Overview
Plans, directs, and manages the work of the Protection Division at Headquarters, ensuring a rights-based approach that upholds the dignity, safety, and agency of Palestine refugees. Leads the strengthening of the Agency's protection function across its programmes, operations, and external engagements.
Key Responsibilities
- Oversees work planning, staff supervision, and financial management.
- Creates an inclusive work environment.
- Provides strategic leadership on disability inclusion, gender equity, and child safeguarding.
- Oversees Agency-wide reporting and implementation under the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy and UN System-Wide Action Plan on Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.
- Supports the strengthening of the Agency's accountability to Palestine refugees.
- Leads on the Agency's protection advocacy strategy.
- Coordinates submissions to international human rights and justice mechanisms.
- Develops and supports protection programming at the field level.
- Ensures adequate protection policies, guidance, tools, and procedures are in place.
- Strengthens the application of humanitarian principles.
- Develops and manages key partnerships.
Required Experience
- At least ten years of progressively responsible and relevant experience in country wide or regional protection operations or human rights is required.
- At least five years of work experience at a senior international level in positions of significant responsibility in countrywide or regional protection operations or human rights is required.
- Unless already serving as an international staff member in the UN Common System, a candidate for an international post must have at least two continuous years of relevant international experience outside UNRWA, and outside the country(s) of which the candidate is a national or holds citizenship, a passport or a national identity number is required.
- Work experience with the United Nations Common System is desirable.
- Field experience is desirable.
Qualifications
- An advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) from an accredited educational institution in law, social or political science, international relations or related fields, preferably with a focus on international human rights, humanitarian law and/or refugee law is required.
- Equivalency: A first level university degree in combination with additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
