Since 24 February 2022, the Government of Bulgaria granted Temporary Protection to more than 180,000 persons refugees displaced from Ukraine, of whom more than 65,000 remain in the country as of 1 July 2024. Several thousand 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 internship will support the implementation of protection strategies and action plans to advance UNHCR's mandate in Bulgaria, which can include research, supporting operational data functions, community-based protection and field monitoring missions, depending on the operational priorities during the period of internship and the background of the selected intern.

Duties and responsibilities • Conducting desk review, research and analysis on issues relating to the rights of forcibly displaced and stateless people and the relevant national systems. • Monitoring and data collection through interviews with displaced or stateless people or other stakeholders, and review of data. • Drafting reports on issues of refugee policy and law, community mobilisation or refugee integration, including based on participatory assessments. • Organising and supporting training and meetings. • Supporting other related duties as required.

Minimum qualifications required In order to be considered for an internship, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria: • Be either a recent graduate (having completed their studies within two years of applying) or a current student in a graduate/undergraduate school programme from a university or higher education facility accredited by IAU/UNESCO; and • Have completed at least two years of undergraduate studies in a field relevant or of interest to the work of UNHCR. Desirable qualifications and skills • Education in the field of humanities, including public or social policy, public administration, sociology and anthropology, or law or international relations. • Strong written and verbal communication skills in English and Bulgarian. • Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite and other relevant software applications. • Excellent organizational and time management skills, with the ability to multitask and prioritize tasks effectively. • Ability to work both independently and as part of a team in a multicultural environment. • Demonstrated interest in humanitarian work, refugee policy and law or community-based protection or integration and inclusion, or related fields. • Previous experience in humanitarian functions, research, data related tasks, report writing, or administrative support is advantageous. • Flexibility and adaptability to work in a fast-paced and changing environment. • Knowledge of UNHCR's mandate, operations, and/or the broader humanitarian sector is beneficial but not essential. • Knowledge of other UN languages will be considered as additional assets.

It is a full-time role with working hours starting from 9.00am to 6:00pm Monday to Friday (40 hours per week). The successful candidate will be assigned to support the team at UNHCR’s office in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Allowance: Interns who do not receive financial support from an outside party will receive an allowance to partially help to cover the cost of food, local transportation and living expenses.

The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity. UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travelling, processing or training.