Senior Protection Assistant

H (no hardship)FamilyFamily GS5General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular AssignmentNo2024-10-01September 17, 2024

Senior Protection Assistant

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Senior Protection Assistant normally reports to a more senior Protection colleague. 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 provides quality, timely and effective protection support to persons of concern (PoC) and identifies opportunities to mainstream protection methodologies and safeguards in operational responses. S/he contributes to designing a comprehensive protection strategy and may liaise externally with local authorities and partners on protection issues as guided by the supervisor.

The Senior Protection Assistant 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
- Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.
- Provide counselling on protection issues to PoC; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.
- Support activities in protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Conduct preliminary information gathering and interviews in support of eligibility, status determination, durable solutions and social needs assessment.
- 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 for PoC as part of the protection strategy.
- Monitor Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.
- Participate in individual protection case management including cases of GBV and child protection. Monitor and report on cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents.
- Assist in identifying durable solutions for PoC in 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.
- Draft reports, routine correspondence, update relevant databases and compiling statistics within the Area of Responsibility (AoR).
- Contribute to initiatives to enhance national and local protection capacities.
- Select PoC for preliminary interviews and decide which relevant information to share.
- Enforce integrity in the delivery of protection services by local implementing partners.

- Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
- Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
G5 - 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not applicable

Certificates and/or Licenses
International Law;
Political Science;
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential: Not specified.
Desirable: Not specified.

Functional Skills
IT-Computer Literacy
PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
(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.

Eligibility
GS category:
This position is open to applications from internal and external candidates, provided that requirements regarding professional experience, academic qualifications, language, etc. are fulfilled.
TO THE ATTENTION OF EXTERNAL CANDIDATES:
External Candidates must meet the essential minimum requirements of the position and must have either Polish citizenship or the legal status necessary to work in Poland.
Your application will NOT be considered if;
- The application form is not duly filled.
- The residence/work permit not submitted (for non-Polish candidates)
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Additional Information
UNHCR’s workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. We seek to sustain and strengthen this diversity and to ensure equal opportunities, as well as an inclusive working environment, for our entire workforce. Joining us means living, sharing and promoting these core values of inclusion, diversity and gender equality.

Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on the grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.
UNHCR reserves the right to retain applications and consider external candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNHCR at the same grade or lower level and with similar job descriptions, experience, and educational requirements for the appointment of a shorter duration (Temporary Appointment).

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

Shortlisted candidates may be required to sit for a test. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified. No late applications will be accepted.
Remuneration & Benefits
A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. The monthly net salary is between PLN 7,341 and PLN 8,968 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.
UNHCR also offers comprehensive medical insurance and pension plans.

DETAILED POSITION DESCRIPTION:
The incumbent of this position will work in UNHCR’s Field Office in Lublin, Poland. Ability to be physically present in the office on a daily basis is required, as well as go on missions within Poland as needed. The incumbent will work as part of the larger Protection Unit, ensuring communities are consulted and involved in the decisions that affect their lives in line with UNHCR’s Age, Gender, and Diversity approach. The incumbent should be familiar with UNHCR’s Protection principles and community-based protection approach. The incumbent should be comfortable conducting individual interviews with refugees and conducting Focus Group Discussions, referring individuals for additional services, including those that have just arrived from the border areas, and preparing written reports and summaries in English. As such, experience in interviewing individuals about sensitive topics, as well as competencies in written and spoken Polish, and English are required for this position, and knowledge of written and spoken Ukrainian is desirable. Previous experience in border monitoring, promoting economic inclusion and/or integration activities is also desirable. The incumbent should be able to identify protection risks, propose solutions, and support developing strategies and plans. The incumbent may also be requested to provide interpretation support in Polish and English as needed. The ability to work independently and outside the office is also required. The incumbent should have demonstrated competencies in flexibility and adaptability, and be able to represent UNHCR in a professional manner to external stakeholders and authorities.

This position in located in Lublin, Poland, and is considered an H duty station. It has full access to healthcare services, transportation, communication, and educational opportunities.English

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Polish

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Ukrainian

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

https://www.cdc.gov/travel

Nature of Position:

Poland’s eastern borders with Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine serve as the European Union’s external boundaries. The country currently hosts over 1 million refugees from Ukraine, in addition to a smaller number of asylum seekers and refugees from different countries.

UNHCR has been in Poland for 30 years (since 1992), working with national authorities on refugee-related matters. With the Ukraine emergency, UNHCR has substantially scaled up its presence and operations. It currently has a Country Office and Frontex Liaison Office in Warsaw, three Field Offices in Warsaw, Lublin and Rzeszow, and a Sub-Office in Krakow, with a workforce of nearly 140 national and international staff.

The overarching principles guiding UNHCR’s strategy in Poland include: i) localization and centrality of protection, ii) strengthening national systems, avoiding duplication and rationalizing the Refugee Coordination Model (RCM) so that it serves the purpose efficiently and iii) capitalizing on the Global Compact for Refugees (GCR) paradigms to advance the rights of refugees and stateless persons in Poland.

As the UN-mandated agency to provide international protection to refugees, UNHCR leads the refugee coordination structure in support of the Government-led response, with the aim to complement, support and strengthen the national response to the refugee crisis, along with ensuring no duplication of interventions and complementarity of action.

The incumbent of this position will work in UNHCR’s Field Office in Lublin, Poland. Ability to be physically present in the office on a daily basis is required, as well as go on missions within Poland as needed. The incumbent will work as part of the larger Protection Unit, ensuring communities are consulted and involved in the decisions that affect their lives in line with UNHCR’s Age, Gender, and Diversity approach. The position requires familiarity with UNHCR’s Protection principles and community-based protection approach. The incumbent will be conducting individual interviews with refugees and conducting Focus Group Discussions, referring individuals for additional services, including those that have just arrived from the border areas, and preparing written reports and summaries in English. The incumbent will identify protection risks, propose solutions, and support developing strategies and plans. The incumbent may also be requested to provide interpretation support in Polish and English as needed. The position requires ability to work independently and outside the office and the ability to represent UNHCR in a professional manner to external stakeholders and authorities.  

Living and Working Conditions:

This position in located in Lublin, Poland, and is considered an H duty station. It has full access to healthcare services, transportation, communication, and educational opportunities.
 

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Certifications

International Law - Other, Political Science - Other

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance