Category/grade: General Service, G4
Location: San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Type of contract: Fixed-term appointment
Effective date of assignment: 01 June 2020:
Date of Issue: 06 May 2020
Closing Date: 13 May 2020
Operational Context:
**
The Community-Based Protection Assistant is a member of the Protection Unit and will be directly supervised by the Head of Field Office, with a clear technical reporting line to the Associate Protection Officer (Community Based). 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.
As a result of presence and social and territorial control from Gangs and Maras, communities face constant pressure to participate in illegal activities, reduce their social and community work, limit their movement, limit the use of community spaces such as parks, playgrounds and community centers and thus diminishing their right to participate and take decisions on the well-being of the community, including access to social services and programmes. These restrictions have a negative impact on the community and its organizational structures. The incumbent will support in the implementation of the Community-Based Protection (CBP) strategy of the San Pedro Sula Field Office, which includes developing CBP initiatives addressed to enhance protection environment for PoC and mitigate the impact of violence and risk of displacement in urban and rural high-risk areas of intervention.
Functional Statement:
Accountability **
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.
Ensure community understanding of UNHCR's commitment to deliver on accountability and quality assurance in its response.
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.
Collect data for monitoring of programmes and budgets from an AGD perspective.
Responsibility
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.
Assist in the enforcement of participatory AGD sensitive analysis as an essential basis for all of UNHCR’s work.
Perform other related duties as required.
Authority
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.
Essential Minimum Qualifications and Experience:
Completion of Secondary School with training/certification in Law, development studies, social science, human rights, political science, social work or a related field.
Minimum 4 years of relevant professional job experience.
IT-MS Office Applications
IT-Computer Literacy
Fluency in Spanish and working knowledge English
Desirable Qualifications & Competencies:
UNHCR learning programmes (PLP).
Knowledge of MSRP.
PR-Community-based Protection
PR-Community-based Protection - Principles and methodologies
CL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community
PG-Experience with coordinating with Implementing Partners (Government/INGO/NGO/Corporate)
TR-Capacity Building
Diverse field and operational experience. Proven communication skills, both oral and written.
Demonstrated knowledge of community communication and engagement approaches. Understanding of and demonstrated competencies in forced displacement and protection, particularly SGBV prevention and response, child protection, education, gender equality, and the application of the Age, Gender and Diversity Policy. Experience with protection individual case management. Highly desirable to have a solid experience working in urban and/or rural High Risk Areas.
Required Competencies:
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
Eligibility / External candidates:
External candidates: External candidates must meet the essential minimum requirements of the position and candidates not citizens of the country must comply with all eligibility requirements for employment in line with the prevailing legislative prerequisites in the country.[1]**
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
[1] Completed and relevant university education can count as maximum 50% of the required years of work experience.
How to apply:
Submission of Applications:
If you wish to be considered for this vacancy, please submit your letter of motivation, Personal History Form by e-mail clearly stating the position title, vacancy notice number and your Last Name in the subject line to: honduras@unhcr.org by the closing date 13 May 2020.
Personal History Form https://www.unhcr.org/how-to-apply.html?query=personal%20history%20form
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.
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