Associate Resettlement Officer

Details

Mission and objectives

The Office of the UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org).

Context

The Associate Resettlement (RST) Officer is a member of the Resettlement Unit and Protection section. Under the direct supervision of the Head of Field Office in Muyinga and the technical supervision of the Resettlement & Complementary Pathways Officer in Bujumbura, s/he is responsible for conducting resettlement interviews and drafting Resettlement Registration Forms (RRFs). S/he may be required to undertake country of origin (COI) and other research related to the claim and resettlement needs to be included in the RRF and resettlement assessments. The Associate Resettlement Officer provides counseling to refugees on UNHCR's Resettlement procedures, the status of their cases, fraud and corruption matters along with the procedure to report such issues. The Associate Resettlement Officer may review deferral responses, resettlement assessments, and RRFs of other resettlement case workers and provide procedural guidance and coaching, as required. The role may also involve supervisory responsibilities from time to time.S/he contributes to comprehensive protection and solutions strategies and needs to make resettlement both strategic as well as responsive to the needs of forcibly displaced and stateless people for whom UNHCR works. The Associate Resettlement Officer may assist in developing and implementing resettlement training, including for Government authorities and partners, as well as other measures to enhance the quality and efficiency of resettlement processing. The Associate Resettlement Officer assists with the organization and logistics of resettlement selection missions, compiling and analyzing information related to the resettlement activities of the operation, and participates in decisions regarding appropriate case management strategies. S/he will also be required to attend BID and fraud panels.This UNV assignment is subject to proof of vaccination against COVID-19 with WHO WHO-approved vaccine unless the UNHCR Medical Service approves an exemption from this requirement on medical grounds.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Office, Muyinga and the Resettlement & Complimentary Pathways Officer in Bujumbura, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:• Conduct casework by interviewing identified refugees for resettlement.• Assess resettlement needs and complete Resettlement Registration Forms (RRF) and refer cases for review to the Resettlement & Complementary Pathways Officer.• Research country of origin information to support and strengthen resettlement cases.• Support and assist in preparing and facilitating resettlement country missions.• Assist the Associate Resettlement and Complementary Officer with organizing training workshops and seminars on resettlement-related issues for UNHCR staff.• Manage fairly refugees’ resettlement expectations through information sharing, outreach, and counseling.• Regularly liaise with Protection, Community Services, and other relevant Units for individual case processing within the Office.• Regularly update ProGres database with resettlement events and maintain own statistical data for reporting purposes.• Participate at the Resettlement Unit, Protection Section, and Office meetings when requested.• Act as Officer in Charge of the resettlement unit in the absence of the Associate Resettlement and Complimentary Pathways Officer.• Undertake support resettlement missions to field locations when required.Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and taking an active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day).• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country.• Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities.• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers.• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.Results/Expected Outputs:• Cases are referred for resettlement following existing SOPs.• Completion of about 8 to 15 RRFs per week depending on the complexity of the cases.• Conduct counseling sessions for resettlement cases.• Preparation of interim reports for assignments of six (6) months or more or as necessary. A final report covering the entire period of his/her assignment is compulsory. The report shall contain a description of activities and the data collected regarding the number of cases worked on, the number of persons submitted, and to which country (whether accepted/denied/pending);• Participation in-office meetings to discuss cases identified for possible resettlement consideration.• Ensure consistent resettlement updates in the proGres database and effective case tracking.• Resettlement country missions and refugee departures from (country) are facilitated.• Provide resettlement counseling to resettlement applicants.• Assist in the development of capacity building through coaching, mentoring, and formal on-the-job training, when working with (including supervising) national staff or (non-) governmental counterparts, including Implementing Partners (IPs);• Age, Gender, and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated, and documented in all activities throughout the assignment.• A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in, and capacities developed.