Associate Field Officer (Protection)

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), also known as the UN Refugee Agency, operating in 130 countries in the world, is mandated to lead and coordinate international actions for the worldwide protection of refugees, asylum-seekers and stateless persons and to seek, together with Governments, durable solutions for them. In Armenia, UNHCR operates since 1992 and is engaged in provision of humanitarian assistance, legal counselling, and advocacy for the inclusion and integration of refugees. In parallel, UNHCR helps build the capacity of the authorities to ensure protection, wellbeing and integration of refugees.

The Associate Field Officer (Protection) integrates the Protection Unit in a Field Office, Sub-Office or Country Office and reports to the Protection Officer, Field Officer or Head of Field or Sub-Office as applicable. The Associate Field Officer (Protection) in a Field or Sub-Office reports to the Protection, Field Officer or Head of Field Office as appropriate. The incumbent has direct supervisory responsibility for part of the protection staff and supports the application of protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery at the field level. He/she liaises with protection partners on the delivery of the Field Office protection strategy and programmes.

The Associate Field Officer (Protection) assists in the design and preparation of the Office protection strategy, in particular by ensuring that it is based on consultations and actual needs of persons of concern. He/she provides timely analysis on the protection situation in the field, highlighting important political, social, military and economic developments affecting the protection of persons of concern. The incumbent is responsible for the application of protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery at the field level and is relied upon by the Field or Country Office to plan and undertake quality, timely and effective responses to the needs of populations of concern.

To achieve this, the incumbent will build daily contacts with persons of concern, authorities, protection and assistance partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection.

UNHCR’s standard work in Armenia concentrates on capacity-building activities geared towards strengthening national authorities, laws and policies to ensure the proper handling of refugee and asylum issues, the reception and care of refugees, the promotion of self-reliance of refugees and the realization of durable solutions. These are carried out in combination with other activities such as advocacy, information dissemination and monitoring. As a result of the recent escalation of the conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, many people had to spontaneously arrive in Armenia to seek emergency support and humanitarian assistance. UNHCR has been engaged in interagency coordination and humanitarian response and leads the Protection and NFl/Shelter Working Groups.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of Protection Officer or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

-Stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment and provide advice to senior management;
-Support UNHCR’s consultative process with local government counterparts, partners and displaced population for effective needs assessment and planning;
-Maintain protection presence through regular field missions and reports, making direct contact with persons of concern, host communities, local authorities and partners. Plan and lead UNHCR field activities and engagement with displaced population, coordinate with partners on the same and provide regular guidance to also inform UNHCR protection and response programming.
-Coordinate with partners for protection monitoring activities, provide relevant guidance, work closely with other colleagues in the unit to produce quality protection monitoring data reports and analysis to inform UHNCR advocacy and response interventions and strategies.
-Contribute to facilitating UNHCR’s responses in addressing Gender Based Violence (GBV) priorities and other specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older persons, persons with disabilities, marginalized groups such as persons with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities;
-Support managing individual protection cases including those on GBV and child protection;
-Monitor and report on the protection, security and safety situation of persons of concern;
-Facilitate and monitor programmes on an Age, Gender, Diversity (AGD) basis to address identified protection needs;
-Provide advice and guidance on protection issues to internal and external interlocutors;
-Support the effective systematization and management of data to enhance monitoring, response and evaluation mechanisms;
-Contribute to initiatives to build the capacity of local partners and civil society through training and other initiatives to protect persons of concern.