RSD 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.

RSD Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
The RSD Officer is the Supervisor of the Refugee Status Determination (RSD) team and directly manages and oversees UNHCR's RSD procedures and decision-making as well as related activities in the operation.  The RSD Officer is responsible for developing an operation-specific RSD strategy to promote the effectiveness of RSD as a protection tool in the operation and maximize the efficiency and quality of RSD decision-making.  The RSD Officer provides day-to-day supervision, direction and support to UNHCR staff engaged in RSD and related activities (including Reception, Registration and RSD), monitors the efficiency and quality of RSD decision-making, and reviews and endorses RSD decisions. 

The RSD Officer advocates with and supports Government authorities and legal partners in establishing and strengthening fair and efficient RSD procedures and RSD decision-making and develops and implements awareness-raising and training initiatives in this area.  

The RSD Officer liaises with other RSD operations in the Region, the Regional RSD Officer, the Bureau and the RSD Unit in DIP to promote regional and global consistency in RSD procedures and decision-making and to contribute to develop and enhance regional and global RSD standards and policies.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT
Accountability
- The operation has a clear and coherent RSD strategy which reflects UNHCR's country, regional and global priorities and objectives and complies with UNHCR's age, gender and diversity (AGD) policy.
- UNHCR's RSD procedures are implemented in accordance with relevant UNHCR standards and policies, including policies related to Age, Gender, and Diversity mainstreaming (AGDM).
- Persons of concern have fair and transparent access to the RSD procedures.
- The integrity of RSD procedures is ensured through the prevention, identification and appropriate addressing of fraud in the RSD process and the timely identification of persons not eligible for refugee protection.
- The quality and efficiency of RSD procedures and decision-making are maximized through the implementation of appropriate case management strategies and the progressive development of the capacity of RSD staff.  
- The RSD capacity of Government authorities and legal partners is progressively improved.

Responsibility
- Stay abreast of legal, political, security and other developments which impact on the protection environment, and in particular, on protection delivery through RSD.
- Contribute to the development of the RSD strategy and support senior management to ensure that the RSD strategy is fully and effectively integrated into the Country Operations Plan.
- Contribute to the development and enhancement of regional and global RSD standards and policies.
- Supervise and oversee RSD and RSD-related activities to promote full compliance with written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all aspects of the RSD operation and other relevant standards and guidelines.
- Design, implement and revise, as required, operation-specific SOPs for all aspects of the RSD operation in accordance with applicable standards and policies, including the UNHCR AGD policy and Forward Plan, ensuring the prioritisation of persons with specific needs.
- Review and endorse RSD decisions and provide appropriate feedback and guidance to RSD staff. 
- Conduct RSD interviews and draft RSD Assessments for complex or sensitive RSD cases in accordance with applicable standards and guidelines.
- Maintain accurate and up-to date records and data related to all work on individual cases.
- Prevent and identify fraud in RSD through oversight, advice and guidance to UNHCR staff, partners and persons of concern.  
- Monitor RSD trends and regularly and systematically compile and analyse RSD statistics related to RSD case processing in order to identify and respond to issues impacting on the efficiency or quality of RSD decision-making and to maintain an accurate assessment of the capacity and resource requirements of the operation. 
- Liaise regularly with other RSD operations in the Region, the Regional RSD Officer, and the Bureau and the RSD Unit in DIP to ensure appropriate information exchange.
- Develop and maintain processes to ensure that persons of concern, Government authorities and partners have accurate information on the RSD procedures, including UNHCR standards, policy and practice.
- Advocate with and support Government authorities and legal partners to establish and strengthen fair and efficient RSD procedures and RSD decision-making.
- Regularly assess training needs of UNHCR staff engaged in RSD and related activities and provide on-going training and coaching on legal and procedural RSD issues.
- Regularly assess training needs of Government authorities and legal partners and develop and implement RSD training initiatives.
- Evaluate and project RSD staffing and financial needs using the RSD Staffing Benchmarks; advocate with senior management for the allocation of appropriate human, material and financial resources.

Authority
- Approve decisions to accelerate and to re-open RSD processing for cases meeting established criteria.
- Enforce compliance by UNHCR staff engaged in RSD and related activities with UNHCR standards, policies and operation-specific SOPs for all aspects of the RSD operation.
- Decide and endorse RSD decisions.
- Negotiate and take initiatives with external partners on RSD-related issues.
- Clear RSD, and RSD-related, documents and reports for internal use.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
-  Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) in Law, Political Science, International Relations or another related field plus minimum 6 years of previous work experience relevant to the function preferably in the area of refugee protection, human rights or international humanitarian law. 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.
- Minimum 3 years of experience working directly with procedures and principles related to the adjudication of individual asylum claims in RSD procedures.
- Knowledge of International Refugee Law and Human Rights Law and ability to apply the relevant legal principles.
- Thorough knowledge of the "Procedural Standards for Refugee Status Determination under UNHCR's Mandate" and other guidelines and standards governing UNHCR's mandate RSD activities.
- Excellent drafting and report writing skills.
- Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES. 
- Experience as a decision-maker in UNHCR or Government RSD procedures is highly desirable.
- Experience in providing legal representation to asylum seekers in UNHCR or Government RSD procedures.
- Ability to draft legal opinions
- Experience in supervising a team
- Training and coaching experience.
- Experience in working with vulnerable or traumatized individuals.
- Completion of UNHCR's RSD Learning Programme, COI Learning Programme, Protection Learning Programme, or Management Learning Programme.
- Knowledge of additional UN languages.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR RSD 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
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
X005L3 - Planning and Organizing Level 3
X001L3 - Analytical Thinking Level 3
X006L3 - Policy Development & Research 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 them – before deciding to apply- to read the country specific security and welfare country 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). Ensuring staff are better informed is part of the increased attention UNHCR is paying to Duty of Care.

