Senior Protection Assistant

September 15, 2026

Grade

GS5

General Service

Reason

Temporary > Temporary Assignment/ Appointment

H (no hardship)

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2026-10-01

2026-12-31

Standard Job Description

Senior Protection Assistant

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Senior Protection Assistant normally reports to a more senior Protection colleague. The incumbent monitors protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards and provides functional protection support to information management and programme staff.

The Senior Protection Assistant provides quality, timely and effective protection support to persons of concern (PoC) and identifies opportunities to mainstream protection methodologies and safeguards in operational responses. S/he contributes to designing a comprehensive protection strategy and may liaise externally with local authorities and partners on protection issues as guided by the supervisor.

The Senior Protection Assistant also ensures that PoC are involved in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying appropriate solutions to their problems. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, local authorities and protection and assistance partners.

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
- Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.
- Provide counselling on protection issues to PoC; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.
- Support activities in protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Conduct preliminary information gathering and interviews in support of eligibility, status determination, durable solutions and social needs assessment.
- Contribute to measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness.
- Contribute to a country-level child protection plan as part of the protection strategy.
- Contribute to a country-level education plan for PoC as part of the protection strategy.
- Monitor Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.
- Participate in individual protection case management including cases of GBV and child protection. Monitor and report on cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents.
- Assist in identifying durable solutions for PoC in voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement.
- Contribute to the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Draft reports, routine correspondence, update relevant databases and compiling statistics within the Area of Responsibility (AoR).
- Contribute to initiatives to enhance national and local protection capacities.
- Select PoC for preliminary interviews and decide which relevant information to share.
- Enforce integrity in the delivery of protection services by local implementing partners.

- 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
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
G5 - 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not applicable

Certificates and/or Licenses
International Law;
Political Science;
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential: Not specified.
Desirable: Not specified.

Functional Skills
IT-Computer Literacy
PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
(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 position is established in response to the exceptional protection situation in Ceuta following the mass arrivals of July 2026, when an estimated 80,000 persons entered the Spanish city. While the majority have since returned to Morocco, approximately 10,000 individuals remain, including around 2,000 children and a significant number of persons who may be in need of international protection, particularly nationals of countries such as Sudan, Mali, Chad, Eritrea, Somalia and Yemen, as well as unaccompanied and separated children, survivors of gender-based violence, and LGBTIQ+ persons.

Furthermore, the mass entry has triggered a highly sensitive political environment and has contributed to xenophobic rhetoric and heightened tension among the local population in Ceuta which is one of the two EU external land borders with Africa. This has increased challenges to access asylum and heightened the risk of pushbacks and potential refoulement.

The post aims to ensure a sustained UNHCR presence on the ground to support the protection response in a rapidly evolving operational environment. In addition to the duties described in the standard Job Description, the incumbent will:

Maintain a continuous field presence in Ceuta to monitor developments and emerging protection concerns affecting refugees, asylum-seekers and other displaced populations.

Serve as UNHCR’s focal point in Ceuta, ensuring regular engagement with local institutions, humanitarian actors and community stakeholders.

Monitor the protection situation of populations remaining in informal settlements, emergency accommodation facilities and other reception sites.

Support the identification of trends, challenges and operational gaps related to the ongoing response, including issues affecting children and individuals with specific protection needs.

Contribute to maintaining UNHCR’s operational visibility and support evidence-based advocacy with national and local authorities through regular field observations and analysis.

Monitor access to territory and asylum procedures and identify potential protection risks, including risks of refoulement and rights violations at the border.

Support coordination and information-sharing with relevant governmental, civil society and humanitarian actors involved in the response.

The incumbent will report to the Protection Associate in Madrid, and work in close coordination with the Protection Unit in Madrid. No direct supervisory responsibilities are envisaged. Previous experience in emergency, border or mixed movement contexts, as well as the ability to build effective working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders and operate independently in a challenging environment, would be highly desirable. Given the dynamic and high-profile nature of the operational context, the position requires a high degree of flexibility, sound judgement, resilience, initiative and discretion.

This position doesn't require a functional clearance

Spanish

,

English

,

French

,

Arabic

,

Skills

IT-Computer Literacy, PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators, PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework

Education

Certifications

International Law - Other, Political Science - Other

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

In case of trouble, please contact spamavac@unhcr.org.
Only successfully screened candidates will be invited to sit a written test and to hold a personal interview.