Associate Protection Officer

November 1, 2026

E (most hardship)

Non Family with Residential Location

Nairobi (CO), Kenya

NOB

National Professional Officer

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2026-10-16

Associate Protection Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Associate Protection Officer reports to the Protection Officer or the Senior Protection Officer. Depending on the size and structure of the Office, the incumbent may have supervisory responsibility for protection staff including community-based protection registration, resettlement and education. S/he provides functional protection guidance to information management and programme staff on all protection/legal matters and accountabilities. These include: statelessness (in line with the campaign to End Statelessness by 2024), Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) commitments, age, gender, diversity (AGD) and accountability to affected populations (AAP) through community-based protection, Child protection, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention and response, gender equality, disability inclusion, youth empowerment, psycho-social support and PSEA, registration, asylum/refugee status determination, resettlement, local integration, voluntary repatriation, human rights standards integration, national legislation, judicial engagement, predictable and decisive engagement in situations of internal displacement and engagement in wider mixed movement and climate change/disaster-related displacement responses. S/he supervises protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards.

The Associate Protection Officer is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern, ensuring that operational responses in all sectors mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards. The incumbent contributes to the design of a comprehensive protection strategy and represents the organization externally on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor. S/he also ensures that persons of concern are meaningfully engaged in the decisions that affect them and support programme design and adaptations that are influenced by the concerns, priorities and capacities of persons of concern. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, authorities, protection and assistance partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection.

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.
- Promote International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.
- Foster their consistent and coherent interpretation and application through mainstreaming in all sectors and /or in clusters in applicable operations.
- Assist in providing comments on existing and draft legislation related to persons of concern.
- Provide legal advice and guidance on protection issues to persons of concern; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.
- Conduct eligibility and status determination for persons of concern in compliance with UNHCR procedural standards and international protection principles.
- Promote and contribute to measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness.
- Contribute to a country-level child protection plan as part of the protection strategy to ensure programmes use a child protection systems approach.
- Contribute to a country-level education plan.
- Implement and oversee Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities which integrate AGD sensitive procedures.
- Oversee and manage individual protection cases, including those on GBV and child protection. Monitor, and intervene in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents through working relations with governments and other partners.
- Recommend durable solutions for the largest possible number of persons of concern through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement.
- Assess resettlement needs and apply priorities for the resettlement of individuals and groups of refugees and other persons of concern.
- Participate in the organisation and implementation of participatory assessments and methodologies throughout the operations management cycle and promote AGD sensitive programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Contribute to and facilitate a programme of results-based advocacy through a consultative process with sectorial and/or cluster partners.
- Facilitate effective information management through the provision of disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems.
- Promote and integrate community-based approaches to protection and contribute to capacity-building initiatives for communities and individuals to assert their rights.
- Support activities in the area of risk management related to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, fraud, case-processing, data protection, and human rights due diligence at country level.
- Participate in initiatives to capacitate national authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen national protection related legislation and procedures.
- Intervene with authorities on protection issues.
- Negotiate locally on behalf of UNHCR.
- Decide priorities for reception, interviewing and counselling for groups or individuals.
- Enforce compliance of staff and implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.
- Enforce compliance with, and integrity of, all protection standard operating procedures.

- 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

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P2/NOB - 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Law, International Law, Political Sciences or other relevant field

Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified.
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Professional experience in the area of refugee protection, internal displacement, human rights or international humanitarian law. Good knowledge of International Refugee and Human Rights Law and ability to apply the relevant legal principles.
Desirable
Field experience, including in working directly with communities. Good IT skills including database management skills.

Functional Skills
*PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
*PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD)
PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) Coordination
MG-Project Management
PR-Human Rights Doctrine/Standards
PR-International Humanitarian Law
PR-Assessment of IDPs Status, Rights, Obligation
PR-Climate change and disaster related displacement
CO-Drafting and Documentation
(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.

• Extensive experience, at least 5 years, working in complex, protracted, and emergency humanitarian contexts on international protection providing technical guidance; legal, protection, and case-management support; capacity building and training on international protection principles, refugee rights, and protection procedures to relevant stakeholders and personnel; and child protection, gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response, and youth and sport for protection programming.
• Demonstrated experience, at least 3 years, in refugee registration, identity and operational data management, use of PRIMES and with a strong understanding of data protection.
• Proven experience in supporting the Government systems with integrated data systems, and socioeconomic and investment profiling etc.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating with implementing and operational partners, government authorities, and law enforcement officials to facilitate access to asylum and ensure the provision of protection assistance and services.
• Experience supporting refugee inclusion, self-reliance, and durable solutions, including initiatives aimed at strengthening access to services and community-based protection mechanisms.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, coordination, and stakeholder-engagement skills, with demonstrated ability to work effectively in complex, multicultural, and high-pressure humanitarian operations.

