Associate Field Officer (Protection)

Volunteering Security

Overview

Integrate and support Protection Unit in field operations

You have:

• Experience in protection roles, especially with refugees and displaced populations is required.
• Knowledge of UN policies and procedures is essential.
• Understanding of protection standards and guidelines is essential.
• Excellent communication skills for liaising with various stakeholders are important.
• Ability to analyze the protection situation in the field is important.
• Flexibility and adaptability to changing situations in the field are valued.

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

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.


 Accountability
 Adaptability and flexibility
 Creativity
 Judgement and decision-making
Planning and organising
 Professionalism
 Self-management

/ with refugees and/or other displaced population in a protection capacity required. Knowledge of UN policies and procedures; Field experience; In addition to the qualifications and requirements stated above, the incumbent is expected to be flexible and ready to adapt to eventual new tasks as the situation evolves, great autonomy, dynamism and creativity; good sense of responsibility and initiative; Knowledge of relevant UNHCR policies and guidelines is desirable; including knowledge of the mandate, the objectives and the operations and functioning of UNHCR.

Yerevan is a safe city with occasional public unrest related to the current situation. The climate is continental, with hot and dry summers, cold and snowy winters. The air pollution is high during wintertime months. The city offers a variety of restaurants, cafes, and other possibilities for entertainment. Usually culturally highly active, all over the year one can enjoy on-going programmes of theatre (also international), classic and modern music, ballet, concerts. Art exhibitions are organized quite often, and spring and autumn programmes of international cinema are shown at the National Gallery. Water and elec-tricity are mostly available everywhere in the city, and shops offer all kind of goods (though mostly of local production). Health facilities are good.

You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos

As of September 2024, International UN Volunteer Specialists in Yerevan receive USD 2654/month as Volunteer Living Allowance. Other entitlements include:

1. Pre-assignment Entry lump sum USD 4000 (one time payment) Relocation costs - Lump sum provided based on route for travel to the duty station and repatriation

2. During assignment Volunteer living allowance - USD 2654.14 (as mentioned above) Learning - Access to UNV's learning and career development resources Annual leave - 2.5 days per month Insurance - Comprehensive coverage for health, life and malicious acts for the UN Volunteer and health insurance coverage for up to 3 eligible dependents . See the Conditions of Service for more details on eligibility criteria. Home visit - May apply depending on duty station and length of service. See the UN Volunteer Conditions of Service for more information Family allowance - $250 per month for one dependent. $450 per month for two or more dependents Travel for dependants - Subject to approval. See conditions of service for full details.

3. End of assignment Exit allowance (paid on successful completion of the assignment) - $225 for each month served, paid on completion of contract

The above summary is provided as information only and is subject to change. For further information on the full range of entitlements and eligibility criteria, please read the UN Volunteer Conditions of Service

More assignment context: As of August 2024, Armenia hosts over 140,000 refugees from Karabakh (over 1 15,000 of those arrived in the country after September 2023), and over 4,000 refugees from other nationalities. In addition, in recent years there is an observed increase in number of asylum applications in the county with 817 applications for asylum received in the course of 2023 and 348 during the first six months of 2024. According to the official data of the Migration and Citizenship Service, there are 266 stateless persons in the country. There are also persons in refugee-like situation from Syria that are present in the cournty.

With the drastic change of operational environment in 2023 with the large influx of refugees from Karabakh UNHCR has effectively contributed to strengthening protection environment in the country. Jointly with the Government of Armenia, in October 2023 UNHCR lauched Refugee Response Plan (RRP), which ended in March 2024. The operation is in transition phase, moving from an emergency humanitarian response towards further inclusion into national systems, budgetary frameworks and development plans. Protection and solutions interventions will continue in 2025, with humanitarian assistance targeting the most vulnerable.

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Potential interview questions

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unv.org