Senior Inquiries and Outreach Officer (National Position)

Job Description

Background/IRC Summary:

The IRC has a rich history of assisting refugees to apply for United States 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. Since 2005, RSC Asia has resettled over 180,000 refugees to the United States.

Based in Bangkok with field offices in Thailand and Malaysia, the IRC Resettlement Support Center (RSC Asia) is funded by the US State Department Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) to assist persons throughout Asia seeking permanent resettlement to the United States. Responsible for a portfolio of 37 countries, the RSC: prepares refugee applications for the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) using START (a State Department–managed data system that supports the arrival and resettlement of refugees through technology); provides information to resettlement agencies about arriving refugees; and offers cultural orientation training to refugees bound for the United States.

Job Overview/Summary:

The Senior Inquiries and Outreach Officer is responsible for monitoring and responding to routine refugee case status inquiries submitted via e-mail, phone, letter and the RSC’s online Case Status Inquiry website (CaSI). Inquiries may be submitted directly by refugees or third parties. The Senior Inquiries and Outreach Officer also provides general information about the USRAP to refugees. S/he will ensure that case related updates provided by refugees or USRAP partner agencies are accurately recorded in into START, and flagged for follow-up as appropriate. S/he projects the professional image of the IRC-RSC through telephone, email and in-person interaction with refugees.

Major Responsibilities:

• Learn and implement established IRC Resettlement Support Centre (RSC Asia), Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and Refugee Processing Centre (RPC) policies and procedures • Respond to refugee or third-party inquiries submitted online, by phone, email, letter and/or in-person encounters within established time frames • Provide refugee applicants with accurate, general information about the USRAP, or with their case specific information. • Develop and implement weekly monitoring reports and tools to provide ongoing analysis of processing priorities. • Conduct follow-up activities for cases that are prioritize for processing by Casework and/or Case Processing team including updating in START to ensure timely transition of cases to next processing stage. • Perform quality control work on actioned cases on a daily basis • Travel independently to locations both within Thailand and Regionally to conduct inquiries and outreach session. • Provide counseling on case status and in some cases, final case decision by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services • Ensure accurate data entry into START in accordance with USRAP guidelines and the cooperative agreement, and accurate dissemination of information received to relevant staff • Seek guidance and communicate with appropriate staff about more complex cases • Keep immediate supervisor informed of developments in daily inquiries, including any urgent inquiries • Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Inquiries and Outreach Manager Position Directly Supervises: N/A Indirect Reporting: Program Support Coordinator Other Internal/External contacts: Internal: All Bangkok and Malaysia RSC staff External: N/A

Qualifications

Job Requirements:

Education: University Degree in any field

Work Experience:

• At least two years of relevant professional experience including database management and record keeping required. • Previous customer service experience preferred • Resettlement processing, interview experience, or other NGO experience is preferred • Previous work in a multi-cultural environment is advantageous

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Both team and detail oriented; flexible and able to work in fast-paced, multi-cultural environment. • Able to function effectively in a complex office environment and set appropriate priorities; manages time well in order to meet deadlines • Ability to carry out responsibilities independently with minimal technical support • Must be a patient and good communicator who can identify problems and pro-actively seek to resolve them • Prior experience working with interpreters is preferred • Willing and able to travel to and work in remote locations such as refugee camps

Language and Computer Skills:

• Excellent verbal and written English language skills required. • Working knowledge of a refugee language is desirable. • High level of computer literacy and proficient in MS Office applications (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook) is required. • Proven advanced data entry skills with extreme accuracy, attention to detail, and self-checking abilities required. • Ability to type 40 words per minute required

Working Environment:

The position is currently based in Bangkok in an urban office environment. The position may require both domestic and international travel to support delivery of USRAP processing within Thailand and throughout the region. A valid passport and the ability to acquire US and other visas, as necessary, is a requirement.

The employee is required to adhere to The IRC Way for professional conduct, as well as to be in compliance with all relevant IRC and donor policies and procedures while carrying out his/her duties.

Standards of Professional Conduct:

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.