H (no hardship)
Family
Family
Residential location (if applicable)
PR3
Staff Member / Affiliate Type
Professional
Reason
Regular > Regular Assignment
No
2022-11-21-08:00
December 15, 2022
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 Child Protection Officer is a member of the protection team in a Country or Sub-Office. S/he may report to a Senior Child Protection Officer, Senior (Community-Based) 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 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 incumbent also acts as an advisor to senior management in designing a child protection strategy that fits within the broader Protection and Solutions Strategy by ensuring that it is based on consultation with persons of concern, including children, adolescents and youth. The incumbent plans and undertakes quality, timely and effective child protection responses in line with UNHCR's Framework for Child Protection, in an age, gender and diversity inclusive manner.
The Child Protection Officer will maintain a close working relationship with the Bureau and the Division of International Protection for system-wide coherence.
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
- Support timely assessment, monitoring, reporting of child protection issues including through multi-sectoral and protection specific assessments and monitoring including the meaningful participation of children, adolescents and youth and lead the analysis of child protection related findings.
- Monitor the implementation of UNHCR's Child Protection strategy within the overall 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.
- In collaboration with partners, assess the capacity of national child protection system and services, work towards the inclusion of children of concern into national child protection laws, policies and services and build the capacity of the national child protection system to provide quality support to children of concern.
- Oversee child protection data and evidence collection, analysis and dissemination within UNHCR and partners.
- Support the participation of children, adolescents and youth of concern to inform protection and assistance programming, support their engagement in protection solutions and ensure that UNHCR meets its commitments to accountability to children, adolescents and youth of concern.
- Ensure that existing protection monitoring mechanisms adequately capture protection risks facing children, adolescents and youth.
- Support evidence-based advocacy with UNHCR senior management, authorities and other actors on child protection.
Programme planning and implementation
- Design and monitor the implementation of UNHCR's child protection programme, including multi-sectoral activities to address the protection needs of children of concern.
- Establish/enhance and oversee Best Interests Procedures for children at risk including referral systems, follow-up and monitoring in line with UNHCR Best Interests Procedures Guidelines.
- Establish/update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for child protection services in collaboration with partners.
- Ensure UNHCR and partners' child protection information management systems are functioning in accordance with UNHCR's Policy and procedure as well as interagency data sharing protocols and standards.
- Strengthen community-based child protection programmes and approaches in collaboration with communities and community-based protection colleagues.
- In collaboration with UNHCR colleagues, ensure that UNHCR procedures, including registration, refugee status determination, solutions and accountability mechanisms are child-friendly and are in line with AGD approach.
- Provide technical support to UNHCR colleagues to effectively mainstream child protection in UNHCR's overall response.
- Monitor and refine child protection programs implemented by UNHCR and partners.
- Support the integration of child protection in the operation's planning, reporting, communication and fund raising.
- Provide functional guidance to UNHCR and partner staff involved in child protection activities.
- Advise UNHCR programme and senior management to ensure that the necessary human and financial resources are allocated to protect children of concern.
Partnership and coordination
- Establish and/or strengthen partnerships for Child Protection with community-based, local, national, and international organizations, with a focus on ensuring continuity and sustainability.
- Establish, strengthen and where appropriate lead Child Protection coordination mechanisms, within the broader protection working group/cluster and in consultation with the Senior Protection Officer or Head of Office.
- Represent UNHCR's position and priorities in relation to child protection in inter-agency fora.
- Contribute to interagency monitoring and reporting on child protection issues and programmes.
Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
- In collaboration with partners, assess learning needs on child protection for UNHCR teams, partners and government counterparts.
- Develop and implement child protection capacity development plan and activities for UNHCR staff and partners, supports relevant interagency capacity building and integrates child protection within broader UNHCR capacity building plans and initiatives.
- Provide child protection technical guidance to UNHCR and partner staff in protection, education, health and other relevant sectors.
- Introduce innovative approaches, document and disseminate lessons learnt and good practices in child protection and apply relevant knowledge on effective child protection programming to the operation/region.
