Title: Protection Associate, Individual Contractor (UNOPS)
Contract type: Local ICA
Contract level: LICA-6 (GS 6)
Location: Washington D.C., USA
Department/office: Thematic and Operations Support Unit (TOSU)/ Caribbean Protection Unit (CPU), UNHCR MCO Washington
Duration: from 1 Jan 2022 to 30 June 2022 with possibility of extension.
[IMPORTANT: This Position is advertised open to internal and external applicants .Applicants must have legal residence with valid work permit in the US at the time of submitting the application]
1. General Background
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has an international mandate to protect persons in need of international protection, including asylum-seekers, refugees, and stateless persons. The Caribbean Protection Unit (CPU) of UNHCR’s Regional Office in Washington, D.C., covers 18 Caribbean countries and territories. The region is characterized by an increasingly complex phenomenon of mixed migration involving individuals who may be in need of international protection, including asylum-seekers, refugees, victims of human trafficking and stateless persons. The States and territories in the Caribbean are source, destination, and transit countries, including persons in need of international protection. The region also produces refugees and is a transit gateway for refugees and asylum-seekers trying to reach North America within larger groups of migrants by land, air, and sea. In many countries in the Caribbean, persons in need of international protection are not systematically given access to refugee-status determination (RSD) procedures and, therefore, respect of the non-refoulement principle is not always ensured. The registration of asylum-seekers by UNHCR is a critical protection intervention, which is linked to protection from forced return. Due to a variety of factors, the number of new asylum-seekers in the Caribbean has risen over the past five years, motivating the need for increased protection and programmatic support. ¿¿¿¿¿
2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment
Against this backdrop, under the supervision of the Senior Protection Associate, the Protection Associate will coordinate a range of case management and protection activities throughout the region and monitor the efficiency and quality of diverse protection interventions, including registration processes and data management. S/he will liaise closely with protection staff and partners to ensure timely identification and referral of persons of concern (PoC) for follow-up and referrals as needed. The Protection Associate may assist in compiling and analysing information related to registration and protection activities, collaborating closely with Programme staff and operational partners.
The incumbent is expected to identify opportunities to mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards in operational responses in all sectors. S/he will also coordinate communication with communities (CWC) activities and ensure that PoCs 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 and protection and assistance partners.
Specific duties may include, but are not limited to the following:
¿ Manage individual protection cases. Monitor and assist the supervisor with intervening in cases requiring protection interventions and other assistance, including screening, and assessing PoCs for cash-based assistance, and ensuring efficient delivery of assistance.
¿ Provide counselling and respond to queries from asylum seekers and refugees regarding UNHCR’s role and mandate in the region as well as their rights and entitlements.
¿ Identify persons with specific needs and ensure timely referrals, including strategic RSD and protection follow up.
¿ Assist in the implementation of registration strategies and methodologies for populations of concern, in lines with data protection policies and PRIMES procedural standards.
¿ Conduct registration interviews and ensure delivery of documentation, in accordance with registration standards and guidance.
¿ Maintain accurate and up-to date records and data related to all individual cases in proGres and electronic files. Design and implement verification and data cleaning exercises as needed.
¿ Oversee CWC activities and communication channels with PoCs.
¿ Provide statistics and draft reports related to registration and assistance data, as requested, updating relevant databases and compiling statistics.
¿ Perform other related duties as required.
3. Monitoring and Progress Controls
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.
UNHCR’s Registration Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are implemented in accordance with relevant UNHCR standards and policies; persons of concern have fair and transparent access to protection interventions and registration procedures.
4. Qualifications and Experience
a. Education (Level and area of required and/or preferred education)
Completion of Secondary School with post-secondary diploma in social sciences, statistics, international development/relations, international law, or related fields.
b. Work Experience
Minimum 5 years of relevant professional job experience.
c. Key Competencies
¿ Data management; data collection and analysis.
¿ Computer literacy.
¿ Experience in international organization (United Nations or similar); prior exposure to UNHCR refugee operations preferred.
¿ Experience working with refugees/asylum-seekers; registration experience preferred.
¿ Knowledge of protection-related guidelines, standards, and indicators.
¿ Knowledge of refugee Protection Principles and Framework
¿ Excellent knowledge of English required; Spanish fluency is desired.
¿ Knowledge of UNHCR specific programmes (proGres, PRIMES) is desired.
Closing Date
** PLEASE NOTE Applicants must have legal residence with valid work permit in the US at the time of submitting their applications.**
The closing date for submission of application is Thursday 16 December 2021 (Midnight Geneva time// 6 PM EST ). No late applications will be accepted.
HOW TO APPLY:
Internal candidates: Your application must be submitted by: MSRP – Self-Service – Recruiting – Careers – USA – NAME OF THE POSITION
External candidates: Candidates must submit their application through UNHCR’s official application site: www.unhcr.org/careers.html
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For any technical problems encountered during the online application, please contact the Global Service Desk ([email protected]) prior to the deadline to allow sufficient time to resolve the issues. For any questions regarding the selection process, please contact Human Resources ([email protected])
CVs/Resumes will not be accepted by email. ONLY THOSE APPLICATIONS SENT THROUGH THE SYSTEM WILL BE CONSIDERED.
We are committed to maintaining diversity in terms of gender, ethnicity and culture. Persons belonging to minority groups, persons with special abilities, men and women, are encouraged to apply for vacancies. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.
We do not confirm receipt of applications or report on the status of the process. Only qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview and possibly a written test.
UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing or any other fees).
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