Protection Assistant

H (no hardship)

Family

Family

GS4

General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

No

2024-05-01

April 14, 2024

Protection Assistant

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
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.

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.

– Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
– Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G4 – 1 year relevant experience with High School Diploma; or Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not applicable

Certificates and/or Licenses
Protection
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential: Not specified.
Desirable: Not specified.

Functional Skills
PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
IT-Computer Literacy
(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.

The incumbent should have a good understanding and demonstrated competencies in protection and field related areas. In collaboration with the rest of the Protection team, s/he works towards strengthening the delivery of protection and assistance to people forced to flee and improving the protection environment to ensure that people can effectively access rights and services available, in line with international principles and protection standards.
The incumbent should have good knowledge of the local context and protection environment in the Greek islands. Former background on protection issues such as Child Protection and Gender Based Violence is highly desirable. S/He will be responsible to carry out activities at the field level in line with prioritized engagements of the office, such as the information provision to new arrivals and the operation of the Protection Desk. S/He will participate in activities for effective monitoring in the area of responsibility of FO Kos, in particular as concerns safe access to the territory and asylum, and first-line reception procedures/conditions and/or detention practices. S/He will support peaceful co-existence activities of refugees with the local community and integration activities towards self-reliance. UN experience in desirable. Daily transportation to the CCACs is foreseen, therefore, holding an EU driving license would be considered an asset. Knowledge of Greek and English languages at minimum C1 level is mandatory. Very good written and verbal communications skills are required for this position. Language skills in Arabic, French or other languages spoken by the communities are desirable.
Strong organizational skills, demonstrated flexibility and proactive approach and accountability and ability to meet deadlines are added advantage. Coordination skills are highly desirable.

Greek

,

English

,

Arabic

,

French

,

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations

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

Nature of Position

Currently, some 108,000 asylum-seekers and refugees are hosted in Greece. Ιn 2023, over 48,700 people arrived to the country by sea or land. UNHCR provides expert advice to the State and evidence-based information that helps inform programmes and policies for asylum-seekers and refugees. Access to international protection, identifying durable solutions and support to vulnerable asylum-seekers and refugees, such as unaccompanied children and survivors of gender-based violence, are UNHCR’s key priorities. UNHCR also works with national and local authorities, the private sector, civil society and refugee communities to advance inclusion, develop support networks and create employability and training opportunities for refugees. The Office retains a readiness to respond to emergencies and new arrivals, with a focus on immediate support to the most vulnerable. UNHCR Greece plays a strong advocacy role since continued support is needed particularly from EU countries and EU institutions in providing immediate protection to those most at-risk through sufficient resources, ensuring capacity in the country and responsibility-sharing. UNHCR will continue to assist Greek authorities in responding to both short and long-term challenges.

Field Office Kos covers Dodecanese islands, with main activities taking place on Kos and Leros, where two Closed Controlled Access Centres, a Pre-Removal Detention Centre and two Asylum Offices operate. The Protection Assistant reports to the Protection Associate under the general direction of the Head of Office.

The incumbent will spend most of the time in the field and might be requested to work longer hours, during the weekends or join a mission to other islands. Therefore, flexibility and availability is required for this position.

Kos is designated as the main UNHCR office in the Dodecanese region, thus travel to other islands within the area might be requested, often at short notice.

Living and Working Conditions

Kos is the sixteenth largest island in Greece and part of the Dodecanese Island complex in the southern Aegean Sea. The capital of Kos is Kos town. Kos is a family duty station, classified as H by ICSC. Kos International Airport, also known as Ippokratis Airport, serves the island with domestic and international flights. The island has three ports as well, Kos, Kardamena, and Mastichari which are well-connected by regular ferry services. Public transportation, primarily in the form of buses, is available and medical facilities are well-developed and easily accessible. Public educational institutions in Primary and Secondary Education are available, but no university or international schools are based on the island. Kos is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Greece. The climate can be described as Mediterranean, with hot and dry summers as well as mild and rainy winters.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

PR-Local integration, PR-Protection of persons with vulnerabilities, PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework

Certifications

HCR Learning Program – UNHCR, HCR Protection Induction Prog – UNHCR, HCR Protection Learning Program Statelessness – UNHCR, HCR Protection Learning Program – UNHCR, HCR Thematic Protection Learning Program – UNHCR

Child Protection, GBV, Working with Persons of Concern: Asylum Seekers, Working with Persons of Concern: Refugees

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Organizational awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration

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

Compendium

Additional Information

Shortlisted candidates might be required to sit for a written test and will have to undergo an oral interview.

This position doesn’t require a functional clearance