Job Description

GENERAL INFORMATION:
Title of the post Associate Protection Officer (JPO)

Sector Protection

Location Regional Office for Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and

Vietnam, Bangkok

Duration of the assignment 1 year, possibility for extension.

SUPERVISION:
Title of Supervisor: The JPO is under the immediate supervision of the
Senior Regional Protection Officer.

Title of other international staff members in same duty station: Regional

Representative, Deputy Regional Representative, Senior Regional Programme
Officer, Protection Officer (Refugee Status Determination), Resettlement Officer,
Administrative/Finance Officer.

Content and methodology of the supervision (describe the supervisory role

exercised over the incumbent in terms of planning guiding and reviewing the
work):

In the context of UNHCR’s Performance Appraisal Management System

(PAMS), the Senior Regional Protection Officer and the JPO will discuss
and agree upon entry on duty/beginning of the year an Electronic
Performance Appraisal (E-PAD) containing specific performance objectives
for the JPO for the year, in addition to and likely in relation with some
enumerated in the job description/list of functions below. Both will serve
the bases for monitoring and supervising the JPO’s work. This supervision
is carried out through periodic meetings of the protection unit where
collective work plans and activities are discussed and reviewed as well as
individual meetings with the JPO on a periodic basis or as deemed
appropriate.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Protects and/or facilitates protection of refugees, asylum-seekers, stateless
populations and others of concern to UNHCR;
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2. Monitors, analyses and submits recommendations relating to national
laws/rules/regulations that could impact upon asylum-seekers, refugees,
stateless populations and others of concern to UNHCR;

3. Monitors and assesses relevant country/regional developments that could

affect populations of concern;

4. Liaises, coordinates, and in consultation with the Supervisor intervenes with

national authorities on refugee protection or statelessness related matters;

5. Liaises and coordinates with populations of concern, NGOs and other

stakeholders as appropriate;

6. As needed, conducts refugee status determination interviews, prepare and

submit relevant assessments;

7. Undertakes regular visits/missions to field locations, monitors various

protection issues, meets with populations of concern, NGOs, implementing
partners, community-based organizations and local authorities to have a
comprehensive understanding of the ground situation and what actions
need to be pursued by UNHCR. And when required, would also undertake
roving protection functions and other duties as assigned;

8. Participates in various internal and external training activities of the

Regional Office in the fields of refugee protection, statelessness and related
human rights law;

9. Participates and represents UNHCR’s position in consultation with the

Supervisor, in various refugee or statelessness-related meetings;

10. Drafts reports, notes and other documentation relating to populations of

concern;

11. Liaises with, assists in providing protection support and advice to relevant
UNHCR field and country offices;

12. Performs other duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

Qualifications: A law degree with experience/expertise in international
law, human rights law, and/or refugee law. LLB and 4 years of work
experience or LLM and 2 years of work experience.

Experience: Experience of working in South East Asia, preferably in

Thailand, Laos, Cambodia or Vietnam, community-based/social welfare
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activities/experience, training and statelessness issues would be an
advantage.

Skills: Team working ability, flexibility, excellent skills in drafting, training,

negotiation and working in a multi-cultural team are desirable.

Competencies required (indicate the 4 most relevant

competencies required to properly carry out the duties and
responsibilities within the context of the posting)

1. Contributing to the development of a strategic protection

framework
2. Protecting asylum-seekers, refugees, stateless and other persons
of concern to UNHCR.
3. Providing legal support and advice as well as training.
4. Promoting refugee law/protection principles.

TRAINING COMPONENTS AND LEARNING ELEMENTS:

Training components:
Subject to the JPO’s interest and particular operational requirements of the
Office in Thailand:
- Participation in UNHCR Learning Programmes (e.g. Protection/
statelessness).
- Participation in national/regional protection officers meeting/training
workshops.
- Participation in UN/NGO-organized trainings relevant to
populations of concern to UNHCR.

Learning elements:
(The learning elements indicate what the incumbent will learn during the
assignment, defined in measurable results through applied skills or
demonstrated competencies and specified per year).
- Drafting relevant parts of the Annual Protection Report.
- Drafting locally-specific protection-related guidelines in accordance
with international standards.
- Drafting periodic reports, monitoring, assessing and evaluating
protection project proposals based on applicable standards.
- Working in a multi-functional team, particularly with the
Field/Programme/Community Services/Regional staff of UNHCR in
order to achieve the best possible protection outcomes for asylum-
seekers/refugees and stateless populations.

November 2009