Senior Protection Research & Information Officer

A (least hardship)

FamilyFamily

PR4

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

July 3 2025

Senior Protection Research & Information Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Senior Protection Research and Information Officer provides support with regard to country information and existing country guidance to UNHCR operations at global regional or country operations level. The position may be located at Headquarters (within the Division of International Protection) in a Regional Bureau or in a Country or Multi-Country Office and reports to the Head of the RSD Section in DIP or Head of Protection Service (D1) or Protection Section/Unit (P5) or Asst Representative Protection (P5) as appropriate.

The incumbent provides Country of Origin (COI) advice contributes to the development of case-processing methodologies or RSD and Durable Solutions strategies.

S/he provides advice and support to operations and staff engaged in RSD and related activities monitors trends of applying COI/CG by mandate operations and national asylum/RSD systems and conducts training and other capacity-development activities to promote regional/global consistency in COI/CG use.

If based in an operation or a Regional Bureau s/he works closely with RSD Supervisors in the region as well as staff responsible for registration resettlement and training activities. S/he works and coordinates closely with relevant focal points in DIP in particular the COI /CG team of the RSD Section and other HQ Divisions as required.

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 UNHCRs core values of professionalism integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
- Stay abreast of legal political human rights security and other developments which have an impact on the protection of persons fleeing the country/-ies covered and provide COI advice accordingly.
- Compile information and analysis from external sources (including in particular from regional / national publishers/publications) on developments in the country /countries covered which may impact internal and external displacement patterns.
- Research information and draft regular updates on the security and human rights situation inclusion profiles and reasons for flight that feed into updates of relevant country of origin information country guidance and country-specific policy documents.
- Identify trends (including to the extent possible foreseen future developments as to flight patterns and profiles)in the country/-ies covered.
- Research and draft thematic notes in response to identified specific COI needs from the Field.
- Draw independent conclusions and make recommendations to UNHCR in the context of country-specific eligibility advice and subject to the joint Regional Bureau/DIP decision draft policy documents such as International Protection Considerations and Positions of Return.
- Present existing country of origin information and UNHCR country-specific positions to external stakeholders.
- Provide regular training on country guidance/COI including Risk Profiles to relevant UNHCR staff.
- Liaise with relevant external stakeholders and maintain network (of stakeholders with specific country expertise).
- Interview country experts refugees others with specific knowledge on country conditions as required and as appropriate to inform COI research and drafting of eligibility guidance.
- Liaise regularly with UNHCR Offices the Senior Regional RSD Officers the Bureau and the RSD Section in DIP and other sections in Headquarters to promote consistency in use of country of origin information / country guidance for RSD procedures and decision-making.
- Advise on standards for use of country of origin information and for assessing reliability of country of origin sources and ensure quality control of responses to standard COI queries.
- Advise on validity of country of origin information produced by external partners for internal and external use.

- Lead risk assessments and discussions with team(s) to proactively manage risks and seize opportunities impacting objectives. Ensure that risk management principles are integrated in decision-making both at strategic and operational levels. Allocate resources for planned treatments with resource requirements in Strategic Plans. Ensure that risks are managed to acceptable levels and escalate as needed. If a Risk Owner designate the Risk Focal Point and certify that the annual risk review is completed and ensure that the risk register is updated during the year as needed.
- Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P4/NOD - 9 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 8 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 7 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Political science;
International relations;
Law;
Social sciences;
or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
RSD LP
COI E-learning
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Minimum 5 years of experience researching and working directly with COI in the context of the adjudication of individual asylum claims in RSD or asylum procedures. Having a network of relevant contacts (professionals with expertise on country/-ies covered). Experience in engaging with government asylum bodies NGOs and other external stakeholders on asylum-related issues. Thorough understanding of and professional research experience relating to conditions in country/countries covered.
Experience in drafting country-specific policy positions. Knowledge of International Refugee Law IHRL and IHL. Excellent research writing and analytical skills. Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills.
Desirable
Relevant experience with UNHCR and Government status determination procedures is highly desirable. Completion of the COI E-learning and the RSD Learning Programme and Protection Learning Programme is an asset.

Functional Skills
*PR-RSD - Principles and Procedures operational arrangements/assistance
PR-Individual Case Management
PR-Protection-related guidelines standards and indicators
(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.

The candidate further needs to demonstrate excellent communication and advocacy skills in English to promote UNHCRs positions among a variety of stakeholders including asylum authorities regional asylum bodies courts and legal representatives.