 

Staff after having applied to High Risk Duty Stations will have access to country specific information webinars with Field Safety Section (FSS) and Staff Welfare Section (SWS) colleagues and provided with a tool to test their psychological preparedness for serving in High Risk Duty Stations. Applicants who applied for a position in a High Risk country will receive, after the deadline for applications has expired, a joint invitation from the Staff Welfare Section (SWS) and the Field Safety Section (FSS) to participate in these webinars. During the Webinars, latest updates on security and well-being will be provided, and FSS and SWS will address questions raised by participants. Applicants are highly encouraged to benefit, when applicable, from all measures as they provide most up-to-date security and well-being information helpful to assess staff’s readiness to serve in a High Risk Duty Station. A Staff Welfare Officer will also be available, if and when required, to discuss with interested applicants the results of the psychological preparedness tool as well as readiness for assignment in High Risk Duty Stations.

 

The RSD Officer is a member of the protection team in the Branch Office in Mexico City and reports to the Senior Protection Officer to manage the RSD activities and resources for the internal RSD need. The incumbent is the Supervisor of the Refugee Status Determination (RSD) team and directly manages and oversees RSD procedures and decision-making required internally in the country. The incumbent should have a solid understanding of RSD policies and procedures and related issues as well as appropriate qualifications and experience to analyze complex RSD cases. The incumbent should have a high degree of professionalism and responsibility, and an ability to collaborate and support externally with government counterparts, implementing partners, NGOs, and legal advocates engaged in RSD and refugee protection to build trust, support, and understanding. The incumbent will need also to provide training/capacity building to the staff of COMAR (Comisión Mexicana de Ayuda a Refugiados) in charge of RSD in Mexico.
S/he therefore requires the following attributes:
¿ Ability to stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment.
¿ Sensitive political context requires ability to work collaboratively with government counterparts.
¿ Consensus teambuilding and cultural sensitivity needed as the team is diverse.
¿ Strong training, coaching and facilitation skills.
¿ Ability to devise with innovative and creative solutions to operational challenges.
¿ Completion of the Protection Learning Programme, RSD- Learning Programme and the Interview Learning Programme.
¿ Excellent command of Spanish and English, written and spoken is essential.
¿ Previous experience in Latin America is highly desirable. The current drivers of forced displacement in North of Central America (NCA) persist in 2019. Central Americans continue to cross Mexico¿s southern border in significant numbers to seek protection. Due to a lack of information, detention policies, the limited number of locations with COMAR presence as well as inadequate reception arrangements, many people with international protection needs attempt to make the dangerous journey north to the United States without making an asylum claim in Mexico. As progress has been achieved in building the asylum system and in improving reception arrangements, as well as in the provision of local integration opportunities, the number of claimants in Mexico has increased dramatically, requiring a comprehensive approach from the operation to ensure successful integration.
This increase is putting additional pressure on an already weak asylum system and assistance providers. The impact of the increasing number of claimants is most acutely felt in towns and cities close to the border with Guatemala. Authorities in southern Mexico report that public services are stretched by these arrivals and that this is feeding xenophobia. UNHCR estimates that violence against PoC is underreported, and generally goes unpunished. An increasing number of PoC have required relocation due to security risks in the southern states, especially transgender women. In Mexico, UNHCR is working with and supporting the government and other actors to build a stronger asylum and protection system that allows refugees to fully exercise their human rights, from the moment of entry into Mexico, to when a durable solution is found. To this end, the Operation in Mexico has prioritized actions aimed at ensuring access to the RSD procedure, which includes the dissemination, through different means, of information on access to asylum as well as measures to rapidly mobilise the needed support for persons of concern. The operation will in 2019 carry out a significant upscaling of its focus on integration, opening two new offices in the north which will strengthen the existing program with integration of refugees in Mexico. ¿ Mexico City is family duty station, A;
¿ It has very good infrastructure (health, housing, banking transportation, telecommunications and recreational facilities);
¿ There are adequate schools including private schools, although the number of bilingual or bi-cultural schools is not high. Mexico City belongs to the Security Risk Management area 01, Capital, with the current General Threat Level 2, LOW. There are no known direct threats to UNHCR, yet the UNHCR personnel may be affected indirectly by crime, civil unrest and hazards. Some of the Mexico City neighborhoods are featured with high crime rates. Many of crime incidents are assaults and robberies with the use of weapons. The UNHCR personnel must remain security aware at all times, apply personal security measures and avoid movement after darkness on foot in the unfamiliar areas of Mexico City. While on road missions outside Mexico City, exercise caution and always obtain Security Clearance through UNDSS COSNU. Only authorized taxis are recommended for UNHCR personnel. Large-scale public demonstrations are quite common in Mexico City, yet peaceful. There are seismic hazards in Mexico City, and all UNHCR international personnel must consult Field Security Adviser before selecting private residence.

Please note that the closing date for vacancies in the Addendum 4 is Thursday 28 February 2019 (midnight Geneva time)