Deadline for Applications March 8, 2026 Hardship Level B Family Type Family Residential location (if applicable) Grade GS5 Staff Member / Affiliate Type General Service Reason Regular > Regular Assignment Target Start Date 2026-04-01 Standard Job Description Senior Community-Based Protection Assistant Organizational Setting and Work Relationships The Senior Community-Based Protection Assistant is a member of the Protection Unit and may report to the Protection Officer, Community-Based Protection Officer, or another more senior staff member in the Protection Unit. Under the overall direction of the Protection Unit, and in coordination with other UNHCR staff, government, NGO partners and other stakeholders, the Senior Community-Based Protection Assistant works directly with communities of concern to identify the risks they face and to leverage their capacities to protect themselves, their families and communities. The incumbent supports the application of community-based protection standards, operational procedures and practices in community-based protection delivery at the field level. To fulfil this role, the Senior Community-Based Protection Assistant is required to spend a substantial percentage of the workday outside the office, building and maintaining networks within communities of persons of concern (PoC). The development and maintenance of constructive relationships with PoC that measurably impact and enhance protection planning, programming and results, form the core of the work of the incumbent. S/he also supports the designing of a community-based protection strategy by ensuring that it is based on consultation with PoC. 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 – Assist functional units, the Multi-Functional Team (MFT) and senior management to integrate participatory and community-based approaches in the overall protection strategy. – Through relationships with PoC and network of partners, stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment and provide advice to the protection team. Understand the perspectives, capacities, needs and resources of the PoC and advise the protection team accordingly, highlighting the specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older persons, persons with disabilities, marginalized groups. – Assist in initiatives with host communities to involve national civil society groups in the protection of PoC. – Support implementing and operational partners as well as displaced and local communities to develop community-owned activities to address, where applicable, the social, educational, psycho-social, cultural, health, organisational and livelihood concerns as well as child protection and prevention and response to GBV. – Assist in the analysis that identifies the capacities of communities of concern and risks they face. – Support participatory assessments by multifunctional teams and ongoing consultation with PoC. – Support efforts to build the office capacity for community-based protection. – Support communities in establishing representation and coordination structures. – Ensure community understanding of UNHCR’s commitment to deliver on accountability and quality assurance in its response. – Collect data for monitoring of programmes and budgets from an AGD perspective. – Draft and type routine correspondence, documents and reports and maintain up-to-date filing systems. – Act as an interpreter in exchange of routine information, contribute to related liaison activities and respond directly to routine queries. – Assist in the enforcement of participatory AGD sensitive analysis as an essential basis for all of UNHCR’s work. – Initiate AGD sensitive interventions at the appropriate level on community-based protection issues and to respond to protection concerns and incidents within the office and with persons and communities of concern based on agreed parameters. – Identify and recommend which individuals or groups to prioritize for counselling and field visits based on agreed criteria. – Enforce compliance of implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services. – 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 Years of Experience / Degree Level For G5- 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher Field(s) of Education Not applicable. Certificates and/or Licenses Development, Human Rights, International Law Social Work, Social Science, Political Science, (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential) Relevant Job Experience Essential Not specified. Desirable UNHCR learning programmes (PLP). Knowledge of MSRP. Functional Skills UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures *IT-Computer Literacy IT-Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) PR-Community-based Protection – Principles and methodologies CL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community (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: Honduras is characterized by a situation of protracted internal displacement due to violence, with escalating protection risks, including human rights violations, forced recruitment, violence against women and girls, compounded by extreme weather events and natural hazards. More than 247,000 people are currently internally displaced in the country, with many more at risk of displacement. The high levels of violence continue to represent a challenge in terms of protection and assistance. Strengthening the prevention of internal displacement and the response remain key priority. Support for returnees with protection needs is also an area of focus to support their sustainable integration. Honduras has traditionally been a country of origin and, in recent years, has also become a transit country in the context of mixed movements and a country of asylum. Since January 2025, northbound migration flows have decreased; while some individuals are returning to their countries of origin or relocating within the region, others have chosen to seek international protection in Honduras. The increasing number of asylum claims is straining the Governments response capacities. This trend highlights the urgent need to strengthen the national asylum system and bolster efforts to expand protection and sustainable solutions for refugees and asylum-seekers. While many advancements have been made over the years to strengthen the asylum system, there is an urgent need to provide technical assistance to ensure an efficient, effective, and updated process, incorporating best practices and international standards. UNHCR is committed to supporting the national institutions, ensuring more agile and accessible procedures, expanding territorial presence, improving the technical capacity of personnel, and broadening integration opportunities, moving towards durable solutions for refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced people, and returnees with protection needs. ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING The Senior Community-Based Protection Assistant is a member of the Protection Unit and may report to the Protection Officer, Community-Based Protection Officer, or another more senior staff member in the Protection Unit. Under the overall direction of the Protection Unit, and in coordination with other UNHCR staff, government, NGO partners and other stakeholders, the Senior Community-Based Protection Assistant works directly with communities of concern to identify the risks they face and to leverage their capacities to protect…