UNOPS Senior Protection Assistant - Field Presence Machala, Ecuador, Guayaquil

Deadline for ApplicationsJuly 8, 2026

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)A (least hardship)

Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

Family

Staff Member / Affiliate TypeUNOPS LICA5

Target Start Date2026-08-01

Terms of ReferenceTitle: UNOPS Senior Protection Assistant
Project: “Strengthen social cohesion, prevent violence, and reduce the risks of recruitment
of children, adolescents, and youth through a combined community–institutional–
binational strategy.”
Duty station: Machala, Ecuador
Section/Unit: UNHCR Protection Unit
Contract/Level: Local Support, LICA 5
Duration: From 03 August – 31 December 2026
Supervisor: Head of Field Unit, Guayaquil – UNCHR, Ecuador

1. General Background
Ecuador is both a destination and transit country for persons in need of international protection. Over the past two decades, Ecuador has hosted more than 81,000 recognized refugees, the majority of whom are Colombians, and has become a major destination and transit country for Venezuelan refugees and migrants. Ecuador currently hosts the fifth-largest Venezuelan population globally, with more than 440,000 individuals.

UNHCR in Ecuador aims to deliver protection, assistance, and solutions to diverse displaced populations, including asylum-seekers and refugees, in close collaboration with national authorities, non-governmental organizations, and local communities. The operation is coordinated through the Country Office in Quito and supported by Field Offices in Guayaquil and Tulcan, as well as Field Units in Esmeraldas, Manta, and Lago Agrio.

Since 2023, increasing insecurity across Ecuador has had significant social and economic impacts on refugees, migrants, and host communities alike, undermining protection and inclusion efforts. The expansion of organized criminal groups, rising homicide rates, and increasing extortion have restricted access to services and undermined social cohesion, particularly in border areas and communities facing heightened vulnerabilities. In this context, children and women are at particular risk of violence and recruitment.

In response to these challenges, UNHCR and UNICEF are implementing the binational project “Strengthen Social Cohesion, Prevent Violence, and Reduce the Risks of Recruitment of Children, Adolescents, and Youth through a Combined Community–Institutional–Binational Strategy”, funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF). The project is implemented in coordination with government institutions, civil society organizations, and community actors along the border between Ecuador and Peru, with a focus on strengthening local protection systems, community-based prevention mechanisms, and institutional coordination in border areas affected by violence, forced displacement, and risks associated with organized crime.

In Ecuador, the project includes activities related to community protection, youth engagement, strengthening local protection mechanisms, institutional coordination, risk analysis, and engagement with local authorities, communities, implementing partners, and humanitarian actors in the province of El Oro, particularly in Machala and Huaquillas.

The Senior Protection Assistant, based in Machala, will support the implementation of community-based protection activities and the strengthening of local protection systems through engagement with government institutions, community leaders, civil society organizations, implementing partners, and other key stakeholders.
The incumbent will contribute to the mapping of protection actors, services and referral pathways, support participatory community mapping processes, identify protection gaps and community capacities, and facilitate coordination between communities, local authorities, partners, and UNHCR.

The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the Project Coordinator and will undertake regular field missions within El Oro Province, particularly to Machala and Huaquillas, to support project implementation and community engagement activities.

The attached Vacancy Announcement is issued to hire a Senior Protection Assistant for the PBF Project based in Machala, Ecuador.

5. Submission of applications

A. English Desirable. Level intermediate.
B. Shortlisted candidates may sit a technical test.
C. Foreign candidates, to be considered eligible for this position, must have a temporary or permanent residence in Ecuador that allows them to carry out work activities in the country.
D. If recommended, the candidate must submit a current and updated RUC Unique Taxpayer Registry and a voluntary contribution certificate to the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security IESS. Voluntary IESS securities will be covered by the staff member. The salary offered is in net terms.
E. If you wish to be considered for this vacancy, please submit your application according to the following instructions:

 CANDIDATES WITH ACCESS TO THE WORKDAY: In order to apply, you must first create your profile in the WORKDAY system.

 EXTERNAL CANIDATES: Candidates who do NOT have access to the WORKDAY system should submit their application through UNHCR's official site for applications:

WHEN CREATING A CANDIDATE PROFILE IN WORKDAY, PLEASE USE CAPSLOCKS FOR LAST NAME AND NO SPECIAL CHARACTERS (Ñ OR ACCENTS)

CVs WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED BY EMAIL. ONLY THOSE APPLICATIONS SENT THROUGH THE SYSTEM WILL BE CONSIDERED.

NOTE

UNHCR is committed to diversity and welcomes applications from qualified candidates regardless of disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, race, color or ethnic and national origins, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.

UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training or any other fees).

Standard Job Description

Senior Protection Assistant

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Senior Protection Assistant normally reports to a more senior Protection colleague. 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 Assistant provides quality, timely and effective protection support to persons of concern (PoC) and identifies opportunities to mainstream protection methodologies and safeguards in operational responses. S/he contributes to designing a comprehensive protection strategy and may liaise externally with local authorities and partners on protection issues as guided by the supervisor.

The Senior Protection Assistant 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
- Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.
- Provide counselling on protection issues to PoC; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.
- Support activities in protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Conduct preliminary information gathering and interviews in support of eligibility, status determination, durable solutions and social needs assessment.
- 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 for PoC as part of the protection strategy.
- Monitor Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.
- Participate in individual protection case management including cases of GBV and child protection. Monitor and report on cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents.
- Assist in identifying durable solutions for PoC in 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.
- Draft reports, routine correspondence, update relevant databases and compiling statistics within the Area of Responsibility (AoR).
- Contribute to initiatives to enhance national and local protection capacities.
- Select PoC for preliminary interviews and decide which relevant information to share.
- Enforce integrity in the delivery of protection services by local implementing partners.

- 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
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
International Law;
Political Science;
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential: Not specified.
Desirable: Not specified.

Functional Skills
IT-Computer Literacy
PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
(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.

Required Languages

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,

Desired Languages

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Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

CertificationsInternational Law - Other, Political Science - Other

Work Experience

Other informationThis position doesn't require a functional clearance

RemoteNo