Community-Based Protection Associate

October 12 2025

A (least hardship)

FamilyFamily

GS6

General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

Community-Based Protection Associate

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Community-Based Protection Associate is a member of the Protection Unit and may report to the Protection Officer Community-Based 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 Community-Based 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 community-based protection standards operational procedures and practices in community-based protection delivery at the field level. To fulfil this role the Community-Based 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 community-based 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 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
- Assist functional units the Multi-Functional Team (MFT) and senior management to integrate participatory and community-based 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 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 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 community-based 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 community-based 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
IT-Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
*IT-Computer Literacy
UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules Regulations and Procedures
PR-Community-based Protection - Principles and methodologies
CL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners Government & Community
PG-Stakeholder management and coordination with Implementing Partners (Gov/NGO/Corporate)
TR-Capacity 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.

The operation in Chile has a workforce of approximately 25 people composed of staff members (both national and international) and affiliates. The National Office (NO) is based in Santiago de Chile and falls under the scope of the Multi-country Office (MCO) Argentina located in Buenos Aires which also covers Bolivia Paraguay and Uruguay.

Chile has consolidated as a leading destination country for the forcibly displaced in Latin America hosting 1.6 million foreigners which accounts for 8.8% of the total population according to the latest Census of 2024. This sustained growth over the past decade positions Chile as thesecond country in Latin America with the highest proportion of foreign-born population following Costa Rica (10.2%). Among foreigners Venezuelans make up 41.6% followed byPeruvians (14.5%)Colombians (12.3%)Haitians (9.1%) andBolivians (8.7%)together accounting for nearly86% of all refugees and migrants residing in the country. Chile has also provided protection to individuals fleeing conflict and persecution fromPalestine Syria Afghanistan and Ukraine offering a safe space to rebuild their lives.

Chile is one of the highest-receiving countries of people with and for whom UNHCR works in the region with more than 677922 individuals forcibly displaced (considering people forced to flee and a small group of 1688 people at risk of statelessness). These numbers include over 660420 people in need of international protection 13366 asylum seekers and 2448 refugees (statistics as of December 2024).

UNHCR works together with the national government institutions civil society organizations municipalities refugee led organizations and the private sector to ensure access to protection humanitarian assistance and durable solutions for all those who have sought safety in the country.

Lately the country has seen an escalation in the negative perception of the phenomenon of human mobility among the Chilean population. Recent surveys have positioned human mobility as detrimental to the country; one of the main reasons why people forced to flee and others in need of international protection are often subjected to discrimination and physical violence sexual aggression and exploitation as well as victims of smuggling and trafficking.

In regions more affected by the recent arrival of refugees and migrants such as the northern part of the country and the metropolitan region host communities have faced serious challenges and constraints accessing public services such as health facilities and spaces at schools for children. Services that were already limited before having now become scarcer due to the increase of population. Communities sometimes associate these situations to the increase in foreign population living in their neighborhoods. To the latter we can add the occurrence of incivilities that make respectful coexistence difficult as some of the main challenges of community work in Chile.

The Community-Based Protection Associate is a member of the Protection and Solutions Unit and will report to the Assistant Protection Officer.

The Community-Based Protection Associate works directly with organizations and communities to promote peaceful coexistence and to identify the risks they face and leverage their capacities to protect themselves their families and communities. This position requires previous experience in participatory processes with community based and non-governmental organizations. Experience working with migrant and refugee-led organizations and their networks is desirable.

To fulfil this role the Community-Based Protection Associate is required to spend some percentage of the workday outside the office building and maintaining networks with organizations of persons in human mobility and other local actors. The core of the work of the incumbent is linked to the development and maintenance of effective two-way communication mechanisms and the building of constructive relationships with organizations and persons in human mobility and local communities to promote peaceful coexistence and adequate protection environments. S/he will lead the implementation of the community-based protection strategy in Chile with proficient knowledge of the age gender and diversity approach as well as of participatory methods of consultations. The ability to conduct interviews and group conversations is an advantage. S/he will maintain close working relations with sister UN entities governmental entities non-governmental organizations and academic institutions that can contribute to enhancing protection and achieving solutions through people centered community-based and gender responsive approaches.

Political awareness reporting practice strong coordination and teamwork spirit are needed. Commitment towards community empowerment with a gender lens is valued. Thorough understanding of UNHCRs protection mandate and core mission and understanding of humanitarian and inter-agency coordination mechanisms is desired.

English

Spanish

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

Nature of Position:

Living and Working Conditions:

Additional Qualifications

Skills

CL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners Government & Community IT-Computer Literacy IT-Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) PG-Stakeholder management and coordination with Implementing Partners (Gov/NGO/Corporate) PR-Community-based Protection - Principles and methodologies TR-Capacity Buidling UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules Regulations and Procedures

Certifications

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

Competencies

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

Additional Information

This position doesnt require a functional clearance