Protection Assistant – UNHCR/UNOPS LICA 4 At UN High Commissioner for Refugees

JOB OPENING: 30292

JOB OPENING: 30293

Operational Context:

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has an international mandate on protection of refugees, asylum seekers, IDPs, statelessness and returnees. The Field Office in San Pedro Sula requires support in the protection area to analyze the protection needs and risks of the displaced population and strategies for their protection. The Protection Assistant will support the work of the unit to strengthen response capacities of governmental institutions and resilience capacities of communities, through the 3 priority strategies: 1) Enhancement of national protection systems, 2) developing comprehensive measures to improve durable solutions, and 3) strengthen strategies with partners and coordination with other humanitarian and Human Rights agencies working in the area.

The Protection Assistant normally reports to a more senior Protection colleague. The incumbent provides functional and administrative support to the protection unit on protection related liaison, correspondence, monitoring, case management and reporting activities.

The Protection Assistant also supports the protection unit in designing a comprehensive protection strategy and in providing quality, timely and effective protection responses to persons of concern (PoC). S/he may liaise externally with local authorities and partners on correspondence and/or protection issues as guided by the supervisor.

The Protection Assistant also facilitates the involvement of PoC 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.

Functional Statement:

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.
• Observe and respect protection related Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Provide functional and administrative support in all protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
• Provide functional and administrative support in implementing participatory approaches, needs assessments, monitoring, reporting and case management.
• Support assessments on durable solutions through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement.
• Facilitate liaison with competent authorities for the issuance of personal and other relevant documents.
• Assist in drafting reports, routine correspondence, updating relevant databases and compiling statistics within the Area of Responsibility (AoR).
• Select PoC for preliminary interviews and decide which relevant information to share.
• Enforce integrity in the delivery of protection services by local implementing partners.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Essential Minimum Qualifications and Experience

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level

G4 – 1 year relevant experience with High School Diploma; or Bachelor or equivalent or higher.

Functional Skills

IT-Computer Literacy

CL-Protection & Solutions Awareness

PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators

PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework

(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements

Fluency in Spanish and working knowledge of 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.

Competency Requirements

All jobs at UNHCR require six core competencies and may also require managerial competencies and/or cross-functional competencies. The six core competencies are listed below.

Core Competencies:

• Accountability
• Communication
• Organizational Awareness
• Teamwork & Collaboration
• Commitment to Continuous Learning
• Client & Result Orientation

Cross-Functional Competencies

• Analytical Thinking
• Political Awareness
• Stakeholder Management

Eligibility: Internal & External candidates:

This position is advertised open to internal and external applicants.

Candidates must meet the essential minimum requirements of the position and candidates not citizens of the country must comply with all eligibility requirements for employment in line with the prevailing legislative prerequisites in the country.

Must be legally present in Honduras at the time of application, recruitment and hire.