Community Coordinator (Technical Assessment)

Contract

This is a UNV Community Volunteer contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV Community Volunteer contracts.

Since 24 February 2022, the Government of Bulgaria granted Temporary Protection to 150,000 persons refugees displaced from Ukraine, of whom some 50,000 remain in the country as of January 2023. The current governmental humanitarian programme for the refugees from Ukraine is valid until 24 February 2023 (subject to possible extension). Some 9,000 refugees from Ukraine are hosted under the state sponsored accommodation programme, including hotels and state recreational facilities located predominantly at the Black Sea regions and other locations throughout the country. UNHCR as a refugee-led organization supports the Government of Bulgaria in providing response to the Ukrainian refugee situation and ensuring protection and inclusion space is provided to them. UNHCR conducts various types of assessments among the refugees from Ukraine to assess their needs, capacities and copying mechanisms and identify those with specific needs to ensure their access to specialized services. Some of these activities are implemented directly by the Agency, with others implemented through partner agencies or service providers.

The Field community volunteer will support UNHCR in conducting various technical assessments across the country, particularly looking at refugees’ accommodation facilities, with the objective of ensuring their safe, dignified, and healthy living environment. The assessments may vary from simplified site profiling to more detailed ones looking at the sites physical conditions and ensuring its adequacy as per humanitarian minimum standards. Moreover, assessments may include the evaluation of the protection situation of refugee’s accommodation facilities, including security, accessibility, and specific considerations for the communal areas.

The field community volunteer will work as part of UNHCR’s field unit and will conduct various preliminary and in-depth technical assessments under the supervision of the Field Officer. UN Volunteer will be assigned to cover specific geographical areas within Burgas, Varna, Dobrich, Sofia, Blagoevgrad, Plovdiv and other regions, depending on the major locations of the facilities accommodating refugees from Ukraine.

The main tasks and responsibilities of the field community volunteer will be as follows:

• Coordinate the work of 13 Field Community Volunteers conducting vulnerability assessment at various locations (Burgas, Varna, Dobrich, Sofia, Blagoevgrad and Plovdiv districts) in the country, • As advised by the supervisor, visit facilities currently accommodating refugees from Ukraine and conduct preliminary and in-depth technical assessments to evaluate the facilities’ physical conditions and adequacy as per humanitarian minimum standards. • Support the supervisor in analyzing assessments, developing prioritization criteria and make recommendation for the establishment of projects. • Support the office in reviewing and procuring the bills of quantities for the agreed projects in coordination with the local authorities.
• Follow-up and monitor the implementation of projects according to the bills of quantities, and in close coordination with the local authorities or other relevant actors. Document all issues and bring to the attention of the supervisor. • Provide information to the refugees and relevant local authorities on the ongoing assessments and its objectives and procedures. • Provide information on the available services and assistance programmes available to the refugees from Ukraine. • Identify and record/refer refugees with specific needs who require specialized services in accordance with UNHCR specific needs codes. • Contribute to the Field team’s information management component and support Information Management team on data tasks, when requested. • Perform other duties as required.

• Professionalism • Integrity • Teamwork and respect for diversity • Commitment to continuous learning • Planning and organizing • Communication • Flexibility • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNHCR’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

or demonstrated interest in community development, engineering and construction. • Excellent communication and interviewing skills and ability to communicate patiently and respectfully with a broad range of individuals including persons with specific needs. • Strong interpersonal skills, cultural competency, problem solving abilities. • Good listening and observation skills to understand and obtain information. • Good data analysis and management skills. • Good IT skills and digital literacy.
• Experience with handling confidential data and demonstrated understanding of different data collection methodologies. • Proven work experience in design and supervision of engineering and construction works. • Candidate must have a valid work permit in Bulgaria.

The UN Volunteer will be expected to travel to the field, particularly to areas of high presence of refugees. He/she will be responsible for his/her own accommodation. This assignment requires full time engagement (8 hours/5 days).

About UN Volunteer entitlements and allowances, you can use the entitlement calculator in https://app.unv.org/calculator and read the Conditions of Service in https://explore.unv.org/cos. 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.

Monthly Living Allowance (per month): appx. BGN 1500 Entry lump sum (one-time payment): USD 50 Medical and life insurance: Cigna Private Insurance Annual leave: 2.5 days accrued per calendar month. Uncertified sick leave: 7 days

Note: "Non-UN Volunteer job opportunity shall be offered by UNHCR to any UN Volunteer during the first year of a UN Volunteer's assignment with UNHCR. UN Volunteers assigned to serve with UNHCR shall document their consent with this understanding as part of the UNHCR Undertaking".