JOB DESCRIPTION

E (most hardship)

Non Family with Residential Location

Non Family with Residential LocationDanger Pay

Nairobi (CO), Kenya

PR3

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2025-07-23

August 8, 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 forcibly displaced and stateless persons 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 UNHCR’s 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 forcibly displaced and stateless persons 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 Team’s 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 UNHCR’s 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 forcibly displaced and stateless persons 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 forcibly displaced and stateless persons; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documents to forcibly displaced and stateless persons (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 forcibly displaced and stateless persons 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 forcibly displaced and stateless persons, 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-à-vis all forcibly displaced and stateless persons 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 forcibly displaced and stateless persons 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 UNHCR’s 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 UNHCR’s 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 very complex and diverse political and operational context in the overall country requires proven ability to work collaboratively with government counterparts and other stakeholders in a highly evolving environment. Given the sensitivities on the ground and the diverse team coupled with diverse population, the incumbent should possess strong interpersonal, networking, negotiating, advocacy and diplomatic skills and the ability to manage teams effectively. S/he will, cover the full spectrum of managerial oversight, manage performance and monitor the adherence of the highest protections standards, monitoring, identifying and addressing any emerging issues while integrating risk management perspectives into protection delivery for refugees and IDPs. The incumbent also promotes a culture that is results-oriented, efficient and based on trust and pursues measures to ensure Protection and Solutions policy implementation. Understanding of GCR approaches for refugees and inter-cluster engagements for IDPs is important. The incumbent will also ensure that gender balance and diversity are taken into due consideration as the operation works to strengthen CBP, Inclusion, Protection Against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and Peaceful Co-existence among Persons of Concern and their hosts in the AoR.

The incumbent should possess the ability to, or display:
• Previous working experience in an emergency/complex context, especially new emerging refugee, IDP and returnee situations, as well as experience in remote management/monitoring
• Work in active conflict areas where opportunities for delivery of protection and solutions programming with communities
• Excellent team leadership, supervisory and partner management skills
• Understanding and experience in policy analysis and implementation particularly in relation to GCR approaches, and IDP Response.
• Experience with the integration of Policy into national and sub national protection and solutions frameworks
• Lead activities in the area of risk management related to protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse including, fraud, joint assessments , safety audits , case-processing, data protection, and human rights due diligence at state level. This includes capacity building, for staff, partners, government and community engagement.
• Excellent drafting and presentation skills and a deep understanding of how to leverage opportunities with multiple stakeholders, in line with the GCR/CRRF and the identification and implementation of innovative solutions for populations of concern to UNHCR
• Proven experience in negotiating with and managing complex actors with minimal supervision.
• Understanding of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment.
• Manage a consultative process with government counterparts, partners and persons of concern to develop and implement comprehensive protection and solutions strategies
• Experience with Solutions Policy implementation and Programming Experience in- Interagency coordination, including with IDPs, state and local government authorities, and contributing to interagency response strategies while ensuring that the interest of refugee and IDPs and other populations that UNHCR serves are well represented and articulated.
• Research, collect and disseminate relevant protection information and good practices to enhance protection delivery.
• Develop the protection capacity of national and local authorities, partners and civil society to assume their responsibilities vis-à-vis all
• Oversee the management of individual protection cases including those on GBV and Child Protection.
• Provide leadership and guidance on IDP and Refugee protection issues to internal and external interlocutors; assistance is accessible to persons of concern; liaise with relevant authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documents to persons of concern persons of concern through protection training, mainstreaming and related activities.
• Multiple stakeholder management and mobilization including working with the National and State Government structures, UN Agencies, NGOs, and Operational partners
• demonstrated solid knowledge and field experience on strengthening national capacities and systems building, through a multidisciplinary approach, across all protection and programmatic interventions, in areas related to border monitoring , identification, screening and reception, asylum processing, access to rights and to livelihoods for the most vulnerable refugees, including children/unaccompanied and separated children and youth, GBV victims, disabled, and their inclusion into national systems and strategies

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

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

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Nature of Position:

The operational context in Sudan changed drastically when, on 15 April 2023, armed conflict broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The ongoing conflict is the latest development in Sudan’s stunted transition to democratic governance following the military takeover on 25 October 2021. The conflict has dramatically worsened the humanitarian conditions in Sudan, exacerbated pre-existing intercommunal and ethnic tensions, and triggered massive displacement. As of 29 October 2023, over 5.5 million people have been displaced by the conflict, including 4.2 million internally and over 1 million who fled outside the country in search of safety and security. Current interagency estimates for internal displacement are higher than the recorded IDP movements of the last four years combined, highlighting the largescale humanitarian crisis unfolding in Sudan and which continues to affect its neighboring countries. The inter-agency Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for Sudan estimates that the number of people in need in the country increased from 15.8 million in November 2022 to 24.7 million in May 2023, mainly because of the ongoing conflict.

