Protection Assistant - UNOPS LICA-4

UN News; Villahermosa; Presencial; USD 20,000 - 30,000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

A reputable international organization in Villahermosa, Tabasco seeks a Protection Assistant to support Persons of Concern. Responsibilities include conducting registrations, providing legal guidance for asylum seekers, and monitoring migrant detention centers. Candidates must have a secondary education and at least a year of relevant experience. A competitive compensation package, including medical insurance, is offered. Only Mexican citizens or permanent residents will be considered.

Servicios

Competitive compensation and benefits package

Comprehensive medical insurance

Pension plans

Formación

• Minimum of 1 year of experience in activities related to protection assistance.
• Good knowledge of English.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment.

Responsabilidades

• Conduct registration and counseling of Persons of Concern (PoC).
• Implement UNHCR database tasks for case follow-ups.
• Monitor migrant detention centers for identifying those needing protection.

Conocimientos

Proactive

Communication skills

Teamwork oriented

Sensitivity

Educación

Completion of Secondary education or equivalent in law or Social Science

Herramientas

MS Office

Descripción del empleo

Protection Assistant - UNOPS LICA-4 page is loaded

Protection Assistant - UNOPS LICA-4

Apply locations Villahermosa, Mexico time type Full time posted on Posted Today time left to apply End Date: August 13, 2025 (7 days left to apply) job requisition id JR2558325

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

U (unclassified)

Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

No designation

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

UNOPS LICA4

Target Start Date

2025-08-01

Deadline for Applications

August 12, 2025

Terms of Reference

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

• This position is advertised to internal applicants. Only Mexicans or candidates holding a permanent residency or valid work permit in México will be considered eligible (attach the corresponding document in the application).

• Recruitment as a UNHCR staff member and engagement under a UNHCR affiliate scheme or as an intern, is subject to proof of full vaccination against COVID-19, independently of contract type and duration. The selected candidate(s) will be required to provide proof of vaccination prior to recruitment.

• Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on the grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.

• Only short-listed candidates will be notified. The recruitment process might/could include a written test and/or oral interview for this job opening. No late applications will be accepted.

• UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training, or any other fees).

• This position is offered under UNOPS Local ICA contract until 31/12/2025 with possibility of extension.

• Remuneration: A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For more information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, please visit the portal of the Office of HR Management of United Nations. UNHCR also offers comprehensive medical insurance and pension plans.


1. General Background
(Brief description of the national, sector-specific or other relevant context in which the individual contractor will operate)

Within the 10-Point Plan in action for Refugee Protection and Mixed Migration, the activities of UNHCR in Chiapas consist of providing legal and basic material assistance and information to refugees and asylum-seekers, promote refugee local integration, promote the access to a fair and efficient refugee status determination procedure and train governmental staff and civil society in International Refugee Law.

The presence of UNHCR in Villahermosa, Tabasco, is of vital importance given the strategic location of the office near Mexico's southern border and its strategic position between neighboring states. Villahermosa has become a point of arrival and destination for many people entering Mexico via different routes and borders. Many of these people are in highly vulnerable situations, such as unaccompanied minors, survivors of gender-based violence, and victims of human trafficking. UNHCR's presence ensures the identification of refugees within migration flows and their access to fair and efficient refugee status determination procedures, as well as the prevention of refoulement.

In close collaboration with its governmental counterpart -the Mexican Commission of Refugee Aid (COMAR)-, UNHCR looks to strengthen the protection framework in the southeast border area, and monitors the refugee status determination procedure carried out by COMAR, making sure to identify people in need of international protection in order to provide them with information regarding their right to seek asylum, and the procedure in Mexico. UNHCR also intervenes with local authorities in topics such as non-refoulment, expulsion and arbitrary detention of asylum- seekers and refugees. In order to ensure the identification of PoC, the protection networks within relevant sectors of civil society is enhanced and fostered. In addition, UNHCR provides assistance to Persons of concern to UNHCR if this is not covered by the authorities

UNHCR provides frequently trainings, workshops and technical advice to the National Migration Institute (INM), the COMAR, civil society organizations and to other relevant governmental actors such as the National Commission of Human Rights (CNDH), among others.




2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment
(Concise and detailed description of activities, tasks and responsibilities to be undertaken, including expected travel, if applicable)

Under the overall supervision of the Protection Associate, the Protection Assistant will perform the following tasks:

• Conduct tasks related to the registration and general counseling of PoC. Refer the cases to the appropriate services provided by the government as well as partner agencies. Follow-up on the most vulnerable cases in order to ensure the protection responses (including the assessment of internal relocation of cases within Chiapas and to other States) as well as ensure a protection perspective is considered in the relocation of cases for local integration.
• Implement the appropriate use of UNHCR database (e.g. ProGres) to ensure the follow-up of cases and statistics.
• Provide asylum seekers continued information and guidance regarding the legal procedure for asylum in Mexico, including the necessary information and guidance regarding the appeal procedure for those asylum-seekers who want to exercise this, in the area of intervention of FUVIL.
• Monitoring of migrant detention centers located in the geographical coverage area of UNHCRs’ field office Palenque, for the identification of people in need of international protection and to provide them information. Also, identify cases and promote and follow up it for alternatives to detention.
• Conduct efforts for the prevention and attention of SGBV and protection of LGBTI persons, including case management tasks. Analyze the main risks and trends related to SGBV incidents and protections risks faced by LGBTI.
• Identify and assess cases that could be in need of resettlement.
• Support processes of identification and assessment for cases of internal relocation for local integration.
• Gather information and statistics related to internal relocation.
• Support the documentation of Refoulement cases.
• Contribute to the preparation and provide inputs for institutional reports, specially related to issues related to LGBTI and SGBV survivors.
• Contribute as required by her supervisor to the field/border monitoring, and continuously contribute to the identification of possible new stakeholders that can strengthen the protection network in Chiapas.
• Support the delivery of the humanitarian assistance program as required by her supervisor
• Carry out any other duties as required in the Field Unit.

3. Monitoring and Progress Controls
(Clear description of measurable outputs, milestones, key performance indicators and/or reporting requirements which will enable performance monitoring)

• More people of concern to UNHCR detected and assisted in the migration holding center, and interviews carried out with all willing to collaborate.
• Stronger knowledge about refugee matters, with special emphasis on International Refugee Law, through trainings and presentations provided to authorities and civil society.
• All cases that need follow up are provided the needed legal and basic assistance within the limitations of UNHCR.
• Good coordination amongst the actors which provide legal, and basic assistance to PoC is provided.
• Asylum-seekers, refugees, and migrants properly informed regarding their rights and obligations, and all given cases receive thorough follow-up.
• Strengthened capacity-building of actors -governmental, NGOs, civil society- working with asylum-seekers, refugees, and migrants to better detect and inform potential asylum seekers.
• More people of concern beneficiaries of alternatives to detention.

4. Qualifications and Experience
(List the required education, work experience, expertise and competencies of the individual contractor. The listed education and experience should correspond with the level at which the contract is offered.)

a. Education (Level and area of required and/or preferred education)

• Completion of Secondary education or equivalent technical in law or Social Science studies.

b. Work Experience
(List number of years and area of required work experience. Clearly distinguish between required experience and experience which could be an asset.)

• Minimum of 1 year experience related to the above description of activities.

c. Key Competencies

(Technical knowledge, skills, managerial competencies or other personal competencies relevant to the performance of the assignment. Clearly distinguish between required and desired competencies)

• Be proactive and possess a sense of urgency.
• Good knowledge of English.
• Demonstrated communication skills, and teamwork oriented.
• Demonstrated ability to work in an international, and multicultural environment.
• Demonstrated ability when working with PoC to be assertive, to demonstrate sensitivity, and to make good and quick decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to work in stressful, and demanding situations with difficult PoC cases.
• Demonstrated ability to manage, and follow-through complex PoC cases.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver presentations in public settings.
• Demonstrated ability to manage confidential information in a professional manner.
• Demonstrated ability of time management, and work organization skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work with little guidance.
• Demonstrated ability to interact with several governmental, non-governmental, and other actors in order to ensure good collaboration among all.
• MS Office excellent knowledge and management.

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