Protection Associate

February 17, 2026

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

B

FamilyUNOPS LICA6

2026-04-01A. Operational Context

Jordan is considered to be the most stable Arab country in the Levant area of the Middle East. 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.

The Mafraq Sub-Office oversees the Zaatari Refugee Camp, Raba’a Al Sarhan Transit Centre, and host communities across the Mafraq governorate, serving approximately 105,000 registered refugees. From April 2026, the Mafraq Sub-Office will also oversee Garden Camp and host communities across the Irbid, Ajloun, and Jerash governorates, serving an additional 83,000 registered refugees.

Under the supervision of an Assistant Protection Officer or Senior Protection Associate, the Protection Associate will serve as part of a Protection team working primarily from the UNHCR Basecamp office located within Zaatari Camp in Mafraq Governorate, but with responsibility for supporting the protection programs of Sub-Office Mafraq across its entire area of operations. The Protection Associate should therefore be familiar with conducting protection case management for refugees living in camp and out-of-camp contexts, in both urban and rural settings. As a member of the wider SO Mafraq Protection team, the Protection Associate supports the fulfillment of UNHCR’s mandate on protection prevention, risk mitigation and response based on established policy and guidance. The Protection Associate will be responsible for the delivery of protection services to refugees, which will include providing direct counseling, assistance, and referrals on a variety of protection issues. The Protection Associate supports the comprehensive identification, monitoring, and reporting of protection concerns. The Protection Associate ensures that all protection activities are guided by the UNHCR Jordan protection strategy and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), as well as relevant protection standards.

Guided by their supervisor, the Protection Associate is expected to contribute to quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of refugees both directly and in cooperation with implementing protection partners. In the performance of their duties, the Protection Associate will need to communicate and cooperate effectively with both Protection colleagues and staff within Units in SO Mafraq. The Protection Associate will further need to coordinate, monitor, and support protection agencies working in partnership with UNHCR and strengthen working relations with other stakeholders involved in protection prevention, risk mitigation and response at the field level. The Protection Associate will ensure that all communication and counseling with refugees adheres to the highest protection standards, always upholds their dignity, and provides the essential information refugees need to make decisions and access their rights. The Protection Associate will also assist in drafting reports, updating relevant databases, and compiling statistics related to protection programs.

The operational environment is dynamic, with a mix of office-based and field-based tasks within urban, rural, and camp settings. The position demands strong interpersonal skills, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to work in a multi-functional team under sometimes challenging conditions.

B. Desired Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will have the following profile:
• Substantial protection experience working with refugees in both camp and out-of-camp settings.
• Strong knowledge and experience with protection case management standards and interview techniques, ideally including legal, gender-based violence, and child protection.
• Knowledge and experience of participatory approaches to engaging with refugees and host communities and the application of the Age, Gender and Diversity approaches.
• Experience with supporting and monitoring the delivery of protection activities by implementing partners, including coaching partner staff to ensure case management standards are upheld.
• Ability to work effectively with government authorities, in particular local police or security officials, to advocate, influence, and promote positive protection outcomes for refugees.
• Skilled in drafting reports and providing clear and concise written analysis on protection needs.
• High degree of flexibility to respond quickly to unplanned needs in a collaborative manner.
• Strong interpersonal skills, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to work in a multi-functional team under sometimes challenging conditions.
• Experience of inter-agency protection coordination with a wide range of stakeholders, including other UN agencies and non-governmental organizations is desirable.
• Good proficiency in speaking and writing in both English and Arabic language is essential.

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.

Required Languages

,

,

Desired Languages

,

,

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

Other information

Candidates might undergo a written testThis position doesn't require a functional clearance

Remote

No