakuma covers two main areas of operation: Kakuma refugee camp and Kalobeyei integrated settlement.

Kakuma refugee camp is located in the North-western region of Kenya, about 720.4 Km from Nairobi. The camp was established in 1992 following the arrival of the ¿Lost Boys of Sudan¿. During that year, large groups of Ethiopian refugees fled their country following the fall of the Ethiopian government. Somalia had also experienced high insecurity and civil strife causing people to flee.
The 16Km2 camp is located on the outskirts of Kakuma town, which is the headquarters for Turkana West Sub-County of Turkana County. The camp is divided into 4 sub-camps namely Kakuma 1,2,3 and 4 and has a population of over 147,000 refugees and asylum seekers.

Kakuma camp and Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement had a total population of over 186,000 registered refugees and asylum-seekers at the end of February 2018. With an influx of new arrivals in 2014, Kakuma surpassed its capacity by nearly 60,000 individuals, leading to congestion in various sections. Following negotiations between UNHCR, the National Government, the County Government of Turkana and the host community, 15 Km2 land for a new settlement was identified in Kalobeyei, 25 km from Kakuma town. In Kalobeyei settlement, refugees and the host communities share resources and available services. Currently, there are over 38,000 refugees and asylum seekers hosted at Kalobeyei settlement.

Sub-office Kakuma continues to receive new arrival refugees from South Sudan and other countries. In 2017 alone, 23,288 new arrivals were received. Since the beginning of January 2018, 2,461 (70% from South Sudan) newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers have been received by UNHCR.

Apart from UNHCR¿s main role of protecting the refugees and asylum seekers, other services provided by UN agency for refugees and other humanitarian agencies include: food, water, shelter, sanitation, education, healthcare, and protection and livelihood programs. Core protection activities include registration, refugee status determination (RSD), durable solutions, and delivery of legal and physical protection. All international staff reside on UNHCR compound which is 5 minutes¿ drive from the Kakuma airstrip. The compound houses both offices and residences. Residential rooms have bathrooms and are equipped with basic necessities such as bed, wardrobe, TV, AC, refrigerators and gas stove (in most houses). Staff provide his/her own linen (bedsheets, towels, etc) and toiletries. The rooms are cleaned daily from Monday to Friday by cleaning company employed by UNHCR. Laundry is done separately at extra cost. There is a cafeteria and bar run by a private company, where three meals are provided daily for a fee. There is a gym within the compound and a basketball court at the outer perimeter of the compound.

Kakuma town has shops selling toiletries such as soap, lotion, toothpaste, food items such as rice, unga flour, beans, bread, sugar, coffee or vegetables such as tomato, potato, capsicum, onion, garlic and meat produce such as poultry, beef and goat meat. There are several churches and several mosques in the town. Equity Bank is the only bank available in the area. The ATM machine accepts some credit and debit cards, dispensing local currency - Kenyan Shillings. Turkana County is generally characterized by high temperatures (average 35 degrees Celsius/95 Fahrenheit) and is relatively humid. January, February and March are the hottest months, with temperatures reaching a maximum of 38 Celcius / 100.4 Fahrenheit. Some essentials during these periods are a hat/cap, sunglasses and light (sweat absorbing) clothes. November-December is the short rainy season. Long rains start in mid-March and end in June. Movement to the camp/settlement and neighbouring towns becomes limited when the numerous seasonal rivers get flooded. The risk of malaria is high.

Some of the hazards in the Kakuma operation includes dust storms, heat exhaustion, flooding, the presence of different insects, snakes, scorpions and high risk of malaria. Although there are no specific forecasted rains, sudden severe showers cannot be ruled out. The showers usually results in large muddy areas and overflowing of seasonal rivers. It should also be noted that overflowing seasonal rivers in Kakuma area can result from rains in highlands on the North Eastern Uganda border.

There are no medical facilities with high standards. Kakuma Mission Hospital at Kakuma town is the first point of call during medical emergency situations. There are also few medical clinics and chemist shops in Kakuma town with very basic facilities. Referrals and evacuations are primarily to Nairobi. Kakuma Sub Office is a Security Level 3 (moderate). The overall security situation in the Kakuma operation area has been calm and stable over the past few months. While UNHCR operations in Kakuma camp and Kalobeyei settlement have not been directly affected by insecurity, humanitarian operations and program delivery modalities are constantly reviewed and the security posture is adjusted in order to mitigate the risks.

Movement in and out of the UNHCR Compound of UN personnel, partners and visitors is restricted from 22:00Hrs to 05:00Hrs.  In Kakuma Camp and Kalobeyei, staff are expected to return from refugee camps and integrated settlement to the UNHCR compound by 18:00 hours.

The security of the UNHCR compound is provided by UN Security and Safety Service (UNDSS), also a private guard company as well as the Kenya Police Service. Staff are expected to always cooperate with the security personnel and keep ID badge/visitors pass visible at all times while in the compound. Remote location, lack of entertainment and changes to social life the factors to be also considered prior to applying.

Please note that the closing date for all vacancies in the September 2018 Compendium is Thursday 18 October  2018 (midnight Geneva time).