Associate Field 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.

The Office of the UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safe-guard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org).

Slovakia’s status as both a transit and a destination country requires an approach that is focused on immediate service provision for those on the move and first arriving in Slovakia from Ukraine and other countries, and on creating enabling environment and longer-term support for those wishing to stay. Both areas require the timely delivery of accurate, verified and relevant information on legal status, services available and how to receive protection and assistance. Refugees, including children and youth, also need information on how to stay safe and avoid the many risks they are encountering, such as trafficking and GBV. For those staying in Slovakia, they will need information and easy access to services in the locations where they are and support on inclusion into Slovak communities.

Community engagement and community-based protection approaches to facilitate these efforts will be essential to reach individuals of diverse ages, genders and backgrounds. Supporting grassroot initiatives directly led by refugees and Slovak communities (refugee-led and community-based organizations) will be a key part of these endevours to further promote self-reliance and ensure active roles for communities in the response. Engagement of Slovak communities is also essential to promote social cohesion.

UNHCR in Slovakia aims to support community centres and other community structures and use community-based protection approaches and tools to ensure that refugees have full access to their rights, become self-reliant and integrated in Slovakia. UNHCR also strives to identify refugees with vulnerabilities and specific needs in remote areas across Slovakia and facilitate their access to adequate assistance and services. The response also aims at reinforcing accountability to affected people through two-way communication with communities, increasing access to information and awareness-raising for refugees on their rights and access to assistance and services through their preferred and trusted channels. It encompasses establishing feedback and response mechanisms that are able to handle sensitive complaints, and inform programming and interventions. It furthermore involves engaging with refugees through participatory assessments and establishing refugee advisory boards or inclusion of refugees in existing community representative forums.

Under the direct supervision of the Associate Community-Based Protection Officer, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Ensure that UNHCR’s policies, standards and procedures are constantly and coherently applied in the Area of Responsibility (AoR). • Ensure that the needs of persons of concern in the AoR are assessed and analysed in a participating manner and using an Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective to form a firm basis for planning. • Ensure that protection incidents and gaps in assistance are immediately identified and addressed. • Identify vulnerable groups or individuals who may need special attention or special arrangements and make recommendations on the needs of different groups of refugees. • Assess protection and assistance needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in the region and monitor implementation of refugee assistance programmes. • In co-ordination with implementing partners, handle the reception, registration and provision of assistance to persons of concern to UNHCR. • Provide inputs for project submissions and periodic narrative and financial reports for the annual programme. • Develop and maintain relations with local authorities ensuring smooth negotiations in all aspects of UNHCR's mandate for the benefit of refugees. • Monitor the security situation in the area and intervene as appropriate with the local authorities. • Participation in needs assessment as a member of the Multi-Functional team • In close coordination with programme and project control, monitor project implementation and provide feedback on the progress to the relevant units/sections • Undertake other relevant duties as required.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to: • 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; • Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities; • 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.

Results/Expected Outputs:

• The needs of persons of concern in the country are assessed and analysed in a participatory manner and using an Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective to form a firm basis for planning. • Inputs are provided for the country operations plan (including budgets, staffing levels and structures) as well as for funding submissions, appeals and reports. • Enforced compliance with UNHCR’s global strategies, protocols and guidelines. • The development of capacity through coaching, mentoring and formal on-the-job training, when working with (including supervising) national staff or (non-) governmental counter-parts, including Implementing Partners (IPs); • Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed

• Integrity and professionalism: demonstrated expertise in area of specialty and ability to apply good judgment; high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work inde-pendently under established procedures in a politically sensitive environment, while exercising discretion, impartiality and neutrality; ability to manage information objec-tively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented. • Accountability: mature and responsible; ability to operate in compliance with organi-zational rules and regulations. • Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment. • Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and abil-ity to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to es-tablish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent pro-jects/activities. • Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious work-ing relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity and gender; • Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, ar-ticulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; abil-ity to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; ability to maintain composure and remain helpful towards the staff, but objective, without showing personal interest; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups; • Flexibility, adaptability, and ability and willingness to operate independently in austere, re-mote and potentially hazardous environments for protracted periods, involving physical hardship and little comfort, and including possible extensive travel within the area of opera-tions; willingness to transfer to other duty stations within area of operations as may be necessary; • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes soli-darity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards the UN core values.

Law, International Law, International Relations, Political Sciences or related field. • Solid communication and interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including refugee-led and community-based organizations, grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, elderly clubs, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development;. • Experience with implementation of community-based protection principles and approaches in practice and understanding of the importance of communities as rights holders and agents of change. • Strong coordination skills. • Very good drafting and reporting skills in English. • Experience with working with volunteers and volunteer networks. • Experience with inclusion of refugees or foreigners into local services and national systems as an asset.

Computer skills: Office Package (excellent knowledge of Word, good knowledge of Excel and Power Point) and Internet browsing.

Slovakia is a developed country with an advanced high-income economy. It also performs favourably in measurements of civil liberties, press freedom, internet freedom, democratic governance, and peacefulness. The country maintains a combination of a market economy with a comprehensive social security system, providing citizens with universal health care, free education, and one of the longest paid parental leaves in the OECD. Slovakia became an independent state on 1 January 1993 after the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia. It has, nevertheless, remained a close partner with the Czech Republic. Both countries co-operate with Hungary and Poland in the Visegrád Group. In 2019, Zuzana Čaputová became Slovakia's first female president. The country has the beautiful Tatra Mountains, the Danube river and many historical places, including eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Bratislava offers good living conditions with a wide range of hotels and Airbnb. Accommodation can be sourced using the services of property agencies, as well as through various online websites. International schools are available. Health care is relatively good, but there is a shortage of professionals in many occupations, including doctors and medical staff, making access to health care somewhat challenging.

No specific security conditions pertain to Slovakia. Bratislava is a safe metropolitan city, however, as in any other city, caution shall be exercised when using public transport to avoid pickpocketing. Political protests can happen at short notice and may turn violent. Large gatherings must be avoided.

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Coronavirus Please refer to Slovakia travel advice https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/slovakia The duration of your assignment is for the initial period until 31/12/2024. The contract can be extended depending on continuation of mandate, availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectancy of renewal of the assignment .

Allowances: • Entry lump sum: USD 4000 • Relocation costs: depending on the travel cost. • Volunteer living allowance: USD 2589 • Exit allowance (paid on successful completion of the assignment): USD 225* for each month served, paid on completion of contract

Family allowance $250 per month for one dependent. $450 per month for two or more dependents

• Insurance Comprehensive coverage for health, life and malicious acts for the UN Volunteer and health insurance coverage for up to 3 eligible dependents. • Life Insurance: UN Volunteers are covered by life insurance for the duration of the UN Volunteer assignment.

Leave entitlements: • Annual leave:  UN Volunteers accrue an entitlement to 2.5 days of Annual Leave per completed month of the UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave up to a maximum of 30 days is carried over in case of a contract extension within the same UN Volunteer assignment. • Learning leave: Subject to supervisor approval and exigencies of service, UN Volunteers may request up to ten working days of Learning Leave per consecutive 12 months of the UN Volunteer assignment, starting with the Commencement of Service date, provided the Learning Leave is used within the contract period • Certified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers are entitled to up to 30 days of certified sick leave based on a 12-month cycle. This amount is reset every 12-month cycle. • Uncertified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers receive seven days of uncertified sick leave working days in a calendar year. This amount will be reset at the established interval period.

The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos