Senior Protection Assistant - UNOPS LICA-5 - Nogales

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

A (least hardship)FamilyUNOPS LICA52025-02-04January 29, 2025IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

****THIS POSITION WILL BE BASED IN NOGALES, SONORA****

• This position is advertised to internal and external applicants. Only Mexicans or candidates holding a permanent residency or valid work permit in México will be considered eligible (attach the corresponding document in the application).

• Recruitment as a UNHCR staff member and engagement under a UNHCR affiliate scheme or as an intern, is subject to proof of full vaccination against COVID-19, independently of contract type and duration. The selected candidate(s) will be required to provide proof of vaccination prior to recruitment.

• Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on the grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.

• Only short-listed candidates will be notified. The recruitment process might/could include a written test and/or oral interview for this job opening. No late applications will be accepted.

• UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training, or any other fees).

• This position is offered under UNOPS Local ICA contract for 6 months.

• Remuneration: A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For more information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, please visit the portal of the Office of HR Management of United Nations. UNHCR also offers comprehensive medical insurance and pension plans.



1. General Background
(Brief description of the national, sector-specific or other relevant context in which the individual contractor will operate)

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950, by the United Nations General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It also has a mandate to help stateless people.

In more than six decades, the agency has helped tens of millions of people restart their lives. Today, a staff of some 6,600 people in more than 110 countries continues to help about 60 million persons. To help and protect some of the world’s most vulnerable people in so many places and types of environments, UNHCR must purchase goods and services worldwide. For further information on UNHCR, its mandate and operations, please see http://www.unhcr.org.

The current drivers of forced displacement in North of Central America (NCA) remain in place. Mexico registered some 70,000 asylum seekers in 2019 and, despite the sharp decrease in new applications as a result of COVID 19, we expect some 40,000 in 2020 and an increase in 2021. In Mexico, UNHCR is working with and supporting the Government and other actors to build a stronger asylum system that allows refugees to fully exercise their human rights, from the moment of entry into Mexico, to when a durable solution is found. There are promising options for local integration and tangible results have been achieved in this respect.

UNHCR current operational interventions in Mexico are concentrated at southern locations (Chiapas and Tabasco; two states bordering Guatemala), central locations (CDMX), and northern locations (Jalisco, Aguascalientes, San Luis Potosí, Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Nuevo Leon).

The Senior Protection Assistant normally reports to a more senior Protection colleague. The incumbent monitors protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards and provides functional protection support to information management and programme staff.



The Senior Protection Assistant provides quality, timely and effective protection and legal support to persons of concern (PoC) and identifies opportunities to mainstream protection methodologies and safeguards in operational responses. S/he contributes to designing a comprehensive protection strategy and may liaise externally with local authorities and partners on protection issues 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 communities of concern, local authorities and protection and assistance partners.

2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment
(Concise and detailed description of activities, tasks and responsibilities to be undertaken, including expected travel, if applicable)

• Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.
• Monitor Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection activities.
• Participate in individual protection case management including cases of SGBV and child protection. Monitor and report on cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents.
• Draft reports, routine correspondence, update relevant databases and compiling statistics within the Area of Responsibility (AoR). Communicate to supervising office all relevant changes in context, activities, protection risks, among others.
• Contribute to initiatives to enhance national and local protection capacities.
• Monitoring and analysis of changes in U.S. immigration policy, and their impact or possible impact in the region.
• Liaise with authorities to ensure proper access to asylum and other protection responses for people on the move in the State of Sonora.
• Capacity building with authorities and other relevant actors to ensure proper knowledge and application of national and international human rights and refugee law.
• Aid in the efforts of ensuring coordination with and between actors in the region to create an effective protection response.
• Protection Monitoring in key places including repatriation points, shelters, and other applicable locations.
• Detention Monitoring.
• Carry out missions to strategic locations within the State of Sonora in response to emerging needs as the context requires.
• Identify and where possible respond to protection needs of persons on the move including refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons.
• Perform other related duties as required.





4. Qualifications and Experience
(List the required education, work experience, expertise and competencies of the individual contractor. The listed education and experience should correspond with the level at which the contract is offered.)

a. Education (Level and area of required and/or preferred education)

• Completed high school or its equivalent with certificate / training in International Law, Political Science, or other related area.
• Management of MS Office technology.
• Advanced command of the spoken and written English language (Writing skills in Spanish and English).

b. Work Experience
(List number of years and area of required work experience. Clearly distinguish between required experience and experience which could be an asset.)

• Minimum 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1-year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher in International Law, Political Science, or other related area.
• Knowledge of asylum legislation in Mexico.
• Knowledge of the legislation applicable to persons in need of international protection, for access to their human rights.
• Knowledge of the legal system in Mexico, particularly the asylum system.

c. Key Competencies
(Technical knowledge, skills, managerial competencies or other personal competencies relevant to the performance of the assignment. Clearly distinguish between required and desired competencies)

Functional Skills
IT-Computer Literacy
CL-Protection & Solutions Awareness
PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Core Competencies
Accountability
Communication
Organizational Awareness
Teamwork & Collaboration
Commitment to Continuous Learning
Client & Result Orientation

Cross-Functional Competencies
Analytical Thinking
Political Awareness

 

Standard Job Description

Required Languages

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Desired Languages

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Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

Certifications

Other information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance

Home-Based

No