Associate Protection & Neutrality Officer

Associate Protection & Neutrality Officer, Grade 14

UNRWA is committed to achieving gender parity at all levels of staffing under the current UN-wide gender agenda and strongly encourages applications from qualified women.

UNRWA welcomes applications from qualified candidates with disabilities.

UNRWA, the largest United Nations operation in the Middle East with over 30,000 staff working across five areas of operation, is looking for professionals like you. 

UNRWA’s human development goals

UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states, regional bodies, business foundations and individual contributions. UNRWA has identified four human development goals as the focus of the Agency’s operations in committing to fostering human development of Palestine refugees by helping them to: lead long and healthy lives, acquire knowledge and skills, achieve decent standards of living and enjoy human rights to the fullest possible extent.

How can you make a difference? 

You will be joining a team of around 4000 staff in the West Bank Field Office working to foster the human development of some 800,000 registered Palestine refugees.   

The incumbent of this post is responsible to the Protection and Neutrality Team Leader or the Protection Officer/ Operations Support Officer as required.

The main responsibilities include:

In accordance with established Agency policy and procedures, the  incumbent:

• Supports the mainstreaming of protection principles and standards in UNRWA service delivery and programmes including the implementation of protection audits and follow-up to their recommendations as well as support to the coordination of area protection working groups to share good practices to enhance protection responses.
• Conducts regular field missions to gather information and data on protection issues confronted by Palestine refugees in order to analyse and report on the protection context and issues encountered in the field and adequately identify emerging areas of concern as a basis for informing programmatic and advocacy responses and contributing to information management systems in line with UNRWA policies and procedures.
• Contributes to designing a comprehensive area level protection strategy in support of the area office by: coordinating, ensuring quality, and providing technical support (including in the areas of general protection, gender- based- violence, child protection and disabilities) to ensure effective responses by programmes (particularly at the area level) according to agreed priorities and procedures.
• In coordination with other staff at the area level, builds and maintains relationship with a broad network of stakeholders (including government, local authorities, UN agencies and NGO’s as well as beneficiaries and other persons of concern) who can contribute to protection responses for Palestine refugees and in this regard enhances collaboration and coordination to address protection issues and provide/ support external briefings to various interlocutors as required. 
• Undertakes inspections, spot-checks and follow up of the most serious neutrality issues under the guidance of the Protection and Neutrality Team Leader and according to standard operating procedures in coordination with senior programme and other staff (including schools principals, chief medical officers, chief area officers and installations managers) that will conduct the installations inspections, providing support as required. 
• Support the delivery of trainings to UNRWA personnel on protection and humanitarian principles (particularly neutrality) as required.
• Prepares reports, briefings, and training materials as required and conducts oral and written translations of Arabic and English where required.
• Performs other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor (s).                                                                                                                                                

Conditions of service  

Option One:  Fixed Term Appointment, Grade 14 

Monthly basic salary JD985.1, plus an allowance of 1000 NIS payable in JD at UNRWA rate. Other benefits include monthly Provident Fund contribution (15% of basic salary paid by the Agency), compulsory medical insurance, 30 days of annual leave, and dependency allowance (if applicable).

Option Two: Limited Duration Contract (LDC- Band F) 

Monthly basic salary JD1, 132.8 depending on the professional knowledge and experience. Other benefits include compulsory medical insurance, 30 days of annual leave pre-rated to the duration of the contract where less than one year, and family allowance (if applicable).

جميع الحقوق محفوظة لموقع جوبس.

To qualify for this position, you will need:

Education

A university degree from a recognized university- level academic institutions, preferably in social sciences, political affairs, international relations, law or a related field.

Work experience

At least four years of relevant experience, preferably in protection, human rights, humanitarian/ relief emergency operations, or other related discipline.

Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of humanitarian, protection and/or neutrality policies and approaches. 

Demonstrable experience and knowledge of humanitarian, protection and/or human rights issues in the oPt.

Language(s)

Excellent command of spoken and written English and Arabic.  

Equivalency: 

Candidates with an equivalent combination of relevant academic qualifications, professional training and progressive work experience may also be considered.

You will also need to demonstrate the following competencies:

• Applying Technical Expertise.
• Planning and Organizing.
• Persuading and Influencing.
• Relating and Networking.
• Excellent analysis skills.
• Communication skills.
• Negotiations skills.
• Ability to handle sensitive issues diplomatically.

Please ensure that the e-mail address and mobile phone number that you will indicate in your Personal History Profile are accurate, candidates shortlisted for test or interview can be contacted by e-mail or phone.

It is the responsibility of the candidate to provide correct, accurate and up to date information in his/her application form. Any incorrect or misleading data may lead to disqualify the candidate.

For guidance on how to prepare for competency-based interviews: 

https://careers.un.org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=AYI

To start the application process, applicants are required to register at http://jobs.unrwa.org by creating a personal profile and completing UNRWA Personal History Form. Only applications received through http://jobs.unrwa.org will be considered. Due to the large number of applications received for UNRWA vacancies, only applicants short-listed for interview will be contacted. 

The United Nations does not charge fees at any stage of the recruitment process. The United Nations does not concern itself with information related to bank accounts.

General information

This vacancy notice is open to internal and external candidates. As an Area post, preference will be given to local candidates already based in the duty station of the post.

UNRWA is a United Nations organization whose staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity, neutrality and impartiality. This includes respect for and commitment to human rights, diversity, and non-violent means of dealing with all kinds of conflict. UNRWA staff are expected to uphold these values at all times, both at work and outside. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for UNRWA jobs. UNRWA is a non-smoking work environment.

The Agency reserves the right not to make an appointment, to make an appointment at a lower grade, or to make an appointment with a modified job description.

On appointment, all individuals will be asked to sign a self-attestation, confirming that they have not committed, been convicted of, or prosecuted for, any criminal offence and that they have not been involved, by act or omission, in the commission of any violation of international human rights law or international humanitarian law.