Protection Officer

December 22, 2025

B

FamilyFamily

PR3

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2025-12-08

Protection Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
In the Bureaux, the Protection Officer works under the direct supervision of the Senior Protection Coordinator or Senior Protection Officer. In the Field, the incumbent normally reports to the Representative, Deputy or Assistant Representative (Protection), Head of Sub Office or Senior Protection Officer as appropriate. The incumbent may have direct supervisory responsibility for protection staff whose work may include RSD, community-based protection, registration, resettlement, complementary pathways, internal displacement and education, among other areas. In HQ, the incumbent may report to a Senior Protection Officer, Chief of Section or Deputy Director and may supervise other protection staff.

The incumbent acts as an advisor to senior management in, when not responsible for, designing a comprehensive protection strategy under the area of responsibility (AoR). S/he represents the Organization to authorities, UN sister agencies, partners and other stakeholders on protection policy and doctrine.

The Protection Officer coordinates quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern under the AoR. S/he ensures that forcibly displaced and stateless persons of all age, gender and diversity groups are involved with the Office in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying and implementing appropriate solutions to their problems. To undertake this role effectively, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with other relevant teams within the operation or the Bureau (including programme; PI and external relations; IM) and with Division of International Protection and Solutions DIPS, communities of concern, authorities, protection and assistance partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection and achieving solutions.

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
- Provide technical guidance and support to UNHCR and partners on all protection related issues.
- Stay abreast of and report as relevant on legal political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment.
- Engage relevant national authorities and structures in identifying and expanding opportunities in view of developing or strengthening national asylum/RSD systems.
- Facilitate a consultative process with government counterparts, partners and forcibly displaced and stateless persons to develop and implement a comprehensive protection and solutions strategy addressing the specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older persons, persons with disabilities, persons of diverse sexual orientation and/or gender identities (LGBTI persons), persons living with HIV/AIDS; gender equality and Gender Based Violence (GBV) priorities with regard to these persons.
- In operations applying the Cluster Approach, seek to ensure the response of the Protection Cluster is grounded in a strategy which covers all assessed and prioritized protection needs of the affected populations.
- Support senior management to ensure the protection strategy is fully integrated into the Country Operations Plan, the UN Development and Assistance Framework (UNDAF), the Humanitarian Country Team's common humanitarian response plan where applicable, as well as with the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees and the Three Year Strategy on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways.
- Promote relevant International, Regional and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct and ensure that all sectors and /or in clusters in applicable operations fulfil their responsibilities in mainstreaming protection.
- Promote the implementation of the AGD policy, including UNHCR's updated commitments to women and girls, and, design, deliver I and monitor programmes on an AGD basis to address identified protection needs.
- Develop, implement and monitor community-based protection strategies and ensure systematic application and integration of participatory and community-based approaches in protection and solutions planning, programming and strategies.
- Support the establishment of feedback and response systems and the incorporation of feedback received from forcibly displaced and stateless persons into programme design and adaptation.
- Support the operation to develop and implement robust prevention, identification, and responses to fraud within protection processes and procedures, including registration, RSD, resettlement and complementary pathways, ensuring the integrity of interventions across all protection activities.
- Assist UNHCR management at country level to comply with polices and commitment on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse measures.
- Oversee and manage individual protection cases including those on GBV and child protection.
- Provide legal advice and guidance on protection issues to internal and external interlocutors; ensure legal assistance is accessible to forcibly displaced and stateless persons; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documents to forcibly displaced and stateless persons (including women and others in need of civil documentation, in particular birth certificates).
- As designated Data Protection Focal Point, assist the data controller in carrying out his or her responsibilities regarding the Data Protection Policy (7.2 DPP).
- Oversee and undertake eligibility and status determination within the AoR ensuring compliance with UNHCR procedural standards and international protection principles.
- Promote and implement effective strategies and measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness within the AoR.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of an education plan as part of protection strategy within the AoR as relevant.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of a child protection plan as part of the protection strategy within the AoR ensuring programmes use a child protection systems approach.
- Monitor, and intervene in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents through working relations with governments and other partners.
- Work to safeguard the rights of forcibly displaced and stateless persons in the context of mixed movements as relevant.
- Coordinate the preparation of, implement and oversee Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.
- Ensure that durable solutions through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement and complementary pathways are sought and provided to the largest possible number of forcibly displaced and stateless persons, including undertaking and/or overseeing resettlement and complementary pathways activities.
- Contribute to the coordination of the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Contribute to and facilitate a programme of results-based advocacy through a consultative process with sectorial and/or cluster partners.
- Ensure that the Protection Sector or Cluster has an effective information management component which: provides disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems; researches, collects and disseminates relevant protection information and good practices to enhance protection delivery.
- Build the protection capacity of national and local government, partners and civil society to assume their responsibilities vis-à-vis all forcibly displaced and stateless persons through protection training, mainstreaming and related activities.
- Coordinate capacity-building initiatives for communities and individuals to assert their rights.
- Advise and capacitate national authorities, relevant institutions and civil society to strengthen legislation and status determination procedures and mechanisms.

