The Senior Protection Assistant reports to the Protection Officer. The Senior Protection Assistant 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 policy as guided by the supervisor. The Senior Protection Assistant 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 persons of concern, local authorities and protection and assistance partners.

Duties and Qualifications:

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 UNHCRs core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Under the supervision of the Protection Officer, the Senior Protection Assistant will perform the following functions:

• Conduct protection assessment and registration interviews of persons of concern on a daily basis.
•  As needed, attend community-based and field activities to support identification efforts of persons at heightened risk to ensure timely referrals to protection interventions.
• As needed, support the reception of persons of concern at the office and arrange the logistics of protection, RSD and resettlement interviews.
• As needed, translate documents and liaise with interpretation services for interviews with persons of concern.
• Conduct monitoring and reporting activities.
• In close coordination with Programme, Communication and Community-Based Protection colleagues, elaborate informational materials and ensure the implementation of Communication with Communities strategies.
• Contribute to the planning and development of UNHCR projects, especially with regards to Venezuelan refugees and migrants access to rights.
• As needed, support the implementation of registration & identity management systems for UNHCRs persons of concern in the databases and operating systems used by UNHCR and its implementing partners, both in the office and in the field;
• Write routine correspondence, produce statistics, and produce documents and reports using word processing equipment and keeping filing systems up to date;
• Monitor compliance with global protection policies and professional integrity standards in the provision of protection services
• Prepare internal and external reports;
• Contribute to initiatives to improve the national and local capacities of the authorities in the field of international refugee law and human rights;
• Prepare weekly report for the regional office on the activities of the Operation;
• Maintain a focus on age, gender and diversity in all UNHCR activities, programs and projects.
• Perform other duties or functions as needed.

Monitoring and Progress Controls:

• The performance of the Senior Protection Assistant will be monitored and periodically evaluated according to the quality of the tasks carried out, in line with the assignments described in the previous
• section and the approved individual work plan, and in agreement with global protection policies and UNHCR standards.

In this sense, it will also be evaluated:

• Respect of the UNHCR Code of Conduct,
• Adherence to the security protocols of UNHCR and United Nations, and
• Participation in training activities provided by UNHCR, particularly through the Learn and
• Connect platform.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education :

• Bachelors Degree in Law, Political Science or similar studies;
• Fluency in Spanish and English required. Knowledge of French or Haitian Kreyol is desirable.

Work Experience

• Minimum 3 years of previous work experience with state institutions, UN Agencies or civil society organizations.
• Experience working with refugees and/or migrant populations.