Deadline for Applications
January 27, 2026
Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)
H (no hardship
Family Type (not applicable for home-based)
Family
Staff Member / Affiliate Type
CONTR Local Entry and Mid-Level Support
Target Start Date
Terms of Reference
General Background of Project or Assignment:
In the context of the Multi Year Strategy, the MCO prioritised its protection and solutions work around the outcome areas of law and policy, access to territory and resettlement.
Protection in Australia and New Zealand
The MCO covers 16 countries and territories, spanning a very large geographic region and a wide spectrum of development and protection contexts.
Purpose and Scope of Assignment
Concise and detailed description of activities, including measurable outputs and delivery dates, impact indicators
(what qualitative and quantitative results would be achieved upon completion of individual contract),
performance indicators (timelines, value of the service rendered in relation to the cost, timeliness) and work plan:
Case Management and Individual Protection
- Facilitate and contribute to individual protection case management, ensuring appropriate responses to
individual enquiries and coordinating necessary follow-up;
- Assist the Protection and Solutions Unit, as required, with casework, including interviews, research and
analysis, document drafting, and counselling;
- Respond to enquiries on statelessness, family reunion, protection, and solutions issues received by email,
via social media, phone or in person.
Legal Research and Policy Analysis
- Conduct legal research and monitor key legal developments, including judicial decisions and policy changes
affecting persons under our mandate; assist in analysing these developments and drafting memos and
briefing materials;
- Undertake research and prepare communications on legal issues, including submissions on legislation, Bills,
and Human Rights submissions;
Protection Strategies
- Assist in designing and implementing protection strategies to strengthen safeguards against return to harm
and provide operational support for efforts to redesign detention policies and practices to address indefinite
and arbitrary detention of persons under the mandate.
Information Management and Communications
- Support the Protection and Solutions Unit to maintain accurate and up-to-date information on the UNHCR
Australia website, including Help pages, to ensure accuracy and accessibility;
- Assist in developing forward-facing material for persons under UNHCR's mandate (e.g. brochures).
Coordination and Operational Support
- Participate in relevant meetings, record notes and contribution to action and feedback tasks;
- Assist with mission planning and preparation;
- Support the office by answering and triaging incoming calls and providing assistance as required;
- Carry out other duties as required.
Candidate Minimum Requirements, Selection Criteria
Field of expertise, competencies:
Required/mandatory:
- Completed secondary education in law or equivalent
- Familiarity with UNHCR's protection policies and practice
Desirable:
- Law degree desirable
- Proven policy development and operational experience in the region required, with prior UN/UNHCR
work experience preferred
- Familiarity with protection and solutions issues in particular in the MCO's region
- Experience in counselling asylum seekers or refugees.
- Understanding of the context affecting persons of concern under Australia Offshore policy
- Advanced research and drafting skills
- Fluency in English. Knowledge of relevant second language desirable
Minimum years of work experience (NOTE: candidates with less years of experience cannot be short-listed or recommended):
Language: Required: English Desirable: Knowledge of relevant second language desirable
Monitoring and Progress Controls
(Measures put in place to ensure the quality of work the individual contract holder delivers, e.g. report
requirements, periodicity, format, deadlines, performance indicators, milestone discussions, survey completed,
data collected, workshop conducted, research documents produced specify etc.)
- Mentoring by Protection and Solutions Unit staff, including position's direct supervisor;
- Regular engagement and oversight from Unit on direct communications with people under UNHCR's
mandate;
- Regular Unit meetings providing oversight and support on progress of workstreams generally;
- Function-appropriate access to UNHCR case management and ICT systems; and
- Periodic performance review and feedback
Eligibility:
Applicants must be Australian citizens or permanent residents with full-time work rights at the time of the vacancy closing date.
Occupational Safety and Health Considerations
To view occupational safety and health considerations for specific duty stations, please visit this link:
Specific Occupational Safety and Health Considerations to this assignment (if applicable): n/a
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