Assistant Representative (Protection)

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.

Assistant Representative (Protection)

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
The Assistant Representative (Protection) is the senior protection manager in a Country Office and reports to the Representative. A member of the senior management team, the incumbent has direct or reviewing supervisory responsibility for protection staff who may include community services, registration, resettlement and education. He/she has country-wide functional supervisory responsibility for all protection staff and provides protection oversight and guidance to the information and programme management functions.   

The Assistant Representative (Protection) transposes UNHCR's Global Strategic Priorities into a comprehensive protection strategy adapted to the country context. He/she is guardian of protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery at country level and represents the UNHCR to authorities, UN sister agencies, partners and other stakeholders on protection policy and doctrine.

The Assistant Representative (Protection) is relied upon by the Office to plan, manage and guide country-wide protection delivery to populations of concern and to promote and gain support for UNHCR's protection agenda externally. This includes ensuring that operational responses in all sectors are shaped in a protection optic, mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards. He/she ensures that persons and communities of concern are involved with the Office in making decisions that affect them and that their interests are effectively represented to authorities, protection and assistance partners and to the broad network of donors and stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

Accountability

- The protection needs of populations of concern including refugees and asylum seekers, stateless persons, IDPs, returnees and other persons of concern are met through the application of International and National Law, relevant UN/HCR 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.
- Timely and effective protection needs and risk assessment inform planning, prioritization, implementation, reporting and evaluation of protection delivery.
- Specific challenges to persons of concern in the areas of child protection, the prevention and response to SGBV and access to and enjoyment of education are effectively addressed.
- Sufficient internal financial and human resources are allocated to meet prioritized protection needs. Protection and solutions activities receive political and financial support from external partners.
- 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, advocacy and/or public exposure.
- Integrity in the delivery of protection services is assured by protection staff.

Responsibility

- Stay abreast of political, social, economic and security developments that have an impact on the protection environment and protection delivery capacity and advise the Representative in the overall management of UNHCR¿s operations.
- 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 the protection strategy is fully integrated into the Country Operations Plan, the UN Development and Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and in respect of UNHCR¿s mandate, the Humanitarian Country Team¿s common humanitarian action plan where applicable.
- Ensure that necessary resources are allocated to address protection gaps.
- Promote International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct. Foster their consistent and coherent interpretation and application 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.
- Oversee the provision of expert legal advice and guidance on protection issues to internal and external interlocutors and ensure that legal assistance and documentation is accessible to persons of concern.
- Oversee Eligibility and Status Determination operations ensuring compliance with UNHCR procedural standards and international protection principles.
- Oversee the implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection /solutions processes and systems. 
- Promote and supervise the delivery of effective measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness.
- Develop and implement a country-level education plan as part of the protection strategy. Ensure the provision of quality and protective education with an emphasis on learning outcomes and lifelong learning opportunities forging partnerships with the Ministry for Education, UNICEF and other partners as appropriate.
- Develop and implement a country-level child protection plan as part of the protection strategy ensuring programmes use a child protection systems approach.
- Ensure that appropriate interventions are undertaken by the Office, or intervene directly, in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents through working relations with governments and other partners.
- Coordinate the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Ensure with governments and partners 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.
- Oversee the development and implementation of a results-based advocacy programme in consultation with sectorial and/or cluster partners.
- Advocate with authorities and stakeholders for access to and respect for the rights of persons of concern and their access to services.
- Ensure the Protection Sector or Cluster strategy has an effective information management component to provide disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems; and 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 persons of concern to assert their rights.
- Advise and capacitate national authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen legislation and status determination procedures and mechanisms.
- Contribute to a communications strategy to generate external support for UNHCR¿s operations and the Protection Sector/Cluster.
- Provide effective supervisory and managerial oversight, direction and guidance of the protection function.
- Design and establish effective protection staffing structures in all Offices ensuring staffing configurations, profiles and competencies are commensurate with protection challenges.

Authority

- Approve the comprehensive protection strategy for endorsement by the Representative and Regional Office or Headquarters.
- Chair strategic or operational protection 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 or the Protection Cluster in applicable operations. Intervene with authorities on protection issues.
- Negotiate with resettlement countries and countries of return on behalf of UNHCR.
- Clear documents and reports prepared by the Protection Unit / Section.
- Take decisions on individual cases.
- Negotiate with the Humanitarian Coordinator/Resident Coordinator, the Humanitarian Country Team and partners on protection funding priorities in inter-agency funding appeals.
- Enforce compliance of staff and partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.
- Enforce compliance with, and integrity of, all protection standard operating procedures.
- 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, Political Science, and International Relations with specific focus on International Humanitarian/ Refugee law plus minimum 11 years of previous work experience in progressively responsible functions in an organisation or institution that administer/manage and assist a large number of asylum seekers, refugees and Displaced persons, preferably within the UN. Of the 11 years, minimum of 10 years should be in the same functional area directly relevant to the current position. Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) plus 12 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 10 years of previous relevant work experience may also be accepted. Thorough knowledge in International refugee law, its applications under different circumstances; ability to analyse and advocate the application of various regional refugee instruments for the benefits of the persons of concern to UNHCR. Field experience, preferably in the context of UNHCR, in repatriation and resettlement of refugees.
- Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES

- Solid UNHCR experience from both the Field (including Hardship Duty stations) and Headquarters.
- UNHCR specific learning/training activities (i.e. Management Learning Programme, Protection Learning Programme).
- Knowledge of additional UN languages.


This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR Assistant Representative (Protection) 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. C001L4 - Accountability Level 4
C002L4 - Teamwork & Collaboration Level 4
C003L4 - Communication Level 4
C004L4 - Commitment to Continuous Learning Level 4
C005L4 - Client & Result Orientation Level 4
C006L4 - Organizational Awareness Level 4
M001L4 - Empowering and Building Trust Level 4
M002L4 - Managing Performance Level 4
M006L4 - Managing Resources Level 4
M005L4 - Leadership Level 4
M003L4 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 4
M004L4 - Strategic Planning and Vision Level 4
X007L4 - Political Awareness Level 4
X001L4 - Analytical Thinking Level 4
X008L4 - Stakeholder Management Level 4 <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.

Reporting to the Deputy Representative (Protection), the Assistant Representative (Protection) will:
- Provide overall orientation, strategy and policy direction on UNHCR¿s protection response to IDPs, returnees and populations affected by the conflict as well as asylum-seekers/refugees, and on advocacy activities including with regard to statelessness.
- Oversee, further develop and refine the implementation of the community-based protection programme, which is mainly rolled out through a large network of community centres and linked mobile units, providing integrated protection services that encompass legal aid, educational and livelihoods support, psychosocial interventions, SGBV prevention and response, child protection interventions, services for persons with disabilities and primary health care.
- Enhance partnerships and cooperation to ensure complementarity of services and the development of referral systems.
- Support UNHCR's programme as well as the inter-agency humanitarian programme cycle including through needs assessments to ensure evidence-based programming and strategic inputs to project partnership agreements. S/he will supervise directly:
- The Senior Legal Officer overseeing the Legal, Registration, RSD and Resettlement Units;
- The Senior Protection Officer (Community-Based) overseeing the Community Mobilization, SGBV, Child Protection and PSS Units; and
- The Associate Protection Officer overseeing the Protection Monitoring, Coordination and Reporting Unit.

The Assistant Representative (Protection) will ensure that the Office strategy on protection is implemented in all operational activities and that humanitarian and protection principles are respected. Therefore, she/he will be responsible for overseeing the overall protection activities in the six field offices for refugees, IDPs, returnees and stateless persons. Significant experience in interacting with Government officials is essential since an important part of the activities of the incumbent will be to represent UNHCR in negotiation with national authorities, at a senior level, as well as guide the large teams under protection to represent and interact with national authorities. The incumbent will be required to intensively engage with various ministries, local NGO partners, international NGOs, donors and UN agencies as part of the inter-agency and sectorial approach within which UNHCR is leading the Protection and Community Services, Shelter and NFI Sectors. In addition, the incumbent of this post will be required to interact with counterparts of the Whole of Syria set-up to coordinate UNHCR agency protection activities.

