Protection Assistant – UNOPS LICA-4

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

A (least hardship)

Family

UNOPS LICA4

2025-01-01

December 1, 2024

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

• This position is advertised to internal and external applicants. Only Mexicans or candidates holding a permanent residency or valid work permit in México will be considered eligible (attach the corresponding document in the application).

• Recruitment as a UNHCR staff member and engagement under a UNHCR affiliate scheme or as an intern, is subject to proof of full vaccination against COVID-19, independently of contract type and duration. The selected candidate(s) will be required to provide proof of vaccination prior to recruitment.

• Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on the grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.

• Only short-listed candidates will be notified. The recruitment process might/could include a written test and/or oral interview for this job opening. No late applications will be accepted.

• UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training, or any other fees).

• This position is offered under UNOPS Local ICA contract until 30/06/2025 with possibility of extension.

• Remuneration: A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For more information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, please visit the portal of the Office of HR Management of United Nations. UNHCR also offers comprehensive medical insurance and pension plans.

1. General Background
(Brief description of the national, sector-specific, or other relevant context in which the individual contractor will operate)

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950, by the United Nations General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It also has a mandate to help stateless people.

Mexico is a country of destination, transit, and origin, thus UNHCR is supporting the Government and other actors to build a stronger asylum system that allows asylum seekers and refugees to fully exercise their human rights, from the moment of entry into Mexico, to when a durable solution is found. However, it is crucial to work on alternative migratory pathways and other forms of complementary protection to preserve the integrity of the asylum system in such a complex and dynamic context of human mobility. Such dynamics particularly affect refugees and asylum seekers with specific protection needs due to the interaction of varied factors related to their profiles, their journey, and the conditions in their country of origin.

Over recent years, Mexico has evolved from being a country of origin and transit for many refugees and asylum-seekers, to also being a country of destination for hundreds of thousands of individuals seeking international protection from within the region and beyond. The exponential growth in the number of asylum applications in Mexico, which reached a historical record of over 130,000 in 2021 and 118,478 in 2022, has posed multiple challenges to its asylum system and to durable solutions, which has already been strained over the past years.

UNHCR Mexico has progressively strengthened its protection response, including registration procedures in proGres, robust case management and identity systems to provide the required protection services, cash-based assistance -when applicable- and other forms of humanitarian assistance, legal and psychosocial interventions, as well as the establishment of community protection networks. The increasing numbers of asylum seekers in Mexico and, therefore of UNHCR assistance, require a solid capacity to provide timely and effective registration procedures and referral pathways to appropriate services in all Field Offices, as well as together with key partners.
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.

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

• The Protection Assistant will undertake Creole-Spanish translation and will be working under the overall supervision of the Protection Officer and the Protection Team. He/She may be required to work at UNHCR premises, in Tapachula, or perform the services remotely through phone or video conference to assist UNHCR staff in interpreting interviews, whenever necessary. Support may also be required to provide translation services for UNHCR partners.
• Assist within the Protection Unit and other units as needed in various Creole-Spanish translation activities for the population in the following areas: document translation, protection interviews, border monitoring, protection monitoring, community- based protection activities, participatory assessments, according to the needs of the protection unit.
• 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 asylum seekers basic information related on how to access the refugee status determination procedure, rights, and duties of asylum-seekers within the RSD procedure and how to access free legal assistance and representation.
• Maintain protection presence in shelters, field and other key spaces as needed through the Protection Desk and case management role as assigned by her/his supervisor.
• Provide functional and administrative support in implementing community-based activities with a participatory approach, needs assessments, monitoring, reporting, and case management.
• Assist the Protection Unit in the delivery of trainings regarding international refugee law to government officials, NGOs, and civil society to contribute to their capacity building to better identify, inform and reference of potential asylum-seekers as requested.
• Support communication actions with communities and feedback mechanisms, in community-based activities.
• 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.
• Perform other related duties as required.

3. Monitoring and Progress Controls
(Clear description of measurable outputs, milestones, key performance indicators and/or reporting requirements which will enable performance monitoring)

• As an active UNHCR team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly, and high-quality support rendered to UNHCR and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions.
• 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 must discharge their responsibilities consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional, and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity, and respect for diversity.
• Age, Gender, and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated, and documented in all activities throughout the assignment.

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.)

a. Education (Level and area of required and/or preferred education)
     
• Completed high school or its equivalent, or Bachelor or equivalent or higher.
• Certification of interpretation/translator skills is an asset.
• A good command of the Creole and Spanish language is desirable.
• Working knowledge of English is an asset.

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.)
     
• Minimum 1 year of experience relevant to the functions.

c. Key Competencies
Technical knowledge, skills, managerial competencies, or other personal competencies relevant to the assignment’s performance. Clearly distinguish between required and desired competencies)
     
Functional Skills
IT-Computer Literacy
CL-Protection & Solutions Awareness
PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards, and indicators
PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Core Competencies
Accountability
Communication
Organizational Awareness
Teamwork & Collaboration
Commitment to Continuous Learning
Client & Result Orientation

Managerial Competencies:
Not applicable

Cross-Functional Competencies:
Analytical Thinking
Technological Awareness
Planning and Organizing

Standard Job Description

Required Languages

,

,

Desired Languages

,

,

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

Certifications

Other information

This position doesn’t require a functional clearance

Home-Based

No