Job Description

Deadline for Applications

October 16, 2026

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

C

Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

Family

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

UNOPS LICA6

Target Start Date

2026-11-02

Terms of Reference

This vacancy is on invitation only:

TERMS OF REFERENCE

(Individual Contractor Agreement)

Title: Community-Based Protection Associate

Project: UNHCR Rwanda/2025/E12925

Duty station: Karongi Field Office, Rwanda

Section/Unit: Protection Unit/UNHCR Rwanda

ICA Level: LICA 6 (UNOPS)

Corresponding level: G6

Duration: from 02November 2026 to 31 Dec 2026 (with a possibility of renewable)

Supervisor: Associate Protection Officer.

1. General Background

The Government of Rwanda (GoR), through the Ministry of Emergency Management (MINEMA) and the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration (DGIE), leads the national refugee response in coordination with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The UNHCR Representation in Rwanda comprises a Branch Office in Kigali and Field Offices (FOs) in Huye, Karongi, and Kirehe.

FO Karongi is responsible for overseeing Kiziba Refugee Camp (Established in 1996), Nkamira Transit Centre—which hosts asylum seekers from the DRC—as well as two additional transit centres, Nyarushishi and Kijote, which receives and accommodate Rwandan returnees from the DRC.

The camp is the most context-sensitive in Rwanda’s operation and therefore needs well-informed personnel with adequate experience in the same or similar operational context ready to manage the expectations of the population on resettlement as the only most preferable durable solution to the plight of the persons of concern in Kiziba camp.

The government of Rwanda is a party to the 1951 convention and other important human rights convention and offers international protection to refugees and asylum seekers present on its territory including those in Kiziba and Karongi area of responsibility. The refugee situation in Rwanda has largely been a protracted one, but recently, increasing instability in Eastern DRC during the latter part of 2022 and early 2023 has forced people to flee across the border to Rwanda. As of end of September 2023, around 15,000 new arrivals have been recorded. At the policy level, Rwanda gives utmost importance to refugee inclusion into national services such as education, health, socio-economic and financial services (including access to investment & bank accounts). Explicitly, Article 18 of the Law n°13ter/ 2014 of 21/05/2014 relating to refugees stipulates that "without prejudice to other laws, any person having obtained refugee status in Rwanda shall enjoy the rights and liberties provided for by international instruments on refugees ratified by Rwanda.

There is a gradual shift from a humanitarian approach to a developmental focus in the Rwandan refugee response, with emphasis on sustainable livelihoods and social cohesion (Humanitarian, Development and Peace nexus). UNHCR further strengthens its advocacy with partners and assists refugees to become more self-reliant with targeted assistance and an increased number of livelihood projects, including access to training, cash grants, and technical expertise, as well as establishing strategic partnerships with Development actors, UN agencies and private sector. UNHCR current protection activities provided to refugees, displaced communities and stateless persons includes Registration, Refugee Status Determination, Resettlement and Durable Solutions while assistance is primarily focusing on life-saving activities such as health, education, livelihoods, and community development/empowerment. With resettlement being the main durable solution for Congolese refugees, it has become challenging to manage expectations in resettlement, and attempted fraud cases are being identified and managed. Reportedly, tensions within families have been reported, and domestic issues, all linked to resettlement expectations. The refugee communities were most often unwilling to develop their capacities/potentials, due to concerns of losing resettlement opportunities.

1. Purpose and Scope of Assignment

The Community-Based Protection Associate reports to the Associate Protection Officer. The Community-Based Protection Associate is a member of the Protection Unit and reports to the Associate Protection Officer. The Head of office comes in to provide guidance when needed/on some key sensitive and challenges issues.

Under the overall direction of the Protection Unit, and in coordination with other UNHCR staff, government, NGO partners and other stakeholders, the Community-Based Protection Associate works directly with communities of concern to identify the risks they face and to leverage their capacities to protect themselves, their families and communities. The incumbent may support staff in the application of community-based protection standards, operational procedures and practices in community-based protection delivery at the field level.

To fulfil this role, the Community-Based Protection Associate is required to spend a substantial percentage of the workday outside the office, building and maintaining networks within communities of the people we serve. The development and maintenance of constructive relationships with people we serve that measurably impact and enhance protection planning, programming and results, form the core of the work of the incumbent. S/he also supports the designing of a community-based protection strategy by ensuring that it is based on consultation with the people we serve.

