Programme Associate

Details

Mission and objectives

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people.

Context

The Office of the UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and coordinate 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). UNHCR initiated activities in Bulgaria in 1993 in tandem with the country’s accession to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees. Since then, it has been engaged with national and local authorities, civil society organizations, and refugee, stateless, and host communities to promote access to territory, legal status, and opportunities for legal and socio-economic inclusion. Currently, the office is supporting authorities and communities in the response to the needs of refugees fleeing the armed conflict in Ukraine and those from the Middle East, North Africa, and Near Asia, who are seeking protection and opportunities for meaningful inclusion in Bulgarian society.

Task description

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Operations Officer or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the Programme Associate will: • Provide administrative assistance and support in regular programme processes and activities within the Operations/Programme. • Provide support to senior Programme and Operations staff to ensure Partnership Framework Agreements are established in a timely manner, regularly monitored and reported on in compliance with established policies, guidelines and procedures included in the framework for implementing with partners. • Assist senior Programme, Operations and other UNHCR staff to ensure direct implementation of activities is carried out effectively by supporting the regular monitoring, assisting with administrative implementation requirements. • Contribute to monitoring activities implemented through partnerships and those under direct implementation in line with Programme Handbook and programming instructions. • Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor. Results/expected outputs: • As an active UNHCR team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNHCR and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including: o Support to partner and direct implementation of UNHCR’s programs is provided o Operations/Programme unit coordination is supported with administrative tasks • 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 peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities: • Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take 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; • Provide annual and end-of-assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results, and opportunities. • Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • 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.