Associate Community-Based Protection Officer

May 8, 2026

C

Family

NOB

National Professional Officer

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2026-06-01

Associate Community-Based Protection Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Associate Community-Based Protection Officer is a member of the Protection Team in a Regional Bureau or a Country Office and normally reports to the Senior Community-Based Protection Officer, the Senior Protection Officer, Head of Sub-Office or the Assistant Representative for protection.
For a regional position, the incumbent may have direct supervisory responsibility for Protection and Community-Based Protection staff in the regional office, and a technical support role for Community-Based Protection staff in the region. For a country level position the incumbent may have direct supervisory responsibility for Community-based Protection staff and other protection staff in the operation.
S/he supports the implementation of protection standards and provides advice on community-based protection to senior management and Country Operation(s) in close collaboration with the Division of International Protection (DIP).
The incumbent is relied upon by senior management to support a coordinated approach in the implementation of UNHCR's rights-based and community-based engagement with all persons of concern (PoC) and contributes to the achievement of UNHCR's commitments to accountability to affected people.
S/he maintains close working relationships and supports Protection and Community-Based Protection staff in the field, who act as the critical interface between UNHCR and communities of concern, enabling them to provide the AGD-sensitive analysis of community risks and capacities that form the essential foundations of national and regional programmes. The incumbent maintains close working relations with sister UN entities, governmental entities, non-governmental organisations and academic institutions that can contribute to enhancing protection and achieving solutions through people centred, community-based and gender responsive approaches.
The incumbent provides guidance to country operations to strengthen their coordination and advocacy on community-based approaches to protection with governments, partners and other key stakeholders.

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.

Duties
- Be fully informed about community structures and the protection and security situation of the population of concern and develop strong links with a cross-section of members of refugee/IDP/stateless communities, using an AGD approach.
- 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 senior management.
- Ensure that the perspectives, capacities, needs and resources of the PoC are reflected in the protection strategy, planning processes and operations plan addressing the specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older persons, persons with disabilities, minority groups such as sexual minorities and persons living with HIV/AIDS.
- Ensure through direct action and advocacy with more senior protection staff that the necessary resources are allocated to enable community work to identify and address protection and assistance gaps.
- Support a consultative process with government counterparts at local levels, partners and PoC to develop and implement integrated strategies that address the key protection priorities, including, for example, child protection, education and GBV, and solutions approaches.
- Provide technical guidance and support to UNHCR and partners and implement and oversee Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on all community-based protection related issues.
- Support the design, implementation and evaluation of protection centred and solutions oriented programming with implementing and operational partners guaranteeing that community-owned activities are integrated.
- Support communities in establishing representation and coordination structures
- Promote confidence building and conflict resolution among PoC, authorities and host communities.
- Maintain protection presence through regular field missions and reports, making direct contact with PoC, host communities, local authorities and partners. In operations applying the humanitarian cluster system, contribute to the development of an AGD-compliant strategy on which the response of the Protection Cluster is grounded in and covers all assessed and prioritized protection needs of the affected populations.
- Support the Operation's work to fully integrate the protection strategy into the Country Operations Plan, the UN Development and Assistance Framework (UNDAF), the Humanitarian Country Team's common humanitarian action plan where applicable.
- Contribute to the Protection team's information management component which: provides disaggregated data on PoC and their problems; researches, collects and disseminates relevant protection information and good practices to enhance protection delivery and provide technical advice if necessary.
- Support the inclusion of participatory, community-based protection and AGD approaches in strategies and plans within the Area of Responsibility (AoR).
- Support community understanding of UNHCR's commitment to deliver on accountability and quality assurance in its response.
- Support PoC to develop structures that enhance their participation and protection.
- Contribute to the design of the community-based protection strategy, project submissions and budgets for endorsement by the supervisor.
- Intervene with authorities on community-based protection issues.
- Negotiate with local counterparts, partners and PoC.

- Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
- Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P2/NOB - 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
International Development, Cultural Studies, Human Rights,
International Social Work, Social Science, Political Science,
Anthropology, International Law or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Relevant professional experience, including in the areas of community based protection, community services, social work, and human rights.

Desirable
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 GBV prevention and response, child protection, education, gender equality, and the application of the Age, Gender and Diversity Policy.

