Senior Protection Associate

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Deadline for Applications June 26, 2026 Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based) A (least hardship) Family Type (not applicable for home-based) Family Staff Member / Affiliate Type CONTR Local Senior Level Support Target Start Date 2026-07-01 Terms of Reference During the past 60 years, UNHCR and the Government of Türkiye have been working together in close partnership. In 2013, Türkiye adopted a new legislation, the Law on Foreigners and International Protection (LFIP) and established a central civilian authority in charge of procedures for foreigners. As the main partner of the Turkish State in the field of international protection, UNHCR Türkiye cooperates with the Presidency of Migration Management and other national institutions to support implementation of the national legislation and international legal framework in the field of asylum. UNHCR Representation in Türkiye operates through a Country Office based in Ankara, and through sub-offices and field offices in Gaziantep, Istanbul, Izmir, and Ankara, as well as field units. 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 The Senior Protection Associate will support the Protection Unit in ensuring that protection standards, operational procedures, and protection delivery practices are aligned with international standards and UNHCR policies. Under the overall supervision of the Senior Protection Officer, the incumbent will contribute to the monitoring and analysis of protection trends, risks, needs, and responses, as well as support the Unit's advocacy and interventions across a range of protection areas, including child protection and gender-based violence. The incumbent will provide protection and legal guidance both internally and to UNHCR partners through the activities and daily interactions conducted by the Protection Unit. S/he will support initiatives related to the monitoring of protection delivery by partners, identification of protection gaps and areas requiring intervention, and the implementation of monitoring activities that inform advocacy efforts. The incumbent will also contribute to the drafting of position papers, guidance notes, and operational recommendations on relevant legal and protection matters. S/he will assist the Unit in systematically monitoring and documenting developments related to the implementation of protection activities and in consolidating observations to support evidence-based analysis and decision-making. The incumbent will support the preparation of guidance materials and recommendations shared with national counterparts and other stakeholders. The Senior Protection Associate will also contribute to the compilation of good practices, comparative analyses, and thematic reports on a broad range of protection issues. S/he will support the preparation of UNHCR publications and facilitate the dissemination of guidance and information to partners, refugees, refugee-led organizations (RLOs), academia, and other stakeholders. In addition, the incumbent will support the Unit's efforts to strengthen the capacity of national and partner institutions through the organization of capacity-building activities, including the preparation of training materials and delivery of presentations on relevant protection topics. As required and under the guidance of the Head of the Unit, the incumbent may represent the Office externally on protection doctrine, policy, and operational matters. Required qualifications, language(s) and work experience: - Bachelor's or equivalent or higher in Law, Political Science, International Relations, Social Sciences or a related field. Required/mandatory: - Planning and Organizing - Stakeholder Management - Data collection, compilation and reporting - Strong drafting skills - Accountability - Client & results orientation - Commitment to continuous learning - Judgement and decision making - Negotiation and conflict resolution - Organizational awareness - Stakeholder management - Excellent knowledge of Turkish and fluency in English - Strong interpersonal and communication skills - Ability to work in a team Desirable: - Knowledge of other UN languages is an asset. - Knowledge of International Refugee Law and Human Rights Law and ability to apply the relevant legal principles. - Completion of the UNHCR Learning programmes or specific training relevant to functions of the position. - Good knowledge of UNHCR financial rules, procedures and processes. - Good computer skills - Prior exposure to UNHCR refugee operations and functions relating to office administration and programme activities. Minimum years of work experience Minimum 4 years of relevant professional experience in protection, asylum, migration management, or related areas. Language Required: Turkish mother tongue and excellent command of English Desirable: Any other UN language (C1) Monit

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