Protection Officer

H (no hardship)

FamilyFamily

NOC

National Professional Officer

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

June 22 2025

Protection Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
In the Bureaux the Protection Officer works under the direct supervision of the Senior Protection Coordinator or Senior Protection Officer. In the Field the incumbent normally reports to the Representative Deputy or Assistant Representative (Protection) Head of Sub Office or Senior Protection Officer as appropriate. The incumbent may have direct supervisory responsibility for protection staff whose work may include RSD community-based protection registration resettlement complementary pathways internal displacement and education among other areas. In HQ the incumbent may report to a Senior Protection Officer Chief of Section or Deputy Director and may supervise other protection staff.

The incumbent acts as an advisor to senior management in when not responsible for designing a comprehensive protection strategy under the area of responsibility (AoR). S/he represents the Organization to authorities UN sister agencies partners and other stakeholders on protection policy and doctrine.

The Protection Officer coordinates quality timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern under the AoR. S/he ensures that persons of concern of all age gender and diversity groups are involved with the Office in making decisions that affect them whether in accessing their rights or in identifying and implementing appropriate solutions to their problems. To undertake this role effectively the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with other relevant teams within the operation or the Bureau (including programme; PI and external relations; IM) and with DIP communities of concern authorities protection and assistance partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection and achieving solutions.

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
- Provide technical guidance and support to UNHCR and partners on all protection related issues.
- Stay abreast of and report as relevant on legal political social economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment.
- Engage relevant national authorities and structures in identifying and expanding opportunities in view of developing or strengthening national asylum/RSD systems.
- Facilitate a consultative process with government counterparts partners and persons of concern to develop and implement a comprehensive protection and solutions strategy addressing the specific protection needs of women and men children youth and older persons persons with disabilities persons of diverse sexual orientation and/or gender identities (LGBTI persons) persons living with HIV/AIDS; gender equality and Gender Based Violence (GBV) priorities with regard to these persons.
- In operations applying the Cluster Approach seek to ensure the response of the Protection Cluster is grounded in a strategy which covers all assessed and prioritized protection needs of the affected populations.
- Support senior management to ensure the protection strategy is fully integrated into the Country Operations Plan the UN Development and Assistance Framework (UNDAF) the Humanitarian Country Teams common humanitarian response plan where applicable as well as with the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees and the Three Year Strategy on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways.
- Promote relevant International Regional and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy standards and codes of conduct and ensure that all sectors and /or in clusters in applicable operations fulfil their responsibilities in mainstreaming protection.
- Promote the implementation of the AGD policy including UNHCRs updated commitments to women and girls and design deliver I and monitor programmes on an AGD basis to address identified protection needs.
- Develop implement and monitor community-based protection strategies and ensure systematic application and integration of participatory and community-based approaches in protection and solutions planning programming and strategies.
- Support the establishment of feedback and response systems and the incorporation of feedback received from persons of concern into programme design and adaptation.
- Support the operation to develop and implement robust prevention identification and responses to fraud within protection processes and procedures including registration RSD resettlement and complementary pathways ensuring the integrity of interventions across all protection activities.
- Assist UNHCR management at country level to comply with polices and commitment on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse measures.
- Oversee and manage individual protection cases including those on GBV and child protection.
- Provide legal advice and guidance on protection issues to internal and external interlocutors; ensure legal assistance is accessible to persons of concern; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documents to persons of concern (including women and others in need of civil documentation in particular birth certificates).
- As designated Data Protection Focal Point assist the data controller in carrying out his or her responsibilities regarding the Data Protection Policy (7.2 DPP).
- Oversee and undertake eligibility and status determination within the AoR ensuring compliance with UNHCR procedural standards and international protection principles.
- Promote and implement effective strategies and measures to identify prevent and reduce statelessness within the AoR.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of an education plan as part of protection strategy within the AoR as relevant.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of a child protection plan as part of the protection strategy within the AoR ensuring programmes use a child protection systems approach.
- Monitor and intervene in cases of refoulement expulsion and other protection incidents through working relations with governments and other partners.
- Work to safeguard the rights of persons of concern in the context of mixed movements as relevant.
- Coordinate the preparation of implement and oversee Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.
- Ensure that durable solutions through voluntary repatriation local integration and where appropriate resettlement and complementary pathways are sought and provided to the largest possible number of persons of concern including undertaking and/or overseeing resettlement and complementary pathways activities.
- Contribute to the coordination of the design implementation and evaluation of protection related programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Contribute to and facilitate a programme of results-based advocacy through a consultative process with sectorial and/or cluster partners.
- Ensure that the Protection Sector or Cluster has an effective information management component which: provides disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems; researches collects and disseminates relevant protection information and good practices to enhance protection delivery.
- Build the protection capacity of national and local government partners and civil society to assume their responsibilities vis--vis all persons of concern through protection training mainstreaming and related activities.
- Coordinate capacity-building initiatives for communities and individuals to assert their rights.
- Advise and capacitate national authorities relevant institutions and civil society to strengthen legislation and status determination procedures and mechanisms.

