Senior Protection Associate

March 16, 2026

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

A (least hardship)

FamilyUNOPS LICA7

2026-03-011. Operational Context

The Senior Protection Associate is a key member of the Protection Unit and reports directly to the Head of National Office. The Philippines provides a generally favorable protection environment as a State Party to the 1951 Refugee Convention, its 1967 Protocol, and the 1954 and 1961 Statelessness Conventions. Within this context, UNHCR works closely with government counterparts, local authorities, civil society partners, communities, and development actors to ensure that asylum seekers, refugees, stateless persons, and populations at risk of statelessness can access protection mechanisms, assistance, services, and durable solutions that uphold safety, dignity, and human rights.

The operational landscape in the Philippines is shaped by evolving legal, policy, and regional dynamics related to asylum and statelessness. The role of the Senior Protection Associate is central in supporting the Office’s efforts to influence policy development, legislative reforms, and government decision-making that can strengthen the protection space. This requires continuous monitoring of national and regional legal, political, and judicial developments, the preparation of legal analyses and comparative policy materials, and the provision of evidence-based recommendations that inform UNHCR advocacy.

The Philippines maintains active engagement within ASEAN, which increasingly addresses displacement, statelessness, child protection, trafficking, and human rights in its sectoral bodies. UNHCR supports the Government in fulfilling regional commitments and in contributing to emerging ASEAN priorities. The Senior Protection Associate leads coordination with national counterparts on ASEAN-related protection issues and ensures that UNHCR inputs are aligned with national positions and regional dialogues.
At the global level, the Philippines has made pledges under the Global Refugee Forum to strengthen protection systems, improve data and evidence generation, and advance solutions for refugees and stateless persons. The Senior Protection Associate plays an important role in tracking progress on these commitments, supporting inter-agency engagement, and ensuring that government partners receive the technical support required to achieve pledged objectives.

The UN system in the Philippines implements a joint agenda under the UN Cooperation Framework. Within this structure, UNHCR is expected to provide specialized contributions to thematic outcome groups and relevant sub-thematic working groups. The Senior Protection Associate represents the Office in these technical platforms, ensuring that protection considerations related to asylum, statelessness, child protection, and human rights are incorporated across joint programming, planning, and monitoring.

Child protection remains a critical priority in the asylum and statelessness context. The absence of child-sensitive procedures and the need for clear safeguards require sustained advocacy with government partners. The Senior Protection Associate facilitates dialogue and initiates cooperation efforts with relevant agencies to develop policies and standards that integrate child-friendly approaches into national protection systems.

To carry out these responsibilities, the incumbent is required to maintain strong relationships with communities of concern, government authorities, human rights bodies, development partners, and civil society actors. The position supports capacity-building efforts by preparing materials, conducting training, and helping strengthen institutional capacities of duty bearers. The role also contributes to ensuring that communities of concern participate meaningfully in decisions that affect their rights and solutions.

The Senior Protection Associate is expected to uphold UNHCR values of professionalism, integrity, and respect for diversity, and must perform duties within delegated authorities and in full compliance with UN Charter principles, UN Staff Regulations, and UNHCR policies and accountability frameworks.

2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment

The Senior Protection Associate supports the Protection Unit in advancing UNHCR’s protection objectives in the Philippines by leading policy and legislative monitoring, coordinating with government partners on ASEAN-related protection priorities, and supporting follow-up to national commitments under the Global Refugee Forum. The incumbent provides technical inputs to human rights processes, contributes to the development of child-sensitive policies within asylum and statelessness procedures, and prepares legal and policy analyses to inform UNHCR advocacy.

The role includes dedicated responsibilities for advancing gender equality, including supporting gender-sensitive protection analysis, monitoring gender-related protection risks, and contributing to the development of gender-responsive policies, services, and interventions for forcibly displaced and stateless persons.

The position also includes responsibilities for promoting the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities by working with government, civil society, and communities of concern to strengthen disability-inclusive protection systems, support accessible services and procedures, and ensure the mainstreaming of disability considerations across protection programming.

