Associate Child Protection Officer

This position is advertised open to internal and external applicants. Interested applicants should consult the Administrative Instruction on Recruitment and Assignment of Locally Recruited Staff (RALS). Applicants must be nationals of, and be locally recruited within the country of their employment. Associate Child Protection Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
UNHCR is committed to the effective protection to children of concern, with children representing more than half of the persons falling under its mandate. UNHCR adopts a rights and community-based approach to address the protection needs of children, with a strong emphasis on inclusion within national child protection, child friendly procedures and working with other sectors to protect children including education.  Child protection is recognized as global organizational priority for UNHCR. Dedicated child protection positions are needed to provide technical support to improve UNHCR's operational capacity to deliver effective protection to children, adolescents and youth of concern.
The Associate Child Protection Officer is a member of the protection team in a Country or Sub-Office, under the direct supervision of a Child Protection Officer or a Protection Officer. The incumbent has direct supervisory responsibility for child protection staff. S/he provides functional child protection oversight to information management and programme staff. The incumbent works directly with communities and children of concern to identify the risks they face and to leverage their capacities to protect themselves, their families and communities. The Associate Child Protection Officer will be primarily responsible for supporting the strengthening of the child protection services through technical support, capacity building and strategic planning in line with UNHCR child protection policies and standards. S/he may also provide functional supervision to UNHCR staff implementing best interests procedures.   

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
Needs Identification, Strategy and Advocacy
- Contribute, under the overall guidance of the supervisor, to the formulation of child protection key considerations in multi-sectoral and protection specific assessments and monitoring.
- Provide effective and timely support to the formulation and monitoring of a clear and coherent child protection strategy as part of the operation's broader Protection and Solutions Strategy.
- Ensure compliance with UNHCR's child protection policy, priorities and commitments, as well as other aligned policies on age, gender, diversity (AGD) and accountability to affected populations (AAP), GBV, gender equality, disability and youth empowerment.
- Contribute to assessment of the capacity of national child protection system and services, the inclusion of children of concern into national child protection laws, policies and services and strengthening the capacity of the national child protection system to provide quality support to children of concern.
- Support child protection data collection, analysis and dissemination within UNHCR and partners.
- Assist in defining context-appropriate approaches for a meaningful participation of children, adolescents and youth in the development and implementation of strategies that address key child protection priorities.
- Support the supervisor in evidence-based advocacy with UNHCR senior management, authorities and other actors on child protection.

Programme planning and implementation
- Contribute to the design and implementation of child protection programmes, including multi-sectoral activities based on identified needs and in line with Child Protection Strategy and UNHCR's global, regional and national policies and standards.
- Contribute to the effective implementation of Best Interests Procedure by UNHCR and partners for timely support for children at heightened risk including supervision of UNHCR case management staff in line with UNHCR Best Interests Procedures Guidelines.
- Contribute to the development/update and implementation of Child Protection Standard Operating Procedures in collaboration with partners and other sectors, particularly GBV, Education, Cash-based Interventions and MHPSS.
- Support implementation of child protection information management systems in accordance with UNHCR's Policy and procedures and interagency child protection information management standards and agreements.
- Support community-based child protection programmes based on thorough understanding of the community structures, capacity and needs and in collaboration with Community-Based Protection colleagues.
- Assist in monitoring the implementation of UNHCR and partners' child protection programme and recommend corrective actions, if required.
- Provide technical support to UNHCR colleagues to effectively mainstream child protection in UNHCR's overall response
- Make recommendations for planning, programming, and monitoring of human and financial resources for child protection activities.
- Provide functional guidance to UNHCR and partner staff involved in child protection activities.
- In collaboration with UNHCR colleagues, contribute to ensuring that UNHCR procedures, including registration, refugee status determination, solutions and accountability mechanisms are child-friendly and are in line with AGD approach.

Partnership and coordination
- Assist in establishing and/or strengthening strategic and innovative partnerships for Child Protection with community-based, local, national, and international organizations, with a focus on ensuring continuity and sustainability.
- Support UNHCR staff responsible for leading or participating in the coordination of child protection.
- Contribute to mainstreaming and integrating child protection considerations into other sectors.
- Contribute to interagency monitoring and reporting on child protection issues and programmes.

Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
- Assist in identifying training needs of UNHCR, Government and partner staff in the area of child protection, and development of learning plans.
- Participate in initiatives to build capacity of authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen national protection related legislation and procedures.
- Assist in providing functional guidance to UNHCR and partner staff involved in child protection activities
- Identify and document lessons learnt and good practices.
- Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P2/NOB - 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
International Law      Human Rights International Development
International Relations         Anthropology Social Work
Gender Studies      Political Science        Social Science
or other relevant field.
(Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
- At least 1 years of progressively responsible experience in the field of protection of children, broader protection or social work involving children and youth, with knowledge of issues relating to child protection, education, gender, humanitarian and development issues, and GBV prevention and response.
- Applied experience in child protection prevention and response. Demonstrated knowledge of and implementation of multi-sectorial child protection prevention and response programming.
- Knowledge of protection in forced displacement settings and knowledge and demonstrated use of UNHCR and Interagency child protection tools and guidance.
- Skills and experience in interviewing and working with children and families including on case management of at risk children.

