Associate External Relations and Reporting Officer

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

UNHCR has a presence in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) since 1992. Since then, the office has worked with refugees, asylum seekers, persons at risk of statelessness, internally displaced persons and returnees in line with UNHCR's global mandate and its specific role in Bosnia and Herzegovina in relation to Annex VII of the Dayton Peace Agreement. Currently, the mixed migration through the western Balkan region and towards the EU is creating pressure on the asylum system and for those seeking international protection in BiH.

There are three key priority areas in BiH currently: 1) promoting, facilitating and strengthening the access to asylum & asylum procedures for those in need of international protection, including in areas such as coordination, operational protection (identification and referrals of particularly vulnerable individuals, such as unaccompanied children, families with small children, victims of SGVB); 2) integration of individuals under international protection: and 3) responding and preventing Statelessness with the aim of eradicating statelessness by 2024, which is UNHCR global goal.

UNHCR BiH has been working on all these issues with its implementing partners, including local authorities at all levels and local NGOs, in order to build their capacity and to strengthen the response mechanisms. This is complemented by direct interventions and by joint projects with UNHCR’s partners (legal aid, livelihoods, basic household support, etc.) which assist persons of concern to achieve a durable solution.

At the moment, UNHCR Representation in BiH has three offices: Country Office in Sarajevo and two Field Units in Bihac and in Tuzla. The incumbent of this position will work in UNHCR Country Office in Sarajevo, Communications Section, with frequent travels to field offices, and will be the office’s focal point for report collating and writing, including providing support to the Operations Section for finalisation of project reports. The incumbent will also actively support external relations and fundraising activities UNHCR began working in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992. Today, the mission works with five distinct groups across the country (refugees and asylum seekers, persons at risk of state-lessness, and internally displaced persons and returnees), each of which has specific protection needs and require targeted assistance to reach a durable solution. A considerable number of these persons continue to live in undignified conditions and require support to achieve a durable solution. UNHCR works closely with the authorities at all levels in order to build their capacity and to strengthen the response mechanism. This is complemented by direct interventions and by joint projects with UNHCR’s partners (legal aid, livelihoods, basic household support, etc.) which assist persons of concern to achieve a durable solution.

Under the direct supervision of Associate Communications Officer, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Keep abreast all developments in operations to prepare appropriate briefings and reports. • Prepare periodic reports, i.e. donor updates, internal sitreps, briefing notes for senior managers, and activity-specific reports as required. • Prepare funding submissions for donors, and draft any required after-action reports. • Develop and maintain working relationships with the government, NGOs, and UN agencies to ensure cooperation in inter-related activities. • Support the UNHCR-led Cluster activities by preparing and distributing minutes, assisting in the organization of meetings; occasionally chairing meetings, and serving as the general secretariat for the relevant Cluster. • Support the supervisor in preparation for meetings and missions drafting of talking points. • Organize and accompany missions for VIP visitors, delegates to visit refugee sites or the activities of UNHCR implementing partners. • If there is no Public Information (PI) focal point in country, serve as PI focal point, contributing to and coordinating press events, interviews, PI missions and other activities related to information dissemination to the general public to promote UNHCR activities

In addition, the incumbent is expected to undertake the following tasks, more specific to the UNHCR’s operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina: • Become conversant with UNHCR’s mandate and principles, the terminology and rules of Results Based Management as applied in UNHCR, on-going projects and the operational context of the UNHCR BiH as well as the political and socio-economic situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina; if needed, organize (or participate in) relevant presentations, training sessions and briefings to internal and external audiences pertaining to these topics; • Assist the Office in collecting, consolidating and analyzing available data and preparing narrative inputs for planning documents (e.g. Country Operations Plan), briefings, regular and ad-hoc reports to UNHCR HQ and donors, situation reports, strategies, activity-specific reports, publications, statements etc. – in line with UNHCR’s standards; • Follow up on reporting requirements (formats, deadlines, etc) and procedures, establish the reporting calendar and initiate/prepare the reports in cooperation with other colleagues and the UNHCR’s partners; • Assist selected UNHCR’s partners and civil society organizations, receptive to the problems of UNHCR’s persons of concern, to develop their reports; • Create and maintain spreadsheets required for efficient reporting; • Have a good insight in all available and relevant sources of information in the office (databases used in the operation, statistical reports, case lists, registration / voluntary repatriation / resettlement reports, partner reports etc.), in order to use accurate and up-to-date data in reports and other documents; • Cooperate with other colleagues from the Section in collecting and presenting the planned and achieved impacts and outputs using the pre-set indicators as well as meaningful indicators developed internally; • Maintain good working relationships with various counterparts (UNHCR staff; governmental, UN, international and national partners, civil society etc.); represent UNHCR in selected UN Country Team Results Groups and other bodies and actively contribute to their work • Regularly, undertake field visits to selected municipalities and collective accommodation sites (for example for monitoring the progress of on-going projects and evaluating the impact of closed ones); • Ensure that reports and other narrative inputs/documents prepared by the Representation Office are produced in a timely fashion and in line with the required standard; they reflect the actual developments in the country and the region, and contain the proposals on actions to be undertaken in order to assist the persons of concern and provide them with solutions; • Ensure that the analysis of impact of political developments in the country and in the region on populations of concern is routinely performed so that it can inform project/activity design and the implementation of projects; • Produce informative and useful reports after undertaking field visits, monitoring/evaluating partner projects and attending events; the reports should also contain necessary proposals for improvement and lessons learned; • Establishes and maintains efficient cooperation and relationships with the colleagues from the Communications Section as well as with the other UNHCR BiH colleagues, partners and other stakeholders; • Perform other duties as required, upon request of the supervisor.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers; • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

