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Role at requires 3 years relevant experience with a High School Diploma or 2 years with a Bachelor's degree, English language proficiency, and knowledge of UN protection principles. Duties include monitoring protection standards, building partnerships with communities, authorities, and partners, and maintaining SOPs for protection activities.
Last checked: 2 hours ago
Closing date: Thursday, 23 July 2026
Country: India
Duty station: New Delhi, India
Contract type: Full time
Grade: Not specified
Applicant eligibility: Local / national only
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Deadline for Applications
July 22, 2026
Grade
GS6
Staff Member / Affiliate Type
General Service
Reason
Temporary > Temporary Assignment/ Appointment
Hardship Level
B
Family Type
Family
Residential location (if applicable)
Target Start Date
2026-08-01
Target End Date
2026-11-30
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:
India currently hosts more than 261,000 refugees and asylum seekers. These include some 91,000 Sri Lankan refugees and 73,400 Tibetans directly assisted by the Government of India. There are also around 48,000 individuals registered under UNHCR’s mandate primarily from Afghanistan, Myanmar, and other countries. In addition, around 50,000 Myanmar nationals have sought refuge in the Northeast of India and live in a refugee-like situation. UNHCR works with the Government of India on protection and solutions for refugees and asylum seekers in India.
In 2025, severe funding cuts have resulted in the scaling back of critical services for refugees in India. UNHCR’s priorities currently include:
- strengthening registration, documentation, and legal aid to prevent or respond to arrest, detention, and risk of forced return—prioritizing high-risk cases for refugee status determination, with positive decisions opening pathways to resettlement and other solutions.
- addressing the urgent needs of the most vulnerable individuals including with emergency, life-saving assistance.
- deepening collaboration with local actors and investing in refugee- and community-led initiatives and livelihood programs that foster resilience, inclusion, and self-reliance.
- advancing durable solutions by expanding complementary pathways—such as labor mobility and education opportunities to third countries— advocating for increased resettlement, and facilitating safe, voluntary repatriation
UNHCR works through local partners in areas with the largest refugee populations and the highest operational needs providing essential protection services across India. The Office undertakes advocacy on the development of a national policy framework to respond to refugees including through the inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers in public services and programs in line with the commitment of “leaving no one behind” under the UN- Government of India Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework. UNHCR’s office is in New Delhi and has a field presence in Chennai, Tamil Nadu State.
Desired Candidate Profile
The Protection Associate (G6) will work within the Protection Unit under the supervision of the Senior Legal Associate. As a member of the protection unit, s/he is expected to work closely with his/her team, other units in the office, partners, and external stakeholders.
S/he should have demonstrated knowledge of UNHCR’s protection principles and standards, and practical experience in translating these principles and standards into strategies and tools in support of effective protection delivery.
S/he will serve as the focal point for all procedures to support refugees and asylum seekers in securing exit clearance for departures on voluntary repatriation, resettlement and complementary pathways, and facilitate access to refugees and asylum seekers in detention. S/he will work closely with UNHCR’s legal partner to ensure quality, timely and effective protection support to refugees and asylum seekers, especially for individuals facing legal protection challenges related to risk of arrest and detention. The Protection Associate will also contribute to the operation’s work around prevention of and response to trafficking.
He/she is expected to have sound knowledge of the national legal system and demonstrated experience in effectively advocating for access to solutions, preventing detention and refoulement, and securing release of asylum-seekers and refugees from detention through working closely with a various network of supporters and stakeholders.
The candidate is expected to build and maintain relationships with relevant actors at central and local levels and engage in advocacy with the aim of facilitating access to solutions by mitigating the barriers in the exit processes and improving the overall protection environment for refugees and asylum seekers.
The Protection Associate must demonstrate strong partnership-building, coordination and communication skills to liaise effectively with partners, relevant government authorities, UN agencies, NGOs and lawyers and other stakeholders in support of the operation’s protection and solutions objectives. To achieve these objectives, s/he will also need to build and maintain effective relations with communities of asylum-seekers and refugees.
The candidate is required to have proven analytical and drafting skills as well as experience in supporting development of protection and solution strategies and coordinating the implementation with external interlocutors. These include topics related to advocacy, alternatives to detention, and communication with communities in line with accountabilities to affected populations principles.
The candidate should have prior experience working with government entities and other stakeholders. Previous experience with UNHCR and experience in counselling refugees and asylum seekers will be considered an asset.
S/he should be willing to travel within the country. The position requires strong written and verbal communication skills in English as well as strong interpersonal and negotiation skills. The successful candidate will demonstrate professionalism, integrity, discretion, and the ability to manage competing priorities in a dynamic operational context.
This position is a temporary appointment for 04 months and is open only to Indian nationals. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted, and they may be required to undergo a written test and an interview. The selected candidate will work either from the UNHCR Office or other UNHCR partner locations in New Delhi, India.
Functional Clearance
This position doesn't require a functional clearance
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Additional Qualifications
Skills
IT-Computer Literacy, PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators, PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
Education
Certifications
International Law - Other, Political Science - Other
Work Experience
UNHCR Salary Calculator
https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales
Other information
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