Community-Based Protection Associate
Organizational Context
The Community-Based Protection Associate is part of the Protection Unit, reporting to a Protection Officer or similar. This role works directly with communities of concern to identify risks and leverage their capacities for self-protection. The incumbent will spend significant time outside the office, building community networks and relationships to enhance protection planning and programming.
Job Purpose
The Community-Based Protection Associate's primary purpose is to work directly with communities of concern to identify the risks they face and to leverage their capacities to protect themselves, their families, and communities. This involves spending a substantial amount of time outside the office, building and maintaining networks within these communities. The core of the role is developing and maintaining constructive relationships with People of Concern (PoC) that measurably impact and enhance protection planning, programming, and results. The Associate also supports the design of a community-based protection strategy by ensuring it is based on consultation with PoC, integrating participatory and community-based approaches into the overall protection strategy and operational procedures.
Responsibilities
The Community-Based Protection Associate assists functional units, the Multi-Functional Team (MFT), and senior management in integrating participatory and community-based approaches into the overall protection strategy and operational procedures. By maintaining relationships with PoC and partners, the Associate stays informed about political, social, economic, and cultural developments impacting the protection environment, providing advice to the protection team. They understand the perspectives, capacities, needs, and resources of PoC, highlighting specific protection needs of vulnerable groups. The role involves working with host communities to identify opportunities for national civil society involvement in improving PoC protection. Collaboration with implementing partners and displaced/local communities is key to developing community-owned activities addressing social, educational, psycho-social, cultural, health, organizational, and livelihood concerns, including child protection and GBV prevention/response. The Associate supports participatory assessments, ongoing consultation with PoC, and planning/monitoring of programmes and budgets with an Age, Gender, and Diversity (AGD) perspective. They build office capacity through training and establishing systems for community mobilization and participation, and support communities in establishing representation and coordination structures. Ensuring community understanding of UNHCR's accountability commitments is crucial. The role may involve interpreting, contributing to liaison activities, and responding to routine queries. The Associate contributes to AGD-sensitive analysis and initiates AGD-sensitive interventions on community-based protection issues, responding to concerns and incidents. They identify and prioritize individuals/groups for counselling and field visits, and intervene with authorities on protection matters. Compliance of implementing partners with global protection policies and standards is enforced, and payments to individual cases are recommended and prepared. Risk management and opportunity identification within the area of responsibility are also key duties.
Work Experience
3 years of relevant experience with a High School Diploma, or 2 years of relevant work experience with a Bachelor's degree or equivalent or higher.
Skills
Community-based Protection Principles and Methodologies Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community Stakeholder management and coordination with Implementing Partners (Gov/NGO/Corporate) Capacity Building Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Computer Literacy UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures