Senior Regional 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.

Senior Regional Protection Officer (Statelessness)

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

This post covers all 35 countries under the responsibility of the Regional Bureau for the Americas. Of these States, only 14 are parties to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and seven to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. Seven States pledged at the 2011 ministerial meeting to accede to one or both Conventions. Few States have statelessness determination procedures in place under the 1954 Convention, though five pledged in 2011 to establish such procedures.
A number of States have gaps in their nationality laws and/or policies which might cause statelessness.
The post is responsible for providing technical advice and support as well as assisting UNHCR offices in the Americas to undertake effective and timely legal and operational responses to statelessness.
The incumbent will work to map statelessness situations and key challenges, help to ensure coordination and harmonization of national and regional interventions, and support offices and the Regional Bureau in developing strategies to address statelessness that are consistent with the regional operational context.
The Regional Protection Officer (Statelessness) will work as a member of the Regional Legal Unit (RLU) in Costa Rica, with a managerial/administrative reporting line to the Senior Legal Officer in the RLU, and in close coordination with the Senior Protection Officer of the Bureau for the Americas in Headquarters.
The incumbent will have a functional reporting line to the Head of the Statelessness Unit/DIP. Within its functional responsibilities this post covers all countries covered by the Bureau for the Americas.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

Accountability
- The Americas has a clear and coherent regional strategy on statelessness which reflects UNHCR¿s country, regional and global priorities and objectives and complies with UNHCR¿s age, gender and diversity (AGD) policy.
- Statelessness Determination Procedures (SDP) are implemented in accordance with relevant UNHCR guidelines, standards, and policies, including policies related to Age, Gender, and Diversity mainstreaming (AGDM).
- Persons of concern have fair and transparent access to the SDP.
- The SDP capacity of Government authorities and legal partners is progressively improved.
- Statelessness is entrenched in the comprehensive protection framework of the country operations.

Responsibility
- Provide support through technical guidance to Country Offices in the Americas.
- Monitor the implementation of operational plans with regards to coherence, consistency, quality and efficiency with regard to all matters related to statelessness (Policy on Regionalization in UNHCR, 4.9.2 Profile of Staff for Regional Positions).
- Assist the Regional Legal Unit and the Bureau for the Americas in exercising the necessary oversight and control of operations concerning statelessness matters (ibid).
- Promote all appropriate actions to support the implementation of UNHCR Global Action Plan to End Statelessness (2014-2024) and the Brazil Plan of Action (Chapter 6) in the Americas, including coordination measures with regional/national offices.
- Develop/update the regional strategy on eradication of statelessness for endorsement by the Head of the Regional Legal Unit and Headquarters (Bureau for the Americas).
- Liaise with the Department of International Protection (DIP, Statelessness Unit) to accomplish the described regional functions, as appropriate.
- Assess regional compliance with Global Strategic priorities and global policies on statelessness.
- Identify potential partners outside UNHCR, including for operational responses, training and fundraising purposes and initiate and cultivate contact with them.
- Enhance awareness and build capacity of national and local governments, UN agencies and civil society through training seminars, workshops and other initiatives to address issues of statelessness.

Authority
- Under the supervision of the Head of the Regional Legal Unit, manage budget dedicated to the roll-out of UNHCR Global Action Plan to End Statelessness (2014-2024), the Brazil Plan of Action (Chapter 6), and the regional implementation strategy (¿We have a dream¿).
- Represent UNHCR at the appropriate level in external meetings on statelessness at the regional and national levels.
- Enforce compliance with Global Strategic Priorities and global policies on statelessness.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master¿s) in Law, with specialisation in Public or Private International Law and focus on International Human Rights Law plus minimum 8 years of previous professional experience in areas relevant to protection activities, including 5 years of working experience at the international level and 4 years of experience working on nationality or statelessness issues. 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.
- Excellent English drafting skills.
- Strong communications and advocacy skills.
- Field experience.
- Fluency in English and Spanish.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES
- Experience in developing/implementing activities to address statelessness.
- Strong 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 an asset. 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
X001L3 - Analytical Thinking Level 3
X007L3 - Political Awareness Level 3

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.

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.

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