Inquiries and Outreach Officer ( International)

Job Description

Background/IRC Summary:

The IRC has a rich history of assisting refugees to apply for U.S. resettlement, from its founding in 1933 to help vulnerable individuals escape Nazi-occupied Europe, to pioneering the Joint Voluntary Agency which assisted Indochinese refugees for 22 years, to operations in Croatia, Sierra Leone and Sudan. Over the years, IRC has processed some half million refugees worldwide for resettlement to the United States. Based in Bangkok with field offices in Thailand and Malaysia, the IRC Resettlement Support Center (IRC-RSC) assists persons throughout Asia seeking permanent resettlement in the U.S. The RSC prepares refugee applications for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), provides information to resettlement agencies about arriving refugees and offers cultural orientation training to those refugees bound for the U.S.

Job Overview/Summary:

The Inquiries and Outreach Officer oversees and responds to routine refugee case status inquiries submitted to the RSC. They provide general information about the USRAP to refugees. This position ensures that any case related updates provided by refugees are accurately recorded in the START (a State Department – managed system that supports the arrival and resettlement of refugees through technology) database and flagged for follow-up as appropriate. They project the professional image of the IRC-RSC through telephone, email and in-person interaction with refugees. They attend outreach sessions in the refugee community and provides information on RSC processes to refugees.

Major Responsibilities: Respond to USRAP applicant inquiries submitted online, by phone, email, letter and/or in-person encounters within specified timeframes Provide USRAP applicants with accurate general USRAP information, or with case specific information and complete call logs and relevant reports Accurately input data into START and disseminate information received to ensure 100% accurate data entry in accordance with the RSC goal of data perfection Seek guidance and collaborate closely with relevant staff on complex cases Recognize and alert supervisors of trends in refugee and community inquiries and concerns Keep supervisor advised of developments in daily inquiries, including urgent inquiries; recommend process improvements and changes to supervisors Coordinate completion of work and follow up with other colleagues with professionalism Ensure automated response systems (voicemail, email, CaSI) are regularly updated with current information Conduct outreach sessions and attend partner agency meetings and trainings as needed Develop and maintain a database of refugee community-based organizations with current contact information Contribute to updating RSC Information Campaign messages and materials Remain informed of changes in RSC processing guidelines to ensure work processes are 100% aligned with the most current Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) Adhere to all Integrity and Compliance Guidelines Perform other duties as assigned

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Program Support Manager Position directly supervises: Nil Indirect Reporting: Program Support Coordinator, Senior Program Coordinator & Deputy Director, Malaysia Other Internal and/or external contacts: Internal: RSC Asia Staff External: UNHCR, IOM, others as assigned

Qualifications

Job Requirements:

Education: University Degree preferred; OR equivalent to 1-2 years of meaningful professional experience will be considered. Work Experience: Minimum of 1 year of relevant resettlement processing experience is advantageous Experience with direct client interaction is helpful Previous working experience/direct or indirect engagement with NGOs and any other humanitarian exposure is desired Previous exposure to a multi-cultural environment is helpful Demonstrated Skills and Competencies: Excellent interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills Detail oriented, excellent organizational and follow-up skills; ability to multitask Considerate and deliberate in communication and handling conflict Ability to work independently and in challenging situations Flexible and able to work in a fast-paced, multi-cultural environment High level of integrity and professionalism while implementing IRC-RSC guidelines Database management and record keeping experience Prior experience working with interpreters is preferred High proficiency in Microsoft Office including Excel, Word and Outlook Language Skills: Excellent spoken and written English, excellent spoken Rohingya Additional languages such as Burmese, Mandarin, Tamil or Malay desirable Certificates or Licenses: Not applicable, unless required by law and/or organization to carry out official duties Others: Ability and willingness to travel when required Ability to legally work in Malaysia Not a refugee in the USRAP Working Environment: The employee must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct as well as to be in compliance with all relevant policies and procedures while carrying his/her duties. These are Integrity, Equality, Service, and Accountability. In line with these values, the IRC operates and implements policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation. All other employee terms and conditions shall be as per stipulated in the Employment Contract and/or Employee Handbook.