Associate Protection Officer

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

D

Family

UNOPS IICA1

2024-05-05

May 4, 2024

1. General Background
(Brief description of the national, sector-specific or other relevant context in which the individual contractor will operate)
     
Following the 2017 influx of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar into Bangladesh, the number of registered refugees across 33 camps in Cox’s Bazar District is almost 975,000. The absence of recognized legal status renders refugees vulnerable to arbitrary arrest and detention, mistreatment, and exploitation, including trafficking. Free legal aid through national programmes is currently not available for refugees, though UNHCR and its partners provide legal services within the camps. While many refugees have lived for years among host communities, a growing number have continued to move into the camps over the past year because of xenophobia, and fear of arrest by the authorities. Against this backdrop, refugees are facing an acute deterioration in safety and security conditions in the camps as seen from the 1,830 serious protection incidents in 2023 (including 91 incidents of murder/killing), which was a 181% increase compared to 2022. Reports of such high number of serious protection incidents in the camps underscore the need to strengthen prevention and response mechanisms. At present, UNHCR is addressing these challenges through a protection and solutions strategy that includes engaging Government authorities and partners to strengthen the protective environment for refugees, including by expanding outreach activities, referral mechanisms, advocacy for respect for refugees’ basic rights, and implementing a range of protection interventions including the identification and submission of cases for resettlement.     

2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment
(Concise and detailed description of activities, tasks and responsibilities to be undertaken, including expected travel, if applicable)

• The Associate Protection Officer will be a member of the Legal Protection Unit in Cox’s Bazar Sub-Office. S/he will report to the Snr Protection Officer, who is the Head of the Unit. Under the supervision of the Snr Protection Officer, the Associate Protection Officer will:

• Support staff in the Unit to identify individuals that may require specific protection interventions, particularly persons with specific needs and those facing urgent and serious protection concerns and facilitate referrals.

• Receive and review protection assessment forms/resettlement referrals prepared by staff in the Unit and provide feedback.

• Analyze the Unit reports and associated proGres data for the purpose of resettlement case identification.

• Provide ongoing coaching as well as specialized training to staff in the Unit on interviewing skills and drafting of protection assessments and related issues.

• Conduct interviews and draft protection assessments in complex/sensitive cases.

• Submit protections assessment to the Snr Protection Officer on a weekly basis for endorsement and referral to the Durable Solutions Unit.

• Systematically compile statistics related to cases referred by the Unit for resettlement consideration and their submission status.

• Regularly liaise with the Durable Solutions Unit on individual cases as well as referrals from the Unit, answer questions/following up on questions regarding specific referrals from the Unit.

• Contribute to identifying and preventing fraud through oversight, advice and guidance to staff in the Unit.

• Assume the role of supervising the Protection Focal Points (PFP), providing guidance on case work and other functions of the PFPs, contingent to needs.

• Support the development of systems (SOPs, Guidance notes) to streamline case management.

• Provide inputs to the Unit protection reports.

3. Monitoring and Progress Controls
(Clear description of measurable outputs, milestones, key performance indicators and/or reporting requirements which will enable performance monitoring)
     
• Number of protections assessments reviewed and submitted to the Senior Protection Officer.
• Number of interviews conducted and protection assessments submitted to the Senior Protection Officer.
• Number of reports and statistical compilations submitted to the Snr Protection Officer.
• Training delivered to protection staff to enhance protection case management.
• SOPs and Guidance Notes developed to streamline protection case management.

4. Qualifications and Experience
(List the required education, work experience, expertise and competencies of the individual contractor. The listed education and experience should correspond with the level at which the contract is offered.)

Experience
• Field experience, including in working directly with refugees. Experience in interviewing and counselling refugees.
• Good knowledge of the Procedural Standards for RSD and other guidelines and standards governing RSD and Resettlement activities.
• Experience in providing training

Essential requirements
• Knowledge of proGres
• Excellent drafting skills in English
• Strong interviewing skills
• Facilitation skills and ability to provide effective training internally.

Personal Characteristics
• Due to the complexity and fast pace of the operation, the candidate must be highly flexible and adaptable, and able to work under pressure.

a. Education (Level and area of required and/or preferred education)
     
• Undergraduate degree; Graduate degree; or Doctorate degree
Field(s) of Legal Studies, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, International Relations, or another relevant field.

b. Work Experience
(List number of years and area of required work experience. Clearly distinguish between required experience and experience which could be an asset.)

• 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree

• Previous experience in a similar position in the UN and/or humanitarian work is an asset.

• Experiences in project management and coordination.
    

c. Key Competencies
(Technical knowledge, skills, managerial competencies, or other personal competencies relevant to the performance of the assignment. Clearly distinguish between required and desired competencies)
     
• The position requires strong planning, strategy development and implementation as well as advocacy skills.
• Strong strategic thinking, planning and prioritization skills, and an ability to carry out tasks independently with minimal supervision are required.
• Multi-tasking skills, attention to detail, and an ability to find necessary information from various sources with minimal support by others.
• Experience in project implementation at humanitarian setting and knowledge of UNHCR programming and donors’ funding schemes are an asset.
• Strong coordination skills and an ability to work as a team.
• Good government contacts will be valued asset in performing the work.

 

Standard Job Description

Required Languages

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Desired Languages

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Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

Certifications

Other information

Only Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the Assessment Exercises for the recruitment of the position, which may include Written/Technical tests and/or Interviews, as applicable for recruitment of the position.This position doesn’t require a functional clearance

Home-Based

No