Protection Cluster Coordination Officer

Only candidates who are not nationals of the country of assignment are eligible to apply to this position

Hardship Level

CFamily Type

FamilyResidential location (if applicable)

Grade

PR3Staff Member / Affiliate Type

Professional### * Staff members will not normally serve in International Professional positions in the country of their nationality. In addition, in case of a first appointment upon recruitment, the assignment must be outside the staff member’s country of nationality.

In practical terms this means that you are not eligible to apply for International Professional vacancies advertised in the country where you are national of.

Reason

Regular > Regular AssignmentRemote work accepted

NoTarget Start Date

2024-01-24Job Posting End Date

February 14, 2024Standard Job Description

Protection Cluster Coordination Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships In complex humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters where UNHCR is designated as the Protection Cluster Lead Agency under the Cluster Approach, UNHCR performs a dedicated coordination, strategy development and advocacy function through the position of Senior Protection Cluster Coordination Officer and the supporting positions of Protection Cluster Coordination Officer.

These latter P3 level positions normally report directly to the Senior Protection Cluster Coordination Officer. The UNHCR Representative has final accountability for the performance of UNHCR as Cluster Lead Agency.

The Protection Cluster Coordination Officer supports UNHCR to work within the framework of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) and the Cluster Approach. The position reinforces UNHCR Protection Cluster Lead Agency functions by providing support to the role of Protection Cluster Coordination Officer in ensuring UNHCR's leadership within a diverse protection community.

The Protection Cluster Coordination Officer is expected to facilitate the work of the Protection Cluster through the provision of analysis, organization and reporting; and to impartially represent the interests of the members of the Protection Cluster. This includes the provision of active support, as applicable, to sub-clusters or working groups of the Cluster which may be coordinated by other Agencies. As a result, the incumbent supports an inter-agency team in an environment that requires high standards of accountability, facilitation, negotiation and conflict resolution skills, in which respect the principles of partnership and collaboration are essential.

The incumbent supports the Senior Protection Cluster Coordination Officer in Inter-Cluster Coordination mechanisms, for advocacy and facilitation of protection mainstreaming and cross-cutting issues of age, gender and diversity in the humanitarian response and early recovery activities.

S/he works closely with and may, depending on the Office structure, directly supervise multi-functional Protection Cluster Support staff in the areas of data and information management, needs assessment, profiling, registration, reporting and advocacy.

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 - Facilitate the development of a Protection Cluster strategy following a consultative process with partners and stakeholders. Support the Protection Cluster to ensure that protection informs and shapes the overall humanitarian response and that the protection response is integrated into the Humanitarian Country Team's common humanitarian action plan. - Organize and facilitate meetings in line with the Principles of Partnership, ensuring that cluster meetings are consultative and results oriented. - Facilitate coordination with government counterparts and other relevant authorities. - Support the design of transition strategies for the Protection Cluster: facilitate the development of a strategy for the cluster ensuring proper linkages with disaster risk reduction, relief, and recovery and development efforts. - Facilitate the coordination and conduct of Protection Cluster or Inter-Cluster level protection needs assessments, including participatory assessments of affected populations. - Provide strategic inputs to development of common funding criteria, resource mobilisation and prioritization within the Protection Cluster for inclusion in Consolidated Appeals and pooled funds processes - Establish mechanisms for accountable and transparent financial resource allocation within the cluster. - Facilitate the delivery of protection training activities for Protection Cluster members, other local partners, and relevant authorities. - Coordinate initiatives to build the protection capacity of the national and local government, partners and civil society. - Ensure adherence to IASC standard operating procedures for IDP profiling. - Ensure the integration of cross-cutting issues in the work of the Protection Cluster, including any work developed by sub-clusters or working groups. - Ensure adherence of Protection Cluster activities to Guidelines on Age, Gender and Diversity Mainstreaming; - Through Cluster-wide consultative processes, provide input into the development of global protection policy and standards led by the Global Protection Cluster. - Support reporting and information sharing within the Protection Cluster and at the inter-cluster level. - Support and facilitate the Protection Cluster information management strategy and mechanisms. - Ensure that the Protection Cluster produces regular updates and briefing notes on the protection concerns in the affected population, response activities, challenges and recommendations. - Identify core advocacy concerns for the Protection Cluster through a consultative process: Facilitate joint cluster/ inter-cluster initiatives to ensure regular and consistent advocacy. - Help foster a consistent interpretation and application of international law and related UNHCR and IASC legal standards and protection policies. - Promote the Protection Cluster's adherence to international human rights instruments, the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement as well as other relevant international and regional instruments; in cooperation with the Humanitarian Country Team support local interventions when violations of international protection standards and principles occur. - Promote and help strengthen national legislation relevant to internal displacement and durable solutions - Facilitate cluster meetings and represent the Protection Cluster in meetings with sectoral and external partners, authorities and other relevant interlocutors. - Draft reports and prepare advocacy statements on behalf of the Protection Cluster - for clearance by Senior management. - Organise and facilitate cluster meetings, work and cooperate with focal points sub-groups/working groups and ad hoc/task-related bodies for specific issues. - Facilitate negotiation with the Humanitarian Coordinator/Resident Coordinator, the Humanitarian Country Team and cluster members on the prioritization and inclusion of project proposals and common funding criteria for inclusion in inter-agency funding appeals. - Monitor the allocation of financial and other resources within the Protection Cluster, when required, such as with regard to Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) or Common Humanitarian Funds (CHF).

