Senior Protection Officer -Mekele, Ethiopia

Job Description

D

Non Family with Residential Location

Non Family with Residential Location Danger Pay

Addis Ababa, Eth Fed Dem Rep

PR4

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

No

2022-11-24-08:00

December 15, 2022

Senior Protection Officer Organizational Setting and Work Relationships In the Bureaux, the Senior Protection Officer works under the direct supervision of the Bureau Deputy Director or Head of Bureau Protection Service or Senior Protection Coordinator. In the Field, the incumbent normally reports to the Representative, Deputy or Assistant Representative (Protection) or Head of Sub Office as appropriate. The incumbent has direct supervisory responsibility for protection staff whose work may include RSD, community-based protection, registration, resettlement, internal displacement, complementary pathways, and education, among other areas.

In HQ, the incumbent may report to a Chief of Section or Deputy Director and may lead a Unit and/or supervise other protection staff. The incumbent acts as a key advisor to senior management and leads the development of 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 Senior Protection Officer plans, leads and coordinates quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern under the AoR. This includes ensuring that operational responses in all sectors are shaped in a protection optic, are consistent with and promote respect for relevant international law and UNHCR’s doctrine, mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards. Another important element of the incumbent¿s functions is to ensure 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 legal, political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment.

– Manage 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, ensure the response of the Protection Cluster is grounded in a strategy which covers all assessed and prioritized protection needs of the affected populations.

– Ensure that the protection strategy is fully integrated into the Country Operations Plan, the UN Development and Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and the Humanitarian Country Teams common humanitarian response plan 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 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.

– Guide the operation in the development and implementation of robust prevention, identification, and responses to fraud within protection processes and procedures, including registration, RSD, and resettlement, ensuring the integrity of interventions across all protection activities.

– Oversee the management of 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 eligibility and status determination in the Operation(s) under the AoR, ensuring compliance with UNHCR procedural standards and international protection principles.

– Promote and implement strategies and measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness.

– Develop and implement an education plan as part of the protection strategy within the AoR as relevant.

– Develop and implement 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 concerns 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, supporting, and/or overseeing resettlement and complementary pathways activities, including implementation of the GCR Three Year Strategy.

– Coordinate the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related programming with implementing and operational partners.

– Develop and implement 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.

– Research, collect and disseminate relevant protection information and good practices to enhance protection delivery.

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

– Coordinate capacity-development 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 with 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 country level to comply with policies 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) coordinate and review UNHCR’s country reports to the UN human rights mechanisms.

– Engage in relevant international and regional fora and forge 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 P4/NOD – 9 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 8 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 7 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, 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 Management

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

Relevant Job Experience

Essential Minimum 7 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.

Very good knowledge of International Refugee and Human Rights Law and ability to apply the relevant legal principles, and of UNHCR¿s protection strategies and policies.

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-Refugee Coordination Model

PR-Human Rights Doctrine/Standards

PR-International Humanitarian

Law PR-Assessment of IDPs Status, Rights, Obligation

PR-Comprehensive Solutions Framework

LE-Judicial Engagement 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:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Nature of position:

The Senior Protection Officer will work under the direct supervision of the Principal Situation Coordinator or Head of Sub Office. He or she will advocate for key protection concern, UNHCR mandate issues and engage in the maintain of the protection, GBV and PWSN, mainstreaming. Among other tasks, the candidate will establish relations with the Protection Cluster, AORs, other UN agencies, ICRC, INGO & NGOs and other relevant stakeholders including Government and Regional/Local Authorities. The candidate will coordination the implementation of UNHCR engagement on IDPs response and IDPs footprint.

He or she, will also advocate for maintaining Asylum Seeker access to the territory and to assistance, coordinate refugees’ protection for the promotion of their right, social inclusion and research of a comprehensive durable solution, promoting the out of camp policy. The Senior Protection Officer will supervise a large number of staff including protection, GVB, Child Protection, RST, CBP, Education, Registration and /or Information management. He or she should have experience in internal displacement, Return, refugees and asylum seekers protection, human rights or international humanitarian law, including experience in working at the Field. Very good knowledge of International Refugee and Human Rights Law and ability to apply the relevant legal principles and UNHCR protection strategies and policies.