- 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.

For positions in Bureaux

- Support the Regional Bureau and Country Operations to reflect the protection and solution angle in support of forcibly displaced and stateless persons within regional processes.
- Support Country Operations in the development of strategies to build and further develop national asylum/RSD systems with a view to ensuring their fairness, efficiency, adaptability and integrity, favourable protection environment and solutions.
- Assist UNHCR management at regional and country level to comply with polices and commitment on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse measures.
- Support Country Operations and ensure they meet their complementary pathways objectives and resettlement quotas.
- In close collaboration with DIPS, (a) contribute to the development of background and general normative, policy, and legal positions, in compliance with UNHCR's global protection policies and standards; (b) contribute to the development of strategies at the regional and country level on the usage of law and policy approaches, including legislative and judicial engagement and UN human rights mechanisms - and/or regional ones - and other protection frameworks, and integrated human rights standards in protection strategies and advocacy; and (c) support coordination and review of UNHCR's country reports to the UN human rights mechanisms.
- Engage in relevant international and regional fora and contribute to forging regional partnerships to advocate for key protection and mandate issues, and engage in cross-cutting protection-related matters, including mixed movement, internal displacement and climate change/disaster-related displacement responses, as well as Statelessness, in cooperation with DIPS and where relevant RSD.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P3/NOC - 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Law; International Law; International Refugee Law;
International Human Rights Law; International Humanitarian Law;
Refugee and Forced Migration Studies; Political Sciences
or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified.

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Minimum 4 years of relevant professional experience in the area of refugee protection, internal displacement, human rights or international humanitarian law, including experience in working directly with Field Offices. Good knowledge of International Refugee and Human Rights Law and ability to apply the relevant legal principles. Excellent legal research, analytical skills and drafting.

Desirable
Diverse field experience. Good IT skills including database management skills.

Functional Skills
*PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
*PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD)
PR-Human Rights Doctrine/Standards
PR-International Humanitarian Law
PR-Comprehensive Solutions Framework
LE-Judicial Engagement
PR-Assessment of IDPs Status, Rights, Obligation
PR-Climate change and disaster related displacement
PR-Accountability to Affected People - Principles and Framework
PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) Coordination
(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.

Key Responsibilities
• Provide technical, structured, and timely updates to the RB EHAGL Protection and Solutions Pillar on country-level developments.
• Conduct regular analysis of protection data and trends across the covered countries.
• Prepare analytical reports, briefing notes, and talking points for the Regional Bureau and Headquarters as required.
• Contribute to regional protection strategies and thematic reviews, ensuring Southern Africa perspectives are well reflected.
• Monitor the implementation of regional protection policies and guidance in the field.
• Elevate critical protection issues and good practices from the field to the Bureau, including Senior Management, in a strategic and actionable manner.
• Follow up on key action points or commitments made by country offices or the Bureau and support their implementation.
• Identify gaps or needs related to policy application and provide recommendations or support in coordination with Bureau colleagues.
• Organize and facilitate coordination meetings between MCOs, country offices, and the RB ESA Protection and Solutions Pillar.
• Support the design and implementation of regional capacity-building activities for protection staff in Southern Africa and facilitate learning exchanges and knowledge sharing across operations.
• In close collaboration with the Senior Protection and Solutions Coordinator and technical experts from the RB ESA Protection and Solutions Pillar, provide operational support and advice to MCOs as needed.
• The position requires flexibility, technical depth across a range of protection themes, and the ability to support country teams both remotely and in person, balancing practical constraints with the need for long-term planning and system integration.