The incumbent needs to be able to think strategically and assume a leadership role for a large team in Damascus and currently six field operations (likely to increase in the event of large-scale returns) to ensure that the protection strategy is in place and implemented in a sensitive and polarized working environment. Moreover, the incumbent will need to support the on-going decentralization process in the operation, which requires continuous capacity building efforts at all levels. Previous experience in large-scale IDP operations with a scattered population largely hosted by communities will be an asset to advance the protection strategy for IDPs. 
- Equally, experience in implementing a community-based protection response in a situation where humanitarian access is a challenge is essential, including experience with remote management and monitoring approaches.
-Adequate expertise on human rights law, humanitarian law and protection and humanitarian principles in emergencies is important.
-Knowledge of the cluster system and previous experience in IDP coordination is desirable.
-Capacity building and training experience are also relevant to ensure that the capacity building programme on protection of persons of concern is adequately implemented.
-In view of on-going preparedness activities for a possible shift to facilitated refugee returns in the future, experience in repatriation and reintegration operations would be an asset.
- Fluency in Arabic would be an asset, provided functional elements of the profile are met. The prolonged conflict in Syria has resulted in 6.1 million Syrians being internally displaced, more than 5 million fleeing as refugees, 13.5 million in need of urgent humanitarian assistance, increased family separation, the breakdown of traditional community protection structures and the large-scale destruction of basic infrastructure and livelihoods. Roles within families are changing with many women having to assume the role of head of household and primary bread winner. Protection concerns are increasingly inter-linked, between, for example, dependency on assistance, sexual exploitation, early marriage, child recruitment and labour, and need to be addressed comprehensively to ensure impact. The lack/loss of civil documentation limits freedom of movement and exacerbates other protection risks such as access to safe locations, basic services, humanitarian aid and livelihoods, and increases the risk of statelessness. Furthermore, the lack of livelihoods coupled with the depletion of resources exposes affected populations to unsafe coping mechanisms such as child labor, child marriage, survival sex and recruitment by various armed groups. Against the above background, UNHCR¿s protection response strategy follows a community-based approach, including community mobilization and self-reliance components, and aims to reduce vulnerabilities and protection risks through psycho-social support, services for persons with specific needs, legal aid, in particular in relation to birth registration and documentation, education services and activities supporting livelihoods, vocational training with a view to improve skills and opportunities to generate income, SGBV prevention and response and child protection services. Community centres and, in a second layer, mobile units operating from the community centres, are a fundamental tool for the implementation of this strategy by helping to reach out to affected populations, assess protection risks and needs using a participatory age, gender and diversity approach, identify community resources, and offer services and support to the affected populations.

In addition, Syria hosts some 50,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, predominantly from Iraq, which are living in urban locations, mostly in Damascus and Qamishli as well as three camps in Hassakeh governorate. As Syria is not a party to the 1951 Convention/1967 Protocol and has not adopted any domestic legislation for the protection of refugees, UNHCR has to continuously negotiate the conditions of asylum for this population as well as seek durable solutions. If Syria peace negotiations lead to durable peace and comparative stability, this is expected to lead not only to increasing IDP returns but also the start of refugee voluntary repatriation, firstly with creation of conditions conducive for return and reintegration and self-organized returns, followed by facilitation of voluntary repatriation at a later stage.  In 2017, 700,000 IDPs and 77,000 refugees returned on a self-organized basis.  The planning figures for 2018 are a million IDP returns and 200,000 refugee returns, also on a self-organized basis.    

In view of the challenging responsibilities and operational context in Syria, the incumbent has to be a very good team leader (managing a large team of diverse backgrounds), an experienced and sound protection mind who has acquired operational experience in advancing the protection agenda for refugees, IDPs and returnees in comparably complex and challenging situations, demonstrated sound judgment and good diplomatic skills. The present security situation in Syria creates pressures at work and in daily life as priorities are frequently upended for other urgent ad hoc tasks. The incumbent should be prepared to work under such conditions and be able to manage stressful situations.

Syria is a non-family duty station with a four-week R&R cycle and the security situation remains volatile.

Please note that the closing date for vancancies in the Addendum 2 is Sunday 16 December 2018 (midnight Geneva time)