- 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 P3/NOC - 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education Law; International Law; Political Sciences; or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses HCR Coordination Lrng Prog; HCR Protection Learning Prg; Tri-Cluster Knowl/Coord Skills; Prot in NaturalDisaster Situat; (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience Essential Good knowledge of International Refugee and Human Rights Law plus minimum 6 years relevant professional experience of which 2 years in the field.

Desirable Not specified.

Functional Skills PR-Protection in natural disaster situations (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.

Desired Candidate Profile

The UNHCR Representation in Venezuela has the Country Office and one Field Unit in Caracas, one Field Unit and four Field Offices of which four are located on the border with Colombia (Guasdualito, San Cristobaland Maracaibo), one Field Office in Ciudad Guyana and one Field Unit in Santa Elena de Uairen (Bolivar state), which covers the borders with Brazil, Guyana and the Caribbean. The overall context in Venezuela remains challenging covering refugees and asylum seekers, and Venezuelan population affected by the humanitarian situation, including persons on the move, returnees and those displaced internally. Several indicators point to an increase in the number of returns and acute protection needs specifically affecting returnees, trends that are expected to continue during the following months and possibly years. Venezuela is facing a critical political, social and economic crisis resulting in hyperinflation, shortages of food, medicine and basic supplies, and deterioration of health, education and basic infrastructure such as water, electricity, transport and urban services that has severely affected most of the country’s population of nearly 30 million persons. Drastic reduction in production capacities in the agricultural, pharmaceutical and other sectors have further aggravated the supply situation. In addition, the protection risks of the population are growing. Since mid-2018, the Government has expressed its interest to increase cooperation with the UN to mitigate the effects of the crisis. During the first half of 2019, the UN set up a humanitarian coordination architecture in line with international standards. The structure includes the designation of the Humanitarian Coordinator who leads the Humanitarian Country Team for strategic decision making, the activation of eight thematic clusters, including the Protection and Shelter, Energy and NFIs Clusters directly led by UNHCR, and four field coordination hubs to ensure the effective delivery of assistance to the people in need. In June 2023, a biannual Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) covering a period until December 2024 was published, under the leadership of the Humanitarian Coordinator and the Humanitarian Country team in cooperation with Clusters Coordinators. In the context of a scale up of UNHCR activities in Venezuela, the incumbent will manage the Protection Cluster Coordination Teams in the framework of the United Nations humanitarian architecture for Venezuela. The Protection Cluster englobes over hundred-forty organizations, making it one of the largest in the cluster system for Venezuela. In addition to the national level, the Protection Cluster has sub-national structures with participation in the CCTs of Zulia, Táchira and Bolivar. UNHCR Heads of Field Office in Maracaibo, San Cristobal and Ciudad Guyana double-hat as Cluster Coordinators at sub-national level. The Protection Cluster also incorporates two Areas of Responsibility specifically dedicated to child protection and gender-based violence that are coordinated by UNICEF and UNFPA respectively. These two AoRs have a sub-national structure in Zulia, Táchira and Bolivar states. In line with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Centrality of Protection statement 2013 and the IASC Policy on Protection in Humanitarian Action 2016, the Venezuela Protection Cluster Strategy seeks to re-affirm that protection as a collective responsibility of all Humanitarian actors requiring the commitment of all partners that are part of the Protection Cluster including the two AoRs of Gender Bansed Violence (GBV) and Child Protection (CP). It aims to address the most significant protection risks faced by affected populations that impact the entire humanitarian system in Venezuela, requiring common position, joint response and advocacy by the Protection Custer throughout the humanitarian programme cycle. The UNHCR Representative has final accountability for the performance of UNHCR as Cluster Lead Agency. The Protection Cluster Coordination Officer supports UNHCR to work within the framework of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) and the Cluster Approach. The position reinforces UNHCR Protection Cluster Lead Agency functions by providing support to the role of Protection Cluster Coordination Officer in ensuring UNHCR’s leadership within a diverse protection community. This includes the provision of active support and operational guidance to protection partners to sub-clusters or other working groups operating in Venezuela. As a result, the incumbent supports an inter-agency team in an environment that requires high standards of accountability, facilitation, negotiation and conflict resolution skills, in which respect the principles of partnership and collaboration are essential. The incumbent supports the operation in Inter-Cluster Coordination mechanisms, for advocacy and facilitation of protection mainstreaming and cross-cutting issues of age, gender and diversity in the humanitarian response and early recovery activities. S/he works closely with and may, depending on the Office structure, directly supervise multi-functional Protection Cluster Support staff in the areas of data and information management, protection, needs assessment, profiling, reporting and advocacy. The incumbent has the responsibility of establishing and maintaining strong relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders. These stakeholders encompass civil society organizations, humanitarian and development actors, International Non- Governmental Organizations (INGOs), UN Agencies, local institutions, donors, R4V, the Regional Bureau, the Global Protection Cluster (GPC), and human rights actors. Possessing robust interpersonal skills is a critical requirement for this role. Therefore, prior experience in these areas is essential, along with proficiency in Spanish.Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):

