Protection Associate

August 11, 2026

Grade

GS6

General Service

Reason

Temporary > Temporary Assignment/ Appointment

H (no hardship)

Family

2026-09-01

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.

Title: Protection Associate
Location: Ljubljana, Slovenia
Duration: 3 months
Contract Type: Temporary Appointment
Start date: 01 September 2026

Operational Context:

The UNHCR Representation for Central and South-East Europe (RCSEE) covers nine operations: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia and Kosovo* (*under UN SCR 1244).

Slovenia is a Member State of the European Union located on the Western Balkans migration route and continues to play an important role in regional mixed movements. While the number of asylum applications remains relatively modest compared to some other EU Member States, Slovenia experiences significant onward movements, resulting in a relatively small asylum population and an increasing emphasis on sustainable integration of those granted international protection.

The country has developed a comprehensive legal framework aligned with the EU asylum acquis and is currently implementing the Pact on Migration and Asylum, while also strengthening complementary pathways as part of broader responsibility-sharing efforts.

UNHCR maintains a non-resident presence in Slovenia through the Representation for Central and South-East Europe. Given the limited operational footprint, partnerships with government institutions, universities, civil society organizations, municipalities and the private sector are essential for delivering protection outcomes and advancing durable solutions.

As part of its protection and solutions strategy, UNHCR Slovenia will start implementing the AMIF-supported SEED (Supporting Education Pathways for Refugees) project in September 2026, a multi-country initiative implemented in Italy, Germany, Bulgaria and Slovenia. The project aims to strengthen complementary education pathways by expanding opportunities for refugees to access higher education in Europe, improving programme quality, supporting successful integration and transition to employment, and developing sustainable national models that can be replicated across the European Union.

Building on the successful pilot Education Pathway launched in Slovenia in 2024, the project will significantly expand the national programme by increasing annual admissions of refugee students, strengthening institutional cooperation among universities and government institutions, establishing a national Education Pathway Working Group, and developing a long-term sustainability framework. The project requires close coordination among a broad range of stakeholders, including the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, universities, civil society organizations, student associations, employers and refugee-serving organizations.

The incumbent will work under the overall oversight of the Legal Officer - Protection and the direct supervision of the Assistant Protection Officer and will contribute to the implementation of UNHCR's protection responsibilities under the SEED project by coordinating multi-stakeholder engagement, facilitating the functioning of the national coordination mechanisms, supporting the admission and protection-related aspects of refugee students throughout the education pathway, monitoring implementation against project objectives, and contributing to evidence generation, reporting and sustainability planning.

The incumbent will work closely with project partners to ensure that education pathways remain protection-sensitive, accessible and aligned with international protection standards, while strengthening national ownership and institutional capacity.

The position requires strong coordination, project management and partnership-building skills, as well as the ability to work effectively across government institutions, academia, civil society and international organizations. The incumbent is expected to operate with a high degree of independence while contributing to UNHCR's broader strategic objectives on complementary pathways, inclusion, and durable solutions for refugees.

Desired Candidate Profile:

Essential:

• Experience in refugee protection, migration, international development, project coordination, education, or related fields.

• Demonstrated experience in coordinating projects involving multiple stakeholders, including government institutions, civil society organizations, academia, and international organizations.

• Good knowledge of international refugee protection principles, durable solutions, complementary pathways, and refugee inclusion.

• Experience in project implementation, monitoring, reporting, and coordination of donor-funded programmes.

• Strong organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently.

• Excellent drafting, communication and interpersonal skills, including experience preparing reports, briefing materials and meeting documentation.

• Proven ability to build and maintain effective partnerships and facilitate coordination among diverse stakeholders.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams) and experience using digital collaboration and project management tools.

Desirable:

• University degree in Law, Political Science, International Relations, Social Sciences, Education, Public Administration, or another relevant field.

• Experience working on complementary pathways, higher education programmes, scholarship schemes, or refugee integration initiatives.

• Experience working with universities, higher education institutions, student organizations, or education authorities.

• Familiarity with the Common European Asylum System (CEAS), the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, and EU funding instruments, particularly AMIF.

• Experience supporting monitoring and evaluation, data analysis, and evidence generation.

• Experience organizing workshops, consultations, trainings and multi-stakeholder coordination mechanisms.

• Knowledge of Slovenia's asylum, integration and higher education systems.

• Previous experience with UNHCR, another UN organization, or an international humanitarian organization.

Language Requirements:

• Knowledge of English (B2) as the UN working language of the duty station and Slovenian (C1) is required.

Remuneration:

In case of appointment, a competitive compensation and benefits package is offered.

G-6 salary range: NET EUR 2,597.78 - NET EUR 2.985.54

Benefits:

Annual leave: UNHCR staff members holding a temporary appointment will accrue annual leave at the rate of 1.5 working days for each full calendar months of service (i.e. 18 working days per year).

Pension system:

Staff members holding a temporary appointment of six months or longer will become participants in the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF).

Health insurance plan:

Locally recruited staff members in Slovenia will be enrolled in the Medical Insurance Plan (MIP). The coverage is also optionally available for eligible family members.

Eligibility:
This position is advertised to internal applicants and UNHCR experience applicants.

Internal Candidates: current General Service staff members holding an indefinite or fixed-term appointment who, at the date of the deadline for application, are serving in the country of the vacancy at the grade of the position or one grade below or above, as well as any candidates serving at higher grades who fulfil the criteria as per the job advertisement.

Candidates with UNHCR experience: Regardless of the category of the position, the following candidates are considered candidates with UNHCR experience: Junior Professional Officers; Temporary Appointment holders; affiliate workforce; interns; staff loaned/seconded from another UN organization/ international organization/ government entity, or former UNHCR international and local staff members who held an indefinite or fixed-term appointment (within two years of separation for males and five years females).

Staff members holding an indefinite or fixed-term appointment applying for a vacancy in a category different from their own are considered candidates with UNHCR experience.

Locally recruited staff members applying for a position two grades above their own are considered candidates with UNHCR experience.

Candidates are expected to have the right to work in Slovenia. UNHCR does not facilitate the obtaining of the visa for recruitment. The appointment of the successful selected candidate is subject to medical clearance and satisfactory reference checks, as well as possessing valid work permit/visas if applicable.

Applications:
All applications must be submitted online in Workday. Email applications will not be accepted. Incomplete and late applications will not be accepted. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Shortlisted candidates might be required to sit for a written test and/or oral interview.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted based on the information submitted during the application. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

UNHCR is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, sexual orientation, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. UNHCR seeks to ensure that male and female employees are given equal career opportunities. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.

UNHCR has a zero-tolerance policy against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA). SEA is unacceptable behavior and prohibited conduct for UNHCR personnel. It constitutes acts of serious misconduct and is therefore grounds for disciplinary measures, including dismissal.

Any concerns or suspicions about a possible case of SEA should be reported immediately to the Inspector General’s Office (IGO) at [email protected] or through the online complain form at https://www.unhcr.org/php/complaints.php or by confidential fax: +41 22 739 73 80.

This position doesn't require a functional clearance

English

,

Slovene

,

,

,

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

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales