Assc 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.

Associate Protection Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
The Associate Protection Officer reports to the Protection Officer or the Senior Protection Officer. Depending on the size and structure of the Office, the incumbent may have supervisory responsibility for protection staff including community services, registration, resettlement and education. He/she provides functional protection guidance to information management and programme staff; and supervises protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards.

The Associate Protection Officer is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern, ensuring that operational responses in all sectors mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards. He/she contributes in designing a comprehensive protection strategy and in representing the organization externally on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor. He/she also ensures 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 of populations of concern is met through the application of International and National Law, relevant UN/UNHCR protection standards and IASC principles.  
- The protection strategy 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.
- Protection incidents are immediately identified and addressed.

Responsibility
- Stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment.
- 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 through mainstreaming in all sectors and /or in clusters in applicable operations.
- Assist in providing comments on existing and draft legislation related to persons of concern.  
- Provide legal advice and guidance on protection issues to persons of concern; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.
- Conduct eligibility and status determination for persons of concern in compliance with UNHCR procedural standards and international protection principles. 
- Promote and contribute to measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness.
- Contribute to a country-level child protection plan as part of the protection strategy to ensure programmes use a child protection systems approach.
- Contribute to a country-level education plan.
- Implement and oversee Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.
- Oversee and manage individual protection cases including those on SGBV and child protection. Monitor, and intervene in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents through working relations with governments and other partners.
- Recommend durable solutions for the largest possible number of persons of concern through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement.
- Assess resettlement needs and apply priorities for the resettlement of individuals and groups of refugees and other persons of concern.
- Contribute to the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Contribute to and facilitate a programme of results-based advocacy through a consultative process with sectorial and/or cluster partners.
- Facilitate effective information management through the provision of disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems. 
- Contribute to capacity-building initiatives for communities and individuals to assert their rights.
- Participate in initiatives to capacitate national authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen national protection related legislation and procedures.

Authority
- Intervene with authorities on protection issues.
- Negotiate locally on behalf of UNHCR.
- Decide priorities for reception, interviewing and counselling for groups or individuals.
- Enforce compliance of staff and implementing 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.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) in Law, International Law, political Sciences or related field plus minimum 3 years of previous work experience relevant to the function. Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master's) plus 2 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 1 year 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.
- Knowledge of additional UN languages.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR Associate 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. C001L2 - Accountability Level 2
C002L2 - Teamwork & Collaboration Level 2
C003L2 - Communication Level 2
C004L2 - Commitment to Continuous Learning Level 2
C005L2 - Client & Result Orientation Level 2
C006L2 - Organizational Awareness Level 2
M003L2 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 2
X001L2 - Analytical Thinking Level 2
X004L2 - Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Level 2
X007L2 - Political Awareness Level 2 <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.

 

¿ Knowledge of and capacity to apply International and National Law and relevant UNHCR protection standards.  
¿ Capacity to incorporate age, gender and diversity (AGD) analysis in the protection strategy, reflecting also Organization¿s global, regional and country level priorities.
¿ Ability to stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment.
¿ Sensitive political context requires ability to work collaboratively with government counterparts.
¿ Experience in implementing field protection at the point of delivery.
¿ Experience in protection monitoring and in situations of mixed migratory movements and management of protection-sensitive borders.
¿ Consensus teambuilding and cultural sensitivity needed as the team is diverse.
¿ Ability to devise with innovative and creative solutions to operational challenges.
¿ Excellent command of Spanish and English, written and spoken is essential.
¿ Experience and capacity on Community based protection
¿ Experience on prevention and response to SGBV and Child Protection.
¿ Full command of Spanish is essential.
¿ Previous experience in Latin America is highly desirable. UNHCR estimates that violence against PoC is under-reported, and generally goes unpunished. An increasing number of PoC have required relocation due to security risks in the southern states, especially transgender women. Comprehensive protection services to PoC such as legal assistance, referrals in a dignified and confidential manner, prevention and response to SGBV, child protection, and psycho social support, medical and psychiatric services are lacking in many locations. Although UNHCR has funded positions to provide legal and psycho-social support and is working closely with partners such as DIF, COMAR and UNICEF, this does not cover the overall needs. Mexico offers a favourable legal framework for the inclusion of refugees in public services and their local integration, both in socio-economic and legal terms. Refugees are issued a permanent residence card and a social security number and a population registration number (CURP), which permits access to public services. Refugees have access to the national education and health system and enjoy the right to work. Applications for naturalisation can be made by people from Latin America after two years of permanent residence. The procedure takes six months, is affordable and has simplified criteria applicable to refugees. A dynamic economy in central and northern states such as Coahuila, Jalisco, and Baja California complements this favorable legal framework. Chambers of commerce report thousands of vacancies in these States and are willing to cooperate with UNHCR and with partners in order to organize the relocation of refugees and facilitate job placement. While the legal framework and current economic conditions create the potential for successful local integration, careful planning, coordination and case support is essential. As a result, UNHCR is reinforcing efforts for local integration, offering vocational training and job placement programs in cooperation with the private sector. MONTERREY is the capital of the northeastern state of Nuevo León, a border state to the United States. Monterrey is an important industrial and commercial center, and the base of many international corporations.  It is one of the wealthiest cities in Mexico. Being this way, it has a high-level infrastructure:
Health ¿ Monterrey has a highly ranked medical infrastructure with some internationally acclaimed hospitals.
Education ¿ There are private schools. All private schools are bilingual (English-Spanish), and there are American, British and French schools.
Housing ¿ Apartments can be rented both furnished and unfurnished.
Entertainment ¿ Monterrey is the third most populous metropolitan area in Mexico. Therefore, it has a high demand and a high offer of entertainment: popular, classical, modern, etc.
Weather ¿ Monterrey frequently experiences extreme weather changes. It can be very hot during summer and cold during winter. The coldest months are January and February, and the hottest, April and May, although it is not always like that. Monterrey, too, is affected by the climate change.
For the rest of the information, Monterrey is a Mexican city and has the same status as the rest of the country:
Currency and exchange ¿ Mexican Peso. Dollars, Euros and traveler¿s checks can be exchanged at a currency Exchange office.
Communications ¿ Internet is available almost everywhere, but in houses and offices, a contract has to be made in order to access to this service.
Transportation ¿ There are public buses. If taxis are to be taken, it is recommended to call an Uber. Monterrey belongs to Security Risk Management area 10, North West with the current General Threat Level 3, Moderate. There are no known direct threats to UNHCR, yet the UNHCR personnel may be affected by crime, to include: homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, highway robbery. Violent crime (kidnappings, extortions, homicides, sexual assaults, personal robberies, residential break-ins) and non-violent crimes (financial scams, vehicle thefts, petty drug crimes) continue to be a serious concern. Organized criminal elements (Cartels) contribute to the high level of criminal violence in the state. The UNHCR personnel must remain security aware at all times, apply personal security measures and avoid movement after darkness. There is no curfew in Monterrey, yet the incidence at night hours is high.  While on road missions, exercise caution and always obtain Security Clearance through UNDSS COSNU, road travel at night is restricted. Large-scale public demonstrations or strikes are uncommon in Monterrey, but occasional, nationally-organized protests do happen. UNHCR personnel should avoid areas of civil unrest.

Please note that the closing date for vacancies in the Addendum 4 is Thursday 28 February 2019 (midnight Geneva time)