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.

Protection Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
The Protection Officer is a senior member of the protection team in a Country or Sub-Office and may, depending of the size and structure of the Office, be Head of the Protection Unit. He/she may report to the Senior Protection Officer, Head of Sub-Office or to the Assistant Representative for Protection. In smaller Offices, the post may report directly to the Representative.  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 local or 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 doctrine and policy.

The Protection Officer 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 function of the position 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.
- Protection incidents are immediately identified and addressed through direct intervention, advocacy and public exposure.

Responsibility
- Stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment.
- Facilitate 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; Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) priorities with regard to these persons.
- In operations applying the Cluster Approach, seek to ensure the response of the Protection Cluster is grounded in a strategy which covers all assessed and prioritized protection needs of the affected populations. 
- Support senior management to ensure the protection strategy is fully integrated into the Country Operations Plan, the UN Development and Assistance Framework (UNDAF), the Humanitarian Country Team's common humanitarian action plan where applicable.
- 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.
- Implement 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 and manage 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 (civil documentation, in particular birth certificates).
- Oversee and undertake eligibility and status determination ensuring compliance with UNHCR procedural standards and international protection principles.
- Promote and implement effective measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness.
-  Develop and implement a country-level education plan and ensure partnerships are forged 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.
- 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.
- Contribute to and facilitate 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 Senior Protection Officer, Assistant Representative Protection or the Representative. 
- Chair protection coordination meetings, including Protection Cluster meetings 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.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) in Law, International Law, political Sciences or related field with good knowledge of International Refugee and Human Rights Law plus minimum 6 years relevant professional experience of which 2 years in the field. 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.
- 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- esettlement Learning Programme.
- Knowledge of additional UN languages.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR 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
M002L3 - Managing Performance Level 3
M004L3 - Strategic Planning and Vision Level 3
M006L3 - Managing Resources Level 3
X004L3 - Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Level 3
X005L3 - Planning and Organizing 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>
========================================================================================================
See below for this postion's Operational Context
========================================================================================================

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 incumbent will be under the supervision of the Snr. Liaison Officer and will be the PRIMES Coordinator and responsible for the roll out of state led registration through the deployment of ProGres V4 and case management modules. The incumbent will support the Government in developing and drafting policy documents for registration and stay permit including SoPs and data sharing agreements. This require excellent knowledge of UNHCR¿s protection guidelines and policies, including policy on protection of personal data of persons of concern to UNHCR and UNHCR¿s registration standards and principles agreed upon by UNHCR and its Executive Committee to ensure a normative framework to realizing the rights associated with seeking international protection, including access to basic rights and durable solutions. To facilitate the above the incumbent is required to have excellent drafting skills in English. The incumbent will support government officials by providing remote technical support and on the job training through field missions to all regions and in remote areas. The incumbent will also be responsible for facilitating workshops on PRIMES, which require excellent training and facilitation skills. The new version of ProGres in Partnership (proGres V4) is UNHCR¿s corporate web-based registration and case management system. ProGres V4 supports operational functions ranging from Registration to different case management functions such as Child Protection, SGBV, General and Legal Protection as well as RSD, resettlement and Fraud. It also aims to integrate key organisational priority functions such as cash based intervention and targeting methods. ProGres V4 will facilitate more efficient use of the data in the field and connections for partners to the proGres database while reinforcing the protection of data contained therein. This will bring improved data management and greatly facilitate a wider use of the data collected through registration while fully protecting data confidentiality. The roll out of PRIMES in Guyana will ensure access to registration and documentation and government services for persons of concern and lead to durable solutions through incorporation of stay permit in ProGres V4. Excellent technical skills with PRIMES is essential. Additionally, the incumbent will be responsible for the following:
Design, implement and oversee Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities incorporated in PRIMES including identification of vulnerable individuals and persons at risk of exploitation, VoTs and referral mechanism.
Ensure that the registration programme has an effective information management component which: provides disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems; and disseminates relevant protection information and good practices to enhance protection delivery.
Support the establishment of information and protection desks in coordination with the Government and other UN agencies where POCs have access to information, counselling, legal advice and procedures. Capacity development of government institutions to ensure that PoCs are integrated into government systems through the use of a unique ID number from PRIMES.
Support the Government with a massive communication campaign and outreach to the communities for the verification exercise of Venezuelans, who have earlier entered Guyana. This require excellent communication skills. Spanish is a desirable asset.  
Provide technical guidance and support to the Government for connectivity and synchronization of data in PRIMES for which Good IT skills is required.
The incumbent should be flexible, adaptable and able to work effectively in different social and cultural environments and in challenging and stressful conditions in a very small team of 2-3 persons led by the Snr. Liaison Officer and ready to take on extensive mission travel.
Diverse field experience is a desirable asset. It should be noted that there are no refugee camps in Guyana and UNHCR¿s protection response is not camp based but through Government capacity development.
Knowledge of Spanish is desirable. The UNHCR office in Guyana is in the process of being established with currently one staff on the ground, the Snr. Liaison Officer. Guyana is considered an emergency operation with daily influxes of refugees and returning Guyanese. There are some 36,800 Venezuelans and Guyanese returning from Venezuela who have settled in Guyana and require humanitarian assistance, community-based support and protection and there are individuals who cross the border from Venezuela into Guyana on a temporary basis to seek medical care, purchase food and other supplies, as well as an unknown number of Venezuelans entering Guyana to work periodically in mining and other industries including prostitution before returning. The situation of Venezuelans in Guyana is also characterized as a bi-national issue, because a large number of Venezuelans have Guyanese parentage or were born in the country, both of which could provide a basis for naturalization. The growing number of Venezuelans in an irregular migratory situation also feed human smuggling and trafficking networks, which prey on vulnerable individuals and insufficient number of implementing partners on the ground to address the issue of women engaged in prostitution. Guyana¿s limited capacity to absorb a large inflow of migrants and refugees creates challenges for the government to manage arrivals in a safe and orderly manner. This, in turn, increases the risk that refugees fall victim to trafficking, child labour and other crimes. Generally, living conditions in Guyana are moderate. Access to medical care is available at some private hospitals, however admission to hospitals in Guyana is not recommended and the UN has a system in place for medical evacuation to Trinidad and Tobago. Housing is becoming a challenge with the oil companies taking over the rental market.  Within the last 12 months rent has increased with at least 50 %. There is one international school which is in the process of expanding in view of the large number of expats from the oil industry who have arrived in Guyana and is expected to arrive over the coming years.   
Shopping is available at supermarkets and one minor mall and there are some local and imported food available. ATMs are available and Guyana¿s economy is cash based. Credit cards can be used in supermarkets but most other cost including water and electricity is paid in cash. The security situation in Georgetown is according to UNDSS deteriorating with a 50 % increase in robberies within the last year. Movement around the city is recommended to be done by driving and not walking. UN staff jogging at the sea wall has recently been subjected to robbery and if walking is needed mobile phones and bags should not be carried. A number of safety measures have to be in place in order to have a private residence approved by the UNDSS. The current amount available for reimbursement of security installations is 2,000 USD and the cost for the required security measures surpasses the amount which is reimbursed. The installation for only an alarm without cameras is 2,500-3,000 USD and in most cases residences will need others measures in place prior to approval by UNDSS.  Because of the current market affected by the oil industry one should not expect to find a residence which already has security measures in place and as landlords are in a favorable situation there is not much room for negotiations.
This position is located in Georgetown, Guyana and the incumbent will be rowing on mission to all regions including in remote areas which may entail security risks.

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