Senior Protection Assistant

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

A (least hardship)

FamilyUNOPS LICA5

2023-10-01October 1, 20231. General Background
The Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was established in 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. The agency is mandated to provide protection, assistance and seek durable solutions for refugees and stateless persons. Egypt is a signatory State to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, as well as the 1969 OAU Convention Governing Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa. In accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding of 1954 concluded between UNHCR and the Government of Egypt, all activities pertaining to registration, documentation and refugee status determination are carried out by UNHCR. UNHCR in Egypt has Offices in Greater Cairo (6th October City and Zamalek district) as well as a Field Office in Alexandria.

The Senior Protection Assistant normally reports to the Associate Protection Officer or Senior Protection Associate. 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 Senior Protection Assistant is expected to coordinate quality, timely, and effective protection responses to the needs of refugees and asylum seekers, 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 Senior Protection Assistant also ensures that refugees and asylum seekers are involved in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying appropriate solutions to their problems.

Under the Protection Service in UNHCR Egypt, the Legal Unit plays an important role in attending to the legal and physical protection needs of refugees, asylum seekers, and others needing international protection in Egypt. The incumbent will work on identifying the legal and physical protection needs and designing and implementing a response in line with the international human rights and refugee standards, national legislation and UNHCR’s case management procedures.
    
2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment

The Senior Protection Assistant will undertake the following tasks:

- 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.
- Provide advice on protection issues to refugees and asylum seekers;
- Provide counseling to refugees and asylum seekers on protection and legal issues and ensure proper feedback to them is provided;
- Conduct interviews and draft protection assessments of legal and physical protection concerns facing asylum seekers and refugees.
- Draft routine correspondence relating to individual cases;
- Draft correspondence to national authorities on different protection issues;
- Compile and enters the statistical data into the UNHCR database for protection;
- Produce daily and weekly reports;
- Perform other duties as required;

4. Qualifications and Experience
- Drafting and reporting skills in both English and Arabic.
- Experience in case management procedures;
- knowledge of UNHCR data systems is an advantage


a. Education (Level and area of required and/or preferred education)
    2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher
- A degree in law, human rights or political science with minor studies in international law is an added advantage.



b. Work Experience

- Minimum 2 years of professional job experience
- Work experience with UNHCR is an advantage
- Completion of UNHCR's related learning activities is an advantage



c. Key Competencies
- Fluency both in oral and written English and Arabic.
- Basic computer skills.
- Drafting skills, both in English and Arabic.
- Sound interpersonal and communication skills, especially with people from different cultural backgrounds

 

Standard Job Description

Required Languages

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Desired Languages

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Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

Certifications

Other information

Fluency in Arabic and English language is required.This position doesn't require a functional clearance