Durable Solutions Officer

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.

Durable Solutions Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
The Durable Solutions Officer is a focal point for solutions related issues in a country, and reports to the Senior Durable Solutions Officer, Senior Protection Officer or, where appropriate, to the Assistant or Deputy Representative.  The incumbent may have supervisory responsibility for durable solutions staff, who may include staff within the functional groups of durable solutions, reintegration, repatriation, and resettlement. She/He works closely with protection and programme staff and ensures operational standards and practices in solutions delivery at the country level. 

The Durable Solutions Officer is relied upon to assist in the development, implementation and adherence to a durable solutions strategy.   The Durable Solutions Officer should provide planning and foresight to advance progress in Protracted Refugee situations, where applicable, and/or to prevent new situations from becoming protracted.  Assisting the Country Office in fostering an environment to enhancement partnerships is a critical element of the work, as are activities designed to strength the involvement of refugee communities and their hosts in the design and implementation of solutions strategies.  A maximum number of persons of concern should benefit from appropriate durable solutions.  Broader development plans should be considered.  Frequent travel is expected.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT
Accountability
- The durable solutions strategy is implemented in a manner which ensures that all available solutions are complimentary and reinforce each other.
- The durable solutions strategy is implemented in a manner which capitalizes on regional mobility frameworks and partnerships.
- Durable solutions are integrated in all protection and programmatic activities, linking security, legal, economic and social welfare issuesAppropriate durable solutions are offered to a maximum number of PoCs.

Responsibility
- Implement activities in accordance with the comprehensive solutions strategy, with a view to finding durable solutions to the maximum number of PoCs.
- Participate in the planning of, and advise on opportunities for alternative solutions, including available regional and national legal frameworks.
- Participate in consultative processes within UNHCR and with a broad range of regional and national external partners to promote voluntary repatriation, local integration and resettlement.
- Contribute to fostering and maintaining strategic partnerships with UN, national, and  regional development agencies, civil societies and the private sector.
- Advise on populations of concern' appropriate engagement for the identification of the most appropriate solutions, including through participatory assessments and other forms of community based assessments.
- Provide guidance and input to the annual programme planning to identify adequate resources and means to implement the programme country-wide
- Advise on the integration and mainstreaming of self-reliance as a key component of a durable solutions strategy and ensure the involvement of PoCs in transition projects, peace-building and development initiatives.
- Monitor the implementation of the durable solutions strategy and provide advice for improvements.
- Analyse statistics, trends, and other documents, and draft reports.
- Conduct training activities aimed at the capacity building of UNHCR and partner staff on durable solutions, peacebuilding/coexistence and partnership.
- Monitor the implementation of the programme through managing the human and financial resources and identify gaps to ensure optimum use of available funds.

Authority
- Implement and contribute to the design of national and regional comprehensive durable solutions strategies.
- Engage national and regional interlocutors on durable solutions issues.
- Represent UNHCR in meetings related to durable solutions.
- Clear documents and reports coming out of the Durable Solutions Unit.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) in Law/International Law, Political Science, Social Science, Economics, International Relations or related field plus minimum 6 years of previous work experience relevant to the function with a minimum of 2 years field experience. Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master's) plus 5 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 4 years of previous relevant work experience may also be accepted.
- Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.

***For National Officer positions, very good knowledge of local language and local institutions is essential.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES
- Diverse field experience desirable.
- Good knowledge of MS Word, Excel, ProGres and MSRP.
- Completion of the RSD- Resettlement Learning Programme, Protection Learning Programme and Management Learning Programme desirable.
- Knowledge of additional UN languages.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR Durable Solutions Officer positions. 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. 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
M002L3 - Managing Performance Level 3
M004L3 - Strategic Planning and Vision Level 3
X001L3 - Analytical Thinking Level 3
X005L3 - Planning and Organizing Level 3
X008L3 - Stakeholder Management Level 3 <p>The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.</p>
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See below for this postion's Operational Context
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For those people applying for High Risk Duty Stations, we strongly encourage colleagues to read the country specific security and welfare profiles which can be found on the Intranet under Support Services - Duty of Care (https://intranet.unhcr.org/en/support-services/duty-of-care.html). These profiles have been specifically designed to answer some of the key questions (on security conditions, medical provisions, staff welfare, living and working conditions) potential applicants might have before deciding to apply. Ensuring staff are better informed is part of the increased attention UNHCR is paying to Duty of Care. This project is still in the pilot phase, and as such some of the information leaflets are being produced as we speak and might not be available yet. They will be soon, so keep checking. 

- Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) in Law/International Law, Political Science, Social Science, Economics, International Relations or related field plus minimum 6 years of previous work experience relevant to the function with a minimum of 2 years field experience. Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master's) plus 5 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 4 years of previous relevant work experience may also be accepted.
- Excellent knowledge of English and working knowledge of another UN language. On 19 September 2016, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the New York Declaration on Refugees and Migrants, calling for greater burden sharing by the international community to support the world's largest refugee hosting states. The New York Declaration called on UNHCR to develop and initiate the application of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) in close coordination with relevant states and partners; and to develop and present a Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) in late 2018.

The Division of Resilience and Solutions (DRS), created in February 2018, aims to guide the Office¿s engagement in pursuing solutions for refugees, internally displaced and stateless persons of concern to UNHCR. It consists of two services: technical and field support; and development partnerships.

Under the direct supervision of the Sr. Durable Solutions Officer, the Durable Solutions Officer will assist in the development, implementation and adherence to durable solutions strategies, and provide planning, foresight, and tools to advance progress on solutions for protracted and sudden refugee situations. In addition, the Durable Solutions Officer will contribute to fostering an environment to enhance partnerships and design activities to strengthen the involvement of refugee communities and their hosts in the design and implementation of solutions strategies, encompassing voluntary repatriation and local integration as well as housing, land and property.

Please note that the closing date for all vacancies in the Add.4 to March 2018 Compendium is Wednesday 5 Septembe 2018 (midnight Geneva time).