Deadline for Applications

May 22, 2026

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

Family

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

UNOPS LICA5

Target Start Date

2026-06-16

Terms of Reference

Experience working with refugees, forcibly displaced and other vulnerable populations, including protection case management.
Proven experience in community-based protection and participatory assessments, with the ability to engage effectively with persons of concern (PoC).
Strong understanding and application of Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) principles and accountability to affected populations (AAP).
Ability to analyze community capacities and risks and translate findings into appropriate protection responses.
Experience supporting community structures and coordination mechanisms.
Experience in data collection, programme monitoring and reporting.
Strong drafting, communication and coordination skills, with the ability to work in inter-agency environments.
Experience in protection case management with refugees and vulnerable populations.
Experience working in humanitarian action
Experience working in the field or border areas is an asset.

Standard Job Description

Senior Community-Based Protection Assistant

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Senior 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 Senior Community-Based Protection Assistant works directly with communities of concern to identify the risks they face and to leverage their capacities to protect themselves, their families and communities. The incumbent 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 Senior 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

Assist functional units, the Multi-Functional Team (MFT) and senior management to integrate participatory and community-based approaches in the overall protection strategy.
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.
Assist in initiatives with host communities to involve national civil society groups in the protection of PoC.
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 the analysis that identifies the capacities of communities of concern and risks they face.
Support participatory assessments by multifunctional teams and ongoing consultation with PoC.
Support efforts to build the office capacity for community-based protection.
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.
Initiate AGD sensitive interventions at the appropriate level on community-based protection issues and to respond to protection concerns and incidents within the office and with persons and communities of concern based on agreed parameters.
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 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
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-Computer Literacy

IT-Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
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.

Required Languages

English

Desired Languages

Spanish

Additional Qualifications

Skills

CL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community, IT-Computer Literacy, IT-Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), PR-Community-based Protection - Principles and methodologies, UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures

Education

Certifications

Community Development/Social Work - Other, Development Studies - Other, Human Rights - Other, International Law - Other, Political Science - Other, Social Sciences - Other

Work Experience

Other information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance

Remote

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

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Senior Community Based Protection Assistant