Snr Protection Assistant

This position is advertised open to internal and external applicants.

Interested applicants should consult the Administrative Instruction on Recruitment and Assignment of Locally Recruited Staff (RALS/Rev. 2).

Senior Protection Assistant (G-5), UNHCR Multi-Country Office (MCO) Belgium, Brussels

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

UNHCR Multi-Country Office (MCO) Belgium ensures the liaison with EU Institutions and the oversight of operations in Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg and The Netherlands.¿It also supervises two liaison offices in Malta (EASO) and Poland (Frontex).

MCO Belgium includes a small team covering Belgium and Luxembourg. This team works in close coordination with the other units of MCO Belgium, the UNHCR Regional Bureau for Europe and UNHCR Headquarters in Geneva, to ensure timely action in support of agreed policies. External contacts are developed and maintained with a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including inter alia, governmental institutions, embassies, donors, UN agencies, NGOs, lawyers and other national and international organizations, as well as general public on matters of relevance to the Organization.

The Senior Protection Assistant is part of the team for Belgium and Luxembourg. S/he works under the supervision of the Legal Officer who is leading the team.

In line with the strategic priorities of the UNHCR Bureau for Europe, the protection strategy developed in Belgium and Luxembourg includes quality asylum system, adequate reception conditions, strengthened SGBV and child protection, durable solutions (integration, RST and complementary legal pathways including family reunification), and statelessness. With a strong emphasis on community-based protection, age, gender and diversity are also mainstreamed through the activities of the unit covering Belgium and Luxembourg.

Specifically, the Senior Protection Assistant undertakes activities in support of the implementation of operational priorities. Duties include:

• Counselling of persons of concern to UNHCR (phone, in person and in writing);
• First and second line individual case management;
• Monitoring of protection policies and practices;
• Drafting of reports, correspondence, updating of relevant databases;
• Maintaining contact with stakeholders, dissemination of external documents and maintenance of contact lists;
• Planning and reporting incl. collecting and reporting on statistics and indicators
• Filing and archiving of key documents;
• Support in the organization of training sessions, conferences, meetings, events;
• Support in the organization of missions, monitoring visits and appointments;

Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Positions at the G-5 level require 2 years of relevant experience if the candidate is the holder of a High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor degree or equivalent or higher.

Desirable education, experience and skills

• Work experience in the field of migration and asylum and in individual case management;
• University degree(s) in Law, notably in the fields of public international law and international human rights law or degrees in Social Work;
• Understanding of EU and national policies and practices in the field of migration and asylum, of UNHCR¿s mandate and policies, and of international standards relating to refugees, nationality and statelessness;
• Strong teamwork skills.

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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.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.
As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

Competencies as defined in Job Profile

Applications will not be acknowledged. Not signed, incomplete and late applications will not be accepted.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Shortlisted candidates will be required to sit for a written test and oral interview.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted based on the information submitted during the application. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Candidates who are not nationals of Belgium must hold a valid residence/work permit in Belgium at the time of application;

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 to apply. UNHCR seeks to ensure that male and female employees are given equal career opportunities. UNHCR is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms gender, disability, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour or ethnic and national origins, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.

UNHCR has a zero-tolerance policy against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA). SEA is unacceptable behaviour and prohibited conduct for UNHCR personnel. It constitutes acts of serious misconduct and is therefore grounds for disciplinary measures, including dismissal.

The deadline for the receipt of applications is Thursday, November 25th, 2021, at 23:59 CET.