• Integrity and professionalism • Accountability • Commitment to continuous learning • Planning and organizing • Teamwork and respect for diversity • Communication • Flexibility, adaptability, and ability and willingness to operate independently • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement

a field related to external relations, communications, media relations or reporting; • Knowledge of Microsoft applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint; • Demonstrated skills in oral and written communication; • Commitment to help persons of concern and willingness to cooperate with counterparts; • Good analytical skills; • Strong interpersonal and communication skills in a multi-cultural setting; • Experience working in the UN or other international development organization is an added advantage; • Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills; • Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing; • Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel; • Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines

Sarajevo is the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and the largest urban center and a major center of culture and economic development in BiH, with an estimated population of 400.000. The city is situated along the Miljacka river and surrounded by the Dinaric Alps. The city is famous for its traditional religious diversity, with adherents of Islam, Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and Judaism coexisting there for centuries; There are no administrative or other restrictions, apart from visa on international staff members’ travelling in/within/from the country, depends on the nationality; Sarajevo's climate exhibits influences of oceanic (Cfb), humid continental (Dfa) and humid subtropical (Cfa) zones, with four seasons; Regular medical facilities are available, with two main hospitals (City Hospital and the Clinical Center) and a significant number of small private clinics; General sanitary and hygiene conditions are adequate; Good local banking facilities are available (use of credit cards, ATMs); Communication services (domestic and international) are available on a regular basis; Availability of food, furnishings and other necessities is adequate (various grocery stores and markets with fresh food products, shopping centers, etc); Public transportation is available (tram, bus, trolleybus, taxi); Public water supply, electricity and sewerage system are in place; Accommodation is available in the private houses or apartments. Hotels facilities are adequate; International schools, located within commuting distance, providing primary and secondary education, and that offers an International Baccalaureate program or equivalent are available in English and French language; Various leisure, recreational and sports facilities are available.

The overall security situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is generally stable. The security risks are currently assessed as Low (Security Level 2) in the UN Security Level System. Based on UNDSS decision, there are two security zones in BiH and for travel to USC obtaining the TRIP clearance is mandatory. All international agencies consider threats to their staff to be low at this time. However, problems from pickpockets to traffic accidents exist so staff should exercise appropriate personal security awareness and common sense; BiH is a country with the largest mine contamination problem. The current size of the suspected mine risk area in BiH is around 950 m2 or almost 2% of the total territory of BiH. Staff is advised to stay on well-travelled routes while in the country; Other potential risks: unpredictable behavior of religious extremists; continuing political fragility in the country and the region, including nationalist rivalries and threats of secession; unstable weapons and explosives left over from the war; unrest arising from high risk sporting competitions or demonstrations/civil protests, moderate risk of earthquakes and landslides; pollution, fires or explosions due to unregulated industry, gas leaks or old ammunition dumps.

UN Volunteer entitlements and allowances: The purpose of the allowances and entitlements paid to UN Volunteers is to enable UN Volunteers to sustain a secure standard of living at the duty stations in line with United Nations standards without incurring personal costs. The allowances are in no way to be understood as compensation, reward, or salary in exchange for the UN Volunteer’s service. Contingent on specific eligibility criteria, location of the volunteer assignment and contractual type and category, the payment of allowances will begin from the date of Commencement of Service For more information on entitlements please read the Condition of Service (https://explore.unv.org/cos) and use the entitlement calculator (https://app.unv.org/calculator) for the most up to date information