Essential Requirements
• Demonstrated experience implementing protection and solutions policies and programmes in country operations, ideally within Africa.
• Excellent understanding and application of international, regional, and country-specific legal frameworks and policies, including ability to support drafting of regulations on refugee management
• Experience advancing refugee inclusion in national protection mechanisms and systems, with a clear understanding of the differences between parallel and national systems and how to support progressive inclusion.
• Experience supporting protection interventions, including Child Protection, GBV, and PSEA in emergency preparedness and response, particularly in cross-border or regional displacement settings.
• Proven and enhanced capacity to coordinate with various Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs) and Women-Led Organizations (WLOs), ensuring that protection and solutions interventions are locally anchored and responsive to community realities in the region.
• Proven ability to provide technical advice, oversight, and remote support across diverse country contexts on protection and solutions.
• Strong coordination, analytical, and communication skills, including experience synthesizing technical inputs and supporting inter-agency processes.
• Demonstrated capacity to engage development partners, humanitarian donors, and private sector entities.
• Excellent drafting and report writing skills.

Desired Attributes
• Familiarity with regional protection frameworks, such as the IGAD Regional Refugee Management Policy and others.
• Ability to work effectively with colleagues and coordinate with other protection technical leads.
• Knowledge of UNHCR’s Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) framework and other relevant protection frameworks.

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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:

The UNHCR Regional Bureau for Eastern and Southern Africa (RBESA), based in Nairobi, provides oversight and technical support to country offices across the region. These include Tanzania, Somalia, Burundi, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, South Sudan, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Rwanda, the South Africa Multi-Country Office (SAMCO), Zambia MCO, and the Mozambique MCO. The Bureau also covers the UNHCR Representation to the African Union and Economic Commission for Africa (RAUECA) based in Addis Ababa. The multi-country offices (MCOs) cover approximately 16 countries, with Namibia and Botswana scheduled to close by the end of 2025.

Eastern and Southern Africa continue to face complex displacement dynamics driven by conflict, climate shocks, political instability, and discrimination. The region hosts over 25 million forcibly displaced persons, including: 6.4 million refugees and asylum-seekers and 17.8 million internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Most countries under RBESA’s coverage face protracted displacement situations, complex asylum systems within ongoing cross-border emergencies, and mixed migration challenges within fragile and under-resourced contexts. The region also has about 68,000 stateless people and over half a million refugee returnees.

The Protection Officer will work under the direct supervision of the Deputy Regional Director / Head of the Protection and Solutions Pillar. He/she will support efforts to ensure a smooth transition of protection interventions following the closure of RBESA at the end of September 2025.

He/she will serve as a key liaison between country offices in Southern Africa and the Bureau in Nairobi, which has assumed responsibility for the Southern Africa Region since 01 October 2025. S/he will be responsible for collecting, analyzing, and relaying critical protection and solutions-related information. The role also involves facilitating coordination on key protection priorities and supporting the implementation and follow-up of regional protection policies and strategies.

Close collaboration with country-level protection and solutions staff, across pillars and operations, will be essential.

Living and Working Conditions:

Nairobi is in UN security Phase III, but politically instigated demonstrations and riots may occur at any time. There is general crime similar to that in large cities. Crime in Nairobi is high and physical violence is a common feature of break into residences, carjacking and robbery. A high sense of vigilance and alertness is required. Despite the security concerns mentioned above, Nairobi is a duty station for families. It has good medical facilities. Recreational facilities, schools and hotels are of international standards.

It has an excellent climate. Comfortable houses and other forms of accommodation are available, as well as good banking facilities, unlimited access to all forms of communications, such as internet, telephone Sim cards etc. There is no malaria in Nairobi, but cholera, malaria and yellow fever occur in other parts of Kenya.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

LE-Judicial Engagement, PR-Accountability to Affected People - Principles and Framework, PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD), PR-Assessment of IDPs Status, Rights, Obligation, PR-Climate change and disaster related displacement, PR-Comprehensive Solutions Framework, PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) Coordination, PR-Human Rights Doctrine/Standards, PR-International Humanitarian Law, PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators

Bachelor of Arts: International Humanitarian Law, Bachelor of Arts: International Human Rights Law, Bachelor of Arts: International Law, Bachelor of Arts: International Refugee Law, Bachelor of Arts: Law, Bachelor of Arts: Political Science, Bachelor of Arts: Refugee and Forced Migration Studies

Certifications

Competencies

Accountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Managing performance, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Political awareness, Teamwork & collaboration

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

Compendium

Flash Vacancy Notice

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance