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Assc Field Officer

Medellín

  • Organization: UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
  • Location: Medellín
  • Grade: Junior level - P-2, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Civil Society and Local governance
    • Protection Officer (Refugee)
  • 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.

Associate Field Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
The Associate Field Officer is normally supervised by the Snr 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 may supervise some support staff. 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.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT
Accountability
- UNHCR's policies, standards and procedures are constantly and coherently applied in the area of responsibility (AoR).
- The needs of persons of concern in the AoR are assessed and analysed in a participating manner and using an Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective to form a firm basis for planning.
- Protection incidents and gaps in assistance are immediately identified and addressed.

Responsibility
- Identify vulnerable groups or individuals who may need special attention or special arrangements and make recommendations on the needs of different groups of refugees.
- Assess protection and assistance needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in the region and monitor implementation of refugee assistance programmes.
- In co-ordination with implementing partners, handle the reception, registration and provision of assistance to persons of concern to UNHCR.
- Provide inputs for project submissions and periodic narrative and financial reports for the annual programme.
- Develop and maintain relations with local authorities ensuring smooth negotiations in all aspects of UNHCR's mandate for the benefit of refugees.
- Monitor the security situation in the area and intervene as appropriate with the local authorities.
- Undertake other relevant duties as required.

Authority
- Submit recommendation for protection interventions to the designated officer.
- Negotiate with local authority counterparts, partners and populations of concern.
- Approve expenditures within the DOAP.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS)  in Law, Political Sciences or related fields plus minimum 3 years of previous work experience relevant to the function. Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master¿s) plus 2 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 1 year of previous relevant work experience may also be accepted.
- Field experience.
- 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
- Computer skills.
- Knowledge of refugee law.
- Good knowledge of UNHCR's programmes.
- UNHCR Protection Learning Programme.
- UNHCR Operations Management Learning Programme.
- Knowledge of additional UN languages.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR Associate Field 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. C001L2 - Accountability Level 2
C002L2 - Teamwork & Collaboration Level 2
C003L2 - Communication Level 2
C004L2 - Commitment to Continuous Learning Level 2
C005L2 - Client & Result Orientation Level 2
C006L2 - Organizational Awareness Level 2
M003L2 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 2
X001L2 - Analytical Thinking Level 2
X007L2 - Political Awareness Level 2
X008L2 - Stakeholder Management Level 2 <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
======================================================================================================== The Associate Field Officer will be supervised by the Head of Sub-Office and will develop and maintain relations with local authorities ensuring smooth negotiations in all aspects of UNHCR's mandate for the benefit of refugees. Advanced English skills are essential for this position. In addition, as all meetings and activities with all stakeholders are undertaken in Spanish, fluency in Spanish is essential as well.

The incumbent should maintain good attitude to work in multicultural groups and support UNHCR¿s consultative process with local government counterparts, partners and persons of concern for effective needs assessment and planning.

Fluency in Spanish (which is the official language in Colombia) is essential. Excellent knowledge of English is important due to regular reporting requirements. UNHCR Colombia mainly deals with mixed population groups; primarily refugees from Venezuela and other countries as well as, internally displaced persons. The government takes responsibility for refugee status determination and the agency assists and supports refugees as required. In April 2018, a Level 2 emergency for UNHCR's response to the Venezuela Situation in Colombia was activated.

The situation in Venezuela has led to an increasing number of arrivals from that country, including returning Colombians, many of them persons of concern to UNHCR, as well as Venezuelan nationals. According to the Colombian Migration Office, over 1.2 million Venezuelans are currently residing in Colombia, of whom some two-thirds are in the country irregularly. Many of these arrivals are staying in the same marginalized locations as Colombian IDPs, where they face similar protection challenges and risks of new displacements, inter alia as a result of actions by organized armed groups and other forms of urban violence.

Under this operational context, UNHCR in Colombia is rapidly shifting its operational focus from principally IDP interventions to mixed interventions including for those in need of international protection. UNHCR Colombia is in the process of introducing proGres V4 registration tool in all 10 offices with a view to ensuring harmonized identification of specific needs, registration, provision of assistance, and identification of durable solutions. UNHCR office Medellin¿s area of responsibility includes three departments within the North-eastern region of Colombia (Antioquia, Uraba y Choco), which borders Panama and is highly affected by the conflict/violence in Colombia with a substantial Venezuelan population as well as, asylum seekers from outside of the continent and mixed migration movements.  There is also a significant number of displaced populations. There are also very distinct institutional dynamics in each of the two departments. On one hand, there is the region of Antioquia (which includes Uraba), strong-willed, historically responsive and fiscally vibrant. Then, Choco, the poorest region in the whole country, lacks effective structures and political will and the necessary budgetary inputs to provide attention to its IDP population. UNHCR Medellin consists of three field offices (SO Medellin, FO Apartado and FO Quibdo). Medellin is an A category duty station and is the capital of the Antioquia department and the second-largest city in Colombia (almost 2,500,000 inhabitants).

Located 1,500 meters above the sea level with an average temperature of 22 °C.

National and different international banks have offices in Medellin, and ATMs can be found all around the city as well as very good health facilities; staff can be medically evacuated to Medellin without hesitation. 

Medellin offers an important amount of leisure and cultural activities, interesting museums, libraries, parks, cinemas, very good restaurants.  A number of international schools and universities are located in Medellin. Safety and security issues continue to be a concern. However, the situation improved significantly in recent years, common crime and isolated attacks by irregular armed groups continue to affect some regions in the country.

All official missions are to be conducted with full compliance to MOSS requirements, considering destination, transportation selected and activities carried out.

Please note that the closing date for all vacancies in this Flash Vacancy is Tuesday 18 December 2018 (midnight Geneva time).

This vacancy is now closed.
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