- Perform other related duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P3/NOC - 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree
Field(s) of Education
International Law, Human Rights, International Development, International Relations, Anthropology, Social Work,
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 4 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, knowledge and demonstrated use of UNHCR and Interagency child protection tools and guidance. Strong experience in interacting with and building partnerships and synergies with UN agencies, NGOs and civil society organizations. Skills and experience in interviewing and working with children and families and supervising staff on case management of at risk children.
Desirable
Knowledge of the international legal and policy framework governing refugees, asylum seekers and returnees and IDPs. Demonstrated knowledge of community communication and engagement approaches including community-based child protection. Extensive experience in working with children, adolescents and youth and participatory child friendly approaches. Demonstrated coordination and consensus building skills to manage multiple stakeholder consultation processes. Experience managing child protection case management programmes, including implementation of best interests procedures. Demonstrated understanding of critical issues around child protection data and knowledge of safe and ethical data collection analysis and conducting assessments. Experience using ProGres, CPIMS or other protection data management systems. Completion of UNHCR learning programmes or specific training relevant to functions of position and/or interagency child protection learning programme. Demonstrated knowledge of engagement with child protection Interagency humanitarian architecture, experience in interagency coordination and strong skills in working with partners
Functional Skills
*PR-Child Protection Prevention and Response Programming
IT-Computer Literacy
DM-Data Management
CO-Drafting and Documentation
TR-Training - Virtual and face to face
PR-Child Protection Case Management and Best Interests Procedures
PR-Child Protection Information Management System
CO-Cross-cultural communication
CL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community
PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD)
PG-Stakeholder management and coordination with Implementing Partners (Gov/NGO/Corporate)
(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.
Desired Candidate Profile
The candidate should have experience in child protection programming in forcibly displaced settings in multiple locations. Experience with managing UNHCR and/or partners child protection programming is required. Experience in child protection coordination, programming, capacity building and case management is required. The candidate must be familiar with UNHCR specific child protection standards and guidelines including the Best Interests Procedures guidelines and the refugee coordination model. A second UN language is desirable.
Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):
,
,
Operational context
Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:
The position is based in Geneva with regular travel for meetings, missions and trainings. Travel to emergency, non-family duty stations for short missions may be required.
Nature of Position:
Child protection is recognized as global organizational priority for UNHCR. UNHCR’s Division of International Protection is seeking a Child Protection Staff to contribute to the Child Protection Unit’s on child protection global policy, guidance, capacity building and tools. The Child Protection Unit also provides technical support to UNHCR’s Regional Bureuax and where needed Operations and represents UNHCR on child protection in interagency global forum and partnerships.
The Child Protection Officer will support the overall work of the Child Protection Unit, including by contributing to the development of technical guidelines and capacity building, supporting global partnerships and advocacy and providing technical support to regional Bureaux and field operations as needed.
In addition to the core skills and competencies for the child protection position, the incumbent should have:
- Familiarity with latest UNHCR and inter-agency Child Protection policies, tools and standards;
- Demonstrated mastery of Child Protection prevention and response in forced displacement situations;
- Ability to develop partnerships and represent UNHCR in complex interagency environment;
- Strong diplomatic and advocacy skills;
- Inter-agency coordination experience highly desirable;
- Expertise in learning and development on child protection
- Strong analytical skills, experience in strategy development is an advantage;
- Excellent written and oral communication skills in English; Ability to work in an additional language (French, Spanish or Arabic) highly desirable.
Living and Working Conditions:
The position is based in Geneva and is part of the Child Protection Unit, and works closely with other Units in DIP and Divisions in HQ.
Additional Qualifications
Skills
BA: Anthropology (Required), BA: Human Rights (Required), BA: International Development (Required), BA: International Law (Required), BA: International Relations (Required), BA: Political Science (Required), BA: Social Work (Required)
Certifications
Competencies
Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Judgement & decision making, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration
https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales
Compendium
Bi-annual Compendium 2022 Part B – November 2022
This position doesn't require a functional clearance
