ThaiNGO

UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR)

INTERNAL / EXTERNAL VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Vacancy Notice No. 20/2020

1. Operational Context

The Royal Thai Government is not a signatory to the 1951 Convention and does not have national legislation governing the stay and rights of refugees on its territory. The presence of refugees is regulated under an exception clause in the Immigration Act and refugees from Myanmar are hosted in temporary shelters on the Thai-Myanmar border, administered by the Ministry of Interior. Tak Province, in which Mae Sot is located, hosts approximately 50,000 refugees in three temporary shelters. Protection issues are emblematic of a prolonged stay in enclosed shelters and continue to surface, requiring prevention measures and responses from UNHCR and partners.

The Protection Assistant (Community-based) reports to Associate Protection Officer and acts as a critical interface between UNHCR and communities of concern, providing an AGD sensitive analysis of community risks and capacities that forms the foundation of all UNHCR work. The Protection Assistant (Community-based) works directly with communities to leverage their capacities for community-based protection. To fulfill this role, the incumbent is required to spend a substantial amount of time working outside the office, building and maintaining networks with communities of concern as well as other stakeholders.  The Protection Assistant (CB) will provide support to community-owned activities to address social, educational, pyscho-social, cultural, health and organizational concerns. In particular, the Protection Assistant (CB) will focus child protection, including best interest determinations when necessary. The incumbent will be responsible for the monitoring of prevention and response mechanisms for children at risk of (or who have experienced) violence or neglect, as part of a multi-functional team.  

Excellent inter-personal skills are required. Experience in working with refugees, persons with specific needs or children at risk of violence or neglect would be an advantage, as well as knowledge of the Karen and Burmese languages.  

2. Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The 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 incumbent works directly with communities of concern to identify the risks they face and to leverage their capacities to protect themselves, their families and communities. S/he 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 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.

3. Duties

• 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.
• 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 SGBV.
• Assist in working with host communities to involve national civil society groups in improving the protection of PoC.
• Assist in the analysis that identifies the capacities of communities of concern and risks they face.
• Support participatory assessments and ongoing consultation with PoC.
• 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.
• 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.
• Perform other related duties as required.

4. Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience

Years of Experience / Degree Level

-1 year relevant experience with High School Diploma; or no experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Certificates and/or Licenses

Development Studies, Human Rights, Community Development /Social Work, Social Science, Political Science, or International Law or other relevant field

Relevant Job Experience

Desirable

UNHCR learning programmes (PLP). Knowledge of MSRP.

Functional Skills

*IT-MS Office Applications

*IT-Computer Literacy

UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures

UN-UN/UNHCR Financial Rules and Regulations and Procedures

IT-Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

PR-Community-based Protection

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 General Service jobs: Fluency in English and Thai

5. Competency Requirements

Core Competencies

Accountability

Communication

Organizational Awareness

Teamwork & Collaboration

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Client & Result Orientation

Cross-Functional Competencies

Stakeholder Management

Planning and Organizing

Political Awareness

Remuneration:

A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, please visit the portal of the International Civil Service Commission at: http://icsc.un.org

Submission of Applications:

If you wish to be considered for this vacancy, please submit your letter of motivation, updated factsheet (for internals), signed Personal History Form (for externals) by e-mail clearly stating the position title, vacancy notice number and your Last Name in the subject line to THABAHR@unhcr.org by the closing date.

The Personal History Form and its supplementary sheet can be downloaded from: https://www.unhcr.or.th/sites/default/files/u11/P11_UNHCR.docm and

https://www.unhcr.or.th/sites/default/files/u11/P11SUP_UNHCR.docm

No late applications will be accepted. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Shortlisted candidates may be required to sit for a written test and/or oral interview. UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing or any other fees).

UNHCR strongly encourages qualified female applicants for this position. UNHCR seeks to ensure that male and female employees are given equal career opportunities. UNHCR is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.

Refugees – who cares? We Do