Senior Protection Assistant

Overview

Provide quality protection support to refugees and asylum seekers.

You have:

• 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1-year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher
• English and Arabic
• Experience in protection monitoring and outreach with UNHCR, INGOs or local NGOs is an asset
• Experience in Protection case management, with focus on CP and GBV case management would be advantageous
• Child Protection experience, with a focus on Best Interest Procedures would be advantageous
• Experience in psychological first aid and psychosocial support within Child Protection contexts would be advantageous
• Understanding of UNHCR reporting and assistance systems, including RAIS and V4, is a valuable asset

Deadline for Applications

February 3, 2026Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

E (most hardship)Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

Non Family with Residential LocationStaff Member / Affiliate Type

UNOPS LICA5Target Start Date

2026-02-01Terms of Reference

1. General Background

The Senior Protection Assistant normally reports to a more senior Protection colleague. The incumbent 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 Senior Protection Assistant provides quality, timely and effective protection support to refugees and asylum seekers and identifies opportunities to mainstream protection methodologies and safeguards in operational responses. S/he contributes to designing a comprehensive protection strategy and may liaise externally with local authorities and partners on protection issues as guided by the supervisor. The Senior Protection Assistant also ensures that refugees and asylum seekers are involved 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 is expected to perform Child protection and GBV case management activities in addition to the general protection activities.

2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment:

• Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policies, standards, and codes of conduct.
• Provide counselling on protection issues to Forcibly Displaced and Stateless People (FDSP) and 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 a country-level child protection plan as part of the protection strategy.
• Monitor Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.
• Participate in individual protection case management with a focus on cases of GBV and child protection, in line with Inter-Agency GBV Guidelines and UNHCR SOPs.
• Ensure compliance with UNHCR’s child protection policy, priorities and commitments, as well as other aligned policies on age, gender, diversity (AGD) and accountability to affected populations (AAP), GBV, gender equality, disability and youth empowerment.
• Conduct GBV prevention and response activities, including awareness-raising sessions, dialogues, participatory methods, and community-based protection initiatives, with support for community mobilizers.
• Facilitate age, gender, and diversity-sensitive approaches in outreach and programming.
• Strengthen referral pathways for GBV survivors by working closely with health, legal, psychosocial, and protection actors.
• Undertake consultation with children, youth and communities and provide information on appropriate and meaningful approaches for their effective participation and programmatic responses on child protection issues.
• Conduct Best Interest Procedures for individual children at heightened risks and prepare Best Interests Determination report, when required.
• Identifying durable solutions for (FDSP) in voluntary repatriation, local integration, and where appropriate, resettlement.
• Monitor and report on cases of refoulement, expulsion, and other protection incidents.
• Contribute to the design, implementation, and evaluation of protection-related AGD-based programming with implementing and operational partners.
• Draft reports, and routine correspondence, update relevant databases, and compile statistics within the Area of Responsibility (AoR).
• Contribute to initiatives to enhance national and local protection capacities.
• Enforce integrity in the delivery of protection services by local implementing partners.
• Perform other related duties as required.

3. Monitoring and Progress Controls Data-entry of activities in relevant tools, number of assessments and individual cases processed and number of outreach and monitoring activities.

4. Qualifications and Experience Years of Experience / Degree Level

For G5 - 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1-year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Functional Skills IT-Computer Literacy CL-Protection & Solutions Awareness PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework

Core Competencies

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

Cross-Functional Competencies

Analytical Thinking Political Awareness Stakeholder Management

Desired Candidate Profile: • Relevant experience in protection monitoring and outreach with UNHCR, INGOs or local NGOs is an asset. • Experience in Protection case management, with focus on CP and GBV case management would be advantageous. • Child Protection experience, with a focus on Best Interest Procedures would be advantageous. • Experience in psychological first aid and psychosocial support within Child Protection contexts would be advantageous. • Understanding of UNHCR reporting and assistance systems, including RAIS and V4, is a valuable asset.

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

A written test will be conducted as part of the selection process.Standard Job Description

Required Languages

English,

Arabic,

Desired Languages

,

,

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

Bachelor's, High school diploma (Required)Certifications

Work Experience

Other information

A written exam will be administered as part of the selection process.This position doesn't require a functional clearance Remote

No

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Potential interview questions

Added 4 months ago - Updated 4 months ago - Source: unhcr.org