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

Nature of Position:

The Government of Kenya, in line with the GCR and its CRRF, in collaboration with its partners has taken concrete steps to improve conditions supporting socioeconomic inclusion of refugees and host communities. These include: (i) enactment of Refugees Act of 2021 and Refugee Regulations, (ii) operationalization of Kalobeyei and Garissa Integrated Socioeconomic Development Plans (KISEDP and GISEDP), (iii) launch of the Shirika Plan, (iv) gazettement of Kakuma and Dadaab as the Municipalities.

Kakuma Municipality, located in Turkana County in the north-western region of Kenya, hosts nearly 550,000 people including over 330,00 refugees and asylum seekers from 23 nationalities. KISEDP-II (2023-2027), the pillar of Shirika Plan, in line with Turkana County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) and Kenya’s MTP-IV (2023-2027) and UNHCR multiyear strategy (MYS 2024-2026) and sustainable responses supports the delivering rights-based and equitable protection services for refugees and host communities while advancing the durable solutions. In this regard, concerted focus is on local integration in the context of socioeconomic inclusion, right-based and equitable services, regional and cross-border initiatives (within EAC promoting markets, movements, and private sector and businesses) in support of integration/reintegration programmes, reinforced complementary pathways through education and labour mobility including in partnerships with private sector for prospect employers/employment, and data-driven evidence-based protection and solutions programmes in line with county and national plans supporting refugee inclusion and empowerment.

 

In line with the above, the incumbent will therefore support UNHCR in advocating access to asylum and territory and will provide technical guidance and support to the Government on the implementation of international and national legal frameworks relating to access to asylum and territory. The incumbent will further support the supervision of protection standards, operational procedures and practices to ensure that protection delivery is consistent with applicable international standards, and importantly the technical support on registration, identity documentation and data management, and as well as to the County Government with the KISEDP Integrated Information Management System (KIMIS), and relevant data systems and the socioeconomic profiling supporting UNHCR’s 50by35 vision. In addition, s/he will support protection accountability and the mainstreaming of age, gender and diversity and accountability to affected populations through community-based protection and interventions relating to child protection; gender-based violence prevention and response; gender equality; disability inclusion; youth empowerment; psychosocial support; protection from sexual exploitation and abuse; asylum and refugee status determination; solutions including local integration and socio-economic inclusion; integration of human rights standards; and engagement with Government  legislation and judicial institutions.

Living and Working Conditions:

The current Security Level in the SRM Area 1A: Northern Rift Valley (Kakuma, Lodwar ) is Moderate -3. All United Nations personnel must comply with UNDSS procedures and recommendations during their assignment to Kakuma, Kenya. Thefts and burglary are the main incidents against UN personnel.

Kakuma city is a non-family duty station with a hardship classified E, its living conditions are difficult, but the social climate is calm. The weather is hot, dry, and sunny hence no heavy clothes would be recommended. Windy storms are common during the months of December and more pronounced in January till March.

UNHCR national staff can arrange their own accommodation or chose to reside in UNHCR Kakuma compound. Family members cannot reside or visit in the compound. The compound was constructed in 2001, houses were renovated several times and are in generally acceptable conditions. All houses have basic amenities and internet is available. UNHCR compound also includes a cafeteria, a gym, and a secure running path. There is an airstrip in Kakuma with regular humanitarian flights to Nairobi by UNHAS. Nearest public airport is in Lodwar.

The medical facilities in Kakuma are limited. JMS clinic is available in UNHCR compound as well as several public hospitals in Kakuma town and Kakuma camp. The yellow fever vaccine is compulsory, and vaccination cards should be updated. Vaccinations against Meningococcal Meningitis and Hepatitis A and B are also recommended. The basic drugs are available in pharmacies, but it is recommended to bring specific prescription drugs.

Kakuma camp is close to UNHCR compound, Kalobeyei settlement is half an hour drive away. There are no security restrictions on working in the camps. County authorities are located in Lodwar, some 2.5 hours away. The closest border crossing is Nadapal. Police escort is required for UNHCR missions to Lodwar and Nadapal.
 

Additional Qualifications

Skills

CO-Drafting and Documentation, MG-Project Management, PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD), PR-Assessment of IDPs Status, Rights, Obligation, PR-Climate change and disaster related displacement, PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) Coordination, PR-Human Rights Doctrine/Standards, PR-International Humanitarian Law, PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators

Bachelor of Arts: International Law, Bachelor of Arts: Law, Bachelor of Arts: Political Science

Certifications

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Teamwork & collaboration

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

Compendium

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance