Durable Solutions Assistant

Overview

Assist in implementing durable solutions for Syrian refugees.

You have:

• 1 year relevant experience with High School Diploma; or Bachelor or equivalent or higher
• Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English
• HCR Protection Induction Program
• Good knowledge and understanding of protection principles
• Experience with case management, counselling with refugees
• Ability to work effectively with refugees and displaced populations
• Good interpersonal skills engaging with colleagues, partners and forcibly displaced persons
• Commitment to providing quality assessments for durable solutions

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

DFamily Type (not applicable for home-based)

FamilyStaff Member / Affiliate Type

UNOPS LICA4Target Start Date

2025-07-01Deadline for Applications

June 14, 2025Terms of Reference

Lebanon continues to host the highest number of refugees per capita and per square kilometer in the world. The Government of Lebanon estimates that there are 1.4 million displaced Syrians living in Lebanon in addition to some 11,200 refugees of other nationalities as well as asylum seekers. Refugees live across nearly all municipalities in Lebanon in both urban and rural areas, as well as in informal tented settlements. The 2023 Vulnerability Assessment for Syrian Refugees in Lebanon (VASyR) indicates that 9 out of 10 Syrian refugees continue relying on humanitarian assistance to survive.

Since the fall of the Assad government in Syria on 8 December 2024, UNHCR has updated its position on the Voluntary Return of Syrian refugees to Syria. While UNHCR is not currently promoting large-scale voluntary repatriation to Syria, it is supporting Syrian refugees who fully informed, voluntarily choose to return to Syria in safety and dignity. UNHCR released its Regional Operational Framework for Voluntary Return to Syria in February 2025 to operationalize support to Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries who voluntarily choose to return to Syria. In Lebanon, within the UNHCR-led Durable Solutions Working Group (DSWG), an Inter-Agency Voluntary Return Action Plan has been drafted and endorsed; and equally socialized within the ISCG and the Government of Lebanon to implement a common blueprint for the voluntary return of up to 400,000 refugees to Syria in 2025. As part of the Action Plan, UNHCR in coordination with the Government of Lebanon, UN agencies, NGO and donor partners, will implement several pathways for voluntary return, including structured “go-and-see” visits, UNHCR-supported self-organized voluntary return and UNHCR/IOM organized voluntary return programmes; in addition to supporting community-led initiatives for voluntary return.

UNHCR in Lebanon has over 300 staff across offices in Beirut (classified by ICSC as ‘C’ family duty station), as well in Zahle, Tripoli, Qobayat (classified as category ‘D’ family duty stations). The current overall situation in the region is closely monitored and the applicants should be aware of overall developments in the security situation on the ground that may affect the classification of the duty stations. The region is administratively split into two governorates: Akkar and the North. The North includes Tripoli and the surrounding districts: El Koura, El Batroun, Zgharta, Minieh Dennieh, and Bcharre. The two governorates span over 2025 km2 and include 273 municipalities. The area is composed of diverse religious groups, with the majority of the population being Sunni and Christian, and a lesser population of Alawite and Shiite communities. Tripoli, Lebanon’s second largest city and the center of the North Governorate, has been facing immense challenges for decades making it one of Lebanon’s poorest and most marginalized cities. Similarly in Akkar the situation is even more dire, with the poverty rate soaring to 62% in 2022, the highest in the country, up from 22% in 2012. Akkar suffers from weak administrative capabilities and a high dependence on the central government. The few regional public services and institutions remain largely located in the North governorate, covering both governorates – further delaying and hindering the support to infrastructure and access of local communities in Akkar to the government. The most vulnerable population resides near the shared 100 km border with Syria. Due to the region’s proximity to the border with its three official border crossing points- all currently closed following the bombardment during the recent hostilities, (El Bqaiaa, El Abboudieh, and El Arida), as well as largely interlinked Syrian and Lebanese lands, the conflict in Syria had a significant spillover into the local economy in Akkar and North. Before the Syrian war, the region largely relied on trade, economic, and commercial activities in Syria.

The UNHCR North Sub-Office was first established in May 2011. Currently, the area of operation is in the process of being downgraded to a field office to be based in Tripoli following a considerable reduction so will remain with a significantly reduced presence. UNHCR’s engagement in Northern Lebanon extends to collaboration with over 96 operational partners across different sectors.

