Receptionist
Assist in organizing and coordinating the reception area of UNHCR Office.
Overview
Assist in organizing and coordinating the reception area of UNHCR Office.
You have:
- 1 year relevant experience with High School Diploma or Bachelor or equivalent or higher
- Good knowledge of proGres (HCR database for registration of refugees, returnees and displaced persons)
- Good reporting and computer skills with a focus on registration and population data management are desirable
- Good written and spoken communication skills
- Flexibility, adaptability, and good planning skills
Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)
CFamily Type (not applicable for home-based)
FamilyStaff Member / Affiliate Type
UNOPS LICA3Target Start Date
2025-09-01Deadline for Applications
June 14, 2025Terms of Reference
Lebanon continues to host one of the largest populations of refugees per capita globally. In the absence of a formal national asylum system, UNHCR undertakes registration, identity management, and documentation of persons with and for whom UNHCR works. in coordination with the Government of Lebanon. Registration plays a central role in enabling access to protection and assistance, preserving legal identity, and facilitating durable solutions.
In late 2024 and early 2025, operational realities including funding constraints, shifting operational and protection context in Lebanon and Syria, increased cross border movements and the need for greater efficiency have driven the reshaping of registration and identity management activities. Significant operational changes were initiated in 2025, including the implementation of a Presence Verification Exercise via the MyUNHCR portal as well as the centralization of registration capacity and activities under one consolidated structure and team.
The Receptionist is a member of the UNHCR Beirut registration team. S/he will assist in organizing and coordinating the reception area of the reception and registration facility (Case Processing Center, CPC). The incumbent has no supervisory role and will function under the direct supervision of a more senior national staff member who is required to monitor the performance of the incumbent and provide regular guidance.
The incumbent will maintain regular internal contacts within UNHCR with staff members and focal points from different units and with external parties for exchange of information and reception of refugees and asylum seekers to ensure that persons are served in a timely manner. This includes the incumbent's responsibility to be abreast of standard operating procedures to safely assess and identify the protection needs of refugees and asylum seekers and refer them to relevant services or functional parties, internally and externally to UNHCR.
The incumbent is responsible for supporting all reception activities, which may also include functions related to crowd management, scheduling, admission, filing, digitization, data cleanup and data entry, which may occur at various locations or using remote modalities. S/he is responsible responding to queries from asylum seekers and refugees regarding UNHCR's registration procedures and their rights and entitlements, for scheduling their appointments with UNHCR, managing their entrance to/use of the reception facilities, and organizing their file records. S/he uses registration tools such as (ProGres, RAIS, and ProjectX (PXI).
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.
Desired Candidate Profile: Good reporting and computer skills with a focus on registration and population data management are desirable.
Relevant experience in reception as well as case management is an asset. Experience in registration at the same level or above is an advantage.
Prior experience and knowledge of UNHCR registration and identity management Standard Operating Procedures and tools including proGres, RAIS, BIMS and PXI, in refugee and internal displacement situations are desirable. Good understanding of the principles of and concepts of international protection and UNHCR. Training in registration, operational data management or information management is an asset. Experience in reception of large populations is desirable. Good written and spoken communication skills.
The incumbent will work in a complex and highly demanding context requiring flexibility, adaptability, and good planning skills. S/he must be able to work under pressure, promote a positive working environment, and communicate effectively within the immediate team and with other colleagues from other units.Standard Job Description
Receptionist
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships The Receptionist will assist in organizing and coordinating the reception area of UNHCR Office. The incumbent has no supervisory role and will always function under the direct supervision of a (Senior) Associate or an Officer who is required to monitor the performance of the incumbent and provide regular guidance.
The incumbent will have internal contacts within UNHCR with staff members and focal points from different units and with external parties for exchange of information and reception of visitors.
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 - Visitors and persons of concern have a full and fair access to UNHCR staff and services while approaching the reception for different purposes and their privacy is respected. - Receive, screen and assist visitors/clients and escorts them to responsible officer concerned. Adopt tactful attitude to inform and convince interlocutors to accept unforeseen situations, such as waiting longer than expected, meet with a different officer than expected or accepting the cancellation of an appointment. - Answer to incoming calls and transfer calls to concerned officer and/or take messages or provide general information, understanding the importance and the confidentiality of the issues treated. - Receive and transmit verbal and written messages to appropriate officer/office/Unit/Department. - Record the incoming and outgoing mail and manage internal courier distribution, as appropriate. Register/keep records of visitors/clients, as requested. - Utilise office equipment (telephone, fax, radio, computer¿) when necessary. - Perform any other clerical duty that may be required. - Identify which individuals or groups to be prioritized at the reception based on vulnerability and other criteria specified by the supervisor. - Decide on information contained in the weekly and daily reports submitted to the supervisor.
- 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 Years of Experience / Degree Level For G3 - 1 year relevant experience with High School Diploma; or Bachelor or equivalent or higher
Field(s) of Education Not applicable.
Certificates and/or Licenses Not specified. (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Relevant Job Experience Essential Not specified.
Desirable Good knowledge of proGres (HCR database for registration of refugees, returnees and displaced persons).
Functional Skills IT-Computer Literacy IT-IT Refugee Systems & Applications (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
IT-Computer Literacy, IT-IT Refugee Systems & ApplicationsEducation
Certifications
Work Experience
Other information
This position doesn't require a functional clearance Remote
No
Potential interview questions
| Describe a time when you dealt with a difficult visitor and how you managed the situation. | This question assesses your ability to handle challenging interpersonal interactions effectively. | Share a specific example that shows your problem-solving and communication skills in a reception context. |
| How do you prioritize tasks when dealing with a high volume of visitors? | The interviewer wants to see your organizational and multitasking skills in action. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What steps do you take to ensure confidentiality when handling visitor information? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Can you give an example of how you have used IT tools in your previous work? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Describe your experience working under pressure in a busy environment. | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| How do you ensure smooth communication between different teams within an organization? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What does providing good customer service mean to you? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| How would you handle a situation where an appointment has to be canceled on short notice? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |