Assistant Community Based Protection Officer

Organizational Context

The Assistant Community-Based Protection Officer, part of the Protection Unit in a Country Operation, reports to a senior protection staff member. This role involves direct engagement with communities of concern, identifying risks, and leveraging their capacities for self-protection. The incumbent supports community-based protection standards and may supervise staff, working with UNHCR, government, and NGO partners.

Job Purpose

The primary purpose of the Assistant Community-Based Protection Officer is to directly engage with communities of concern, spending significant time in the field to build and maintain strong networks. This role is crucial for understanding community structures, protection, and security situations, and for developing constructive relationships that enhance protection planning, programming, and results. The incumbent ensures that the perspectives, capacities, needs, and resources of persons of concern (PoC) are fully integrated into protection strategies and operational plans, addressing specific needs of diverse groups including women, men, children, youth, older persons, and persons with disabilities. Furthermore, the officer supports the design of community-based protection strategies through consultation with PoC and partners, fostering integrated approaches to key protection priorities like child protection, education, and GBV, ultimately promoting self-protection and durable solutions.

Responsibilities

The Assistant Community-Based Protection Officer is responsible for understanding community structures and the protection situation of persons of concern (PoC), fostering strong links with diverse community members using an Age, Gender, and Diversity (AGD) approach. This involves staying informed on developments impacting the protection environment and advising senior management. The role ensures PoC perspectives, capacities, and needs are integrated into protection strategies and operational plans, addressing specific requirements of vulnerable groups. The officer supports consultative processes with local government, partners, and PoC to develop integrated strategies for child protection, education, and GBV, and provides technical guidance on community-based protection SOPs. Key duties include supporting the design and evaluation of protection-centered programming, promoting community-owned activities, and assisting in establishing community representation structures. The incumbent also facilitates confidence-building and conflict resolution, maintains a protection presence through field missions, and contributes to information management by providing disaggregated data and disseminating best practices. Furthermore, the officer supports the inclusion of participatory approaches in country operations, helps PoC develop structures for participation and protection, contributes to project design and budgeting, and intervenes with authorities on protection issues, negotiating with local counterparts and partners.

Work Experience

Essential professional experience is required in community services, social work (including gender, GBV programs, women's empowerment, and protection, or work with refugees), human rights, or related tasks within government, NGOs, or international organizations.

Skills

Refugee Protection Principles and Framework Computer Literacy Database Management Coordination in Forced Displacement situations Child Protection Prevention and Response Programming Gender Equality Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) GBV Prevention Programming GBV Response Programming Oral and Written Communication Community Communication and Engagement Forced Displacement and Protection

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