Functional Skills
DM-Database Management
IT-Computer Literacy
PR-Coordination in Forced Displacement situations
PR-Convention on the Rights of the Child / International Legal Framework
PR-Gender Equality
PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD)
CO-Drafting and Documentation
ED-Technical support to education programmes and proposals
PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) prevention programming
PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) response programming
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

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.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

The incumbent will report to the Protection Officer. s/he would have demonstrated experience in ensuring that protection strategies are aligned with the Protection and Solutions strategy.
To facilitate the implementation of the graduation strategy and protection inclusion into the national services in Kirehe District local government, the incumbent has demonstrated experience of Global Compact on Refugees and the Rwanda Government framework on refugee inclusion – including the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2), the graduation strategy. Accordingly, the incumbent must have skills in stakeholder management and multi-agency co-ordination skills, with internal and external actors such as the Government counterparts, NGOs, UN Agencies, development partners and private sector.
On general Protection, Incumbent has demonstrated expertise in delivery of Protection services, ensuring the protection SOPs - including CP and GBV SOPs - are functional, supporting the Protection reception activities of refugees and asylum-seekers. Coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses in close collaboration with refugees, colleagues, government counterparts and protection partners.
The incumbent will lead on Community Based Protection (CBP), ensuring CBP is effectively mainstreamed across all aspects of the operation, not only within UNHCR, but also among partner organizations and other stakeholders. The role ensures that individuals of all ages, genders, and diversity groups are actively involved in decision-making processes that affect their rights, access to services, and pursuit of solutions.
The incumbent must have demonstrated capacity in protection monitoring, protection mainstreaming and facilitating capacity-building initiatives to partners and community.
Protection coordination, incumbent must have concrete skills in effective coordination with a diverse range of stakeholders (including, national and local authorities, UN agencies, implementing and operational partners) to promote and ensure a favorable protection environment, and to anticipate and minimize protection risks for refugees.
On durable solutions, the incumbent should have demonstrated experience on management of Voluntary Repatriation. The incumbent will support the voluntary repatriation of Burundian refugees, providing technical guidance to ensure that return processes adhere to principles of voluntariness, safety, and dignity.

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Nature of Position:

Kirehe/Mahama operational context

As of 28 February 2026, Rwanda was hosting 138,406 forcibly displaced persons. The total population of 138,406 includes 116,405 refugees, 15,491 registered asylum seekers, 39 non-registered asylum seekers, and 6,471 others of concern. Approximately 61% of this caseload is predominantly composed of refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), many of whom are living in a protracted refugee situation. The Burundians are the second largest population, and the minority are from other nationalities

Kirehe District, which hosts Mahama Camp, is located in the eastern part of Rwanda, near the border with Tanzania. Mahama Refugee Camp, situated within Kirehe District, hosts a significant number of refugees, mainly from Burundi and Congo. Kirehe sub-office has 33 staff members to cover the needs of refugees in Mahama refugee camp.

Mahama refugee camp is managed by Kirehe Sub-Office. Overall population of Mahama Refugee Camp to a total of 72,533 individuals. The population breakdown for Mahama population is as follows: 42,737 are Burundian refugees, 28,064 Congolese refugees and 268 are other nationalities. In addition, 1,464 individuals are asylum seekers from other nationalities (Afghanistan, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Pakistan, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Yemen). 51.6% of the camp's residents are children under 18 years old. While the birth rate is approximately 180 babies born each month

Mahama camp experiences dynamic refugee movements, driven by family reunification, protection concerns, and expectations of improved assistance. With the reduced funding, the scale and scope of humanitarian services have reduced, and the camp population are encouraged to embrace self-reliance opportunities through the graduation strategy.

UNHCR has Partnerships in Mahama Camp with both implementing and operational partners collaborating to deliver assistance and protection services, initiatives and projects, guiding the implementation of protection and solutions strategies within available resources. Coordination with partners ensures programmatic harmonization at all levels.

UNHCR conducts daily Field visits to Mahama Refugee Camp. These visits are essential for protection services, community engagement, regular assessment, protection and programme monitoring, and evaluation of programs.

UNHCR has strong coordination and collaboration with other UN Agency, NGOs, local authorities, and international organizations is critical for successful operations. Regular coordination meetings and information sharing are common in such environments. 

Additional Qualifications

Skills

CO-Drafting and Documentation, DM-Database Management, ED-Technical support to education programmes and proposals, IT-Computer Literacy, PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD), PR-Convention on the Rights of the Child / International Legal Framework, PR-Coordination in Forced Displacement situations, PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) prevention programming, PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) response programming, PR-Gender Equality

Bachelor of Arts: Anthropology, Bachelor of Arts: Cultural Studies, Bachelor of Arts: Human Rights, Bachelor of Arts: International Development, Bachelor of Arts: International Law, Bachelor of Arts: International Social Work, Bachelor of Arts: Political Science, Bachelor of Arts: Social Science

Certifications

Competencies

Accountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Organizational awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance