Job Description

Please note that this vacancy is only open to eligible staff members who have been individually notified of their eligibility to apply for positions advertised in the Accelerated Posting Compendium.

June 12, 2026

A (least hardship)

Family

PR4

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2026-07-01

Senior Protection Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
In the Bureaux, the Senior Protection Officer works under the direct supervision of the Bureau Deputy Director or Head of Bureau Protection Service or Senior Protection Coordinator. In the Field, the incumbent normally reports to the Representative, Deputy or Assistant Representative (Protection) or Head of Sub Office as appropriate. The incumbent has direct supervisory responsibility for protection staff whose work may include RSD, community-based protection, registration, resettlement, internal displacement, complementary pathways, and education, among other areas. In HQ, the incumbent may report to a Chief of Section or Deputy Director and may lead a Unit and/or supervise other protection staff.

The incumbent acts as a key advisor to senior management and leads the development of a comprehensive protection strategy under the area of responsibility (AoR). S/he represents the Organization to authorities, UN sister agencies, partners and other stakeholders on protection policy and doctrine.

The Senior Protection Officer plans, leads and coordinates quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern under the AoR. This includes ensuring that operational responses in all sectors are shaped in a protection optic, are consistent with and promote respect for relevant international law and UNHCR's doctrine, mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards. Another important element of the incumbent¿s functions is to ensure that forcibly displaced and stateless persons of all age, gender and diversity groups are involved with the Office in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying and implementing appropriate solutions to their problems. To undertake this role effectively, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with other relevant teams within the operation or the Bureau (including programme; PI and external relations; IM) and with DIP, communities of concern, authorities, protection and assistance partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection and achieving solutions.

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
- Provide technical guidance and support to UNHCR and partners on all protection related issues.
- Stay abreast of legal, political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment.
- Manage a consultative process with government counterparts, partners and forcibly displaced and stateless persons to develop and implement a comprehensive protection and solutions strategy addressing the specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older persons, persons with disabilities, persons of diverse sexual orientation and/or gender identities (LGBTI persons), persons living with HIV/AIDS; gender equality and Gender Based Violence (GBV) priorities with regard to these persons.
- In operations applying the Cluster Approach, ensure the response of the Protection Cluster is grounded in a strategy which covers all assessed and prioritized protection needs of the affected populations.
- Ensure that the protection strategy is fully integrated into the Country Operations Plan, the UN Development and Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and the Humanitarian Country Team's common humanitarian response plan as well as with the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees and the Three Year Strategy on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways.
- Promote relevant International, Regional and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct and ensure that all sectors and /or in clusters in applicable operations fulfil their responsibilities in mainstreaming protection.
- Promote the implementation of the AGD policy, including UNHCR's updated commitments to women and girls, and design, deliver and monitor programmes on an AGD basis to address identified protection needs.
- Develop, implement and monitor community-based protection strategies and ensure systematic application and integration of participatory and community-based approaches in protection and solutions planning, programming and strategies.
- Support the establishment of feedback and response systems and the incorporation of feedback received from forcibly displaced and stateless persons into programme design and adaptation.
- Guide the operation in the development and implementation of robust prevention, identification, and responses to fraud within protection processes and procedures, including registration, RSD, and resettlement, ensuring the integrity of interventions across all protection activities.
- Oversee the management of individual protection cases including those on GBV and child protection.
- Provide legal advice and guidance on protection issues to internal and external interlocutors; ensure legal assistance is accessible to forcibly displaced and stateless persons ; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documents to forcibly displaced and stateless persons (including women and others in need of civil documentation in particular birth certificates).
- As designated Data Protection Focal Point, assist the data controller in carrying out his or her responsibilities regarding the Data Protection Policy (7.2 DPP).
- Oversee eligibility and status determination in the Operation(s) under the AoR, ensuring compliance with UNHCR procedural standards and international protection principles.
- Promote and implement strategies and measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness.
- Develop and implement an education plan as part of the protection strategy within the AoR as relevant.
- Develop and implement a child protection plan as part of the protection strategy within the AoR, ensuring programmes use a child protection systems approach.
- Monitor and intervene in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents through working relations with governments and other partners.
- Work to safeguard the rights of forcibly displaced and stateless persons in the context of mixed movements as relevant.
- Coordinate the preparation of, implement and oversee Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.
- Ensure that durable solutions through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement and complementary pathways are sought and provided to the largest possible number of forcibly displaced and stateless persons including undertaking, supporting, and/or overseeing resettlement and complementary pathways activities, including implementation of the GCR Three Year Strategy.
- Coordinate the design, implementation and evaluation of protection-related programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Develop and implement a programme of results-based advocacy through a consultative process with sectoral and/or cluster partners.
- Ensure that the Protection Sector or Cluster has an effective information management component that provides disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems.
- Research, collect and disseminate relevant protection information and good practices to enhance protection delivery.
- Develop the protection capacity of national and local authorities, partners and civil society to assume their responsibilities vis-à-vis all forcibly displaced and stateless persons through protection training, mainstreaming and related activities.
- Coordinate capacity-development initiatives for communities and individuals to assert their rights.
- Advise and capacitate national authorities, relevant institutions and civil society to strengthen legislation and status determination procedures and mechanisms.

