Protection Officer -Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Job Description

B

Family

Family

PR3

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

No

2022-11-24-08:00

December 15, 2022

Protection Officer Organizational Setting and Work Relationships In the Bureaux, the Protection Officer works under the direct supervision of the Senior Protection Coordinator or Senior Protection Officer. In the Field, the incumbent normally reports to the Representative, Deputy or Assistant Representative (Protection), Head of Sub Office or Senior Protection Officer as appropriate.

The incumbent may have direct supervisory responsibility for protection staff whose work may include RSD, community-based protection, registration, resettlement, complementary pathways, internal displacement and education, among other areas. In HQ, the incumbent may report to a Senior Protection Officer, Chief of Section or Deputy Director and may supervise other protection staff.

The incumbent acts as an advisor to senior management in, when not responsible for, designing a comprehensive protection strategy under the area of responsibility (AoR).

S/he represents the Organization to authorities, UN sister agencies, partners and other stakeholders on protection policy and doctrine. The Protection Officer coordinates quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern under the AoR.

S/he ensures that persons of concern of all age, gender and diversity groups are involved with the Office in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying and implementing appropriate solutions to their problems. To undertake this role effectively, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with other relevant teams within the operation or the Bureau (including programme; PI and external relations; IM) and with DIP, communities of concern, authorities, protection and assistance partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection and achieving solutions.

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

– Provide technical guidance and support to UNHCR and partners on all protection related issues.

– Stay abreast of and report as relevant on legal political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment.

– Engage relevant national authorities and structures in identifying and expanding opportunities in view of developing or strengthening national asylum/RSD systems.

– Facilitate a consultative process with government counterparts, partners and persons of concern to develop and implement a comprehensive protection and solutions strategy addressing the specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older persons, persons with disabilities, persons of diverse sexual orientation and/or gender identities (LGBTI persons), persons living with HIV/AIDS; gender equality and Gender Based Violence (GBV) priorities with regard to these persons.

– In operations applying the Cluster Approach, seek to ensure the response of the Protection Cluster is grounded in a strategy which covers all assessed and prioritized protection needs of the affected populations.

– Support senior management to ensure the protection strategy is fully integrated into the Country Operations Plan, the UN Development and Assistance Framework (UNDAF), the Humanitarian Country Team’s common humanitarian response plan where applicable, as well as with the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees and the Three Year Strategy on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways.

– Promote relevant International, Regional and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct and ensure that all sectors and /or in clusters in applicable operations fulfil their responsibilities in mainstreaming protection.

– Promote the implementation of the AGD policy, including UNHCR’s updated commitments to women and girls, and, design, deliver I and monitor programmes on an AGD basis to address identified protection needs.

– Develop, implement and monitor community-based protection strategies and ensure systematic application and integration of participatory and community-based approaches in protection and solutions planning, programming and strategies.

– Support the establishment of feedback and response systems and the incorporation of feedback received from persons of concern into programme design and adaptation.

– Support the operation to develop and implement robust prevention, identification, and responses to fraud within protection processes and procedures, including registration, RSD, resettlement and complementary pathways, ensuring the integrity of interventions across all protection activities.

– Assist UNHCR management at country level to comply with polices and commitment on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse measures.

– Oversee and manage individual protection cases including those on GBV and child protection.

– Provide legal advice and guidance on protection issues to internal and external interlocutors; ensure legal assistance is accessible to persons of concern; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documents to persons of concern (including women and others in need of civil documentation, in particular birth certificates).

– As designated Data Protection Focal Point, assist the data controller in carrying out his or her responsibilities regarding the Data Protection Policy (7.2 DPP).

– Oversee and undertake eligibility and status determination within the AoR ensuring compliance with UNHCR procedural standards and international protection principles.

– Promote and implement effective strategies and measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness within the AoR.

– Contribute to the development and implementation of an education plan as part of protection strategy within the AoR as relevant.

– Contribute to the development and implementation of a child protection plan as part of the protection strategy within the AoR ensuring programmes use a child protection systems approach.

– Monitor, and intervene in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents through working relations with governments and other partners.

– Work to safeguard the rights of persons of concern in the context of mixed movements as relevant.