Spanish,

,

Desired languages

,

,

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:

The UNHCR Representation in Venezuela has the Country Office and one Field Unit in Caracas, two Field Units and four Field Offices of which four are located on the border with Colombia (Guasdualito - Puerto Ayacucho, San Cristobal and Maracaibo), one Field Office in Ciudad Guyana and one Field Units in Santa Elena de Uairen (Bolivar state), which covers the borders with Brazil, Guyana and the Caribbean. The overall context in Venezuela remains challenging covering refugees and asylum seekers, and Venezuelan population affected by the humanitarian situation, including persons on the move, returnees and those displaced internally. Several indicators point to an increase in the number of returns and acute protection needs specifically affecting returnees, trends that are expected to continue during the following months and possibly years. Venezuela is facing a critical political, social and economic crisis resulting in hyperinflation, shortages of food, medicine and basic supplies, and deterioration of health, education and basic infrastructure such as water, electricity, transport and urban services that has severely affected most of the country’s population of nearly 30 million persons. Drastic reduction in production capacities in the agricultural, pharmaceutical and other sectors have further aggravated the supply situation. In addition, the protection risks of the population are growing. Since mid-2018, the Government has expressed its interest to increase cooperation with the UN to mitigate the effects of the crisis. During the first half of 2019, the UN set up a humanitarian coordination architecture in line with international standards. The structure includes the designation of the Humanitarian Coordinator who leads the Humanitarian Country Team for strategic decision making, the activation of eight thematic clusters, including the Protection and Shelter, Energy and NFIs Clusters directly led by UNHCR, and four field coordination hubs to ensure the effective delivery of assistance to the people in need. In June 2023, a biannual Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) covering a period until December 2024 was published, under the leadership of the Humanitarian Coordinator and the Humanitarian Country team in cooperation with Clusters Coordinators.