Desirable
- Knowledge of the international legal and policy framework governing refugees, asylum seekers and returnees and IDPs.
- Knowledge and good understanding of the UNHCR Best Interests Procedures Guidelines.
- Experience in working with children, adolescents and youth and participatory child friendly approaches.
- Excellent interviewing, counselling, drafting and analytical skills.
- Experience implementing child protection case management and/or implementation of best interests procedures.
- Experience working with partners.
- Completion of UNHCR learning programmes or specific training relevant to functions of position and/or interagency child protection learning programme.

Functional Skills
PR-Child Protection Prevention and Response
PR-Child Protection Information Management System
PR-Experience in Best Interest Procedures for children
PR-Interviewing and counselling refugees/asylum seekers and in individual case management
PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD)
TR-Training/Coaching/Facilitation
IT-Computer Literacy
CO-Cross-cultural communication
CL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.



All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

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.
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See below for this postion's Operational Context
======================================================================================================== In the current configuration of the office, the incumbent will be responsible for supporting the strengthening of the child protection services through technical support, capacity building and strategic planning in line with UNHCR child protection policies and standard, under the direct supervision of a Protection Officer. S/he works directly to support the offices in the field to work with communities and children of concern to identify the risks they face and to leverage their capacities to protect themselves, their families, and communities. 
The incumbent of this position should:
- Contribute to the formulation of child protection key considerations in multi-sectoral and protection specific assessments and monitoring.
- Provide effective and timely support to the formulation and monitoring of a clear and coherent child protection strategy as part of the operations broader Protection and Solutions Strategy.
- Ensure compliance with UNHCR¿s child protection policy, priorities and commitments, other aligned policies on age, gender, diversity (AGD), accountability to affected populations (AAP), GBV, gender equality, disability and youth empowerment.
- Contribute to assessment of the capacity of national child protection system and services, the inclusion of children of concern into national child protection laws, policies and services and strengthening the capacity of the national child protection system to provide quality support to children of concern.
- Support child protection data collection, analysis and dissemination within UNHCR and partners.
- Contribute to the effective implementation of Best Interests Procedure by UNHCR and partners for timely support for children at heightened risk including supervision of UNHCR case management staff in line with UNHCR Best Interests Procedures Guidelines.
- Contribute to the development/update and implementation of Child Protection Standard Operating Procedures with partners and other sectors, particularly SGBV, Education, Cash-based Interventions and MHPSS.
- Contribute to ensuring that UNHCR procedures, registration, RSD, solutions and accountability mechanisms are child-friendly and are in line with AGD approach.
- Work closely with government counterparts such as the National Council on Child Welfare (NCCW) and the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees (COR), UN sister agencies including UNICEF, I/NGOs, CBOs and other relevant partners including through advocacy and technical support.
The political context in Sudan remains complex, diverse, and fast-changing necessitating high levels of political sensitivity and solid coordination and communication skills. The operations in Sudan includes emergency response, regular refugee programmes, IDP support (emergency, durable solutions), voluntary repatriation, statelessness, and special projects, for example peacebuilding support funded by the UN Peacebuilding Fund. UNHCR Representation in Sudan has presence in five main regions of Darfur, Kordofan, East Sudan, White Nile, Blue Nile and Khartoum. The Representation Office in Khartoum provides the overall strategic guidance and implementation of the operations, security, policies, and liaison with key Government stakeholders, donor communities, UNAMID/UNITAMS, UNCT/HCT and NGO partners, UN sister agencies and other relevant government counterparts. The Representation Office in Khartoum provides an oversight of activities in Sudan being supported by 15 offices; four Sub Offices, eight Field Offices and three Field Units. The security threat level for most locations of Sudan remains moderate to high risk due to the number of security incidents, such as recurrent demonstrations all over Sudan as a result of the economic challenges and heightened insecurity, particularly in locations of Darfur and Kordofan states.
Khartoum is classified as C family duty station. Khartoum features a desert climate (at times very hot and dusty), with only the months of July and August seeing significant precipitation.  Its average annual temperature is about 37.1 °C (99 °F). Particularly, staff with allergy may be affected by the dust. Medical and leisure facilities are limited.  It is possible to find decent houses and apartments with stable water and electricity supply.
Security Level 2 pertains in Khartoum state, however due to the current political situation. Staff sensitivity to Sudanese culture and dress code is very important. Assigned staff needs to have completed the BSAFE module and produce copies of certification in order to obtain UN identification card in Sudan and  update the TRIP profile. Driving and traffic in Khartoum poses the greatest threat to staff safety and staff should avoid the use of Tuk-Tuk taxies. Criminality is low in Khartoum but expat accommodation is being targeted. The closing date is 19 September 2021.