Protection Associate

September 16, 2025

E (most hardship)

Non Family with Residential LocationNon Family with Residential LocationDanger Pay

Nairobi (CO), Kenya

GS6

General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2025-09-30

Protection Associate

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Protection Associate normally reports to the Protection Officer or the Senior Protection Officer. 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 Protection Associate is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern (PoC) and identify opportunities to mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards in operational responses in all sectors. S/he contributes to designing a comprehensive protection strategy and liaises externally with authorities and partners on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor.

The Protection Associate 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
- Stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment.
- Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.
- Assist in providing comments on existing and draft legislation related to PoC.
- Provide advice on protection issues to PoC; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.
- Assist in conducting eligibility and status determination for PoC.
- 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 as part of the protection strategy.
- Monitor Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.
- Manage individual protection cases including those on GBV and child protection. Monitor, and intervene in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents.
- Assist in identifying durable solutions for the largest possible number of PoC through 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.
- Facilitate effective information management through the provision of disaggregated data on PoC and their problems.
- Participate in initiatives to capacitate authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen national protection related legislation and procedures.
- Assist the supervisor in prioritizing PoC for interview, counselling and propose protection support for individual cases.
- Assist the supervisor with enforcing compliance of local implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.
- Assit the supervisor with enforcing compliance with, and integrity of, all protection standard operating procedures.
- Submit individual payments request for PoC for approval.

- 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
For G6 - 3 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not applicable

Certificates and/or Licenses
International Law, Political Science
or other related field
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Not specified

Desirable
Protection Learning Programme

Functional Skills
IT-Computer Literacy
PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
(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:
The incumbent should have experience working in a conflict-affected or volatile context and implementing protection activities in emergencies serving both refugees and IDPs. The incumbent should also have demonstrated capacity to undertake protection monitoring, including remotely, and to build and maintain community-based networks of key contacts able to inform protection monitoring activities. S/he must also have knowledge of key protection standards related to refugee law, internal displacement and international humanitarian law.

The incumbent should have capacity to apply key protection and protection mainstreaming principles including Do No Harm, AGDM, PSEA, AAP, conflict sensitivity and community-based approaches in the implementation of routine tasks. S/he should also have demonstrated ability to support the capacity building of community based structures on core protection principles (including PSEA and AAP), protection monitoring, safe identification and referral of sensitive cases.

In addition, s/he should have demonstrated ability to work effectively with a diverse team, as well as to coordinate with authorities, partners, community leaders and people we serve under the supervision of the Head of Office. The incumbent must have flexibility to take on different tasks, and to multi-task, in response to contextual changes and shifting organizational priorities. Good written and verbal communication skills in English and Arabic are required.

Additional Assets:
• Familiarity with UNHCR’s operations in Darfur.
• Familiarity with key stakeholders in Darfur.

Nature of the Position:
The incumbent of this position reports to the Head of Office, El Daen and is expected to provide ongoing support for matters related to refugee and IDP protection. This position is focused on all displaced populations in accessible and hard to reach areas of East and South Darfur including refugees, protracted and newly displaced IDPs. The position is also provide (back up) support to Kordofan as required.

The incumbent is expected to build and maintain relationships with the refugee and IDP communities living in East and South Darfur, as well as key stakeholders among the host community and other humanitarian and non-humanitarian service providers. Community-based protection outreach and protection monitoring are key components of the role, together with community mobilization to enable strengthened refugee and IDP protection.

In addition, the incumbent is expected to contribute to routine reporting, and support the establishment and maintenance of protection referral pathways. S/he is expected to make internal recommendations for addressing identified protection risks and threats. The incumbent will be based in Ed Daein and undertake regular field missions to refugee and IDP sites across both East and South Darfur states. The incumbent is expected to join the duty station upon their appointment in accordance with DO’s instructions pertaining to lifting of the evacuation and self-relocation status.

Living and working Conditions:
Darfur is in the western-most region of Sudan and is divided into five States. Ed Daein is the capital of East Darfur. The security situation within East Darfur is unpredictable and the security level in Ed Daein is at Level 4 (Substantial). Risks to personnel, facilities and assets are reduced by strict adherence to UN security policies, and SRMMs. It is mandatory for all personnel to complete SSAFE training and to receive a security briefing upon arrival.

UNHCR is making its office available for staff to utilize, and is providing support for equipping a rented shared guesthouse where national staff assigned to the duty station may be living. This Guest House is privately rented and managed by contributing staff.

Limited medical services are available, via a MSF-operated central hospital, and some private clinics and pharmacies. For emergency medical needs or serious medical conditions, patients must travel a considerable distance to medical facilities in South Sudan or Chad. MSF provides limited ambulance services from Zalengei to Chad, and limited emergency medical and surgical services in Adre, Chad. Advanced medical services are available in Ndjamena, Chad. Staff with serious medical conditions are advised to bring sufficient medicines to cover the duration of their stay in Ed Daein, personal first aid kits and tourniquets, as these may not be locally available. UNHCR provides Individual First Aid Kits (IFAK) and Emergency Trauma Bags (ETB), and is exploring options for first aid training and awareness raising with regards to preventive measures. There are plans to re-establish a Level 1 UN clinic, which provides basic medical services and limited laboratory services (SUMAT ).

There are local markets where staff can purchase basic food items and toiletries. Meat and a selection of fresh vegetables and fruits are usually available in the local market, based on the season. Tap water is not potable hence the need to drink bottled or boiled drinking water. There are no functioning local banks in Ed Daein. National staff are advised to open Bankak accounts, to enable access to cash through local traders.

Mobile networks across Darfur are no longer functional, with the exception of Zain network in El Geneina (for calls only). Consequently, staff use Starlink devices to access the internet for official and private communications. UNHCR has made available 3 satellite phones and VHF hand-held radios for emergency communications, and for use during field missions.

Throughout the year, it is generally hot in Darfur with a brief mild winter period between December and February. The temperature can reach 40-45 degrees Celsius, especially between March and June. The rainy season starts from July and ends in October. It is important to bring clothing that is both light and covers the arms. This is mainly to protect against the many insects. Darfur is a tropical malaria zone; therefore, staff use repellents and mosquito nets to prevent malaria infection. For female staff, the need to dress modestly is important. It requires stamina and perseverance to make life comfortable in Darfur. Therefore, flexibility and the ability to live and operate in hardship conditions (including dust, heat, shared living quarters, and disruptions in water supply, electricity, mobile networks and Wifi) are essential.

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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, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Judgement & decision making, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance