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Job Title:    Community Based Protection Associate (2 UN Job Positions)

Organisation: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Duty Station:  Kampala, Uganda

About UNHCR:

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. UNHCR’s mandate under the Statute of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is to lead and co-ordinate action for international protection to refugees; seek permanent solutions for the problems of refugees and safeguard refugee rights and well-being. UNHCR has an additional mandate concerning issues of statelessness, as it is given a designated role under Article 11 of the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

Job Summary:  The Protection Associate (Community-Based) is a member of the Protection Unit in a Country Operation and may report to the Protection Officer, Protection Officer (Community-Based), or another more senior staff member in the Protection Unit. Under the overall direction of the Protection Unit, and in coordination with other UNHCR staff, government, NGO partners and other stakeholders, the Protection Associate (Community-Based) works directly with communities of concern to identify the risks they face and to leverage their capacities to protect themselves, their families and communities. The incumbent may have direct supervisory responsibility for part of the protection and/or support staff and supports the application of community-based protection standards, operational procedures and practices in community-based protection delivery at the field level. To fulfil this role the Protection Associate (Community-Based) is required to spend a substantial percentage of her/his time working outside the office, building and maintaining networks within communities of persons of concern. The development and maintenance of constructive relationships with persons of concern that measurably impact and enhance protection planning, programming and results forms the core of the work of the Protection Associate (Community-Based). The incumbent also supports the designing of a community-based protection strategy by ensuring that it is based on consultation with persons of concern.

The incumbent will be responsible for supporting the implementation and monitoring of the project under a grant of the Opportunity Fund of the Government of the Netherlands that UNHCR Uganda received jointly with ILO with the overall objective to enhance the prospects of refugees and host communities in three refugee settlements to enhance the prospects of refugees and host communities through improving psychological wellbeing, skills and livelihood opportunities and social cohesion. The project will establish multi-purpose community centres that will offer mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), skills training, enterprise development and livelihood support. The process of establishing and operating the centres will foster community cohesion and build a common sense of purpose.

Under this project, the incumbent will oversee and coordinate closely with partners and community groups / structures on the establishment and management of these community centres on a day-to-day basis. The community centres will foster a  wide range of activities including vocational training and livelihood (implemented by ILO), as well as MHPSS activities conducted inside and outside the centre. The community centre is planned to be an inclusive centre for the community to gather and implement activities that they plan and lead. The incumbent is expected to facilitate the community mobilization and participation in the centre, ensure inclusiveness of the centre to all refugees regardless of their nationality / ethnicity, gender, age, specific needs, religious background, or other diverse characteristics. Working with partners and the community, the incumbent will ensure that activities in the centre are community-led, troubleshot and address any issues in the centre,  develop any SOP or guidelines for the work in the community centre are required.

The incumbent will also support the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Officer on the overall project implementation, including drafting reports as per donor requirements.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:  

• Assist functional units, the Multi-Functional Team (MFT) and senior management to integrate participatory and community-based approaches in the overall protection delivery strategy and operational procedures.
• Through relationships with persons of concern 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 the protection team. Understand the perspectives, capacities, needs and resources of the persons of concern and advise the protection team accordingly, highlighting the specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older persons, persons with disabilities, marginalized groups.
• Work with host communities to identify opportunities for national civil society involvement in improving the protection of persons of concern.
• Work with implementing and operational partners as well as with displaced and local communities to develop community-owned activities to address, where applicable, the social, educational, psycho-social, cultural, health, organisational and livelihood concerns as well as child protection and prevention and response to SGBV.
• Assist in the analysis that identifies the capacities of communities of concern and risks they face.
• Support participatory assessments by multifunctional teams and ongoing consultation with persons of concern.
• Assist in planning and monitoring of programmes and budgets, with an AGD perspective
• Build office capacity for community-based protection through training and establishing systems for community mobilization and participation of persons of concern.
• Support communities in establishing representation and coordination structures.
• Ensure community understanding of UNHCR’s commitment to deliver on accountability and quality assurance in its response.
• Supervise daily activities and the management of the community centres under the Opportunity Fund project to ensure a community-led approach, inclusiveness, and youth and women empowerment in activities at the centre.
• Working with partners and community representatives to address any issues or conflict that may arise in the community centres and prevent / mitigate risks of conflicts
• In consultation with the community and partners, develop SOPs and guidelines for the management and use of the community centres including the work done by the community
• Support outreach activities at the community centres
• In coordination with protection team, mainstream community based protection and protection activities in the work of the community centre
• In coordination with partners, ensure that the community centres are hosting other actors activity, that support and inline with the centre policy and purpose
• Lead the community mobilization and awareness raising activities, in particular those related to MHPSS.
• Document the activities at the centre, including stories, good practices and lessons learnt
• Draft the centre monthly report and project report as required and support the drafting of reports required under the Opportunity Fund
• Act as UNHCR protection focal point at the community centre and respond to all protection related issues, and refer as appropriate
• In liaison with UNHCR field unit, report any complaints about lack of services by the refugees
• Act as interpreter in exchange of routine information, contribute to related liaison activities and respond directly to routine queries.
• Perform other relevant duties as required.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The ideal candidate for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Community Based Protection Associate job should have completed Secondary education. Required
• Training/certificate in International Development, Cultural Studies, Human Rights, International Social Work, Social Science, Political Science, Anthropology, International Law or other clearly related disciplines is required.
• Minimum of 6 years previous relevant job experience is required.
• Computer skills (MS Office, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Access) is required.
• Analytical Thinking
• Planning and organizing
• Political Awareness
• Fluency in English is required

How to Apply:

All candidates should apply online at the link below.

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