Snr Protection Assistant

A (least hardship) Family Family GS5 General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment No 2025-01-01 December 16, 2024

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.

The Senior Protection Assistant reports to the Associate Resettlement and Complementary Pathways Officer and works closely with the Legal Protection/Child Protection Units. Under the overall supervision of the Head of the Unit and the direct supervision of the Associate Resettlement and Complementary Pathway Officer, the incumbent performs the following duties:

• Conducting interviews to establish facts about criminal records, such as the circumstances of arrest and detention, in particular for post-submission cases deferred by resettlement countries for UNHCR clarification; draft and present the interview reports and assessments to the DSU Crime Panel for appropriate decisions.

• In this context, the incumbent will also support the Legal Protection/Child Protection Unit’s effort to contact the relevant authorities as necessary for information on the arrests, criminal charges, and/or convictions, as well as in the preparation of Best Interest Determination (BIDs) and Best Interest Assessments (BIAs) for children being considered for resettlement.

• The incumbent is also expected to provide counseling to persons of concern (PoCs) to UNHCR on resettlement, including for post-submission and pre-submission withdrawals following the DSU Crime Panels’ decisions.

• Undertake preliminary interviews and initial assessments to identify refugees for resettlement following established procedures.

• Conducting interviews with eligible refugees already referred for resettlement consideration, either at the UNHCR office or remotely, for resettlement processing and preparing Resettlement Registration Forms (RRFs).

• The incumbent will also draft assessments/reports such as the summary of crime disclosures and Domestic Violence/GBV, for resettlement submission; and ensure that records of individual cases are updated in a systematic and timely manner.

• The incumbent will conduct interviews with refugees for pre-submission and post-submission follow-up either at the UNHCR office or remotely, and at various detention centers, if needed.

The incumbent must possess strong drafting, communication, and analytical skills, with the ability to work independently and make sound and balanced decisions and interventions. The incumbent should also demonstrate the ability to work in a multicultural team to achieve shared goals and optimize results.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable for performing 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 must 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.

Additional Information:
The position requires fluency in English and Malay languages.

Recruitment as a UNHCR staff member and engagement under a UNHCR affiliate scheme or as an intern is subject to proof of vaccination against Covid-19.

Only short-listed candidates will be notified. The recruitment process might 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).

UNHCR does not sponsor work visa or work permit and applicant who is not Malaysian national should already have their status confirmed that they are able to secure a work visa at the time of the application.

Remuneration:
A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. The monthly net salary is between MYR 4,062 and MYR 5,145 depending on relevant experience. For information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, please visit the portal of the Office of HR Management of United Nations.

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

Nature of Position:

Living and Working Conditions:

Additional Qualifications

Skills

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

Certifications

International Law - Other, Political Science - Other

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration

Compendium

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance