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 safeguard 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).

Under the direct supervision of Head of Field Office, Wau, the UN Volunteer will under-take 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 analyses 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 in-stance 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.

• Perform other related duties as required in the operation

11. Results/Expected Outputs:

• The needs of persons of concern in the country are assessed and analyzed 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 counterparts, 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 as-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 independently under established procedures in a politically sensitive environment, while exercising discretion, impartiality and neutrality; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented.

• Accountability: mature and responsible; ability to operate in compliance with organizational 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 ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work un-der 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 working 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, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse back-grounds; 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 operations; 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 solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance, and commitment towards the UN core values.

Working with refugees and/or other people of concern in a protection capacity required.

☐ International experience required ☒ Field experience ☒ Hardship duty station ☒ Non-Food Items (NFI) experience ☒ Protection ☒ Community Services ☒ Coordination / management role This UNV assignment is subject to proof of vaccination against Covid-19 with WHO ap-proved vaccine, unless the UNHCR Medical Service approves an exemption from this requirement on medical grounds.

Desirable Qualifications and Skills:

• Solid experience in field operation, protection assistance, response, managing and leading refugees and or returnees and or internal displacement operation, from emergency assistance to durable solution.

• Experience in coordination mechanism, information management, enable protection mandate, accountabilities, and prompt solution.

• Experience of UNHCR protection policies, guidelines and strategies, delivery results for assistance to Refugees/returnees/IDPs in coordination with local authorities and NGOs.

• Completed protection learning programme (PLP) and other relevant training related to the function and should also be able to provide advises in related to person of concern, programming, resources and managing staffs. In addition, he/she should be able to prepare and submit regular quality reports. • The candidate will need to be collaborative and able to work with a wide range of unit in the MFT, partners, from government to NGOs, UNISFA, other UN agencies, etc. S/he will need to be a professional with ability to capacity building (including facilitation of training), mentoring and coaching, and focused on evidence and result programming.

• The candidate should demonstrate the ability to adhere to UNHCR standard policies and procedures (refugees/returnees act, community-based protection, accountability to affected population, SGBV, Child protection, PSEA, fraud and corruption) in the operation.

This assignment is based in the UNISFA Headquarters - Abyei - Sudan. Currently this duty station is designated as non-family. Due to the terrain, the area is prone to flooding during the rainy season which lasts from late May until Mid-November. The average rainy season temperature is 30°C and temperatures in the dry season average 37°C.

Accommodation: Due to the security situation in Abyei, coupled with the fact that there are limited residential accommodation options in the community that meet UN security and safety standards for staff, expatriate UN staff deployed to Abyei are generally provided secured UN accommodation in a camp-style environment. The UN-provided accommodation is equipped with minimum room furniture and is configured as single room with bath and toilet facilities. Power and water (including purified water) is provided inside the camp by the UN. As per OHRM rules, a reasonable cost recovery for accommodation is made from VLA . Food and Diet: There is a UN managed cafeteria inside the UN Camp in Abyei. The standard and quality of food is limited with a repetitious daily menu. Wide varieties of food are not avail-able and may not be to the personal taste of UNVs. Volunteers may wish to cook their own meals in common kitchen facilities situated at convenient locations within the camp. This would require the volunteer to obtain basic cooking items such as saucepans, fry pans, plates, knives, etc.

Health: UN Volunteers should be aware that they could be exposed to a number of tropical diseases and should complete all medical formalities specified in the Offer or Travel Advisory before traveling. Yellow Fever vaccination is compulsory before coming to the mission area, while vaccinations for Hepatitis A & B, Typhoid, Tetanus/Diptheria, Polio and Meningitis are recommended if confirmed by the volunteer's physician. UN Volunteers, like other international personnel, are to bring their Vaccination Card to the mission. Malaria prophylaxis is highly recommended. Due to large numbers of various types of insects in the mission area, it is also recommended to use insecticide-impregnated nets and insect repellants. UN personnel have access during working hours to a Civilian Clinic (Level 1) inside the UN Camp at Abyei and 24-hour access to a fully operational military hospital (Level 2) within same camp at Abyei.

Rest and Recuperation: International personnel in UNHCR, including UN volunteers, are entitled to a 6 -week Rest and Recuperation (R&R) cycle. This means that after every 6 weeks of being in the mission area, the volunteer is entitled to take a break any other destination out-side the South Sudan. The entitlement is 5 calendar days R&R, 2 travel days as well 1555 USD as entitlement. The UN flight from Abyei to Juba can be used for free (return flight).