Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has led the response to the Ukrainian refugee situation in coordination with the Government of the Republic of Moldova. Two years after the beginning of the war, UNHCR is concentrating efforts on its localization strategy, which aims at strengthening the capacities of local actors, including authorities, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and other stakeholders, to increase their role of leadership and coordination of refugee protection and inclusion in Moldova, and enhance the sustainability and efficiency of interventions. As part of this effort, UNHCR is working with municipalities across Moldova to establish a network of cities committed to champion the protection and inclusion of refugees – the Cities of Solidarity Initiative (CoS). To this purpose, UNHCR collaborates with municipalities and local actors to support them developing local action plans aligned with national development strategies, and offers technical assistance, partnership building, fundraising support, and training in areas related to refugee protection and inclusion. Duration of Assignment: 01 June 2024 - 31 December 2024 Full time: 40 hours/week Location: UNHCR Moldova, Chisinau

Overall Purpose and Scope of Assignment:

Position Overview The Localization Strategy Contractor will report to the Associate Inter-Agency Coordination Officer. The incumbent’s primary responsibility is to design in collaboration with key stakeholders 6 local action plans within the framework of the Localization Strategy to refugee protection and their inclusion in local policies and strategies of intervention and support its implementation -each action plan will be tailored to the specificities of each municipal context. This involves gaining buy-in of the initiative by local actors, adapting it to existing needs, conducting workshops, collaborating with various stakeholders, and ensuring effective inclusion of forcibly displaced persons and host communities in local development plans.

Key Responsibilities 1. Workshops Design and Implementation: o Designing –jointly with stakeholders- action plans for the localization strategy o Prepare and conduct 6 workshops in localities where CoS Memoranda of Understanding are being signed. o Topics covered in these workshops include:  Mainstreaming protection information.  Inclusion of forcibly displaced persons in public spaces using an Age-Gender-Diversity approach.  Inclusion of forcibly displaced persons in policy and strategy design.  Participatory mechanisms for forcibly displaced persons and host communities.  Fundraising strategies.  Implementation and monitoring of projects. o Topics may be adjusted based on consultation with partners, and according to identified needs.

Field Visits and Stakeholder Engagement: o Regularly visit field locations across the country. o Liaise with authorities, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), national and international organizations, academia, and the private sector.
Drafting Skills and Multilingual Proficiency: o Possess strong drafting skills in English, Romanian, and Russian. o Ability to create clear and concise documents.
Creative Mindset and Innovation: o Approach challenges with creativity and an innovative mindset. o Support local actors in adapting interventions and policies for sustainable inclusion of forcibly displaced persons and host communities.
Timely Delivery: o Demonstrate the ability to work efficiently and meet tight deadlines.

Required level, qualifications and work experience:

Education: Degree in Political Sciences, International Relations, Development Studies, Refugee Protection, or related fields. Years of Experience: Minimum 5 years of experience working in humanitarian assistance, liaison with governments and local actors, and/or development. Language Knowledge: Working knowledge of English, Romanian and Russian is required.

Remuneration and benefits:

Based on professional experience between MDL 27,854.08 - MDL 32,496.58/month Subject to eligibility, mandatory medical insurance coverage may be provided