Senior Protection Assistant

Overview

Support protection activities and engage with vulnerable communities.

You have:

• Demonstrated experience supporting the delivery of protection activities in humanitarian or forced displacement contexts
• Strong knowledge of international protection principles and community-based approaches
• Strong communication and counselling skills, including the ability to engage sensitively with vulnerable populations
• Proven ability to work in a multicultural, multidisciplinary team under pressure and with minimal supervision
• Education: High School Diploma or Bachelor degree or equivalent higher
• Knowledge of English and the UN working language of the duty station

Deadline for Applications

May 18, 2026Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

A (least hardship)Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

FamilyStaff Member / Affiliate Type

UNOPS LICA5Target Start Date

2026-06-01Terms of Reference

The ideal candidate is a protection professional with demonstrated experience supporting the delivery of protection activities in humanitarian or forced displacement contexts, with strong knowledge of international protection principles and community‑based approaches. -Demonstrated ability to work effectively with communities of concern, local authorities, and humanitarian partners. -Strong communication and counselling skills, including the ability to engage sensitively with vulnerable populations. -Capacity to contribute to national and local protection capacity‑building initiatives. -Proven ability to work in a multicultural, multidisciplinary team under pressure and with minimal supervision.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Applications are open to internal staff, former employees, and external candidates:

-- The position is offered under a UNOPS contract for a period of 6 months, with no extensions - Only Salvadorian or candidates holding a permanent residency in El Salvador will be considered eligible. Candidates must attach proof of permanent residency in El Salvador at the time of application. - 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).

- 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.Standard Job Description

Senior Protection Assistant

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships 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 persons of concern (PoC) 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 PoC 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.

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 - Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct. - Provide counselling on protection issues to PoC; 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 PoC 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 GBV and child protection. Monitor and report on cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents. - Assist in identifying durable solutions for PoC 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. - Draft reports, routine correspondence, update relevant databases and compiling statistics within the Area of Responsibility (AoR). - Contribute to initiatives to enhance national and local protection capacities. - Select PoC for preliminary interviews and decide which relevant information to share. - Enforce integrity in the delivery of protection services by local implementing partners.

- 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 Education & Professional Work Experience Years of Experience / Degree Level G5 - 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education Not applicable

Certificates and/or Licenses International Law; Political Science; (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience Essential: Not specified. Desirable: Not specified.

Functional Skills IT-Computer Literacy PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework (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.

Required Languages

English,

Spanish,

Desired Languages

,

,

Additional Qualifications

Skills

IT-Computer Literacy, PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators, PR-Refugee Protection Principles and FrameworkEducation

Certifications

International Law - Other, Political Science - OtherWork Experience

Other information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance Remote

No

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Potential interview questions

Added 1 month ago - Updated 1 month ago - Source: unhcr.org