UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR)

The RTG is not signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and does not currently recognize UNHCR documentation (Asylum-Seeker and Refugee Cards). Further, Thailand has no exemption in its Immigration Act for persons seeking international protection and asylum-seekers and refugees are liable to being charged with illegal entry/stay in the absence of a valid visa. Persons apprehended, prosecuted and convicted for illegal entry/stay are normally sent to Immigration Detention Centers (IDC) under a deportation order.

The Senior Protection Assistant is a member of the Protection Team. The incumbent of this position will be based at the UNHCR-Multi countries Office in the UN ESCAP building, but will spend several days per week working in Bangkok’s Immigration Detention Centers. The incumbent will act as a critical interface between UNHCR, the IDC authorities and Persons of Concern in IDC. S/he will provide functional and administrative support to the protection unit on protection related liaison, correspondence, monitoring, case management and reporting activities. S/he will provide counselling to asylum-seekers and refugees in IDC regarding protection and security issues, health concerns and documentation. S/he will identify especially vulnerable asylum seekers and refugees in IDC for protections interventions and services referrals. S/he will be responsible for monitoring detention conditions, coordinating with IDC authorities, keeping abreast of developments and advocating where appropriate to help ensure appropriate treatment for detained asylum-seekers and refugees. The Senior Protection Assistant will also be expected to conduct detention monitoring visits to IDCs located in Provinces outside of Bangkok on a regular basis.

Excellent inter-personal, drafting and negotiations skills are required. Experience in working with refugees and/or in related field would be an advantage. Experience working in detention centres or similar operating environments would be an advantage

2. Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Senior Protection Assistant normally reports to a more senior Protection colleague. 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 Senior Protection Assistant provides quality, timely and effective protection support to persons of concern (PoC) and identifies opportunities to mainstream protection methodologies and safeguards in operational responses. S/he contributes to designing a comprehensive protection strategy and may liaise externally with local authorities and partners on protection issues as guided by the supervisor.

The Senior Protection Assistant 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.

3. Duties

• Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.

• Provide counselling on protection issues to PoC; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.

• Support activities in protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.

• Conduct preliminary information gathering and interviews in support of eligibility, status determination, durable solutions and social needs assessment.

• 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 for PoC as part of the protection strategy.

• Monitor Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.

• Participate in individual protection case management including cases of SGBV and child protection. Monitor and report on cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents.

• Assist in identifying durable solutions for PoC in 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.

• Draft reports, routine correspondence, update relevant databases and compiling statistics within the Area of Responsibility (AoR).

• Contribute to initiatives to enhance national and local protection capacities.

• Select PoC for preliminary interviews and decide which relevant information to share.

• Enforce integrity in the delivery of protection services by local implementing partners.

• Perform other related duties as required.**

4. Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience

Years of Experience / Degree Level

2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Certificates and/or Licenses (desirable)

International Law, or Political Science;

Functional Skills (desirable)

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: Fluency in English and Thai

5. Competency Requirements

Core Competencies

Accountability

Communication

Organizational Awareness

Teamwork & Collaboration

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Client & Result Orientation

Managerial Competencies

Not specified.

Cross-Functional Competencies

Analytical Thinking

Political Awareness

Stakeholder Management

Source: https://www.unhcr.or.th/sites/default/files/u11/P11SUP_UNHCR.docm