Community Based Protection Assistant

at  United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR

Grade
GS4
Staff Member / Affiliate Type
General Service
Reason
Temporary > Temporary Assignment/ Appointment
Hardship Level
A (least hardship)
Family Type
Family

Residential location (if applicable)
Target Start Date
2024-09-03
Target End Date
2024-12-31
Deadline for Applications
September 22, 2024
Standard Job Description
Community-Based Protection Assistant
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Community-Based Protection Assistant is a member of the Protection Unit and may report to the Protection Officer, Community-Based Protection Officer, or another more senior staff member in the Protection Unit. Under the overall direction of the Protection Unit, and in coordination with other UNHCR staff, government, NGO partners and other stakeholders, the incumbent works directly with communities of concern to identify the risks they face and to leverage their capacities to protect themselves, their families and communities. S/he supports the application of community-based protection standards, operational procedures and practices in community-based protection delivery at the field level. To fulfil this role, the Community-Based Protection Assistant is required to spend a substantial percentage of the workday outside the office, building and maintaining networks within communities of persons of concern (PoC). The development and maintenance of constructive relationships with PoC that measurably impact and enhance protection planning, programming and results, form the core of the work of the incumbent. S/he also supports the designing of a community-based protection strategy by ensuring that it is based on consultation with PoC.
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

• Through relationships with PoC and network of partners, stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment and provide advice to the protection team. Understand the perspectives, capacities, needs and resources of the PoC and advise the protection team accordingly, highlighting the specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older persons, persons with disabilities, marginalized groups.
• Support implementing and operational partners as well as displaced and local communities to develop community-owned activities to address, where applicable, the social, educational, psycho-social, cultural, health, organisational and livelihood concerns as well as child protection and prevention and response to GBV.
• Assist in working with host communities to involve national civil society groups in improving the protection of PoC.
• Assist in the analysis that identifies the capacities of communities of concern and risks they face.
• Support participatory assessments and ongoing consultation with PoC.
• Support communities in establishing representation and coordination structures.
• Ensure community understanding of UNHCR’s commitment to deliver on accountability and quality assurance in its response.
• Collect data for monitoring of programmes and budgets from an AGD perspective.
• Draft and type routine correspondence, documents and reports and maintain up-to-date filing systems.
• Act as an interpreter in exchange of routine information, contribute to related liaison activities and respond directly to routine queries.
• Assist in the enforcement of participatory AGD sensitive analysis as an essential basis for all of UNHCR’s work.
• Identify and recommend which individuals or groups to prioritize for counselling and field visits based on agreed criteria.
• Enforce compliance of implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.
• 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 G4 - 1 year relevant experience with High School Diploma; or Bachelor or equivalent or higher
Field(s) of Education
Not applicable.
Certificates and/or Licenses
Development, Human Rights, International Law
Social Work, Social Science, Political Science,
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Not specified.
Desirable
UNHCR learning programmes (PLP). Knowledge of MSRP.
Functional Skills
UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures

IT-Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

• IT-Computer Literacy

PR-Community-based Protection - Principles and methodologies
CL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community
(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
Candidates must be legally present in Costa Rica at the time of application, recruitment and hire.
Only candidates holding a legal job permit in Costa Rica will be considered eligible.
UNHCR is committed to a diverse and inclusive environment; its staff comes from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds and world perspectives. We are committed to maintaining diversity in terms of age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, nationality, racial identity, religious beliefs, among others. People belonging to minority groups, people with special abilities, people who are qualified and meet the requirements of vacancies are encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.
Eligible candidates may be required to take a technical test and/or an interview.
Please include all your work experience in your application.
If you have special needs or require assistance to apply, please contact cossarrhh@unhcr.org
Language requirements:
Spanish C2
English B2
Please refer to the Job Description for the Desired Education, Experience and Skills.
-
Perfil del candidato deseado
Los candidatos deben estar legalmente presentes en Costa Rica al momento de la solicitud, reclutamiento y contratación. Sólo se considerarán elegibles los candidatos que cuenten con un permiso de trabajo legal en Costa Rica.
La persona Asistente de protección basada en la comunidad proveerá atención directa a las personas por y con las que trabaja el ACNUR por medio de una línea de atención gratuita, correo electrónico y de manera presencial a las personas que se acercan a las oficinas en búsqueda de información de interés; además, estará encargada del respectivo registro de las atenciones realizadas. Adicionalmente, asistirá a la Unidad de Protección en cuanto a la identificación de riesgos y prioridades de protección, identificados a través de su contacto con las personas. La persona Asistente de protección basada en la comunidad será la persona encargada de la primera atención a las personas con necesidades de Protección Internacional, refiriendo a la misma a los diversos servicios de asistencia que brinda el ACNUR en el marco de su Programa.

