Senior Protection Associate

Deadline for Applications

October 10, 2025

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

H (no hardship)

Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

Family

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

CONTR Local Senior Level Support

Target Start Date

2025-11-01

Terms of Reference

UNHCR’s national office in Ireland is recruiting a Senior Protection Associate to advance complementary pathways in Ireland and support resettlement. The role will consist of advancing complementary pathways for refugees as part of the Education Pathways Ireland programme. This programme aims to provide higher education access to refugees living in third countries of asylum. The candidate will also coordinate with Nasc, the Migrant and Refugee Rights Centre on the establishment and support of community sponsorship groups at participating Higher Education Institutions. In addition, the role will involve the provision of support to the Irish Refugee Protection Programme on resettlement missions, community sponsorship and complementary pathways and related activities as required.

In particular the candidate will conduct the following activities to promote, support and implement complementary education pathways to Ireland:
- Serve as the hub for coordinating all programmatic areas and be the main point of contact for participating host institutions, government counterparts, and any overseas partners.
- Be responsible for developing, identifying and managing a consortium of Higher Education Institutes that have agreed to build education pathways.
- Promote the programme among new Higher Education Institutes (HEI in Ireland.
- Provide guidance and knowledge sharing to HEIs on local context for refugees in students’ country of origin and country of asylum.
- Provide capacity building and operational support to participating universities.
- Liaise with UNHCR colleagues in selected countries of asylum regarding outreach and promotion of the programme to refugees.
- Coordinate and act as the liaison between the HEI and candidates during the application process, and the liaison between the refugees and Government in activities related to the development of the programme.

The candidate will also be expected to support the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) to implement their resettlement commitments, including coordination on resettlement selection missions and all related processes.

Desired qualifications and competencies include knowledge and experience of complementary pathways and/or resettlement and/or integration practice and policy in Ireland, good understanding of displacement and protection issues including resettlement and experience in developing and maintaining effective working relationships with a wide network of stakeholders.
This is a two-month assignment with potential one year extension subject to performance and funding. Working modalities to be agreed but is likely to involve a mix of on-site and remote working.

Remuneration will be equivalent to net annual salary scale established by ICSC applicable to staff at the G7 grade in Ireland. Contractors must comply with relevant local legislation including but not limited to those relating to taxation, social security requirements, licenses and other details stipulated in the terms of their contract. Please note that it is a requirement that contractors have legal residence in Ireland.

 

Standard Job Description

Senior Protection Associate

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Senior Protection Associate reports to the Protection Officer or the Senior Protection Officer. The position may entail supervisory responsibilities for protection staff including community services, registration, resettlement and education depending on the structure of the Office. 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 Senior 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. The incumbent contributes to designing a comprehensive protection strategy and represents the Office externally on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor.

S/he 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 n