– Coordinate the preparation of, implement and oversee Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.

– Ensure that durable solutions through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement and complementary pathways are sought and provided to the largest possible number of persons of concern, including undertaking and/or overseeing resettlement and complementary pathways activities.

– Contribute to the coordination of the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related 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.

– Ensure that the Protection Sector or Cluster has an effective information management component which: provides disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems; researches, collects and disseminates relevant protection information and good practices to enhance protection delivery.

– Build the protection capacity of national and local government, partners and civil society to assume their responsibilities vis-à-vis all persons of concern through protection training, mainstreaming and related activities.

– Coordinate capacity-building initiatives for communities and individuals to assert their rights.

– Advise and capacitate national authorities, relevant institutions and civil society to strengthen legislation and status determination procedures and mechanisms.

– Perform other related duties as required. For positions in Bureaux

– Support the Regional Bureau and Country Operations to reflect the protection and solution angle in support of persons of concern within regional processes.

– Support Country Operations in the development of strategies to build and further develop national asylum/RSD systems with a view to ensuring their fairness, efficiency, adaptability and integrity, favourable protection environment and solutions.

– Assist UNHCR management at regional and country level to comply with polices and commitment on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse measures.

– Support Country Operations and ensure they meet their complementary pathways objectives and resettlement quotas.

– In close collaboration with DIP, (a) contribute to the development of background and general normative, policy, and legal positions, in compliance with UNHCR’s global protection policies and standards; (b) contribute to the development of strategies at the regional and country level on the usage of law and policy approaches, including legislative and judicial engagement and UN human rights mechanisms – and/or regional ones – and other protection frameworks, and integrated human rights standards in protection strategies and advocacy; and (c) support coordination and review of UNHCR’s country reports to the UN human rights mechanisms.

– Engage in relevant international and regional fora and contribute to forging regional partnerships to advocate for key protection and mandate issues, and engage in cross-cutting protection-related matters, including mixed movement, internal displacement and climate change/disaster-related displacement responses, as well as Statelessness, in cooperation with DIP and where relevant RSD.

Minimum Qualifications, Years of Experience /

Degree Level For P3/NOC – 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree Field(s) of Education Law; International Law; International Refugee Law; International Human Rights Law; International Humanitarian Law; Refugee and Forced Migration Studies; Political Sciences or other relevant field. (Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Certificates and/or Licenses

Protection Learning Programme

RSD- Resettlement

Learning Programme (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

Minimum 4 years of relevant professional experience in the area of refugee protection, internal displacement, human rights or international humanitarian law, including experience in working directly with Field Offices.

Good knowledge of International Refugee and Human Rights Law and ability to apply the relevant legal principles.

Excellent legal research, analytical skills and drafting.

Desirable

Diverse field experience.

Good IT skills including database management skills.

Functional Skills

*PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators

*PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD)

PR-Human Rights Doctrine/Standards

PR-International Humanitarian

Law PR-Comprehensive Solutions Framework

LE-Judicial Engagement PR-Assessment of IDPs Status, Rights, Obligation PR-Climate change and disaster related displacement

PR-Accountability to Affected People – Principles and Framework

PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) Coordination (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.

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

UNHCR’s Protection and Solutions programme in Ethiopia supports over 800,000 refugees in 8 locations mainly from South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea and as well as some 4.5 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

Protection, rights-based inclusive services, self-reliance, securing solutions, and addressing refugee, IDP and host energy and environmental management needs, are priorities for the Ethiopia operation. The Comprehensive Refugee Response (CRR) approach and the objectives on the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) guide the strategic direction of the operation.  In addition to the comprehensive humanitarian-development nexus engagement, this requires considerable preparedness for emergency response capacity and adaptability.