Under the direct supervision of the Associate Protection Officer, the incumbent will undertake the following tasks:

• Assist functional units, the Multi-Functional Team (MFT) and senior management to integrate participatory and community-based approaches in the overall protection strategy and operational procedures.
• Through relationships with the people we serve and network of partners, stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment and provide advice to the protection team. Understand the perspectives, capacities, needs and resources of the people we serve and advise the protection team accordingly on how to respond, highlighting the specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older persons, persons with disabilities, marginalized groups.
• Work with host communities to identify opportunities for national civil society involvement in improving the protection of PoC, and to foster social cohesion between refugees and host community.
• Work with implementing and operational partners as well as with displaced and local communities to develop community-owned activities to address, where applicable, the social, educational, psycho-social, cultural, health, organizational and livelihood concerns as well as child protection and prevention and response to GBV.
• Assist in the analysis that identifies the capacities of communities of concern and risks they face.
• Support participatory assessments by multifunctional teams and ongoing consultation with the people we serve.
• Assist in planning and monitoring of programmes and budgets, with an AGD perspective
• Build office capacity for community-based protection through training and establishing systems for community mobilization and participation of PoC.
• Support communities in establishing representation and coordination structures.
• Ensure community understanding of UNHCR's commitment to deliver on accountability and quality assurance in its response.
• Act as an interpreter in exchange of routine information, contribute to related liaison activities and respond directly to routine queries.
• Contribute to the enforcement of participatory AGD sensitive analysis as an essential basis for all of UNHCR’s work.
• Initiate AGD sensitive interventions at the appropriate level on community-based protection issues and to respond to protection concerns and incidents within the office, with external interlocutors, groups and individuals based on agreed parameters.
• Identify and select which individuals or groups to prioritize for counselling and field visits based on agreed criteria.
• Intervene with authorities on protection.
• Enforce compliance of implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.
• Recommend and prepare payments to individual cases.
• Provide support on on-going activities related to return, and other durable solution responses, including sustainable programming.
• Perform other related duties as required.

1. Monitoring and Progress Controls

The performance of the incumbent will be assessed through regular feedback from the supervisor and periodic reviews. Key performance indicators will include the quality, accuracy, and timeliness of registration and verification data, statistical reporting, and documentation, as well as the efficiency of registration processes and compliance with established standard operating procedures. The incumbent is also expected to consistently uphold the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and respect for diversity in the delivery of duties.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable for performing their responsibilities as outlined in their job descriptions and within their delegated authorities, in line with the UNHCR regulatory framework. This framework comprises the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions, and other accountability mechanisms. In fulfilling these obligations, the incumbent must demonstrate alignment with UNHCR’s core, functional, cross-functional, and managerial competencies and contribute to a safe, inclusive, and respectful working environment that ensures protection principles are consistently applied.

1. Qualifications and Experience

A. Education, Certificates, and/or Licenses

• Education: 3 years relevant experience with a High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with a Bachelor's or equivalent or higher.
• Field(s) of Education: International Development, Cultural Studies, Human Rights, International Social Work, Social Science, Political Science, Anthropology, International Law, or other relevant field.

B. Work Experience

• Years of Experience: 3 years relevant experience with a High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with a Bachelor's or equivalent or higher.
• Relevant Job Experience: Essential (Experience in working with UNHCR in protection and solutions), Desirable (Training in basic principles of international protection, Protection Learning Programme).
• Functional Skills:

*IT-MS Office Applications

*IT-Computer Literacy

IT-Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

PR-Community-based Protection

PR-Community-based Protection - Principles and methodologies

CL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community

PG-Experience with coordinating with Implementing Partners (Governmt/INGO/NGO/Corporate)

TR-Capacity Building

(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

C. Language Requirement

• Fluency in English and Kinyarwanda, and a very good working knowledge of regional languages. Knowledge of French will be an added advantage.

D. Key Competencies

• Core Competencies:

Accountability

Communication

Organizational Awareness

Teamwork & Collaboration

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Client & Result Orientation

• Cross-Functional Competencies:

Analytical Thinking

Technological Awareness

Planning and Organizing

• Managerial Competencies

Judgement and Decision Making

• Cross-Functional Competencies

Negotiation and Conflict Resolution

Political Awareness

Stakeholder Management

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.

Standard Job Description

Required Languages

Desired Languages

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

Certifications

Work Experience

Other information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance

Remote

No