Refugee Status Determination Officers (UNOPS IICA)

• Provide legal/procedural advice and support on RSD adjudication issues within the Area of Responsibility (AoR).

• Stay abreast of legal, political, security and other developments relevant to mandate RSD, the protection environment, including developments in relation to national asylum/RSD systems, as applicable.

• Engage relevant national authorities and structures in identifying and expanding opportunities in view of developing or strengthening national asylum/RSD systems.

• Undertake quality review of RSD Assessments in line with UNHCR policies/guidelines related to mandate RSD and endorse RSD decisions as required.

• Conduct interviews and draft RSD Assessments in complex/sensitive cases per relevant standards and guidelines.

• Provide ongoing coaching as well as specialized training on the inclusion criteria; principles/procedures related to exclusion; cancellation/revocation; international humanitarian law; human rights law; interviewing techniques and credibility assessment/establishing the facts; and legal drafting.

• Provide specialized training to other UNHCR units on the refugee criteria and related issues as needed. Contribute to the development of the RSD strategy and support senior management to ensure its full and effective integration into the protection and solution strategy of the Country Operations Plan.

• Contribute to developing/enhancing regional and global RSD standards and policies, as required.

• Support the design and implementation of operation-specific SOPs for all aspects of RSD operations in line with relevant standards/policies, including UNHCR's AGD policy and Forward Plan, ensuring the prioritization of persons with specific needs if based in a Regional Bureau, provide support to operations on the above.

• Monitor trends and systematically compile statistics related to RSD case processing.

• Analyze key indicators of the quality and efficiency of decision-making in RSD processing to assess capacity and resource requirements of operations in the region or the operation to which the RSD Officer is assigned.

• Contribute to the evaluation and projection of RSD staffing and financial needs using the RSD Staffing Benchmarks, and support allocation of appropriate human, material and financial resources.

• Contribute to identifying and preventing fraud in RSD through oversight, advice and guidance to UNHCR personnel, partners and persons of concern.

If based in DIP or a Regional Bureau:

• Conduct support missions, as required.

• Assess training needs in UNHCR RSD operations and assist RSD Supervisors to provide coaching/capacity building for UNHCR personnel and deployees under their supervision, in coordination with the GLC as appropriate.

• Maintain and manage a consultative process with operations and other stakeholders in the region.

If based in a country operation, together with competent host authorities and partners, develop processes aiming at developing national institutional capacities and the timely identification of international protection needs in line with the GCR and other key planning considerations.
- Perform other related duties as required.

Essential minimum qualifications and professional experience required

1. A law degree from a University of good repute or post graduate qualifications in humanitarian law or law on displacement of persons.

2. Eloquence in English as a working language with a second UN language such as French being desirable.

Location

The Three (3) RSD Officers will be based in Pretoria- South Africa, Mbabane in the Kingdom of Eswatini and Osire refugee camp in Namibia.

Deadline for applications: 09 August 2019 (midnight Geneva time).