Sudan has historically hosted one of the largest refugee populations in Africa. Prior to the conflict, Sudan hosted 1.1 million refugees, majority of whom resided in Khartoum State.

As of June 2024, Sudan hosts 909,325 refugees, 65 percent of whom live in 24 camps across Sudan. With the conflict largely affecting refugee hosting areas of Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan states, large-scale secondary movements have been undertaken by refugees fleeing hotspot areas to safer locations with 219,526  internal refugee movements being recorded, the majority being South Sudanese refugees who have moved to White Nile State.

Despite the conflict, UNHCR remains committed to stay and deliver inside Sudan. UNHCR Representation in Sudan has continued presence in five main regions of White Nile (Kosti) Darfur, Kordofan, East Sudan, Blue Nile and the Country Office, which was initially based in Khartoum, has been strategically restructured into three separate locations Port Sudan, Kassala and Nairobi to better facilitate its oversight functions.

The Commission for Refugees (COR) and UNHCR, have established a figure of secondarily displaced refugees into White Nile stands at 129,00, as of April 2025, bringing the overall refugee population into the White Nile 10 camps and outside the camps in Kosti to 412,000 as of  April 2025 This surge in numbers makes the White Nile State host to one the highest numbers (over 1 million) of conflict internally displaced people in Sudan and the biggest refugee hosting state in the country. The large-scale displacement presents various challenges and demands a comprehensive, coordinated response from humanitarian agencies and relevant stakeholders to address the immediate and long-term needs of the affected population. UNHCR’s IDP footprint requires robust leadership to ensure a well-coordinated leadership in protection delivery.

Refugees in White Nile state are located in 10 camps along the West and East banks of the river while IDPs primarily live in 400 community infrastructure such as schools, mosques and government offices (gathering sites), rented accommodation  and with host families in the communities.

As the conflict continues unabated with no resolution to the crisis in sight, an increasing number of people continue to be displaced into the White Nile State requiring safety and in need of basic assistance. UNHCR’s Office in White Nile is based in Kosti and works closely with the local government structures, in close collaboration with 10 UN Agencies,04 INGOs and 8 NNGOs. Ordinarily and neglected state with poor infrastructure and poorly resourced administrative structures, the current mass displacement  into the state has resulted in excessive pressure on weak systems, high cost of living, congestions, fuel scarcity all impacting the ability of UNHCR and partners to operate. These have also tested the resilience of communities hosting refugees and IDPs resulting in growing intolerance, particularly towards refugees.

Despite the lifting of the evacuation status for PC1 and PC2 activities in White Nile State by UNDSS in 19 March, UNHCR is once again facing a situation where active conflict zones are approaching this region of Sudan. It is anticipated that UNHCR will need to utilize crossline negotiations to provide protection and solutions programming as opportunities arise. With the conflict rapidly spreading to White Nile State, there is a significant likelihood that both warring parties will need to be engaged to ensure access to refugees and IDPs in an increasingly volatile and dynamic environment.

Since December 2024, there has been increased incursions of the RSF toward White Nile, bringing the conflict frontline closer to the State. Such threats of active conflict towards the State have warranted the need to identify dynamic and innovative ways to deliver Protection and Assistance as this represents a significant shift in a fast-evolving operations context.

The incumbent, who will report directly to the Head of Office, will work closely to build and maintain close and progressive ties with the government and NGOs in the advancement of UNHCR protection and assistance programmes in the White Nile State and Blue Nile  S/he will be required to draw on innovative approaches in protection and assistance including reinforcing and establishing protection delivery mechanisms that enable UNHCR to operate in active conflict are by leveraging hybrid implementation modalities.

Living and Working Conditions:

The Office Kosti, White Nile State is classified as an ‘E’ non-family duty station. Kosti is one of the major cities in Sudan that lies south of Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, and stands on the western bank of the White Nile River opposite Rabak, the capital of the White Nile state and is connected to it by a bridge and shares its southern border with Upper Nile State, South Sudan

Kosti is an impoverished city with no international educational system, poor health infrastructure and lack of leisure facilities. As part of an ongoing State of Emergency imposed by the state goverment coupled with limited access to key supply routes, goods and services, including fuel, are increasingly scarce. This has had a direct impact of supplies in the market an arbitrary price hikes.

White Nile State receives heavy rain in the rainy season (July-October). Considering the flat terrain, flooding common. Roads to refugee camps located on the west of the White Nile  are not tarmacked, and are mostly impassable during the rainy season. Humanitarian agencies often rely on tractors to create access.

The security situation in White Nile State, Kosti, remains unpredictable as the RSF continues its efforts to take over the state. Accommodation is provided for international staff in the UNHCR guest house.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

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

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

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

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Add. 2 to the Bi-Annual 2025 Compendium – Part B

Additional Information

This position doesn”t require a functional clearance