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Senior Regional CRR Officer

Panamá

  • Organization: UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
  • Location: Panamá
  • Grade: Mid level - P-4, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Refugee rights and well-being
  • Closing Date: Closed

Before submitting an application, UNHCR staff members intending to apply to this Job Opening are requested to consult the Recruitment and Assignments Policy (RAP, UNHCR/HCP/2017/2 and the Recruitment and Assignments Administrative Instruction (RAAI), UNHCR/AI/2017/7 OF 15 August 2017.

Senior Regional CRR Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
The Senior Regional Comprehensive Refugee Response (CRR) Officer reports to the Deputy Regional Representative (Protection) and supervises a Junior Professional Officer, in coordination with the Regional Protection Officer. He/she is expected to be able to work within a team coordinating closely with her supervisor to whom the Senior Regional CRR Officer has to report regularly as well as the protection teams on the region and the offices in the field.

The Senior Regional CRR Officer is responsible for following up the further development of the Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework for Central America and Mexico, as a regional adaptation of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework foreseen in Annex 1 of the New York Declaration on Refugees and Migrants.  The CRPSF consists of a responsibility sharing mechanism as well as a national plan of action by each of the countries that are involved in the CRSPF, to address the forced displacement challenges in the region in a comprehensive and multi-stakeholder approach. The CRPSF will be adopted at a regional conference scheduled to take place at the end of October 2017. The Senior Regional CRRF Officer will be responsible for following up on any commitments made together with the regional office in Panama (ROPAN) and Costa Rica, and support its further development and implementation. In addition, the Senior Regional CRRF Officer will prepare talking points and briefings with internal and external parties to UNHCR, and ensure that the objectives of the CRPSF, and UNHCR¿s role are adequately reflected and are up to date.

An important function of the position is to provide guidance and support to  ROPAN and the office in Costa Rica on how best to support national Governments in following up and delivering on their national action plans. To undertake this role effectively, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with Offices in the region, and in cooperation with those Offices, with national authorities, protection and assistance partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to developing and implementing the CRPSF., S/he will  the link with development organizations to find support for addressing root causes to displacement. He/she will also need to consider the development of an appropriate fundraising strategy to support the national budgets and international efforts.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT
Accountability
- Development and implementation of the CRPSF for the Central America and Mexico, which consists of the national operational plans and the regional responsibility sharing mechanisms to address forced displacement, is ensured.
- National Offices are supported in the implementation of the operational plans and other commitments adopted in the context of the CRPSF, as well as following up of all other commitments from, donors and other states in close consultation with ROPAN and the UNHCR Office in Costa Rica
- Effective interfaces with National Offices, relevant authorities and partners are built and maintained.

Responsibility
- Design and develop an implementation strategy for the CRPSF for Central America, as well as with its follow up and implementation.
- Stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments in Central America that have an impact on the protection environment.
- Support the field in quantifying the gaps and priorities that have been identified in national plans as well as responsibility sharing mechanisms.
- Work closely with the ROPAN and the UNHCR Office in Costa Rica in following and supporting as needed the development of a national strategy for implementing the CRPSF, advising on comparative experiences in the region.
- Support the field in linking up with development institutions, including regional and international financial institutions, as well as other stakeholders including the private sectors, NGOs and other UN agencies so as to include them effectively in addressing root causes.
- Coordinate with the field and the Senior Desk officer to prepare UNHCR¿s CRRF related appeals, as well as the preparation of any follow-up fundraising meeting, advising on substantive and political issues.

Authority
- Advise colleagues in ROPAN and the UNHCR office in Costa Rica on any issues related to the CRPSF.
- Support the ongoing advocacy with different stakeholders to support priorities and actions identified in the CRPSF.
- Enforce compliance of staff and implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- Education: graduate degree (equivalent of a Master's) in Law, International Law, Political Sciences, International Relations, International Economics or related field with good knowledge of International refugee, Human Rights and Humanitarian Law.
- Job experience: minimum 8 years relevant professional experience of which 3 years in the field and 5 years in an international capacity.
- Excellent knowledge of English and Spanish (oral and written).

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES
- Diverse field experience.
- Experience at supporting Governments with technical capacity in addressing forced displacement.
- Experience at working with Government in developing national budgets to address forced displacement. C001L3 - Accountability Level 3
C002L3 - Teamwork & Collaboration Level 3
C003L3 - Communication Level 3
C004L3 - Commitment to Continuous Learning Level 3
C005L3 - Client & Result Orientation Level 3
C006L3 - Organizational Awareness Level 3
M001L3 - Empowering and Building Trust Level 3
M002L3 - Managing Performance Level 3
M006L3 - Managing Resources Level 3
M005L3 - Leadership Level 3
M003L3 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 3
M004L3 - Strategic Planning and Vision Level 3
X007L3 - Political Awareness Level 3
X006L3 - Policy Development & Research Level 3
X008L3 - Stakeholder Management Level 3

Before applying to this position, we strongly encourage colleagues to read the country specific FAQs information leaflets which can be found  on the Intranet under Staff Resources > Duty of Care. The information leaflets are specifically designed to answer some of the key questions potential applicants might have before deciding to apply. 

