Protection/Legal 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.

Protection/Legal Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The Government of Ethiopia is in the process of drafting a 10 year National Comprehensive Refugee Response (NCRRS), and will also need to draft implementation guidelines for the NCRSS as well as draft Refugee Regulation. Both the government, and key donors and partners, have requested UNHCR¿s support in this process. UNHCR seeks to promote the adoption and implementation of legal and policy measures that facilitate solutions for refugees, including socio-economic integration and inclusion in national systems and requires support with the in-depth legal analysis needed to facilitate this process over the next six months. This will include, but not be limited to, analysis of existing legislation at both the federal and region levels, as well as with the aim of identifying regulatory gaps in the context of the application of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF).

The role will require extensive interaction with a broad range of stakeholders on key protection and legal issues in Ethiopia. In view of the above and the significant gap in legal analysis capacity, the need for an incumbent with legal analytical, conceptualization and drafting skills is key in parallel with the retitling of the CRR Officer position to Protection/Legal Analyst is deemed vital.

The incumbent supervises legal staff who may include those with other functional titles and roles as registration, community-based protection, education, registration and durable solutions.


FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

Accountability

- Protection principles and international law as relevant to persons of concern to UNHCR are promoted.
- Quality legal support and protection advice provided.
- UNHCR¿s policies, standards and doctrine are consistently and coherently applied, and adapted to the country context.

Responsibility

- Monitor the development of law and doctrine.
- Provide support to develop and articulate the Ethiopia`s new Refugee Proclamation by working closely with UNHCR`s main Government counterparts and other UN system as ILO, UNIDO and other AFPs.
- Advocate for proper interpretation of law and doctrine as well as in the development of standards of protection.
- Provide legal advice on these issues and drafting of position papers and guidelines on pertinent legal and operational
- Issues.
- Provide guidance and support in the formulation of protection strategies.
- Liaise with DIP, Division and Bureau work units and external actors to enhance awareness of protection principles.
- Engage with external partners and stakeholders, including governments, non-governmental organizations, international
- organizations, etc. on issues related to legal protection principles and related international law.
- Handle individual cases and situations raising special questions of application or interpretation of international law,
- refugee and human rights law.
- Provide functional legal protection oversight to information management and programme staff and supervise the
- provision of legal and policy advice, related operational procedures and practices in protection delivery at local or   country level.
- Advise Senior Management in designing a comprehensive legal protection strategy and represent the organization to authorities, UN sister agencies, partners and other stakeholders on protection doctrine and policy.
- Establish close working relations with the relevant staff working in the CRRF Unit, Programme, Community-Based Protection, Registration, External Relations and Protection staff in Sub-Offices.
- Promote and implement effective measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness, particularly laws and policies.
- Promote and implement effective measures to identify and respond to refugees, as victims of trafficking and smuggling, focused on relevant legal and policy work, within the context of UNHCR mixed migration policies.
-
Authority
- Represent Office in meetings within UNHCR and with external counterparts.
- Prepare protection documents and policies in cooperation with supervisor.
- Participate in the development of project proposals and project implementation.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

- Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) in Law, preferably with focus on Human Rights, Refugee Law and/or International Humanitarian Law plus minimum 6 years of previous work experience relevant to the function. 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.
- Excellent legal research, analytical and drafting skill.
- Excellent knowledge of English.
 
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES

- Strong and up-to-date knowledge of development, state-building and peace-building in fragile and conflict-affected situations.
- Good grasp of refugee protection.
- Fluency in second UN language is an added advantage. 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
M003L3 - Judgement and Decision Making 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 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.

 

The UNHCR Protection / Legal Analyst (CRRF) will be critical in supporting the development and articulation of Ethiopia¿s new  Refugee Proclamation Working closely with UNHCR¿s main governmental counterpart ¿ the Administration for Refugee Affairs (ARRA) and other parts of Government ¿ including, but not limited to: The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA), the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC) on employment law and labour rights; the Federal Vital Events Registration Administration (FVERA) on refugee documentation, including birth, death and marriage certificates; the Federal Attorney Generals (FAG) office among others.  Within the UN system, the incumbent will also engage substantially with ILO, UNIDO and other AFPs.

The UNHCR Protection / Legal Analyst will also substantively bolster UNHCR¿s internal coherence around the CRRF including the implementation of a comprehensive response at national, regional, zonal and woreda levels.  Within UNHCR, the Officer will establish close working relations with the relevant staff working in the CRRF Unit, Programme, Community-Based Protection,, Registration, External Relations and Protection staff in Sub-Offices.

¿ Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) in Law, preferably with focus on Human Rights, Refugee Law and/or International Humanitarian Law.
¿ Minimum 6 years of previous job experience relevant to the function (5 years with graduate degree (equivalent of a Master's)).
¿ Excellent legal research, analytical and drafting skill.
¿ Excellent knowledge of English and working knowledge of another UN language
¿ Completion of Protection Learning programmes
¿ Possession of legal background. Ethiopia operation is currently responding to multiple emergencies with large influx of refugees and IDP situation since June 2018.  Transition from emergency situation  has been delayed due to the new refugee/IDP situation.

The emergencies have led to constitution of a Protection Cluster that is responding to the situation.The displacement has also led to the  creation of two field units, Bule Hora and Dilla where ERT personnel have been  deployed. Addis Ababa is a family duty station, the medical facilities are moderately available with the main services being offered at the UN operated clinic which is available to all staff members and their dependants.  Transportation outside the country is readily available as major airlines operate from Addis Ababa.  There are schools to accommodate international students.  Hotels are of international standards with recreational facilities available within the city. Addis Ababa has good working and living conditions. Addis Ababa is a family duty station, the medical facilities are moderately available with the main services being offered at the UN operated clinic which is available to all staff members and their dependants.  Transportation outside the country is readily available as major airlines operate from Addis Ababa.  There are schools to accommodate international students.  Hotels are of international standards with recreational facilities available within the city. Addis Ababa has good working and living conditions. The incumbent will required to supervise locally recruited staff members.

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