- Lead risk assessments and discussions with team(s) to proactively manage risks and seize opportunities impacting objectives. Ensure that risk management principles are integrated in decision-making both at strategic and operational levels. Allocate resources for planned treatments with resource requirements in Strategic Plans. Ensure that risks are managed to acceptable levels and escalate, as needed. If a Risk Owner, designate the Risk Focal Point and certify that the annual risk review is completed and ensure that the risk register is updated during the year, as needed.
- Perform other related duties as required.

For positions in Bureaux

- Support the Regional Bureau and Country Operations to reflect the protection and solution angle in support of forcibly displaced and stateless persons with regional processes.
- Support Country Operations in the development of strategies to build and further develop national asylum/RSD systems with a view to ensuring their fairness, efficiency, adaptability and integrity, favourable protection environment and solutions.
- Assist UNHCR management at country level to comply with policies and commitment on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse measures.
- Support Country Operations and ensure they meet their complementary pathways objectives and resettlement quotas.
- In close collaboration with DIP, (a) contribute to the development of background and general normative, policy, and legal positions, in compliance with UNHCR's global protection policies and standards; (b) contribute to the development of strategies at the regional and country level on the usage of law and policy approaches, including legislative and judicial engagement and UN human rights mechanisms and/or regional ones and other protection frameworks, and integrated human rights standards in protection strategies and advocacy; and (c) coordinate and review UNHCR¿s country reports to the UN human rights mechanisms.
- Engage in relevant international and regional fora and forge regional partnerships to advocate for key protection and mandate issues, and engage in cross-cutting protection-related matters, including mixed movement, internal displacement and climate change/disaster-related displacement responses, as well as Statelessness in cooperation with DIP and where relevant RSD.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P4/NOD - 9 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 8 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 7 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Law, International Law, International refugee Law,

International Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian Law,

Refugee and Forced Migration, Political Sciences
or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Management Learning Programme
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Minimum 7 years of relevant professional experience in the area of refugee protection, internal displacement, human rights or international humanitarian law, including experience in working directly with Field Offices. Very good knowledge of International Refugee and Human Rights Law and ability to apply the relevant legal principles, and of UNHCR¿s protection strategies and policies. Excellent legal research, analytical skills and drafting.

Desirable
Diverse field experience. Good IT skills including database management skills.

Functional Skills
*PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
*PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD)
PR-Refugee Coordination Model
PR-Human Rights Doctrine/Standards
PR-International Humanitarian Law
PR-Assessment of IDPs Status, Rights, Obligation
PR-Comprehensive Solutions Framework
LE-Judicial Engagement
PR-Climate change and disaster related displacement
PR-Accountability to Affected People - Principles and Framework
PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) Coordination
(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.

Essential Attributes:
• Regional operational leadership & field support: Proven ability to advise and backstop multiple country operations on protection strategy and delivery—bringing hands-on experience working directly with operations and translating policy into operationally workable guidance.
• Cross-cutting technical depth: Strong, practical expertise across general protection, including child protection, GBV prevention/risk mitigation/response, community-based protection, and education, with demonstrated ability to mainstream these across corporate approaches (including the routes-based approach), including experience in case processing and how we can mainstream identification and referrals across functions and gain efficiencies, and ensure AGD-inclusive implementation.
• Regional coordination, representation & diplomacy: Demonstrated experience representing the organization in regional working groups and driving coordination/consensus with UN sister agencies, partners, and other stakeholders—paired with sound political judgment and stakeholder management skills.
• Rights-based, participatory approach & AAP: Experience in strengthening rights-based and community-based engagement, ensuring meaningful participation of forcibly displaced/stateless persons in decisions that affect them, and advancing accountability to affected people (AAP) and localisation in programming and operational practice.