Key skills and competencies required for the position:

The ideal candidate should have a previous experience/ knowledge preferably in working in armed conflict zones experiencing complex protection risks with strong field protection experience. Previous exposure to IDPs Operations would be mandatory. A solid protection background and excellent interpersonal skills will be essential as the incumbent will be coordinating various stakeholders including Clusters/ AOR with a very competitive environment. A candidate with previous experience supervision of a large number of Protection staff and an area of coverage with multiples Sub Offices, Field Offices and Field units is an added advantage. Having a consensus teambuilding and cultural sensitivity on-the-job coaching and mentoring of national staff is considered as an additional advantage. Experience in coordinating a joint multi-functional assessment, protection monitoring team, conducting AGDM, and training/ capacity-building of implementing partners and governmental is essential. Demonstrate a good English language knowledge both written and oral and have a second UN language. The candidate should have completed all the mandatory trainings, and the PLP, RSD/RST learning programme, MLP.

Living and working conditions

Mekelle, is the capital city of Tigray Region in Ethiopia. It is located around 780 kilometers (480 mi) north of the capital Addis Ababa, with an elevation of 2,254 meters above sea level. Administratively, Mekelle is considered a Special Zone, which is divided into seven sub-cities. Mekelle is the economic, cultural, and political hub of northern Ethiopia. Mekelle has grown rapidly since 1991. In 1984 it had 61,583 inhabitants, in 1994, 96,938 (96.5% being Tigrinya), and in 2006 169,200 (i. e. 4% of the population of Tigray). Mekelle is 2.6 times larger than Adigrat, the second largest regional centre. It is the fifth largest city in Ethiopia, after Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, Adama, and Gondar. Most of the population of Mekelle depends on government employment, commerce, and small-scale enterprises.

Mekelle has new engineering, cement, and textile factories, producing for the local and foreign market. There are limited medical facilities in Mekelle 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 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. While the primary hospital in Mekelle is functioning, it is currently running low on medical supplies. Most pharmacies in town are open, but they also struggle to get medical supplies, so staff with prescriptions should come with at least 3 months of prescription medication. UN Clinic medical team supporting staff is available in Mekelle.

The local currency is the Ethiopian Birr. Foreign currency may only be changed at authorized banks and hotels. Exchange of foreign currency outside the regulated banks (Black Market) is a criminal offence, 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 more than US$3,000 (or the equivalent in other foreign currencies) must be declared to the customs authority upon arrival. ATM cash withdrawals are currently unavailable in Mekelle. As there are no functioning banks in Tigray, there is still a serious shortage of cash, but the office will provide advance cash from entitlements. While humanitarian partners’ access to Tigray is improving, access to large areas continues to be impeded by insecurity, limiting the humanitarian response, particularly in rural hard-to-reach areas. Communications blackout persists in Tigray with no mobile network and Wi-Fi as all local internet companies are closed. In Mekelle, the office relies on VSAT for internet connectivity. Internet access only viable during office hours when the generator is switched on, possibly not available at hotels. Mekelle is classified as security level – high. The restriction of movement is imposed on the movement of the staff member and the activities in the field, depending on the development of the security situation.

No regular flights between Addis Ababa and Tigray (Mekelle & Shire), thus, Staff members will depend on the UNHAS available flights to Tigray (Mekelle & Shire) and sometimes by road convoy and should be prepared to operate under challenging conditions with extremely limited resources. Staff members will be working within a city that has been isolated for several months due to the crisis which began in November 2020. The office deals primarily with several local camp environments with inherent risks to staff health.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

 

BA: International Law (Required), BA: Law (Required), BA: Political Science (Required)

Certifications

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

Annual Budget OL in Operation/Office, Number of Persons of Concern Served, Number of Workforce in Operation/Work Setting, Workforce to Supervise, Working with Persons of Concern: Internally Displaced Persons, Working with Persons of Concern: Refugees

Competencies

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