Community-Based Protection Associate

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). Community-Based Protection Associate

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Community-Based Protection Associate is a member of the Protection Unit and may report to the Protection Officer, Community-Based Protection Officer, or another more senior staff member in the Protection Unit. Under the overall direction of the Protection Unit, and in coordination with other UNHCR staff, government, NGO partners and other stakeholders, the Community-Based Protection Associate works directly with communities of concern to identify the risks they face and to leverage their capacities to protect themselves, their families and communities. The incumbent may have direct supervisory responsibility for part of the protection and/or support staff and supports the application of community-based protection standards, operational procedures and practices in community-based protection delivery at the field level. To fulfil this role, the Community-Based Protection Associate is required to spend a substantial percentage of the workday outside the office, building and maintaining networks within communities of PoC. The development and maintenance of constructive relationships with PoC that measurably impact and enhance protection planning, programming and results, form the core of the work of the incumbent. S/he also supports the designing of a community-based protection strategy by ensuring that it is based on consultation with PoC.

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
- Assist functional units, the Multi-Functional Team (MFT) and senior management to integrate participatory and community-based approaches in the overall protection strategy and operational procedures.
- Through relationships with PoC and network of partners, stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment and provide advice to the protection team. Understand the perspectives, capacities, needs and resources of the PoC and advise the protection team accordingly, highlighting the specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older persons, persons with disabilities, marginalized groups.
- Work with host communities to identify opportunities for national civil society involvement in improving the protection of PoC.
- Work with implementing and operational partners as well as with displaced and local communities to develop community-owned activities to address, where applicable, the social, educational, psycho-social, cultural, health, organisational and livelihood concerns as well as child protection and prevention and response to GBV.
- Assist in the analysis that identifies the capacities of communities of concern and risks they face.
- Support participatory assessments by multifunctional teams and ongoing consultation with PoC.
- Assist in planning and monitoring of programmes and budgets, with an AGD perspective
- Build office capacity for community-based protection through training and establishing systems for community mobilization and participation of PoC.
- Support communities in establishing representation and coordination structures.
- Ensure community understanding of UNHCR's commitment to deliver on accountability and quality assurance in its response.
- Act as an interpreter in exchange of routine information, contribute to related liaison activities and respond directly to routine queries.
- Contribute to the enforcement of participatory AGD sensitive analysis as an essential basis for all of UNHCR's work.
- Initiate AGD sensitive interventions at the appropriate level on community-based protection issues and to respond to protection concerns and incidents within the office, with external interlocutors, groups and individuals based on agreed parameters.
- Identify and select which individuals or groups to prioritize for counselling and field visits based on agreed criteria.
- Intervene with authorities on protection.
- Enforce compliance of implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.
- Recommend and prepare payments to individual cases.
- Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G6 - 3 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not applicable

Certificates and/or Licenses
Development, Human Rights,                        International Law
International Social Work, Social Science, Political Science,

(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Not specified

Desirable
UNHCR learning programmes (PLP).
Knowledge of MSRP.

Functional Skills
*IT-MS Office Applications
*IT-Computer Literacy
IT-Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures
UN-UN/UNHCR Financial Rules and Regulations and Procedures
PR-Community-based Protection
PR-Community-based Protection - Principles and methodologies
CL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community
PG-Experience with coordinating with Implementing Partners (Governmt/INGO/NGO/Corporate)
TR-Capacity Building
(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
======================================================================================================== Apologies, am in a series of meetings, also emergency response as 200+ tents were destroyed at the camp due to bad weather. Find below the generic text as requested, kindly make any suggestions and changes as necessary.

The political landscape and operational context in Sudan changed substantially since April 2019. The Transitional Government has been working on improving structural challenges in different sectors including economic, rule of law, governance and human rights. These developments have been positive in supporting humanitarian access across the country including to the conflict affected areas of South Kordofan and Blue Nile States.

The Juba Peace Agreement will be a critical pointer for UNHCR¿s work in Blue Nile, the final agreement and relative peace will encourage return of Sudanese refugees from the various refugee camps in the region but also initiate development activities for the existing population. UNHCR plays a vital role in the existing responses, increased role with the expected refugee returnees and as protection and shelter/NFI lead as part of the Two Areas Mechanism. Comprehensive short and long-term intervention by UNHCR and other partners is under planning.

In addition, after the outbreak of violent conflict in Benishangul-Gumuz Region in the Western Ethiopia towards the end of 2020, asylum seekers and refugees crossed the border into Blue Nile State. Asylum seekers and refugees fled their home country due to generalized violence and fear of persecution. As of June 2021, about 7,500 individuals had arrived in Sudan through different border entry points such as Dem Saad, Manchaleng, Yabacher, Menza, Shamfoz and Magano. UNHCR has mounted a response to the influx with operations at the border point while a camp has been established (Camp 6) near Village 6 for relocation of refugees; about 1,900 asylum seekers have been relocated so far.

Further UNHCR has ongoing CERF funded activities that support IDP and IDP returnees as part of a nationwide peacebuilding and stabilization initiative. In support of this initiative, UNHCR provides shelter assistance and CBI. UNHCR also leads the Protection Sector at the state level which will play an enhanced role in the future.

With the identified needs and in support of UNHCR¿s role in Blue Nile, a new office has been established and will be fully fledged by November 2021. The Closing date is 18 September 2021.