RSD Associate (Temporary Appointment)

This Job Opening is available to eligible UNHCR staff members and external applicants. Interested applicants should consult the Administrative Instruction on Recruitment and Assignment of Locally Recruited Staff (RALS).

Applicants must be locally recruited within the country of their employment. Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The RSD Associate is a member of the Refugee Status Determination (RSD) team.  S/he is responsible for supporting all activities related to the processing of refugee claims in the Operation.  The RSD Associate provides counselling to, and responds to queries from, asylum seekers and refugees regarding UNHCR's RSD procedures, their rights and obligations, including towards the host authorities, and the status of the processing of their claims.  In discharging these responsibilities, the RSD Associate liaises closely with Registration, Community Services, Resettlement, and other Protection staff.  The RSD Associate is responsible for conducting COI and other research related to RSD and maintaining the Operation's local repository of relevant information, guidelines and standards.  S/he may also assist in drafting RSD Assessments.  The RSD Associate assists in compiling and analysing information related to the RSD activities of the Operation, and in drafting related correspondence and reports. The RSD Associate may provide interpretation and/or translation services in cases for which s/he has the required language competencies.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
- Stay abreast of legal, political, security and other developments which impact on the protection environment, and in particular, on protection delivery through RSD.
- Assist in the development of the RSD strategy of the operation and in the annual planning exercise.
- Provide counselling to, and respond to queries from, asylum seekers and refugees, including in the context of the notification of negative RSD decisions.  
- Maintain accurate and up-to date records and data related to all work on individual cases.
- Assist in preventing and identifying fraud in RSD through oversight, advice and guidance to UNHCR staff, partners and persons of concern.  
- Systematically apply an age, gender and diversity (AGD) perspective in the performance of assigned functions. 
- Conduct research on country of origin information (COI) and other issues related to RSD and maintain the Operation's local repository of relevant information, guidelines and standards accessible to RSD staff in the operation.
- Assist in monitoring RSD trends and in compiling and analysing RSD statistics related to RSD case processing.
- Assist in developing and maintaining processes to ensure that persons of concern, Government authorities and partners have accurate information on the RSD procedures, including UNHCR standards, policies and practice.
- Assist in initiatives to advocate with and support Government authorities and legal partners to establish and strengthen fair and efficient RSD procedures and RSD decision-making.
- Draft correspondence and reports relating to the RSD activities of the Operation.
- Refer individual cases to other functional units in the Operation and/or external partners for appropriate follow-up, in accordance with established criteria.
- Counsel individual asylum-seekers on the reasons for negative RSD decisions, in accordance with the RSD SOPs.
- Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G6 - 3 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not applicable.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Social work;
HCR RSD Lrng Programme;
HCR Cntry of Orig Inf Lrng Prg;
HCR Protection Learning Prg;
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Not specified.
Desirable
Working experience with procedures and principles related to RSD. Knowledge of International Refugee Law and Human Rights Law and ability to apply the relevant legal principles. Experience in working with vulnerable or traumatized individuals.

Functional Skills
PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD)
PR-Counselling Asylum Seekers or Refugees
CM-Cross-cultural communication
LE-Human Rights Law
PR-RSD - Principles and Procedures, operational arrangements/assistance
SO-Research
PR-Government Refugee Status Determination (RSD) procedures
WB-Treatment of vulnerable/traumatized individuals
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. 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. Core Competencies:
- Accountability
- Communication
- Organizational Awareness
- Teamwork & Collaboration
- Commitment to Continuous Learning
- Client & Result Orientation

Managerial Competencies:
- Judgement and Decision Making

Cross-Functional Competencies:
- Analytical Thinking
- Planning and Organizing
- Stakeholder Management Please note that English and Italian are essential for this Job Opening. This is a Temporary Appointment position.

Initial appointment will be for six months. Upon satisfactory performance, it will be extended until 31/12/2022.

Expected Entry on Duty: as soon as possible as of February 2022.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Assessment of short-listed candidates might comprise of both an interview and a written test.

UNHCR is committed to diversity and welcomes applications from qualified candidates regardless of disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, race, color or ethnic and national origins, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. UNHCR has a ZERO TOLERANCE policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, and sexual harassment. Successful candidates will be subject to mandatory UN Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment clearance check prior to receiving an offer. UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training or any other fees). All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.

In case of any queries, please contact the HR Team at itarovacancies@unhcr.org.
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See below for this postion's Operational Context
======================================================================================================== UNHCR has been directly engaged in the Italian decentralized Refugee Status Determination (RSD) procedure since 2005, initially as a fully-fledged member of the Territorial Commissions for the recognition of international protection. The reform of the composition of the Territorial Commissions implemented in July 2018 confirmed UNHCR's presence in the procedure, through the designation of an international protection and human rights expert in each Territorial Commission, with a decision-making role. Since then and by 2022, UNHCR is gradually disengaging from the decision-making process while continuing to contribute to the capacity development of the Territorial Commissions by coaching of government case-workers, supporting Presidents of the Commissions, piloting the introduction of the international protection and human rights experts and reinforcing the protection environment at local level.

In this context, the incumbent will be focusing focusing on RSD - and notably on the introduction of the international protection and human rights experts and on capacity development in the TCs under his/her competence -  but also contributing to maintaining and improving the protection environment at local level, in coordination with UNHCR MCO in Rome, including with regard to access to the RSD procedure, identification and referral of specific needs, quality of the judicial procedure.

Taking into account UNHCR's new role in the reformed RSD system, in order to be considered for the a/m position, candidates will have to possess, in addition to adequate technical skills and experience, personal and professional attitudes that make them apt to act as reference experts in international protection for Italian RSD governmental case workers, Territorial Commission Presidents and other stakeholders. For this reason, previous meaningful experience as UNHCR RSD staff in the Territorial Commissions and expertise in the field of capacity development, training and negotiation will be considered as an asset. Fluency in English and proficiency in Italian are required. The closing date for submission of applications is Thursday 20 January 2022 (23:59 Geneva time)