Senior Protection Assistant

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)A (least hardship)

Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

Family

Staff Member / Affiliate TypeCONTR Local Entry and Mid-Level Support

Target Start Date2025-09-01

Deadline for ApplicationsAugust 24, 2025

Terms of ReferenceThere will be 3 (three) hires for this advertisement, subject to operational needs and requirements.

I. PROJECT DETAILS

Requesting office (hiring office): UNHCR Türkiye

II. DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ENGAGED INDIVIDUAL CONTRACT HOLDER

a) General Background of Project or Assignment, Operational Context:

Türkiye remains host to the world’s largest refugee population, with the Government of Türkiye leading the national response in coordination with the Presidency of Migration Management (PMM). UNHCR Türkiye complements these efforts by supporting access to services, promoting the inclusion of refugees in national systems, and addressing individual protection needs through field-based interventions.

The Area of Responsibility (AoR) of the Ankara Field Unit (AFU) encompasses a diverse and high-volume refugee population. As of April 2025, approximately 400,000 individuals are registered under Temporary Protection (TP) in the AoR. In addition, around 200,000 individuals fall under International Protection (IP)—the majority of whom are Farsi-speaking asylum-seekers and refugees.
This makes the AFU AoR one of the regions with the highest concentration of protection needs in the country, primarily due to the size and vulnerability of the Persian-speaking population. As a result, the presence of a Farsi-speaking Senior Protection Assistant is essential to facilitate effective communication, ensure accurate needs assessments, and contribute to timely and appropriate protection interventions.

Operating under the supervision of the Assistant Protection Officer, the Senior Protection Assistant supports the AFU in case management, particularly in detention and deportation cases, conducts protection follow-up activities, facilitates communication with persons of concern, and contributes to monitoring and reporting efforts. The role also includes interpretation and translation support when required, especially during interviews and field visits involving Persian-speaking individuals.

The position is based in Ankara, the capital city of Türkiye, which offers a stable security environment and access to health, education, and transportation services. Regular travel across the AoR may be required to support field missions and protection interventions. The role requires cultural sensitivity, adherence to humanitarian principles, and the ability to respond flexibly to operational needs, including extended working hours and occasional weekend or overnight missions.

b) Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for specific duty stations, please visit this link: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

c) Purpose and Scope of Assignment:

The Senior Protection Assistant (Farsi-speaking), based in the Ankara Field Unit (AFU), plays a key role in ensuring effective communication and protection service delivery for Persian-speaking persons of concern (PoCs), who constitute a significant portion of the international protection caseload in the region. Operating under the supervision of the Assistant Protection Officer, the Senior Protection Assistant contributes to the individual case management process and supports broader protection activities across the AFU’s Area of Responsibility.

The incumbent is expected to support the protection team in responding to urgent protection concerns, with a particular focus on detention and deportation cases. S/he serves as a focal point for follow-up actions related to these cases, ensuring timely coordination with relevant UNHCR units, government authorities, and partners. The Senior Protection Assistant is also responsible for conducting counseling interventions, facilitating referrals to appropriate services, and monitoring the implementation of protection interventions.

Given the significant number of Persian-speaking asylum-seekers in the AoR, the incumbent provides interpretation and translation support, both verbal and written, to facilitate accurate communication between UNHCR and PoCs during interviews, field visits, and other protection-related activities. In doing so, the Senior Protection Assistant ensures that language barriers do not impede access to rights, services, and protection mechanisms.

Additionally, the Senior Protection Assistant is responsible for maintaining accurate and up-to-date records of cases in UNHCR’s protection database, drafting reports, preparing weekly case follow-up lists, and contributing to internal and external reporting processes, including the AFU Weekly Update and the 3RP. The incumbent may also be tasked with participating in trainings, coordination meetings, and workshops, supporting the unit through note-taking and reporting, and performing other duties as assigned by supervisors.

The role requires strong communication skills, cultural sensitivity, and a sound understanding of international and national protection frameworks. The incumbent must be flexible and prepared to travel across the AFU’s Area of Responsibility as operational needs arise.

III. CANDIDATE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, SELECTION CRITERIA

a) Required qualifications, language(s) and work experience:

Minimum 2 years of relevant experience with a High School diploma, or 1 year with a university degree in International Law, Political Science, or related field is preferred.