¿ Minimum 10 years (12 years with University degree) relevant professional experience of which 3 years in the field and 5 years in an international capacity;
¿ Advanced university degree in Law, International Law, Political Sciences or related field with good knowledge of International refugee, Human Rights and Humanitarian Law;
¿ Excellent communication skills both written and oral;
¿ Must be highly organized with ability to prioritize assignments;
¿ Proven multi-tasking skills;
¿ Excellent English and Spanish communications skills (both verbal and written);
¿ Prior experience in the region is an advantage;
¿ Diverse field experience desirable is desirable;
¿ Good IT skills including database management skills is desirable;
¿ Completion of the Protection Learning Programme, RSD-Resettlement Learning Programme and Management Learning Programme desirable;
¿ Prior experience with UNHCR an asset. ¿ The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has an international mandate to protect refugees, stateless, IDPs and other persons of concern. The UNHCR Regional Office for Central America, Mexico and Cuba (ROPAN) is located in Panama City.
¿ ROPAN¿s activities and strategy focus on Central America, Cuba and Mexico. There are UNHCR Offices at the Representation level in Costa Rica and Mexico and a small antenna in Cuba, working under UNDP¿s umbrella. National offices are established under joint UN premises in all three countries of the Northern Triangle of Central America (NTCA) and currently being strengthened for future implementation of UNHCR¿s protection and solutions strategy. ¿ Due to the magnitude and complexity of the new dynamics of displacement, institutional responses lack effectiveness and protection capacities are limited. In regard to cross-border movements, only a small proportion of persons in need of protection are acknowledged as refugees or benefit from any form of complementary protection. Mechanisms to protect violence victims are insufficient, and internal displacement is not addressed in the legal frameworks of NCA countries. On the other hand, there is evidence that show that official figures only show a small portion of the population who has been displaced or need protection. As a matter of fact, recent statistical investigations show that insecurity is an important factor when making the decision to migrate, either within the country, and/or to other countries, seeking protection. The framework for UNHCR¿s regional protection strategy and activities are the Brazil Declaration and Plan of Action (PAB), adopted in December 2014, as well as the Statement emanating from the San Jose Roundtable of July 2016, which ensures that prevention interventions, protection and solutions are included in global efforts to address the fundamental causes of displacement, in particular through national and regional strategies, taking into account the size and characteristics of displacement as well as the profiles of displaced persons, with particular attention to the specific needs of children, women and LGBTI populations attended. At that meeting, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a series of commitments to improve the protection of refugees and migrants, known as the New York Declaration, in which the States are committed, inter alia, to strengthen and facilitate Response for Refugees (CRRF ¿ Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework) that is predictable and sustainable. ¿ The CRRF has been applied to six countries in the Americas, of which five are under the purview of UNHCR Regional Office in Panama. The office is therefore leading the UNHCR engagement on the CRRR roll out and supporting country offices in the different roll out countries in assuming their roles as technical secretariat of the process. It also coordinating the regional dimension of it. This requires additional and dedicated capacity.
¿ Additional funding to create the post of Senior Regional CRR Officer in Panama City, Panama has been granted by PBS recently, so administrative procedures to bring high level of qualified candidates have started.
¿ Taking into consideration this context, the incumbent will be based in Panama City, where the Regional Office for Central America, Cuba and Mexico is located. ¿ Family duty station A.
¿ Very good infrastructure (health, housing, banking transportation, telecommunications and recreational facilities).
¿ Adequate schools. There is no lack of private schools, although the number of bilingual or bicultural schools is not so high. ¿ Most newly arriving expatriates are faced with the challenges of overcoming cultural and language barriers. Panama Is relatively safe compared to other cities throughout Latin America.
¿ The main threat is common crime. Crimes range from armed robberies, drug trafficking-related crimes, rape, muggings and purse-snatching to petty theft.
¿ The capital city is rated as security level ¿ 1 ¿minimal¿ whereas for Darién Province (border with Colombia) it is security level ¿ 2 ¿low¿.
¿ For Central America it is strongly advised to exercise extreme caution, and maintain a high level of personal security awareness.
¿ Security training is provided by UNDSS.

Please note that the closing date for all vacancies in the September 2017 Compendium is Monday 6 November 2017 (midnight Geneva time).

This vacancy is now closed.
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