Desirable Attributes:
-Resource mobilization & delivery discipline: Experience supporting/leading fundraising and overseeing implementation and reporting across an area of responsibility—while building effective interfaces with Programme, PI/External Relations, IM, DIPS, authorities and partners.

-Arabic Desirable, French Desirable

,

,

Arabic

,

French

,

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

The Security Level for Amman and the rest of the country is assessed at Level 1 (MINIMAL), except the northeast Jordanian Syrian border area, where it is assessed at Level 3 (MODERATE). Road traffic accidents remain a pertinent risk to staff. Vehicle travel is difficult at certain times due to adverse weather conditions, low visibility and/or heavy traffic. To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link:

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Nature of Position:

The Senior Protection Officer function operates under the overall guidance of the Senior Protection and Solutions Coordinator within the MENA Regional Bureau. The role encompasses oversight of protection functions including community-based protection, gender-based violence (GBV), and child protection. The MENA region’s protection strategy focuses on strengthening refugee protection through sustained dialogue and engagement with government counterparts to safeguard protection space for displaced populations. Ensuring access to safety, maintaining a favourable protection environment, and implementing the routes-based approach remain key corporate priorities across the region.

The function acts as a key advisory resource to operations in the development of comprehensive protection strategies, ensuring the integration of child protection, GBV prevention, risk mitigation and response, community-based protection, and education. It supports the alignment of operational approaches with corporate priorities, including ensuring that the routes-based approach incorporates relevant protection considerations across these areas. At the regional level, the role contributes to representation in inter-agency coordination mechanisms, including coordination structures under the Areas of Responsibility (AoR), and collaborates with UN agencies, partners, and other stakeholders on protection policy and advocacy, including promoting the inclusion of forcibly displaced and stateless populations in regional interventions.

The function provides guidance to operations on the design and implementation of quality, timely, and effective protection responses for forcibly displaced and stateless populations within the AoR. This includes strengthening prevention and response mechanisms in child protection and GBV, ensuring alignment with UNHCR policies and the application of age, gender, and diversity (AGD) principles. The role further supports rights-based and community-based engagement approaches, contributing to UNHCR’s commitments to accountability to affected populations. Where relevant, it supports operations in the development of strategies and roadmaps for the inclusion of forcibly displaced and stateless persons into national systems.

An important dimension of the function is to promote the meaningful participation of persons of concern across all age, gender, and diversity groups in decision-making processes affecting their rights and access to solutions.

Additionally, the role contributes to resource mobilization efforts, including supporting the development of fundraising proposals and the implementation and reporting of programmes within the AoR.

Effective delivery of this function requires strong collaboration and coordination across the Regional Bureau, including with programme, external relations, and information management teams, as well as with DIPS, national authorities, partners, communities of concern, and a broad range of stakeholders contributing to protection and solutions outcomes. Working knowledge of Arabic and/or French is desirable.

Living and Working Conditions:

Jordan has a total population of 9.4 million people. Amman houses 42% of Jordan’s population, 4.008 million, making it the populous city in the country. Amman is categorized as (A) duty station. Several International airlines operate daily flights from Amman (Queen Alia International Airport). The local currency is the Jordanian Dinar and the exchange rate is fixed and equivalent to ( 1 JOD=0.71 USD), Money traders and good local banking system are available.

Jordan is visa free for UNLP holders; however appointed staff must obtain a residency permit. Residency permits and other local protocol remain a challenge due to governmental procedures, subject to frequent changes. The process of obtaining residency in Jordan may vary depending on nationality of applicant, type of contract offered and its length.

Staff members assigned to Amman are residing in private accommodation. Rent in Amman can vary depending on the size of the property itself, number of bedrooms and the area of Amman in which it is located. Renting a 3-bedroom apartment can range from 1100 – 2500 USD per month.

Food and other commodities are widely available in the local shops and markets.

Amman tends to have a Mediterranean climate; summers are mildly hot, winter usually starts around the end of November and continues until mid-March, there is occasional snowfall.

The medium for teaching in international schools is English, however there are a few French language schools as well. There is a plethora of institutions for children of all ages from pre-school to high school as well universities.

The majority of international educational institutions are in Amman.

Amman is the home to many top-end hospitals and clinics. Due to Jordanian healthcare’s international appeal, nearly all doctors and many support staff speak English. Healthcare here is also very accessible and affordable.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

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

Certifications

HCR Management Learning Program - UNHCR

Competencies

Accountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Leadership, Managing performance, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Political awareness, Strategic planning & visions, Teamwork & collaboration

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

Compendium

Accelerated Posting Compendium 2026 - Part B

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance