Hardship Level
C
Family Type
Family
Residential location (if applicable)
Grade
PR2
Staff Member / Affiliate Type
Professional
Reason
Regular > Regular Assignment
Remote work accepted
No
Target Start Date
2023-06-24
Job Posting End Date
July 13, 2023
Standard Job Description
Associate Protection Officer Organizational Setting and Work Relationships The Associate Protection Officer reports to the Protection Officer or the Senior Protection Officer. Depending on the size and structure of the Office, the incumbent may have supervisory responsibility for protection staff including community-based protection registration, resettlement and education. S/he provides functional protection guidance to information management and programme staff on all protection/legal matters and accountabilities. These include: statelessness (in line with the campaign to End Statelessness by 2024), Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) commitments, age, gender, diversity (AGD) and accountability to affected populations (AAP) through community-based protection, Child protection, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention and response, gender equality, disability inclusion, youth empowerment, psycho-social support and PSEA, registration, asylum/refugee status determination, resettlement, local integration, voluntary repatriation, human rights standards integration, national legislation, judicial engagement, predictable and decisive engagement in situations of internal displacement and engagement in wider mixed movement and climate change/disaster-related displacement responses. S/he supervises protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards. The Associate Protection Officer is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern, ensuring that operational responses in all sectors mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards. The incumbent contributes to the design of a comprehensive protection strategy and represents the organization externally on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor. S/he also ensures that persons of concern are meaningfully engaged in the decisions that affect them and support programme design and adaptations that are influenced by the concerns, priorities and capacities of persons of concern. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, authorities, protection and assistance partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection. 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 – Stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment. – Promote International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct. – Foster their consistent and coherent interpretation and application through mainstreaming in all sectors and /or in clusters in applicable operations. – Assist in providing comments on existing and draft legislation related to persons of concern. – Provide legal advice and guidance on protection issues to persons of concern; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation. – Conduct eligibility and status determination for persons of concern in compliance with UNHCR procedural standards and international protection principles. – Promote and contribute to measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness. – Contribute to a country-level child protection plan as part of the protection strategy to ensure programmes use a child protection systems approach. – Contribute to a country-level education plan. – Implement and oversee Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities which integrate AGD sensitive procedures. – Oversee and manage individual protection cases, including those on GBV and child protection. Monitor, and intervene in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents through working relations with governments and other partners. – Recommend durable solutions for the largest possible number of persons of concern through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement. – Assess resettlement needs and apply priorities for the resettlement of individuals and groups of refugees and other persons of concern. – Participate in the organisation and implementation of participatory assessments and methodologies throughout the operations management cycle and promote AGD sensitive programming with implementing and operational partners. – Contribute to and facilitate a programme of results-based advocacy through a consultative process with sectorial and/or cluster partners. – Facilitate effective information management through the provision of disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems. – Promote and integrate community-based approaches to protection and contribute to capacity-building initiatives for communities and individuals to assert their rights. – Support activities in the area of risk management related to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, fraud, case-processing, data protection, and human rights due diligence at country level. – Participate in initiatives to capacitate national authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen national protection related legislation and procedures. – Intervene with authorities on protection issues. – Negotiate locally on behalf of UNHCR. – Decide priorities for reception, interviewing and counselling for groups or individuals. – Enforce compliance of staff and implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services. – Enforce compliance with, and integrity of, all protection standard operating procedures. – Perform other related duties as required. Minimum Qualifications 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 Law, International Law, Political Sciences or other relevant field (Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential) Certificates and/or Licenses Protection Learning Programme (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential) Relevant Job Experience Essential Professional experience in the area of refugee protection, internal displacement, human rights or international humanitarian law. Good knowledge of International Refugee and Human Rights Law and ability to apply the relevant legal principles. Desirable Field experience, including in working directly with communities. Good IT skills including database management skills. Functional Skills *PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators *PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) Coordination MG-Project Management PR-Human Rights Doctrine/Standards PR-International Humanitarian Law PR-Assessment of IDPs Status, Rights, Obligation PR-Climate change and disaster related displacement CO-Drafting and Documentation (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 must have strong and demonstrated Resettlement skills in addition to RSD experience and an understanding of UNHCR’s Protection work. The individual ideally would have experience reviewing Resettlement and RSD case processes and coaching RST and RSD caseworkers. International experience in Resettlement and RSD with UNHCR is also preferred.
Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):
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Desired languages
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Operational context
To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link:
The Associate Protection Officer – Resettlement will support the Pakistan operation as it continues developing and operationalizing a countrywide Resettlement strategy primarily using a Simplified RSD-RST case processing modality. This is part of an effort to secure solutions for refugees, in line with the Multi-Year Solutions Strategy. Based in the Country Office Islamabad, the Associate Protection Officer – Resettlement will support RSD case processing for the operation, focusing on capacity-building of RSD-RST staff, providing comprehensive technical support, and reviewing Simplified RSDs and RRFs compiled by caseworkers. Additionally, s/he will support caseworkers conducting regular and more complex RSD-RST, which may be considered for resettlement. S/he will report to the Senior Durable Solutions Officer in the Country Office Islamabad. S/he will have direct technical supervision responsibility for RSD-RST case management staff.
Islamabad is a category “C” family duty station. The working environment is still conservative but has improved a lot and it’s changing, in terms of social and cultural norms and customs, including prohibitions imposed by religion. Islamabad became a family duty station recently, but you should be aware of all aspects of security-related issues and be sensitive to social, cultural and religious norms in a context where social interaction is often happening.
Islamabad security situation is mostly stable, but there are instances of instability due to political changes and regularly there are demonstrations. However, given that it is the capital of Pakistan and due to the international presence, the city has a heavy security force presence. International staff can accommodate themselves at their choice, in rented house/apartment on or off the Diplomatic Enclave, in guesthouses or hotels.
There are no curfews and restrictions of movement in the city. Certain areas in Islamabad are not recommended to live and walk around where less expats live, and locals are less familiar with foreigners.
All incoming/new international/national staff members should be provided with a detailed security briefing on the arrival, covering most of the operational/ residential/ security/ common social issues.
International staff are not allowed to leave the administrative bounders of Islamabad without the prior consent of the HG. Non-Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by MOFA applies, whether for business or personal/private purposes. Please follow this link for latest updates on travel restrictions; https://covid.gov.pk/intl_travellers/current_policies
Additional Qualifications
Skills
Education
Bachelor of Arts (BA): International Law (Required), Bachelor of Arts (BA): Law (Required), Bachelor of Arts (BA): Political Science (Required)
Certifications
HCR Protection Learning Program – UNHCR
Work Experience
Competencies
Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Teamwork & collaboration
UNHCR Salary Calculator
https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales
Add. 3 to March 2023 Compendium – Part B
Additional Information
Functional clearance
This position doesn’t require a functional clearance