Deadline for ApplicationsDecember 3, 2025
Hardship LevelC
Family TypeFamily
Family TypeFamily
Residential location (if applicable)
GradeGS6
Staff Member / Affiliate TypeGeneral Service
ReasonRegular > Regular Assignment
Target Start Date2026-01-01
Standard Job Description
Protection Associate
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Protection Associate normally reports to the Protection Officer or the Senior Protection Officer. 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 Protection Associate is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern (PoC) and identify opportunities to mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards in operational responses in all sectors. S/he contributes to designing a comprehensive protection strategy and liaises externally with authorities and partners on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor.
The Protection Associate 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
- Stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment.
- Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.
- Assist in providing comments on existing and draft legislation related to PoC.
- Provide advice on protection issues to PoC; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.
- Assist in conducting eligibility and status determination for PoC.
- 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 as part of the protection strategy.
- Monitor Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.
- Manage individual protection cases including those on GBV and child protection. Monitor, and intervene in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents.
- Assist in identifying durable solutions for the largest possible number of PoC through 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.
- Facilitate effective information management through the provision of disaggregated data on PoC and their problems.
- Participate in initiatives to capacitate authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen national protection related legislation and procedures.
- Assist the supervisor in prioritizing PoC for interview, counselling and propose protection support for individual cases.
- Assist the supervisor with enforcing compliance of local implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.
- Assit the supervisor with enforcing compliance with, and integrity of, all protection standard operating procedures.
- Submit individual payments request for PoC for approval.
- 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
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
International Law, Political Science
or other related field
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Not specified
Desirable
Protection Learning Programme
Functional Skills
IT-Computer Literacy
PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
(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.
Desired Candidate Profile Operational Context
UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees and other forcibly displaced people. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org).
The UNHCR Zambia Multi-Country Office covers Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe. UNHCR supports the Governments of Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe to provide an enabling protection environment that allows asylum seekers, refugees and former refugees to be protected, be self-reliant and achieve durable solutions.
The three countries have adopted a comprehensive refugee response approach as envisioned by the New York Declaration of 2016 and the Global Compact on Refugees of 2018, which guide the countriesโ refugee and asylum responses. The framework envisages an all-of-society approach with solid investment and support from the international community to meet both immediate life-saving humanitarian needs and long-term solutions through development action.
As of 30 September 2025, Zambia hosts some 113,054 forcibly displaced persons (82,535 refugees; 12,366 asylum seekers and 18,153 former refugees and others of concerns) in three refugee settlements and other urban areas including Lusaka. The vast majority live in the three refugee settlements, namely Mayukwayukwa (27,217) Meheba (46,794) Mantapala (10,435), and some (28,757) have settled in urban locations. Overall, 75% of refugees and asylum-seekers reside in settlements, while 25% live in urban settings. The Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) coordinates asylum and refugee management through the office of the Commissioner for Refugees (COR) in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security and in close collaboration with other government departments and the inter- governmental steering committee established for this purpose, with the direct support of UNHCR. UNHCR Multi Country Office (ZAMCO) has a Representation Office in Lusaka, two field offices (one in Solwezi and in Kaoma), as well as a Field Unit in Kawambwa. The Multi Country Office also oversees operations in Malawi and Zimbabwe
Malawi hosts some 240,461 forcibly displaced persons (35,143 refugees; 23,263 asylum-seekers and 182,051 internally displaced persons). Most of refugees in Malawi live in the heavily congested Dzaleka Refugee Camp which has 14, 123 households located near the capital Lilongwe and was set up in 1994 to accommodate just between 10,000 and 12,000 people. While maintaining open borders for people seeking safety, the Government of Malawi has historically taken a restrictive approach to managing refugee situations by making several reservations to the 1951 Refugee Convention. Its domestic legal framework reflects these reservations and consequently refugees face restrictions on their freedom of movement through the encampment policy, experience limited access to self-reliance opportunities.
Zimbabwe hosts some 23,790 forcibly displaced persons (9,294 refugees; 13,480 asylum seekers and 1,016 others of concern). The Government of Zimbabwe has made several pledges at the Global Refugee Forums in 2019 and 2023, including commitments to transform Tongogara Refugee Camp into a settlement and service centre. Tongogara refugee camp is located in a region prone to climate-related shocks with risks human-wildlife conflict (drought and floods).
Nature of the Position
The Protection Associate (G6) works under the supervision of the Associate Durable Solutions Officer and will work in close coordination with the Community-Based Protection Associate and the Head of Field Office Solwezi. As part of the Solwezi Field Office team, the Protection Associate assists the office in implementing all aspects of UNHCRโs protection mandate, such as prevention, mitigation and response to protection issues, providing advice, and working with competent authorities to promote an enabling protection environment for forcibly displaced people and those at risk of statelessness. The incumbent will be responsible for providing protection assistance to refugees, former refugees, and asylum-seekers in the Meheba settlement, nearby areas, urban environments and key border points in Zambia.