The candidate should demonstrate a high level of organizational awareness strategic planning and vision in order to identify the need for specific COI/CG to respond in a timely manner to new or upcoming situations and to recommend the most adequate format and content.
The candidate should have an advanced university degree in law/international law (LLM or equivalent) with a preference for international refugee human rights or humanitarian law.

In-depth and detailed knowledge of international refugee law especially with regard to inclusion and exclusion criteria and profiles; internal flight/relocation alternative; regional refugee instruments; as well as related areas such as protection against refoulement under international human rights law.
Comprehensive knowledge of UNHCRs doctrinal guidance on the interpretation of international refugee law.

Detailed knowledge of relevant standards for country of origin information (COI) and policies on country guidance and related matters; and proven experience with applying the relevant principles and standards in practice.
Detailed understanding of UNHCR and state-led refugee status determination processes and developments.

Thorough understanding of relevant jurisprudential developments on national regional and international levels with a view to both anticipating and responding to the need for UNHCR positioning on particular countries of origin as well as identifying strategic opportunities for UNHCR to intervene in cases concerning COI and/or country guidance.

Minimum 10 years of relevant work experience in progressively responsible functions in an office/organization dealing with protection information research and analysis with a view to drafting high quality authoritative country guidance grounded in international refugee law for an external audience of which at least five years must have been in the development of such capacities internally at individual institutional and enabling environment level.
Excellent analytical skills and ability to think strategically and creatively.
Excellent (legal) drafting skills.

Proven experience of developing internal capacity in protection information research and analysis with a view to expanding UNHCRs ability to produce high-quality COI and country guidance products for an external audience.
Proven experience of representing UNHCR in global regional and national networks of policy and RSD decision-makers legal practitioners and others working directly with COI and country guidance coupled with sound judgement and a strong political sense and understanding.

Minimum two years experience of developing training materials and delivering training on COI and country guidance to stakeholders in asylum decision-making (decision-makers tribunal members and judges lawyers and legal-aid providers etc.).

Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills.
Demonstrated ability to deal with multiple tasks in a courteous and service-oriented manner under demanding working conditions that often have short deadlines.

Excellent knowledge of English (writing reading speaking and comprehension)

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

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

The position is located in the MENA Regional Bureau in Amman and reports directly to the Head of the Bureau Protection Service. UNHCRs capacity to produce high-quality country of origin (COI) and country guidance (CG) products is directly linked to its role and reputation as a global authority on refugee protection. The MENA region is one of the main refugee-producing regions globally.

UNHCR operations and asylum countries globally require up-to-date and objective COI/CG to establish the international protection needs of persons fleeing from the MENA region. The drafting of COI/CG requires the ability to process large amounts of data from different sources extract and analyse key issues describe complex issues in a succinct and clear manner and to formulate policy in line with the 1951 Convention and UNHCRs mandate. Some of the actors that regularly refer to UNHCR with CG queries include the EUAA and national asylum authorities and courts including for training of asylum adjudicators and judges and CG updates. Coordination for state-led fact-finding missions with relevant country operations is also regularly requested.

Moreover there is an extensive amount of coordination that is carried out by this position in close consultation with DIPS and/or LAS including cooperation and coordination of discussions with UNRWA on behalf of the Bureau; respond to queries from the various Accountability Mechanisms such as the Syria Commission of Inquiry the ICC and various other special commissions reaching out for information and guidance; coordination of country guidance for court requests and possible amicus curiae submissions.

In addition this position is responsible for the annual report to HQ coordinating with all operations across the MENA region on credible reports of refoulement of FDSPs received as well as follow up and coordination of individual cases.

Living and Working Conditions:

Additional Qualifications

Skills

PR-Individual Case Management PR-Protection-related guidelines standards and indicators PR-RSD - Principles and Procedures operational arrangements/assistance

Education

Bachelor of Arts: International Relations Bachelor of Arts: Law Bachelor of Arts: Political Science

Certifications

HCR Country of Origin Information Learning Program - UNHCR HCR RSD Learning Program - UNHCR

Work Experience

Competencies

Accountability Analytical thinking Client & results orientation Commitment to continuous learning Communication Empowering & building trust Judgement & decision making Leadership Managing performance Managing resource Organizational awareness Policy research & development Political awareness Strategic planning & visions Teamwork & collaboration

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Additional Information

This position doesnt require a functional clearance