Assistant Field Officer – UNHCR

Job Description

Organization	United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Job Title	Assistant Field Officer
Location	Khashm El Girba, Sudan
Hardship Level	E
Job ID	31974
Salary Grade	NA
Family Location Type	Non-Family
Closing Date	15/12/2021

Eligible Applicants

This position is advertised open to Group 1, Group 2, if applicable,  and external applicants

Procedures and Eligibility

Interested applicants should consult the Administrative Instruction on Recruitment and Assignment of Locally Recruited Staff (RALS). Applicants must be nationals of, and be locally recruited within the country of their employment.

Duties and Qualifications

Assistant Field Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Assistant Field Officer is normally supervised by the Senior Field Coordinator or Field Officer or Head of Sub-Office/Field Office depending on the structure of the Office. S/he may receive indirect guidance from other sections and units relevant to the country/regional programme(s). UNHCR Manual, programme and protection objectives, Operations Plans, UN and UNHCR financial/budgetary rules and regulations will guide the work of the incumbent.
The incumbent does not normally have any direct supervisory role. S/he has daily contacts with staff in the various field offices and with the functional units at the Country/Regional Office. S/he also has close liaison with a range of local civilian and military authorities and counterparts in NGOs and UN agencies to discuss matters of common interest.

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

• Assess the needs of persons of concern in the AoR and formulate project submissions in collaboration with district authorities and implementing partners.
• Promote and monitor the implementation of assistance projects.
• Report regularly on rate of flow of new arrivals and estimate expected influx based on interviews with persons of concern.
• In co-ordination with implementing partners, assist with the reception, registration and provision of assistance to persons of concern to UNHCR.
• Keep track of cases of detention; register applicants for voluntary repatriation and family reunion.
• Assist in the preparation of monthly sectoral reports and submit material for preparation of periodic project monitoring reports and year-end reports.
• Submit recommendation for protection interventions to the designated officer.
• Negotiate with local authority counterparts, partners and populations of concern.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience

Years of Experience / Degree Level

For P1/NOA – 1 year relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or no experience with Graduate degree; or no experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education

Law Political Sciences or other relevant field.
(Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Certificates and/or Licenses

UNHCR Protection Learning Programme
UNHCR Operations Management Learning Programme
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential:

Not specified

Desirable:

Field experience.
Knowledge of refugee law.
Good knowledge of UNHCR¿s programmes.

Functional Skills

G-UNHCR’s Programmes
PG-Stakeholder management and coordination with Implementing Partners (Gov/NGO/Corporate)
PG-Resource planning
IT-Computer Literacy
BU-PeopleSoft EPM/Budget
FI-ERP Financial Management (SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft, Workday and other)
PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards)
PG-Results-Based Management
(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.

See below for this position’s Operational Context

As of November 2020, Sudan hosts over 1 million refugees from South Sudan, Eritrea, Central African Republic, Ethiopia and other countries, including over 133,000 refugees, mainly Eritrean and Ethiopian, living in nine camps and urban areas in East Sudan.

The country faces multiple challenges, including over 200% annual inflation, currency depreciation and fuel shortages, further compounded by lockdown restrictions due to COVID-19 earlier in 2020. According to the latest International Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report food insecurity levels are the highest ever recorded in Sudan. The 2021 Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) estimates that over 12.7 million people are in need of assistance, including one million refugees, an increase of a third compared to 2020.
UNHCR has an existing sub-office in Kassala, and a field office in Girba and have re-opened its field office in Gadaref state, also in the process of opening a new field office in Damazine, Blue Nile. Kassala Sub Office is located in close proximity to current border entry points. UNHCR/COR manage transit centers at Hamdayat and village 8 where wet feeding, screening and onward transportation to designated camps are provided. Protection and assistance services target the protracted and newly arriving Eritrean refugees located in several camps. It also seeks to address the onward movements of refugees. Prior to the start of the new refugee influx, 6 UN agencies, 8 INGOs and 3 NNGOs have had ongoing refugee related programming in Eastern Sudan aimed at providing humanitarian assistance services, addressing mixed movements, and responding to protection needs of children (particularly UASC) and persons with special needs. In summary, while there is operational capacities on the ground, this needs to be scaled to respond to a fast-evolving refugee emergency situation. The presence of additional response actors is also required to bolster the overall implementation capacity.

Nature of the Position:

The Assistant Field Office is a part of the Snr Management team in the field Office Khashm El Girba. S/he will be under the direct supervision of the Head of Field Office. S/he is responsible for managing day-to-day field activities and coordinate the operation in nine camps under AORs of the UNHCR Field Office.  S/he will ensure protection and service delivery are carried out in coordinated and in line with the humanitarian participles. 

S/he should have a solid understanding of UNHCR relevant polices and procedures and possess good communication and writing skills. Previous work experience with development agencies is an asset. Apart from excellent functional competencies, the incumbent would also be expected to possess proven managerial and leadership skills.

In addition to the specified roles and responsibilities in the job description, Assistant Field Officer in Khashm El Girba Field Office will be expected to field team and often sever as OIC in absence of the Head of Field Office. There are about 15 partners in East Sudan with a budget portfolio of about USD 28,7 million and this function plays a very important role in maintaining harmonious and effective partnerships, and often interact with implementing partners. As a result, incumbents need to be very mindful of all dimensions of partnerships in their interaction with partners (in accordance with the Principles of Partnership, the Code of Conduct and other relevant documents).

Khashm El Girba Field Office covers field posts along the border areas and in 9 camps under AoRs of the Office. Assistant Field Officer is expected to monitor implementation of the PPAs with the partners including Commission of Refugees and provide regular situational updates.