In the context of a scale up of UNHCR activities in Venezuela, the incumbent will manage the Protection Cluster Coordination Teams in the framework of the United Nations humanitarian architecture for Venezuela. The Protection Cluster englobes over hundred-forty organizations, making it one of the largest in the cluster system for Venezuela. In addition to the national level, the Protection Cluster has sub-national structures with participation in the CCTs of Zulia, Táchira and Bolivar. UNHCR Heads of Field Office in Maracaibo, San Cristobal and Ciudad Guyana double-hat as Cluster Coordinators at sub-national level. The Protection Cluster also incorporates two Areas of Responsibility specifically dedicated to child protection and gender-based violence that are coordinated by UNICEF and UNFPA respectively. These two AoRs have a sub-national structure in Zulia, Táchira and Bolivar states. In line with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Centrality of Protection statement 2013 and the IASC Policy on Protection in Humanitarian Action 2016, the Venezuela Protection Cluster Strategy seeks to re-affirm that protection as a collective responsibility of all Humanitarian actors requiring the commitment of all partners that are part of the Protection Cluster including the two AoRs of Gender Bansed Violence (GBV) and Child Protection (CP). It aims to address the most significant protection risks faced by affected populations that impact the entire humanitarian system in Venezuela, requiring common position, joint response and advocacy by the Protection Custer throughout the humanitarian programme cycle. The UNHCR Representative has final accountability for the performance of UNHCR as Cluster Lead Agency.

The Protection Cluster Coordination Officer supports UNHCR to work within the framework of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) and the Cluster Approach. The position reinforces UNHCR Protection Cluster Lead Agency functions by providing support to the role of Protection Cluster Coordination Officer in ensuring UNHCR’s leadership within a diverse protection community. This includes the provision of active support and operational guidance to protection partners to sub-clusters or other working groups operating in Venezuela. As a result, the incumbent supports an inter-agency team in an environment that requires high standards of accountability, facilitation, negotiation and conflict resolution skills, in which respect the principles of partnership and collaboration are essential. The incumbent supports the operation in Inter-Cluster Coordination mechanisms, for advocacy and facilitation of protection mainstreaming and cross-cutting issues of age, gender and diversity in the humanitarian response and early recovery activities. S/he works closely with and may, depending on the Office structure, directly supervise multi-functional Protection Cluster Support staff in the areas of data and information management, protection, needs assessment, profiling, reporting and advocacy. The incumbent has the responsibility of establishing and maintaining strong relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders. These stakeholders encompass civil society organizations, humanitarian and development actors, International Non- Governmental Organizations (INGOs), UN Agencies, local institutions, donors, R4V, the Regional Bureau, the Global Protection Cluster (GPC), and human rights actors. Possessing robust interpersonal skills is a critical requirement for this role.

Living and Working Conditions:

Caracas is Family duty station classified as C. Health facilities are available locally. There are several private health care clinics available in Caracas that are cleared by the UN as well. Some clinics provide specialized assistance. Medicines are limited and expensive. Epidemics and other disease outbreaks are very common in the operational area, such as malaria and dengue. Education is available in the local language Spanish/English/French. International schools are limited, there were number of schools closed down during last few years. There are limited banking facilities and staff rely on the use of debit cards, cash brought from outside and transfer arrangements. Although use of US Dollar is officially restricted in the country, unofficially it is circulating in the local market. International staff live in hotels and rented accommodation, the prices are high and currently converted to USD. Operation may require mission travels to the deep field locations. Distances are long and the road infrastructure is limited. Hotel and accommodation arrangements in field locations are more basic. There is one international airport in Caracas but since 2018, and during COVID19 many international air companies closed down their presence in Venezuela and others reduced their flights. High security awareness is constantly needed as the criminal threat is substantial and the current security level is 3. Sensitive political context could put certain nationalities perceived as opponents. Considerable level of general criminality due to the prevailing economic situation and political dynamics. Drug trafficking, smuggling, kidnapping and robberies have been reported. Although there is no official curfew in place, staff are advised not to walk after dark (18h00 pm) and to use reliable transportation instead of walking even during the daylight.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

Bachelor of Arts (BA): Human Rights, Bachelor of Arts (BA): International Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): International Refugee Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Political ScienceCertifications

HCR Coordination Learning Program - UNHCR, HCR Protection Learning Program - UNHCR, Protection in Natural Disaster Situation - Other, Tri_Cluster Knowledge/Coord Skills - OtherWork Experience

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Managing performance, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaborationUNHCR Salary Calculator

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

Compendium

Add. 3 to Bi-annual Compendium 2023 - Part BAdditional Information

Functional clearance

This position doesn't require a functional clearance