The role includes representing UNHCR in technical working groups, outcome groups, and sub-thematic platforms under the UN Cooperation Framework to ensure that asylum, statelessness, child protection, gender equality, disability inclusion, and broader protection considerations are integrated into joint UN planning and implementation. The position requires strong engagement with government authorities, development partners, civil society, and communities of concern to help strengthen national protection systems and support rights-based and inclusive approaches across all areas of UNHCR’s work.

The Senior Protection Associate will be expected to:

3. Duties and Responsibilities

- 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 and guidance 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 in compliance with UNHCR procedural standards and international protection principles.
- 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.
- Assist the supervisor in implementing and monitoring Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.
- Manage individual protection cases including those on GBV and child protection.
- Monitor and assist the supervisor with intervening 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.
- Contribute to and facilitate a programme of results-based advocacy with sectorial and/or cluster 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 with intervening with authorities on protection issues.
- Provide assistance to the supervisor in deciding priorities for reception, interviewing and counselling for groups or individuals.
- Assist the supervisor with enforcing compliance of staff and implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.
- Assist the supervisor with enforcing compliance with, and integrity of, all protection standard operating procedures.
- Recommend and prepare payments to individual cases.
- Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G7 - 4 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Certificates and/or Licenses
International Law; Political Science; or other relevant field.

Relevant Job Experience Essential
Computer skills (in MS office) including advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, data management, etc).
Excellent oral and written communication and strong interpersonal skills
Desirable Qualifications
Strong knowledge of international and national human rights frameworks, including refugee protection, statelessness, child protection, gender based violence, and other relevant protection standards.

Proven experience in legal and policy development, including the analysis, drafting, and review of legislation, administrative issuances, and policy instruments related to human rights and protection.

Demonstrated ability to work closely with national Human Rights (HR) institutions, government agencies, and legislative bodies, supporting policy dialogue and institutional strengthening.

Solid track record in drafting or contributing to bills, policies, guidelines, and technical briefs, particularly those aimed at strengthening protection systems and human rights safeguards.

Experience in designing, facilitating, and evaluating capacity building initiatives, including training programs for government counterparts, human rights institutions, and civil society partners.

Excellent legal research, analytical, and writing skills, with the ability to translate complex human rights issues into clear, actionable recommendations.
Strong coordination and stakeholder engagement skills, with experience participating in inter agency mechanisms, technical working groups, or legislative consultations.
Ability to provide high quality technical advice to senior officials, legal drafters, human rights institutions, and policy development bodies.

Completion of trainings on protection, engaging with development partners, and similar trainings.

Experience with UN agencies, National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), or rights based organizations is highly desirable.

Functional Skills
IT-Computer literacy
CL-Protection & Solutions Awareness
PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework

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

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

Cross-Functional Competencies
Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
Political Awareness
Stakeholder Management

Eligibility:
Only Filipino citizens or permanent residents holding full legal authorization to work in the Philippines at the time of the vacancy closing date are eligible to apply.

Remuneration:
A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For information on UN salaries, allowances, and benefits, please visit the portal of the International Civil Service Commission at: http://icsc.un.org

No late applications will be accepted. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Shortlisted candidates may be required to sit for a written test and/or oral interview. 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 for this position. UNHCR seeks to ensure that male and female employees are given equal career opportunities. UNHCR is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.

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.

UNHCR has a zero-tolerance policy against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA). SEA is unacceptable behavior and prohibited conduct for UNHCR personnel. It constitutes acts of serious misconduct and is therefore grounds for disciplinary measures, including dismissal. Any concerns or suspicions about a possible case of SEA should be reported immediately to the Inspector General’s Office (IGO) at inspector@unhcr.org through the online complain form at https://www.unhcr.org/php/complaints.php or by confidential fax: +41 22 739 73 80.

 

Standard Job Description

Required Languages

English

,

,

Desired Languages

,

,

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

Certifications

Other information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance

Remote

No