- 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.

For positions in Bureaux

- Support the Regional Bureau and Country Operations to reflect the protection and solution angle in support of persons of concern within regional processes.
- Support Country Operations in the development of strategies to build and further develop national asylum/RSD systems with a view to ensuring their fairness efficiency adaptability and integrity favourable protection environment and solutions.
- Assist UNHCR management at regional and country level to comply with polices and commitment on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse measures.
- Support Country Operations and ensure they meet their complementary pathways objectives and resettlement quotas.
- In close collaboration with DIP (a) contribute to the development of background and general normative policy and legal positions in compliance with UNHCRs global protection policies and standards; (b) contribute to the development of strategies at the regional and country level on the usage of law and policy approaches including legislative and judicial engagement and UN human rights mechanisms - and/or regional ones - and other protection frameworks and integrated human rights standards in protection strategies and advocacy; and (c) support coordination and review of UNHCRs country reports to the UN human rights mechanisms.
- Engage in relevant international and regional fora and contribute to forging regional partnerships to advocate for key protection and mandate issues and engage in cross-cutting protection-related matters including mixed movement internal displacement and climate change/disaster-related displacement responses as well as Statelessness in cooperation with DIP and where relevant RSD.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P3/NOC - 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Law; International Law; International Refugee Law;
International Human Rights Law; International Humanitarian Law;
Refugee and Forced Migration Studies; Political Sciences
or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified.

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Minimum 4 years of relevant professional experience in the area of refugee protection internal displacement human rights or international humanitarian law including experience in working directly with Field Offices. Good knowledge of International Refugee and Human Rights Law and ability to apply the relevant legal principles. Excellent legal research analytical skills and drafting.

Desirable
Diverse field experience. Good IT skills including database management skills.

Functional Skills
*PR-Protection-related guidelines standards and indicators
*PR-Age Gender and Diversity (AGD)
PR-Human Rights Doctrine/Standards
PR-International Humanitarian Law
PR-Comprehensive Solutions Framework
LE-Judicial Engagement
PR-Assessment of IDPs Status Rights Obligation
PR-Climate change and disaster related displacement
PR-Accountability to Affected People - Principles and Framework
PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) Coordination
(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 incumbent to the position must have:

a)excellent knowledge on the work & mandate of UNHCR and the Organizations global regional and country level latest priorities policies and approaches on refugee protection forced displacement asylum mixed movements and sustainable responses and integration.
b)excellent knowledge of International Refugee Law Human Rights Law and European law and Jurisprudence (CJEU European Human Rights Court) and the ability to apply the relevant legal principles in the Greek context in alignment with international and regional standards.
c)deep understanding knowledge and insight analysis of the geopolitical humanitarian social protection and legal context in the country and of regional and cross-border developments affecting Greece.
d)demonstrated solid experience on supporting the development of human-centred border management systems asylum and migration legislation reception and asylum systems building strategic litigation and evidence-based advocacy in the Greek context in coordination with the field HQ RBR and the Brussels Office.
e)solid experience in liaising and engaging strategically at senior level with government officials asylum and reception authorities MFA Border and Police authorities NGOs academia national human rights institutions legal practitioners and the judiciary at central and local level and with UN agencies donors regional European organizations and human rights institutions (European Union Council of Europe FRA FRONTEX EUAA) and other relevant stakeholders. Possessing a wide network of contacts at national and regional level with key authorities actors and institutions including other ministries aside the MMA ad MFA and with the European Union institutions will be an asset to rendering UNHCRs advocacy positions and stance more impactful.
f)solid experience in supporting and engaging with the Government in the implementation of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum and related EU/EC legal and policy developments in the areas relevant to UNHCRs mandate and its intersection with the route-based approach.
g)demonstrated sound knowledge and experience on EU affairs and engagement with government and EU counterparts (DG Home and SG Reform) and in liaising with HQ the RBE and Brussels office on key EU policy/advocacy issues and developments impacting the Greek context including participating regularly on RBE EU Affairs telecoms and in the Migration Management Steering Committee led by MMA and DG Home. Having experience on EU funding mechanisms (DG Reforms Technical Support Initiative AMIF) and engagement with the National Management Authority is an asset.
h)excellent analytical skills.
i)excellent and command of the English and Greek languages both written and oral and a proven ability to present complex matters to a range of audiences including authorities partners refugees and donors.

This is a National Professional Officer position. National Professional Officers should be of the nationality of the country where the office concerned is located.

Greek

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

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

Currently some 142000 asylum-seekers and refugees are hosted in Greece. In 2024 some 62000 people arrived either by sea or land. UNHCR provides expert advice to the State and evidence-based information that helps inform programmes and policies for asylum-seekers and refugees. Access to international protection identifying durable solutions and support to vulnerable asylum-seekers and refugees such as unaccompanied children and survivors of gender-based violence are UNHCRs key also works with national and local authorities the private sector civil society and refugee communities to advance protection solutions and inclusion develop support networks and create employability and training opportunities for refugees. The Office retains a readiness to respond to emergencies and new arrivals with a focus on immediate support to the most vulnerable. UNHCR Greece plays a strong advocacy role since continued support is needed particularly from EU countries and EU institutions in providing immediate protection to those most at-risk through sufficient resources ensuring capacity in the country and responsibility-sharing. UNHCR will continue to assist Greek authorities in responding to both short and long-term challenges.

Under the direct supervision of the Assistant Representative for Protection the incumbent will be responsible in advancing UNHCR Greeces 2025-20027 protection strategic priorities in line with the HCs Strategic Directions 2022-2026 and the Regional Strategic Directions 2024-2028. UNHCR Greeces protection and solutions strategy includes access to territory and asylum for those seeking international protection and identifying durable solutions to strengthen national systems with a specific emphasis on advancing sustainable responses the integration of asylum-seekers and refugees and the realization of their rights with a cross-cutting focus on assisting vulnerable refugees the implementation and operationalization of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum and the Governments renewed focus on increasing legal employment opportunities for third-country nationals.

The incumbent will be required to provide strategic legal policy technical and operational guidance on protection issues to the operation Government partners external actors and other relevant stakeholders. Attention will be given to the adoption of a more national human-rights centred migration and asylum management predictable and effective responses to mixed movements in line with European and international standards and UNHCRs route-based approach increasing Governments response capacity and influencing policy institutional and legal changes through expert advice capacity building monitoring judicial engagement partnerships and advocacy.

The incumbent will be required to keeping senior management abreast about the geopolitical and humanitarian situation in the country regional and cross-border dynamics protection opportunities and challenges and informing policy guidance and interventions while ensuring global and regional coherence. The incumbent will carry out his/her protection and management functions in a complementary and inter-linked manner and to ensure coordination across sections within the Greek Operation (protection solutions external relations public information and program) the Regional Bureau Headquarters and the Brussels office and to support results-based planning monitoring EU-and national funding opportunities and reporting requirements.

The incumbent will require building and maintaining a wide network of contacts at national and regional level with key authorities actors and institutions and liaising and engaging strategically at senior level with government officials asylum and reception authorities MFA Border and Police authorities NGOsacademia national human rights institutions legal practitioners and the judiciary at central and local level and with UN agencies donors regional European organizations and human rights institutions (European Union Council of Europe FRA FRONTEX EUAA) and other relevant stakeholders. Engagement with government and EU counterparts (DG Home and SG Reform) and in liaising with HQ the RBE and Brussels office on key EU policy/advocacy issues and developments impacting the Greek context will be required including participating regularly on RBE EU Affairs telecoms and in the Migration Management Steering Committee led by MMA and DG Home.

Living and Working Conditions:

Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens is a family duty station classified as H by ICSC. Public Transportation and medical facilities are well-developed and easily accessible. The educational institutions at all levels as well as international schools are available. The climate can be described as Mediterranean with hot and dry summers and cool and mild winters.

In accordance with UNDSS security risk assessment the whole Greek operation is classified as Security Level 2 (low). Security Clearance is required for travelling in the country.

For more detailed information please consult the continuously updated living conditions booklet on Intranet.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Analytical Skills

Education

Bachelor of Arts: International Humanitarian Law Bachelor of Arts: International Human Rights Law Bachelor of Arts: International Law Bachelor of Arts: International Refugee Law Bachelor of Arts: Law Bachelor of Arts: Political Science Bachelor of Arts: Refugee and Forced Migration Studies

Certifications

Work Experience

Competencies

Accountability Client & results orientation Commitment to continuous learning Communication Empowering & building trust Judgement & decision making Managing performance Negotiation & conflict resolution Organizational awareness Planning & organizing Political awareness Teamwork & collaboration

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Additional Information

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. Shortlisted candidates may be required to sit for a written test and will have to undergo an oral interview.

Functional clearance

This position doesnt require a functional clearance