Job: Senior Protection Assistant

Location: Dohuk, Iraq
Deadline: Monday, 28 October 2013

The Iraq Operation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Iraq invites qualified candidates to apply for the following vacancy:

Functional Title & Grade: Snr. Protection Assistant / GL5

Contractual Status: Fixed Term Appointment P.N. 10021575

Duty Station: Dohuk- Iraq OPERATIONAL CONTEXT

Date of Issue: 22 October 2013 Deadline for applications: 28 October 2013

INTERNAL/EXTERNAL VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

The Protection Associate normally reports to the Protection Officer or the Senior Protection Officer. He/she monitors protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards and provides functional protection support to information management and programme staff. The Protection Associate is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern and identify opportunities to mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards in operational responses in all sectors. He/she contributes to designing a comprehensive protection strategy and liaises externally with authorities and partners on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor. The Protection Associate also ensures that persons of concern are involved with the Office 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. The incumbent will undertake the following responsibilities under the direct supervision of the of Protection Officer:

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT.

Accountability

• The protection of populations of concern is met through the application of International and National Law relevant UN/UNHCR protection standards and IASC principles.
• Protection activities are guided by the UNHCR country protection strategy.
• The participation of persons of concern is facilitated through supporting participatory, rights and community based approaches.
• Support is provided to identify and report protection incidents.

Responsibility

• Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.
• Provide counselling on protection issues to persons of concern; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.
• Support activities in protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
• Conduct preliminary information gathering and interviews in support of eligibility, status determination, durable solutions and social needs assessment.
• Contribute to measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness.
• Contribute to a country-level child protection plan as part of the protection strategy.
• Contribute to a country-level education plan for persons of concern as part of the protection strategy.
• Monitor Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.
• Participate in individual protection case management including cases of SGBV and child protection. Monitor and report on cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents.
• Assist in identifying durable solutions for persons of concern in voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement.
• Contribute to the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
• Assist in drafting reports, routine correspondence, updating relevant databases and compiling statistics for the protection unit / section.
• Contribute to initiatives to enhance national and local protection capacities.

Authority

• Select persons of concern for preliminary interviews and decide which relevant information to share.
• Enforce integrity in the delivery of protection services by local implementing partners.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

• Empowering and building trust Managing resources
• Analytical thinking Political awareness Stakeholder management

LANGUAGE: Good knowledge of English and fluency in Arabic (written/oral/comprehension).

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES

Education: Completion of secondary school.

Additional Training courses in protection related issues. J

ob experience: relevant to the function: 4 years.

Good computer skills. Completed Protection Learning Programme.

Interested applicants should forward the UN history form (P-11) with a covering letter in English explaining their interest in the position to: e-mail: irqerbad @unhcr.org Please indicate the post title you are applying for in the subject. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted, and engagement is needed immediately.

More Info and Application