Protection Associate

Internal candidates

General Service Staff members currently serving at the duty station where the vacancy exists, who have been appointed through the AC process and have indefinite or Fixed Term appointment.  Interested staff members should consult the Policy and Procedures on Assignments of Locally recruited Staff (PPAL).

External candidates

External candidates must be legally present in Turkey at the time of application, recruitment and hire. Turkish citizens are required to submit a valid Turkish residence permit to be considered. Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Protection Associate normally reports to the Associate Legal Officer under the overall supervision and oversight of the RSD Officer.   The incumbent monitors protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards and provides functional protection support to information management and programme staff.

The Protection Associate is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern (PoC) and identify opportunities to mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards in operational responses in all sectors.  S/he contributes to designing a comprehensive protection strategy and liaises externally with authorities and partners on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor.

The Protection Associate also ensures that PoC are involved 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, local authorities and protection and assistance partners.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
- Stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment.
- Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.
- Assist in providing comments on existing and draft legislation related to PoC.
- Provide advice on protection issues to PoC; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.
- Assist in conducting eligibility and status determination for PoC.
- Contribute to measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness.
- Contribute to a country-level child protection plan as part of the protection strategy.
- Contribute to a country-level education plan as part of the protection strategy.
- Monitor Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.
- Manage individual protection cases including those on SGBV and child protection. Monitor, and intervene in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents.
- Assist in identifying durable solutions for the largest possible number of PoC through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement.
- Contribute to the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Facilitate effective information management through the provision of disaggregated data on PoC and their problems.
- Participate in initiatives to capacitate authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen national protection related legislation and procedures.
- Assist the supervisor in prioritizing PoC for interview, counselling and propose protection support for individual cases.
- Assist the supervisor with enforcing compliance of local implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.
- Assist the supervisor with enforcing compliance with, and integrity of, all protection standard operating procedures.
- Submit individual payments request for PoC for approval. 
- Perform other related duties as required.


Years of Experience / Degree Level
-     6 years relevant experience with High school diploma


Desirable:
-    Protection Learning Programme


Language Requirements

-    Very good drafting and communication skills in English and Turkish is essential.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. 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. Shortlisted candidates may be required to sit for a test. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified. No late applications will be accepted.

UNHCR is committed to diversity and welcomes applications from qualified candidates regardless of disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour or ethnic and national origins, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.

Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training or any other fees).

REMUNERATION

A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. The monthly net salary is between TRY 8,100.87 and TRY 10,165.51 depending on relevant experience, dependency status and language proficiency. For more information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, please visit the portal of the Office of HR Management of United Nations.
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See below for this postion's Operational Context
======================================================================================================== Current Situation

The international obligations of Turkey and its national legislative framework on asylum have shaped the form of the current collaboration with UNHCR. During the last 58 years, UNHCR and Turkey have been working together in close partnership. Turkey has provided the asylum space for persons seeking refuge, and UNHCR has assisted Turkey to determine who is in need of international protection and to enable access to rights by these persons. As the main partner of the Turkish State in the field of international protection, UNHCR Turkey continues to provide legislative and technical support as well as institutional capacity building support to the Directorate General of Migration Management (DGMM) and other national institutions.

As regard Syrian nationals who are hosted in Turkey under a Temporary Protection (TP) framework for Syrian nationals, refugees and stateless, UNHCR¿s work is to support the authorities through the provision of technical assistance and strong public advocacy for enhanced responsibility sharing.

UNHCR in Turkey processes cases in close consultation with DGMM for the purposes of resettlement, intervenes to strengthen the protection environment and access to social support mechanisms, and endeavours to find durable solutions for the most vulnerable amongst those who are recognized as refugees provided they meet the criteria of the resettlement countries.

UNHCR in Turkey operates through a branch office in Ankara, with field offices in Gaziantep and Istanbul, as well as field units in Ankara, Izmir, Sanliurfa, Hatay and Van.


Profile Statement

The Protection Associate is a member of the Policy Development Unit (PDU) in the Country Operation and reports to the Associate Legal Protection Officer, under overall supervision and oversight of the RSD Officer. 

Depending on the size and structure of the Office, the Protection Associate may have supervisory responsibility for protection staff including personnel dealing with support to national asylum procedures and with translation services.

He/she monitors protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards and provides functional protection support to information management and programme staff.

The Protection Associate is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern and identify opportunities to mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards in operational responses in all sectors.  He/she contributes to designing a comprehensive protection strategy and liaises externally with authorities and partners on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor.

The Protection Associate 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, local authorities and protection and assistance partners.

The Protection Associate contributes to the work of the Unit implementing the strategy and relating activities designed by the Unit for the support to national asylum procedures and represents the organization externally on protection and supported status determination doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor. He/she assists in the preparation of legal advice, Country of Origin Information research, and drafting of Standard Operating Procedures, position papers, guidelines and tools addressing pertinent legal and operational issues as a part of the Unit¿s overall work in supporting the national institutions in interpretation and implementation of international principles and national legislation.

The Protection Associate initiates and delivers capacity-development events to enhance national and local protection delivery capacities, including involvement in the national status determination procedures as agreed under the overall cooperation through conducting of status determination interviews and drafting of recommendations relating to cases processed within national asylum procedures.

He/she drafts reports based on the case-processing and protection monitoring functions of the Unit and delivers proposals for intervention areas based on the analysis conducted on the protection response. The closing date of the Job opening is 21 February 2020.