This position aims to ensure the implementation of the Inter-Agency Voluntary Return Action Plan, to support the safe, dignified and voluntary return of up to 400,000 Syrian refugees in 2025 and a projected 200,000 Syrian refugees in 2026. The Durable Solutions Assistant will be primarily responsible for conducting individual counselling with Syrian refugees on the conditions inside Syria and the various programmes on voluntary return. In accordance with the SOPs on Voluntary Return, the incumbent will also conduct pre-assessments for the identification and referral of Syrian refugees expressing an interest in return to partners for legal assistance to access civil documentation including birth registration, procedures for the recognition of academic transcripts provided in Lebanon, for medical intervention or for protection case management where needed. The Durable Solutions Assistant will also be key to conducting voluntariness assessments with and issuing Voluntary Repatriation Forms (VRF) for individual adults in returning families and ensuring that children and vulnerable adults are not left behind without effective support in return processing. The incumbent will work closely with Registration, Basic Assistance and Protection teams to conduct the necessary referrals and ensure timely completion of voluntary return assessments. The incumbent may also be called upon to support community-based activities and community-led initiatives related to durable solutions and return, including support to conducting intentions surveys and focus group discussions.

The Durable Solutions position requires regular field presence, including at designated Return Centers (Community Development Centers) in the North and Akkar. The position requires good knowledge and understanding of protection principles, including the principles and standards outlined in UNHCR’s Handbook on Voluntary Repatriation. Experience with case management, counselling with refugees at individual and group level is highly desirable. The incumbent will also need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern. The incumbent should have good computer skills and knowledge of UNHCRs systems, including proGres, BIMS, RAIS and Kobo databases. All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instruction, including adherence to UNHCR’s Code of Conduct, and implementation of UNHCRs Policies on Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and Anti-Fraud.

Desired Candidate Profile: • The Durable Solutions Assistant position requires a candidate with knowledge of UNHCRs Protection principles and policies, technical skills and experience with protection case management, good interpersonal skills including working with forcibly displaced populations, and good teamwork and collaboration skills. • Previous work experience in protection case management, including provision of counselling, and conducting case management interviews and assessments is highly desirable. • Knowledge of UNHCRs corporate systems including proGres, BIMS, RAIS and Kobo are highly desirable. • (Accountability): Demonstrates professionalism and commitment to their work to achieve positive outcomes for forcibly displaced and stateless persons in Lebanon. • (Communication): Good inter-personal skills engaging with colleagues, partners and forcibly displaced and stateless persons in Lebanon. Previous experience with protection case management, in durable solutions is desirable. • (Organizational Awareness): Good knowledge of UN system and humanitarian response architecture in Lebanon is required; including durable solutions activities within the wider inter-agency context is highly desirable. • (Teamwork and Collaboration): Ability to work effectively with colleagues and partners from different backgrounds, cultures and functions. • (Commitment to Continuous Learning): Demonstrates commitment to learning and growth, in particular adaptability to evolving operational environment in Lebanon. • (Client and Result Orientation): Good understanding of needs of forcibly displaced and stateless persons, and commitment to providing quality assessments.

• Willingness to support other duties, as required by the operational context.Standard Job Description

Durable Solutions Assistant

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Durable Solutions Assistant reports to a Durable Solutions Associate or Officer. The incumbent provides clerical and administrative support to durable solutions operations. S-he maintains frequent contacts with colleagues within the same Office to exchange information. External contacts are mainly with implementing partners for the purpose of managing the logistics of the durable solution activities.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties - Assist in identifying and registering candidates for voluntary repatriation and prepare documentation for their return, in line with Voluntary Repatriation SOPs. - Assist in identifying and registering candidates for local integration and prepare the appropriate documentation for onward submission to local authorities or partners, in line with Local Integration SOPs. - Participate in identifying resettlement needs of refugees, in line with Resettlement SOPs. - Assist in updating the electronic databases for resettlement, voluntary repatriation and local integration, in line with Standard Operating Procedures. - Process documentation to ensure that persons of concern receive the documents required for their durable solutions in a timely manner. - Prepare statistical and ad-hoc reports to ensure accurate information is available and shared with relevant offices and partners. - Prepare documents relating to durable solutions. - Enter information into available databases, in line with SOPs.

- Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s). - Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience Years of Experience / Degree Level For G4 - 1 year relevant experience with High School Diploma; or Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education Not applicable.

Certificates and/or Licenses HCR Protection Induction Prog; (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience Essential Not specified. Desirable Diverse field experience. Experience in Interviewing.

Functional Skills IT-Microsoft Office Productivity Software; DM-Database Management; (Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English. For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language. For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

Required Languages

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Desired Languages

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Additional Qualifications

Skills

DM-Database Management, IT-Microsoft Office Productivity SoftwareEducation

Certifications

HCR Protection Induction Prog - UNHCRWork Experience

Other information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance Remote

No

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Potential interview questions

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unhcr.org