At a time when forced displacement continues to rise globally, the work of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has never been more critical. UNHCR remains at the forefront of protecting people forced to flee conflict, persecution, and human rights violations, ensuring their safety, dignity, and access to fundamental rights.
Within this global mission, the Senior Protection Assistant (GS5) position based in Brasília, Brazil, represents a unique opportunity for experienced protection professionals to contribute directly to one of the world’s most progressive and inclusive refugee protection contexts.
This temporary, full-time assignment runs from 1 January 2026 to 30 June 2026 and plays a vital role in supporting UNHCR Brazil’s protection and solutions priorities for 2026. Below is a detailed overview of the role, its responsibilities, the operational context in Brazil, and why this opportunity matters for both professionals and the communities they will serve.
About the Role
The Senior Protection Assistant is part of UNHCR’s General Service category and reports to senior protection colleagues within the Country Office Protection Unit. The role focuses on ensuring that international protection standards are consistently applied in UNHCR operations and that persons of concern (PoC) are meaningfully supported and included in decisions affecting their lives.
The incumbent provides quality, timely, and effective protection support, working closely with communities, government authorities, civil society, and humanitarian partners. A core aspect of the position is mainstreaming protection principles—particularly Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) considerations—across all operational responses.
This role is not only technical but also deeply community-oriented, requiring strong engagement with refugees, asylum-seekers, stateless persons, and other forcibly displaced populations to ensure their voices are heard and their rights upheld.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
The Senior Protection Assistant undertakes a broad range of protection-related tasks, including:
- Applying international and national legal frameworks, as well as UN/UNHCR and IASC policies, standards, and codes of conduct in all protection activities.
- Providing counselling on protection issues and liaising with competent authorities to support the issuance of civil and legal documentation.
- Supporting AGD-based programming with implementing and operational partners to ensure inclusive and protection-sensitive interventions.
- Conducting preliminary interviews and information gathering for refugee status determination (RSD), durable solutions, and social needs assessments.
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- Contributing to efforts to prevent and reduce statelessness, including documentation and advocacy initiatives.
- Supporting the development and implementation of child protection and education plans at the country level.
- Monitoring and ensuring compliance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for protection and solutions activities.
- Participating in individual protection case management, including cases involving gender-based violence (GBV), child protection, refoulement, and expulsion.
- Assisting in identifying durable solutions, such as voluntary repatriation, local integration, and resettlement where appropriate.
- Drafting reports, correspondence, and analytical documents, while maintaining accurate databases and protection statistics.
- Contributing to initiatives that strengthen national and local protection capacities.
- Supporting risk identification and management, ensuring protection decisions are risk-informed and aligned with UNHCR objectives.
Through these responsibilities, the Senior Protection Assistant plays a crucial role in translating international protection principles into practical, field-level solutions.
Minimum Qualifications and Skills
To be considered for this role, candidates must meet the following requirements:
- Education and Experience:
- At least 2 years of relevant experience with a high school diploma, or
- 1 year of relevant experience with a bachelor’s degree or higher.
- Functional Skills:
- Strong IT and computer literacy.
- Knowledge of protection-related guidelines, standards, and indicators.
- Solid understanding of refugee protection principles and frameworks.
- Languages:
- Portuguese (C1 level) – mandatory.
- English (B2 level) – mandatory.
- Spanish (B2) – an asset.
The position requires a professional who is detail-oriented, analytical, and capable of handling sensitive protection issues with professionalism and empathy.
Desired Candidate Profile
UNHCR is seeking a highly motivated protection professional with a background in law, international law, international relations, social sciences, or a related field. The ideal candidate will bring:
- In-depth knowledge of international refugee and human rights law, including GBV, child protection, and statelessness frameworks.
- Experience with RSD and statelessness status determination (SSD) procedures.
- Familiarity with protection responses for victims of trafficking and smuggling of migrants.
- Proven ability to collaborate with government counterparts, civil society, academia, refugee-led organizations, and UN agencies.
- Strong research, analytical, writing, and communication skills.
- Experience delivering trainings and capacity-building activities on refugee protection and documentation.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and a demonstrated commitment to diversity, inclusion, neutrality, and accountability.
Adherence to UNHCR’s core values—Professionalism, Integrity, and Respect for Diversity—is essential.
Operational Context: Refugee Protection in Brazil
Brazil stands out as a regional leader in refugee protection. As of June 2025, the country hosted 887,350 people in need of international protection from more than 100 countries, with Venezuelans comprising the largest group. Over 158,000 individuals have been formally recognized as refugees, 92% of whom are Venezuelan.
Brazil applies the Cartagena Declaration’s broader refugee definition, granting prima facie recognition to those fleeing serious human rights violations. The country also offers humanitarian visas and temporary residence pathways for nationals from Afghanistan, Haiti, Syria, and Ukraine, alongside innovative approaches such as electronic RSD tools and community sponsorship programs.
UNHCR Brazil works closely with the government and partners to support asylum procedures, documentation, integration, and protection-sensitive systems. Special attention is given to vulnerable groups, including indigenous Venezuelan communities, who face additional barriers related to language, education, food security, and access to services.
The Senior Protection Assistant will support the Country Office Protection Unit in implementing strategic priorities across this dynamic and complex operational environment.
Eligibility and Application Process
This position is open to internal UNHCR applicants and candidates with prior UNHCR experience. Applicants must be legally present in Brazil at the time of application and recruitment. Only Brazilian citizens or candidates legally residing in Brazil are eligible.
Applications must be submitted online through UNHCR’s Workday recruitment platform. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Selected candidates may be required to complete written tests and/or interviews, and reference checks will be conducted.
UNHCR offers a competitive compensation and benefits package in line with UN salary scales and maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy toward sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment.
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Why This Opportunity Matters
The Senior Protection Assistant role in Brazil offers more than just professional growth—it provides the chance to contribute meaningfully to the protection of hundreds of thousands of refugees and forcibly displaced people. By supporting fair asylum procedures, inclusive policies, and durable solutions, the incumbent helps uphold human rights and dignity at a critical moment in global displacement history.
For protection professionals passionate about refugee rights, international law, and humanitarian impact, this assignment represents a powerful opportunity to make a tangible difference within one of UNHCR’s most progressive operations.