Key planning parameters count on Ethiopia’s continued commitment to the agenda of the GCR / CRR for which Ethiopia was an early global leader.  The Operations Multi Year Strategy (MYS) relies on Ethiopia’s ongoing ‘open door’ policy for refugees and asylum-seekers.  The MYS has a focus on moving towards development solutions to displacement problems, including engaging with the private sector, yet also recognizes the need to maintain government, UN and partner emergency response capacities

Nature of Position:

Under the overall supervision of the Deputy Representative, the Protection Officer has the dual responsibility of managing the refugee urban program in Addis Ababa as well as Protection Officer for urban refugees. Guided by the Urban Refugee Management Strategy for 2022-2026, the incumbent will ensure the delivery of multi-sectoral response to the refugee needs and provision of specialized protection services. Under the CRRF, the incumbent will support and monitor the inclusion of the urban refugees in the national system. The incumbent will lead the multi-sectoral need assessment to inform the planning and prioritization of activities in Urban. The incumbent works in close collaboration and coordination with the Assistant Representative (Protection) and respective units on protection related matters. She/He works closely with various Partners, program and technical sectors to ensure coordinated and quality delivery of services and durable solutions to urban refugees. The incumbent supervises the urban team and TRS Associate Project Officer.

Key skills and competencies required for this position

The incumbent should have strong protection knowledge to ensure quality provision of protection services, Community-Based structures are supported and accountability to affected people is strengthened. The incumbent should be able to work with and across several sectors and should have strong, interpersonal, coordination and communication skills to interact with various external stakeholders such as donors and Partners, including the government counterpart RRS. Previous experience in managing urban refugee program is preferred. Managerial skills are essential to build and lead a strong team.

The incumbent should have a proactive approach and be able to implement planned activities successfully under adverse circumstances.

Living and Working Conditions

Addis Ababa is the capital of Ethiopia. The city has an estimated population of 3 million inhabitants. It is where the African Union is headquartered. It also hosts the headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), as well as various other continental and international organizations. Staff members reside in commercial accommodation available in town (cf. UNDSS TRIP WEBSITE for the list of UN recommended hotels). There are limited medical facilities in Addis that are equipped to deal with moderate medical cases. Evacuation opportunities are also limited. However, air ambulance evacuation can be organized for life-threatening emergencies during the daytime. Candidates with conditions requiring regular treatment or medical supervision should be appropriately advised.

The climate of Ethiopia and the regions varies greatly. It is temperate on the plateau and hot in the lowlands. Generally, the high elevation of the land affects one’s adjustment to the environment. At Addis Ababa, which ranges from 2,200 to 2,600 m (7,218 to 8,530 ft), the maximum temperature is 26 °C (78.8 °F) and minimum 4 °C (39.2 °F). The weather is usually sunny and dry, but the short (belg) rains occur from February to April, and the large (meher) rains are from mid-June to mid-September.The economy of Ethiopia is a mixed and transition economy with a large public sector. The Government of Ethiopia is in the process of privatizing many of the state-owned businesses and moving toward a market economy. However, the banking, telecommunication, and transportation sectors of the economy are dominated by Government-owned companies.

The local currency is the Ethiopian Birr. Foreign currency may only be changed at authorized banks and hotels. The exchange of foreign currency outside the regulated banks (Black Market) is a criminal offense, and international UN personnel caught by police sting operations have been known to be arrested and detained for several days. Any entry or exit of cash in excess of US$3,000 (or the equivalent in other foreign currencies) must be declared to the customs authority. ATM cash withdrawals are largely available in Addis. AMEX is generally not accepted. Payment with credit card is possible in a few selected shops and tourism areas, but this form of payment is expanding. There is acceptable access to communication means, such as the internet, telephone sim cards, etc. PAMA is also available at the Offices.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

LE-Judicial Engagement, PR-Accountability to Affected People – Principles and Framework, PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD), PR-Assessment of IDPs Status, Rights, Obligation, PR-Climate change and disaster related displacement, PR-Comprehensive Solutions Framework, PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) Coordination, PR-Human Rights Doctrine/Standards, PR-International Humanitarian Law, PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators

BA: International Humanitarian Law (Required), BA: International Human Rights Law (Required), BA: International Law (Required), BA: International Refugee Law (Required), BA: Law (Required), BA: Political Science (Required), BA: Refugee and Forced Migration Studies (Required)

Certifications

HCR Protection Learning Program – UNHCR, HCR Resettlement Learning Program – UNHCR

 

Competencies

Accountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Managing performance, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Political awareness, Teamwork & collaboration

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

Compendium

Bi-annual Compendium 2022 Part B – November 2022

This position doesn’t require a functional clearance