Associate Programme 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 UN Volunteer will support the delivery of multi-sectorial refugee response program carried out by the UNHCR Sub-Office Mashhad. She/he will work in the Program unit in the Sub-Office under the direct supervision of the Head of Sub-Office and in close coordination and technical support from the Program unit in Representation Office in Tehran. She/he will function as the Sub-Office’s multi-functional team, contributing UNHCR’s efforts for the effective provision of protection and humanitarian assistance for over 135,000 refugees/persons of concern residing in the 4 provinces covered by the SO Mashhad (Khorasan Razavi, North Khorasan, South Khorasan and Golestan provinces) including those bordering to Afghanistan. Most of the refugees live in an urban setting with a small percentage of refugees living in a settlement. Some 97% of the persons of concern supported by SO Mashhad are Afghans, while the 3% are Iraqi refugees. The great majority of refugees/persons of concern in Iran are in a protracted displacement. Following the events in Afghanistan in 2021, UNHCR has scaled up its operations to prepare for and respond to new arrivals from Afghanistan to Iran in support to and collaboration with the Government.

Iran has been hosting Afghan refugees for over forty years, and despite economic challenges, largely due to sanctions and made worse by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Iran has maintained its inclusive services for refugees, notably through access to health care, education, and livelihood opportunities in the national system. UNHCR supports and complements the Government’s efforts and implement with partners multi-sectorial projects especially in the area of education, health, livelihoods, material support and protection including through cash-based interventions to support refugees’ resilience building and refugees’ access to basic services. To this effect, the UNV as part of the Program unit, will play a central role in ensuring timely and effective project planning, budgeting/designing, implementation, monitoring and reporting at the provincial level in coordination with the Representation Office and in accordance with relevant UNHCR’s guidelines and regulations.

Under the direct supervision of Head of Sub-Office and technical supervision of the Senior Programme Officer in Teheran, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Through a consultative process within the country and field visits, stay involved in the development of the strategies, methodologies, contingency plans that respond to new and emerging operational challenges for the country; • Assist in ensuring that global strategic priorities (GSP) and regional priorities as well as information on projected resource availability guide the planning parameters; • Provide inputs for developing the country operations plan in compliance with global strategic priorities and regional priorities as well as with annual programming/planning instructions; • Assist in organizing a consultative process to ensure a consistent application of the organization’s criteria and policies for the selection of implementing and operational partners; • Assist in managing the development of a broad network of partners, good coordination practices and the development of partner capacities; • Assist in training UNHCR as well as implementing partners (IP) staff in UNHCR standard procedures related to the Results Based Programme (RBM) management; • Undertake proper collection, monitoring and use of baselines, standards and indicators needed to measure and analyze UNHCR’s performance, trends and target interventions; • Undertake field visits to evaluate and improve the planning, programming, implementation and monitoring of assistance projects; • Assist in implementing the establishment of sound monitoring processes, in reviewing final reports and on progress in order to advise on any corrective actions required or the need for additional resources to reach planned target levels; • Apply UNHCR’s corporate tools (e.g. Global Focus, Focus Client) to record data and assess the technical soundness of the operation and generate data for evidence-based decisions at the country-level; • Assist in keeping donor representatives briefed on developments and assist in the development of funding submissions, appeals and reports; • Assist in monitoring compliance to the organization’s resource allocation framework, providing support and assisting in corrective action where required; • Assist in establishing and handling Implementing Partners Reports.

☒ Accountability ☒ Adaptability and Flexibility ☒ Building Trust ☒ Client Orientation ☒ Commitment and Motivation ☒ Communication ☒ Creativity ☒ Ethics and Values ☒ Integrity ☒ Judgement and Decision-making ☒ Knowledge Sharing ☒ Planning and Organizing ☒ Professionalism ☒ Respect for Diversity ☒ Self-Management ☒ Working in Teams

humanitarian and/ or development work. Working experience with refugees and/or UNHCR would be an asset.

Skills and experience in:
• Excellent drafting, evaluation and analytical thinking skills • Familiarity with humanitarian, development field and possessing operational perspective with flexibility, adoptability and political awareness/cultural sensitivity.
• Planning and strategic analysis skills and to comprehend and design pragmatic approaches within a fluid and complex country context. • Ability to quickly discern opportunities and gaps through consultative discussions with stakeholders. • Experience in humanitarian project/program/resource management including cash and livelihood projects. • Experience in monitoring, evaluation and designing assistance programs. • Experience in emergency reponse and inter-agency coordination would be desirable. • Strong English communication skills (spoken and written)

Given the religious and cultural particularities of Iran, it is important that the incumbent has an excellent record of inter-personal and diplomatic skills, cultural sensitivity and political awareness. With these features, working and living in Iran is an enriching experience. International credit or debit cards are not accepted. Yearly inflation is high. The impact of the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal in May 2018 and imposed sanctions on Iran have escalated the tensions in the region. Weather in Iran ranges from dry and very hot during the summer to semi-cold and snowy during the winter. There is heavy car traffic, which results into air pollution. Certain working and living conditions may be perceived as relatively challenging, such as a requirement for women to cover their heads and wear long sleeves, and midthigh length tops when in public places but not when in the office, also men must not wear shorts in public. In general, however, Iran remains a country where one can live and work very comfortably, with a wide range of regular and luxury goods available in the shops and shopping malls and a variety of (sports and cultural) activities one can pursue after office hours. The security situation is stable, local authorities play a significant role in securing the office premises and staff, but the security situation could deteriorate if regional tensions intensify. However, current scenarios are not likely to have an immediate negative impact on internationals. The attitude of the Iranian population remains welcoming. The UN/UNHCR have developed Emergency Contingency, Business Continuity and Covid-19 response Plans.

Vaccination Clause:

Recruitment as a UNHCR staff member and engagement under a UNHCR affiliate scheme or as an intern is subject to proof of full vaccination, independently of contract type and duration, unless the candidate is based in a location with documented lack of access to COVID-19 vaccines.

“Vaccinated” can mean depending on the country or type of vaccine. In most countries it means the completion of a primary series of vaccinations. For the vaccines from Pfizer/ Biontech, Moderna, University of Oxford/AstraZeneca (also manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII)), Sinopharm and Sinovac from China and Novavax (manufactured as Nuvaxovid and Covovax) this means 2 consecutive doses. The only single-dose vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 is the Janssen/ Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

‘Boosters’ are vaccine doses given after a certain time period to extend the effectiveness and length of protection. Boosters are recommended in some countries for specific vulnerable groups or all. WHO recommends the administration of boosters to vulnerable groups. The UN System Vaccination Programme has started to make booster doses available, especially to those who have received the single-dose vaccine from Janssen/ Johnson & Johnson. These are not yet available everywhere.

As the booster dose is not available to everyone everywhere, ‘vaccinated’ refers to a completed dose of primary vaccinations. This is subject to periodic review, and availability and requirements around booster doses change, this guidance may also be updated.