The Government of the Republic of Zambia has, in January 2024, launched a National Refugee Policy and Implementation Plan which includes important commitments towards local long-term solutions for refugees and Angolan and Rwandan former refugees in Zambia. These commitments were already reflected in Zambia's pledges during the 2023 Global Refugee Forum to support the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees. Working in collaboration with a diverse range of partners, particularly government agencies and development actors in Zambia, the Protection Associate contributes to UNHCRโs support to the government to implement the Refugee Policy. This includes leveraging UNHCRโs convening capacity to engage new partners, guiding government actions, and fostering collaboration with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including refugee communities and leaders, local municipal authorities, NGOs and civil society.
By focusing on sustainable responses, the Protection Associate will contribute to the development and implementation of strategies that enhance the resilience and self-reliance of forcibly displaced persons, while promoting their long-term inclusion in accessing national services and opportunities. The incumbent will also actively engage in fostering social cohesion between forcibly displaced persons and their host communities.
The Protection Associate will undertake a range of operational activities, including conducting vulnerability and protection needs assessments, registration, facilitating protection consultations with partners, supporting detention and border monitoring, and intervening in cases of refoulement, expulsion, and other protection incidents.
A key responsibility of this role is to identify and address protection gaps and needs, pinpoint individuals with specific protection requirements, and recommend tailored protection interventions in collaboration with colleagues and partners. This includes actively supporting child protection efforts, conducting Best Interest Assessments (BIAs) for children, participating in Best Interest Determination Panels (BIDs), protection panels and help desks, and participating in initiatives aimed at strengthening national protection legislation and procedures.
Furthermore, the Protection Associate will play a crucial role in promoting the meaningful involvement of forcibly displaced persons in decision-making processes that affect their lives and future possibilities.
The incumbent will also lead efforts to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), support the strengthening of Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) including through training for staff and partners, and support efforts to further enhance outreach counselling initiatives jointly with partners. These initiatives aim to identify vulnerable individuals and maintain safe and accessible points for community members to voice concerns, seek assistance, and provide feedback directly to UNHCR and partners.
The role demands coordination of quality, timely, and effective solutions focussed responses to the needs of forcibly displaced populations but also the integration of protection safeguards across all operational sectors. S/he is expected to monitor and elevate protection standards, operational procedures, and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards. S/he is required to report suspicions of fraud, exploitation, as well as document suspected or reported incidents of fraud by clients, colleagues, partners, or third parties.
Additionally, the incumbent will contribute significantly to the implementation of the operationโs multi-year strategy, generate awareness of the specific situation of refugees and actively work with external authorities and partners on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor.
Desired Candidate Profile
The incumbent must have relevant and demonstrated experience and skills in humanitarian or development work in field settings with vulnerable and marginalized communities. Experience working in the fields of child protection and gender-based violence is viewed favourably, as is legal training.
The candidate must be experienced in conducting assessments, in collecting, analysing, and reporting on data related to protection gaps and concerns, as well as partner and team training on community outreach and protection issues. S/he will preferably have experience in organising and coordinating interventions to integrate protection safeguards and solutions approaches tailored to the needs of forcibly displaced populations or other vulnerable/marginalized groups.
The incumbent must have demonstrated experience working and negotiating with government authorities and agencies, with non-governmental partners, and development actors. Candidates with prior experience working with forcibly displaced communities and an understanding of related challenges are encouraged to apply.
The incumbent must understand and be able to use risk-based approaches to work, particularly fraud mitigation and prevention. The incumbent must thereby be fully conversant with anti-fraud, integrity and accurate identity data management, standards and procedures and be able to ensure their full application at the operational level.
The candidate must have strong ICT skills. Excellent English language proficiency and drafting skills, both orally and in writing are essential. The candidate must be a strong communicator. S/he must have demonstrated experience working in a demanding work environment that requires establishing workplans and systems, following workplans and standard procedures, and meeting deadlines with quality work. Familiarity with online/digital tools is essential and full computer literacy is required, including the use of Microsoft excel.
The incumbent must demonstrate the ability to make timely and sound decisions in rapidly changing situations, the ability to uphold the highest ethical standards, and exhibit a high level of awareness of and respect for cultural diversity and be able to work effectively in a multi-cultural and multiethnic environment.
Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):
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Desired languages
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Operational context
Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:
Nature of Position:
Living and Working Conditions:
Additional Qualifications
SkillsIT-Computer Literacy, PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators, PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
Education
CertificationsInternational Law - Other, Political Science - Other
Work Experience
CompetenciesAccountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Judgement & decision making, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration
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Additional Information
Functional clearanceThis position doesn't require a functional clearance