Community-Based Protection Associate

H (no hardship)

FamilyFamily

GS6

General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

No

March 18 2025

CommunityBased Protection Associate

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The CommunityBased Protection Associate is a member of the Protection Unit and may report to the Protection Officer CommunityBased Protection Officer 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 CommunityBased Protection Associate 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 communitybased protection standards operational procedures and practices in communitybased protection delivery at the field level. To fulfil this role the CommunityBased Protection Associate is required to spend a substantial percentage of the workday outside the office building and maintaining networks within communities of PoC. The development and maintenance of constructive relationships with PoC that measurably impact and enhance protection planning programming and results form the core of the work of the incumbent. S/he also supports the designing of a communitybased protection strategy by ensuring that it is based on consultation with PoC.


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 crossfunctional and managerial competencies and UNHCRs core values of professionalism integrity and respect for diversity.


Duties
Assist functional units the MultiFunctional Team (MFT) and senior management to integrate participatory and communitybased approaches in the overall protection strategy and operational procedures.
Through relationships with PoC 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 PoC 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 PoC.
Work with implementing and operational partners as well as with displaced and local communities to develop communityowned activities to address where applicable the social educational psychosocial cultural health organisational and livelihood concerns as well as child protection and prevention and response to GBV.
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 PoC.
Assist in planning and monitoring of programmes and budgets with an AGD perspective
Build office capacity for communitybased protection through training and establishing systems for community mobilization and participation of PoC.
Support communities in establishing representation and coordination structures.
Ensure community understanding of UNHCRs commitment to deliver on accountability and quality assurance in its response.
Act as an interpreter in exchange of routine information contribute to related liaison activities and respond directly to routine queries.
Contribute to the enforcement of participatory AGD sensitive analysis as an essential basis for all of UNHCRs work.
Initiate AGD sensitive interventions at the appropriate level on communitybased protection issues and to respond to protection concerns and incidents within the office with external interlocutors groups and individuals based on agreed parameters.
Identify and select which individuals or groups to prioritize for counselling and field visits based on agreed criteria.
Intervene with authorities on protection.
Enforce compliance of implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.
Recommend and prepare payments to individual cases.

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

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
Development Human Rights International Law
International Social Work Social Science Political Science
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Not specified.

Desirable
UNHCR learning programmes (PLP). Knowledge of MSRP.

Functional Skills
ITEnterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
*ITComputer Literacy
UNUN/UNHCR Administrative Rules Regulations and Procedures
PRCommunitybased Protection Principles and methodologies
CLMultistakeholder Communications with Partners Government & Community
PGStakeholder management and coordination with Implementing Partners (Gov/NGO/Corporate)
TRCapacity Buidling
(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.

MCO Italy is looking for a solid candidate with proven understanding of the Italian operational context as well as expertise in the areas of CommunityBased protection PSN and GBV. The candidate must have excellent Italian and English drafting as well as a creative solution and resultoriented outlook to successfully manage the role and effectively coordinate with the CBP and other teams. The candidate should have the ability to think and execute strategically and possess strong interpersonal and team building skills. CommunityBased GBV and other protection experience from abroad would be an asset. Experience working with urban refugee populations is also desirable.


Additional Information:

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in Italy.

English is the official working language of UNHCR in Italy. Only applications fully completed in English will be considered.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Assessment of shortlisted candidates might comprise of both an interview and a written test.

UNHCR is committed to diversity and welcomes applications from qualified candidates regardless of disability gender identity marital or civil partnership status race color or ethnic and national origins religion or belief or sexual orientation. UNHCR has a ZERO TOLERANCE policy on sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment. Successful candidates will be subject to mandatory UN Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment clearance check prior to receiving an offer.

UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application interview meeting processing training or any other fees).

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.

In case of any queries please contact the Italy HR Team at

English

Italian

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station please visit this link:

of Position:

UNHCRs Office in Italy is a multiCountry office responsible for Italy San Marino and the Holy See. Italy plays an important role in refugee protection in Europe remaining one of the major points of arrival for persons seeking protection in Europe mostly arriving by sea via the Mediterranean.

Inmigrants and refugees originating from 57 countries arrived in Italy by sea and Italy received almost 50 of all sea arrivals to Southern Europe through the Mediterranean Sea. Whereas numbers have gone down in 2024 compared to 2023 when 157651 people arrived by sea it is anticipated that Italy will continue to receive the largest number of sea arrivals to Europe as well as a significant number of arrivals by land and air.

While there are fluctuations in levels of arrivals the drivers of the movements from Africa and the Middle East moving along the Central Mediterranean and Balkan routes continue to remain or worsen because of the various crises and political tensions.