Language:

-Required: Excellent command of Turkish, Farsi, and English (spoken and written)

-Desirable: Additional knowledge of Arabic is an asset.

b) Field of expertise, competencies:

Core Competencies

-Accountability
-Communication
-Organizational Awareness
-Teamwork & Collaboration
-Commitment to Continuous Learning
-Client & Result Orientation

Cross-Functional Competencies

-Analytical Thinking
-Political Awareness
-Stakeholder Management

Desirable:

-Proficiency in MS Office applications and relevant data entry systems.
-Advanced problem-solving skills and strong organizational capabilities.
-Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build effective working relationships with stakeholders.
-Demonstrated ability to handle confidential information and work under pressure.
-Familiarity with UNHCR protection standards, guidelines, and refugee law.

IV. EVALUATION, MONITORING, SUPERVISION

a) Monitoring and Progress Controls:

The incumbent reports to the Assistant Protection Officer and will be monitored under his/her guidance.

Individual Contractor Agreements

Definition:

Individual contractor is an individual engaged by UNHCR under a contract of limited duration to provide skills or knowledge for the performance of a specific task or piece of work and engaged under an individual contract issued directly by UNHCR. They are neither staff members of UNHCR under the Staff Regulations and Rules, nor Officials for the purpose of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations of 13 February 1946.

Contract Duration/Renewal:

Any extension of an individual contract is subject to operational needs, satisfactory service, and availability of funds. There is no expectation of renewal or conversion of the individual contract beyond its expiry date.

Working Hours:

40 hours per week, inclusive of mandatory night shifts, possibility of work on weekends and official holidays as part of the assigned schedule.

Leave Entitlements:

Annual leave at the rate of two and a half working days per month.
Sick leave at the rate of two working days for each month of service.

Medical Coverage:

Cigna Health Insurance, also available optionally for eligible dependents, subject to additional contribution rates.

Remuneration:

Remuneration at the level of the vacancy (G4 level or G5 level as applicable) based on the International Civil Services Commission (ICSC) salary scale.

Legal Requirements:

Individual Contractors must comply with relevant local legislation, including but not limited to those relating to taxation, social security requirements, licenses, work permits and visas, and other details stipulated in the terms of their contract. UNHCR undertakes no liability for taxes and social security contributions, duties, or other contributions payable by the individual contract holder on payments made under the individual contract. The individual contract holders will not be reimbursed such taxes or granted any other benefit, payment, or subsidy which is not expressly provided for in the contract under which they are engaged. UNHCR may require the individual contract holder to provide evidence within a reasonable time that they have registered for and are paying applicable taxation and social security to the relevant national authorities.

Important to note: The Individual Contractor shall be responsible for paying any tax levied by his/her Government or other entities on his/her UNHCR earnings. Under no circumstances shall UNHCR be responsible for paying or reimbursing such taxes.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Clearances and ID Cards:

Applications of non-Turkish candidates are subject to MFA clearance before any offer can be made. For cleared candidates who are recruited, MFA ID card applications will be processed while the issuance lies within the authority of the MFA.

Important to note: Once the MFA ID is issued, the time spent under an Individual Contract no longer counts toward eligibility for Turkish citizenship.

Application Requirements:
Applicants must ensure:

-To apply for the vacancies timely through Workday. No late applications are accepted.
-To reflect their previous experience, language skills (including the mother tongue), and other assets in their Workday applicant profiles, duly. Shortlisting is done based on the information provided in the applications only
-To attach their valid residence permits (both sides visible) in case they are non-Turkish nationals.

PLEASE DO NOT USE TURKISH CHARACTERS IN YOUR NAME & SURNAME INFORMATION.

Recruitment as a UNHCR staff member and engagement under a UNHCR affiliate scheme or as an intern is subject to successful reference checks and integrity clearance.

UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, processing, training, or any other fees).

Only short-listed candidates will be notified. The recruitment process might include a written test and/or oral interview for this job opening. No late applications will be accepted.

External candidates should be legally present in Türkiye at the time of application, recruitment, and hire.

Non-Turkish citizens are required to upload their residence permits or relevant documents under the ‘Certifications’ section, by selecting the type as ‘Personnel Administration – Other’, in order to be considered for this job opening. Applications by non-Turkish citizens will NOT be considered if a valid residence permit is not attached to the application.

For further information on how to apply, please visit the ‘UNHCR - Application and Selection’ page at https://www.unhcr.org/how-to-apply.html.

Standard Job Description

Required Languages English

,Farsi

,Turkish

Desired Languages

,

,

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

Certifications

Work Experience

Other informationThis position doesn't require a functional clearance

RemoteNo