Protection Associate

November 26, 2025

E (most hardship)

Non FamilyNon FamilyDanger Pay

GS6

General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2026-01-01

Protection Associate

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Protection Associate normally reports to the Protection Officer or the Senior Protection Officer. 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 Protection Associate is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern (PoC) and identify opportunities to mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards in operational responses in all sectors. S/he contributes to designing a comprehensive protection strategy and liaises externally with authorities and partners on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor.

The Protection Associate 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.

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
- Stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment.
- Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.
- Assist in providing comments on existing and draft legislation related to PoC.
- Provide advice on protection issues to PoC; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.
- Assist in conducting eligibility and status determination for PoC.
- Contribute to measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness.
- Contribute to a country-level child protection plan as part of the protection strategy.
- Contribute to a country-level education plan as part of the protection strategy.
- Monitor Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.
- Manage individual protection cases including those on GBV and child protection. Monitor, and intervene in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents.
- Assist in identifying durable solutions for the largest possible number of PoC through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement.
- Contribute to the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Facilitate effective information management through the provision of disaggregated data on PoC and their problems.
- Participate in initiatives to capacitate authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen national protection related legislation and procedures.
- Assist the supervisor in prioritizing PoC for interview, counselling and propose protection support for individual cases.
- Assist the supervisor with enforcing compliance of local implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.
- Assit the supervisor with enforcing compliance with, and integrity of, all protection standard operating procedures.
- Submit individual payments request for PoC for approval.

- 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

Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G6 - 3 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not applicable

Certificates and/or Licenses
International Law, Political Science
or other related field
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Not specified

Desirable
Protection Learning Programme

Functional Skills
IT-Computer Literacy
PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
(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.

Desired Candidate Profile

The candidate should have solid knowledge of the context and protection environment in Iraq. He should have experience and skills in general protection and legal interventions and be able to support the partners in strengthening their interventions line with the UNHCR operational priorities. The candidate should also have experience in legal and protection case management procedures and can handle safe referrals of sensitive cases and persons with specific needs to partners and other UNHCR units. Since the candidate will be working at the Registration Center in Baghdad, it is desirable to have good knowledge of UNHCR registration procedures to provide support when required. The incumbent should have good communication and coordination skills with partners and government interlocutors to support the advocacy efforts towards favorable protection environment in the center and south of Iraq.


Updated Operational Context:
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Iraq is currently at a turning point, leaving behind the effects of three decades of political turmoil and armed conflicts that deeply impacted its people. Since the end of large-scale military operations in 2017, Iraq has been experiencing relative stability and is advancing towards sustainable development. These developments notwithstanding, there remain protracted humanitarian and development needs.

Iraq generously hosts over 336,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, 90% of whom are Syrian and live in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Close to 83% of refugees in Iraq live in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Of these, some 32% live in nine refugee camps while the majority live in urban areas.
With the evolving situation in Syria, refugees and asylum-seekers in Iraq are closely following developments. In the first quarter of 2025, almost 12,000 Syrians returned home from Iraq, including 1,000 refugees registered with UNHCR. Overall, 12 percent of Syrian refugees in Iraq have expressed their intention to return home this year.

UNHCR works with the Government of Iraq and partners to support the access of refugees and asylum-seekers to protection and their inclusion in public services, such as education and healthcare, as well as their access to economic opportunities and in advancing solutions.

Iraq also has over 1 million internally displaced persons (IDPs). While the majority live in urban settings or informal settlements across the country, as of end March 2025, some 108,000 live in 20 IDP camps in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. In early 2024, the Government of Iraq announced its intent to close the remaining IDPs camps in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. While many IDPs hope to return to their homes at some point, many may be unable or unwilling to do so because of their specific profiles or the situation in their areas of origin. UNHCR supports the efforts of pursuing durable solutions for IDPs, including the closure of camps, as solutions, including voluntary return, local integration and relocation are available to IDPs, enabling them to make decisions on a voluntary and well-informed basis.

In the evolving context in Iraq, UNHCR has transitioned from a purely humanitarian response to a response that supports development approaches. UNHCR’s multi-year strategy 2025-2029, therefore envisions that forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons in Iraq have improved access to legal protection as well as full and inclusive access to quality basic and protection services in national systems as well as economic opportunities.

Important notes:
- When completing the application, candidates are required to list all of their language skills – including their mother tongue. The three broad levels are A1/A2 ("Basic User"), B1/B2 ("Independent User"), and C1/C2 ("Proficient User")
- Shortlisted candidates will be required to undergo a written test. Only successful candidates will be invited for the interview.
- Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

Nature of Position:

Living and Working Conditions:

 

Additional Qualifications

Skills

IT-Computer Literacy, PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators, PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework

Certifications

International Law - Other, Political Science - Other

Competencies

Accountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Judgement & decision making, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration

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

Compendium

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance