Org. Setting and Reporting

UNRWA, the largest United Nations operation in the Middle East with over 30,000 staff working across five areas of operation, is looking for highly committed personnel wishing to make a change.

If you are looking for a rewarding opportunity to make a tangible difference for one of the most vulnerable communities in the world, UNRWA would like to hear from you.

The Protection Officer (Disability & Inclusion) reports to the Protection Team Leader.

Responsibilities

– Leads sub-thematic protection programme approach and develops relevant strategies and action plans to ensure the inclusion and access of all eligible Palestine refugees to UNRWA services. Works with programmatic colleagues to ensure that programmes integrate best practice. Drafts key guidance documents on protection-related topics, as per the area of specialty, and provides input into other relevant guidelines, SOPs, procedures, and processes as needed. Provides expert advice and support to the Field Office on protection issues to increase the capacity of the Agency.

– Provides support to the integration and mainstreaming of UNRWA policy and standards on protection and humanitarian principles in programmes, including designing and delivering training sessions to UNRWA programmes and others. Provides technical support and policy advice on existing procedures in respect of agreed themes and activities. Plans for and leads the roll out and implementation of protection policies and standards in the Field Office.

– Strengthens internal coordination across UNRWA services on the area of specialty, working with programmes and colleagues at different levels to share trends and analysis, promote referrals between programmes and identify key needs.

– Undertakes protection monitoring of key protection threats and risks through regular field missions to document information and data concerning alleged violations of international humanitarian law, human rights and refugee law as a basis for informing programmatic and advocacy responses in line with UNRWA policies and procedures. Based on the collected data, undertakes and/or supports private advocacy on protection issues with a range of different stakeholders, including authorities, donors, and/or diplomats, etc.; provides inputs to public advocacy initiatives on protection issues where relevant; and drafts inputs to written reports as needed.

– Undertakes quarterly integrated assessments of all UNRWA installations according to protection and humanitarian principles in the areas under their responsibility.

– Works with management to establish or strengthen community relations in at-risk Palestine refugee communities, including engagement with UNRWA staff, local authorities and representative bodies, community-based organizations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs); develops and maintains close working relationships and strategic partnerships with and represents UNRWA at relevant UN working groups, humanitarian coordination mechanisms and with key stakeholders, including national authorities, UN agencies and NGOs.

– Conducts, or coordinates with internal and external partners, regular mapping and assessment of UNRWA services, surveys, research and needs assessments to identify problems faced by Palestine refugees and provides appropriate recommendation(s); follows up on their implementation and keeps track of data trends available on vulnerable groups, including children, persons with disabilities, and survivors of gender-based violence. Supports protection referrals across programmes in coordination with relevant programme and support staff, ensuring that such systems are in line with protection principles.

– Supports fundraising, formulation, and implementation of field protection programme initiatives; and leads the project management of protection projects (proposal writing, reporting, budget management, monitoring, and evaluation, as well as its implementation at the field level, including ensuring thematic inclusion and compliance with project proposals.

– Guides and supports supervisees’ planning and performance management, and capacity development to ensure they are meeting the desired deliverables and objectives.

Competencies

UN Core Values of Integrity, Professionalism and Respect for Diversity, and Core Competencies of Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results apply by default. Default managerial competencies may apply.

– Creating and Innovating
– Planning and Organizing
– Persuading and Influencing
– Relating and Networking
– Leading and Supervising

For guidance on how to prepare for competency-based interviews: https://careers.un.org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=AYI

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) from an accredited educational institution in public or business administration, social sciences, international humanitarian assistance, law, international relations, or a related discipline.

Work Experience

At least five years of relevant experience in the humanitarian, human rights sector with focus on one or more of the areas of gender, child protection, humanitarian principles, advocacy and/or disability and inclusion, in international organizations, other relevant UN agencies or NGOs is required.

Unless already serving as an international staff member in the UN Common System, at least two continuous years of relevant international experience outside UNRWA, and outside the country(s) of citizenship is required.

Work may request driving a UN vehicle with a manual transmission; therefore, incumbent must be capable and willing to drive such vehicle/s. A driving license for manual transmission vehicles is required.

Knowledge of UNRWA operations and services is desirable.

In-depth knowledge of Middle East geo-political realities and their socio-cultural implications is desirable.

Working knowledge of Arabic is desirable.

Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) from an accredited educational institution in public or business administration, social sciences, international humanitarian assistance, law, international relations, or a related discipline, is required.

Languages

Excellent command of written and spoken English is required.
Working knowledge of Arabic is desirable.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

Type of Contract and duration: 1 year project funded with Entry On Duty start date from 1 January 2024.

Work may require driving a UN vehicle with a manual transmission; therefore, incumbent must be capable and willing to drive such vehicle/s.

Applicants have to complete the Personal History Profile (PHP) in Inspira in order to be considered. The PHP should be completed with full relevant work experience as per the requirements in the Job Opening, in order to be considered.

A roster may be created from the selection exercise, and successful candidates may become eligible for an appointment to the same post or a similar post.

UNRWA welcomes applications from qualified candidates with disabilities.

Join our eco-friendly organization dedicated to environmental sustainability and targeting to be plastic free by 2025.

Equivalency:
A first level university degree in combination with additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
NB: work experience alone or formal qualifications with no relevant work experience are not considered an acceptable combination.

UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states, regional bodies, business foundations and individual contributions. The mission of UNRWA is to help Palestine refugees achieve their full potential in human development under the difficult circumstances in which they live.

For more details on UNRWA, please visit: https://www.unrwa.org/

United Nations Considerations

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Commissioner-General of UNRWA and to assignment by him or her.

UNRWA is committed to achieving gender parity at all levels of staffing under the current UN-wide gender agenda and strongly encourages applications from qualified applicants from under-represented groups.

At UNRWA, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. UNRWA is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

UNRWA Considerations
UNRWA staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of efficiency, competence, neutrality, impartiality and integrity. This includes respect for and commitment to human rights, diversity and non-violent means of dealing with all kinds of conflict. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for UNRWA jobs. Candidates will not be considered for employment with UNRWA if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. The Agency may disqualify applicants who have separated for reason of misconduct, who left a UN Agency while misconduct processes were pending, or who appear on the UN Sanctions List.
UNRWA is a non-smoking work environment.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.