Funciones

• Atender la línea telefónica, correos y de manera presencial a las personas por y con las que trabaja el ACNUR.
• Mantenerse informado/a en cuanto a cambios en los servicios ofrecidos a las personas por y con las que trabaja el ACNUR, en el contexto de Costa Rica.
• Clasificar y priorizar toda la información entrante y dirigirla, según sea necesario, a otras personas del ACNUR y las agencias socias a cargo de los servicios de atención, para lo cual se deben realizar las referencias correspondientes.
• Registrar los datos de las atenciones recibidas en la base de datos del equipo y mantenerla actualizada.
• Responder a las preguntas de las personas por y con las que trabaja el ACNUR en relación con los servicios de la Organización, las agencias socias del ACNUR y los procedimientos administrativos vinculados a su estatuto de persona solicitante de asilo o persona refugiada, solicitante de apatridia o apátrida, sus derechos y deberes.
• Mantener registros, datos exactos y actualizados relacionados con todos los casos de registro individual.
• Informar y asistir a las personas en la navegación por la página web oficial del ACNUR Costa Rica y al WhatsApp Chatbot para acceder a la información adecuada.
• Identificar riesgos de protección y tendencias, a través de su comunicación directa con las personas y llevarlos a la Unidad de Protección para dar el seguimiento de protección y programático adecuado.
• Ayudar en la implementación de la estrategia del equipo de Protección Basada en la Comunidad y la Unidad de Protección, a través de su contacto directo con las personas por y con las que trabaja el ACNUR (e.g. apoyando en Comunicación con Comunidades, identificando casos de discriminación y xenofobia, identificar mecanismos de protección y estructuras existentes dentro de las comunidades, entre otros).
• Realizar otras tareas relacionadas que sean necesarias.

Es posible que se solicite a los candidatos elegibles que realicen una prueba técnica y/o una entrevista.
Según nuestro compromiso con la diversidad, motivamos a todas la personas a postularse para las vacantes.
Todas las solicitudes serán tratadas con la más estricta confidencialidad.
Si tiene necesidades especiales o necesita ayuda para presentar su candidatura, comuníquese con cosarrhh@unhcr.org
Functional Clearance
This position doesn’t require a functional clearance
Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level)
Spanish
,
English
,
Desired languages
,
,
Additional Qualifications
Skills
IT-Computer Literacy, PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD), PR-Community-based Protection - Principles and methodologies
Education
Bachelor of Arts (BA): Human Rights, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Social Work, High School
Certifications
Human Rights - Other, International Law - Other, Political Science - Other, Social Sciences - Other
Work Experience
Communications, Working with Persons of Concern: Refugees
UNHCR Salary Calculator
https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales
Other informatio

• Through relationships with PoC and network of partners, stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment and provide advice to the protection team. Understand the perspectives, capacities, needs and resources of the PoC and advise the protection team accordingly, highlighting the specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older persons, persons with disabilities, marginalized groups.
• Support implementing and operational partners as well as displaced and local communities to develop community-owned activities to address, where applicable, the social, educational, psycho-social, cultural, health, organisational and livelihood concerns as well as child protection and prevention and response to GBV.
• Assist in working with host communities to involve national civil society groups in improving the protection of PoC.
• Assist in the analysis that identifies the capacities of communities of concern and risks they face.
• Support participatory assessments and ongoing consultation with PoC.
• Support communities in establishing representation and coordination structures.
• Ensure community understanding of UNHCR’s commitment to deliver on accountability and quality assurance in its response.
• Collect data for monitoring of programmes and budgets from an AGD perspective.
• Draft and type routine correspondence, documents and reports and maintain up-to-date filing systems.
• Act as an interpreter in exchange of routine information, contribute to related liaison activities and respond directly to routine queries.
• Assist in the enforcement of participatory AGD sensitive analysis as an essential basis for all of UNHCR’s work.
• Identify and recommend which individuals or groups to prioritize for counselling and field visits based on agreed criteria.
• Enforce compliance of implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.
• 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