The CommunityBased Protection (CBP) unit responsible for persons with specific needs (PSN) GBV child protection MHPSS communication with communities (CwC) and community participation drives the realization of the Offices CBP priorities. The unit also leads the work on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse(PSEA) as well as mainstreaming accountability to affected people (AAP) age gender and diversity (AGD) and communitybased approaches across the operation.

The UNHCR CommunityBased Protection Associate based in Rome will report directly to the Senior CommunityBased Protection Associate in Rome. She/he will closely cooperate with other colleagues within the unit and across units as well as regularly liaise guide and coordinate with CBP colleagues in the field.

The CommunityBased Protection Associate will perform the duties listed in the standard job description s/he will be the focal point for Persons with Specific Needs (PSN) and will be parttime seconded to the Italian Ministry of Interior (MoI) and in support of the Ministry of Health (MoH) to provide support on PSN matters. The incumbent will be tasked to support the MoI in managing/coordinating the national working group (WG) on vulnerabilities including the implementation and rollout of the Vademecum on identification referral and response to Persons with specific needs. S/he will be supported (often in alternate roles when strategic decisions or negotiation have to be brough forward) by the Senior CommunityBased Associate in his/her coordination advocacy and stakeholder management responsibilities and is tasked to support the MoH in this workstream overall bringing forward key items agreed (and/or in the pipeline as per UNHCR strategy) including the work of the SubWG on data collection and standardization of tools (liaising with several actors) the service mapping exercise strategy the expansion and the monitoring of the rollout the advocacy component with each member on different issues.

In addition the incumbent will work on UNHCRs efforts to strengthen GBV risk mitigation and response to GBV survivors among forcibly displaced. This includes promoting access of asylum seekers and refugee survivors to specialized national protection systems and services and with partners and multidisciplinary networks to strengthen key service providers capacity on GBV risk mitigation and response and promotion of a qualified response to GBV through standardized and multidisciplinary identification referral and response procedures. This is to be combined with efforts to strengthen community outreach and networking initiatives.

Last the incumbent will promote the knowledge of PSEA rules and regulations among UNHCRs personnel and partners with periodical awareness raising initiatives and sensitization activities.

Living and Working Conditions:

Rome is a HQ Duty Station. Italy has a strong UN presence (more than 10 Agencies Programmes and Funds totaling more than 6000 staff) and is offering high standard of living conditions and relatively high cost of living.

There is no RC System hence no formal interagency coordination system other than the DO for Security related matters. FAO leads the UN team and collaborates closely with Rome based WFP and IFAD HQ.

The Italian authorities will issue a visa and residence permit to UNHCR international staff members. Before arriving at a new duty station finding an accommodation will be a priority. There are some limited facilities to access Duty Free privileges. Buying a new vehicle is a lengthy process while buying second hand is even more complex. The public transport system is relatively reliable and most colleagues have elected to reside in the office neighborhood.

A valid driving license issued by a European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) member state is automatically accepted in all other member states. People with EU/EEAissued drivers license who take up residence in Italy are not required to exchange it for an Italian license.

Holders of a standard driving license issued from a nonEU/EEA country may drive in Italy using the foreign license for up to one year after obtaining residency.

Medical care is up to international standards.

UN International expatriates are covered by the medical insurance provided from their workplace. No additional medical coverage is required. A list of Englishspeaking doctors can be provided upon request by the FAO Medical Services.

There are several international schools in Rome. The academic year for schools in Italy is from September to June. Generally schools have long waiting lists and it is advisable to register your child at school as soon as possible. You should also find out about the specific admission requirements at the school. Transfer certificates from previous schools and academic records are usually required. Contracts are made between the school and private individuals regarding payments of school fees.

This means any deposits and commitments to pay fees are your responsibility and not the UNs.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

CLMultistakeholder Communications with Partners Government & Community ITComputer Literacy ITEnterprise Resource Planning (ERP) PGStakeholder management and coordination with Implementing Partners (Gov/NGO/Corporate) PRCommunitybased Protection Principles and methodologies TRCapacity Buidling UNUN/UNHCR Administrative Rules Regulations and Procedures

Education

Certifications

Community Development/Social Work Other Development Studies Other Human Rights Other International Law Other Political Science Other Social Sciences Other

Work Experience

Competencies

Accountability Client & results orientation Commitment to continuous learning Communication Managing performance Organizational awareness Planning & organizing Political awareness Stakeholder management Teamwork & collaboration

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Additional Information

This position doesnt require a functional clearance