JOB SUMMARY:

Grade

NOA

National Professional Officer

Reason

Temporary > Temporary Assignment/ Appointment

C

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2024-08-01

2024-12-31

July 23, 2024

Standard Job Description

Assistant Durable Solutions Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Assistant Durable Solutions Officer can serve as a focal point for solutions related issues in a region, and reports to a more senior Protection, Resettlement or Durable Solutions staff. The incumbent may have supervisory responsibility for durable solutions staff.

The incumbent is relied upon to ensure the implementation of a durable solutions strategy, and to contribute to ensuring a conducive environment leading towards finding durable solutions. S/he works closely with protection and programme staff. Fostering an environment to enhance 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.

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
– Provide counselling to refugees and other persons of concern (POC) to identify the most appropriate durable solution and to enable them to make a well-informed decision.
– Interview candidates for voluntary repatriation and prepare documentation for their return.
– Interview and prepare Resettlement Referral Forms (RRF), in line with Resettlement SOPs.
– Interview candidates for local integration and prepare the appropriate documentation for onward submission to local authorities or partners.
– Assist in updating the electronic database for resettlement, voluntary repatriation and local integration, in line with Standard Operating Procedures.
– Process documentation to ensure that POC receive the documents required for their durable solutions in a timely manner.
– Prepare statistical and ad-hoc reports to ensure accurate information is available and shared with relevant offices and partners.
– Interview and advise on the appropriate durable solution to be provided to POC. Prepare documents relating to durable solutions.
– Enter information into available database, in line with SOPs.

– Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
– Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P1/NOA – 1 year relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or no experience with Graduate degree; or no experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Political Science;
Social Science;
Law;
International Relations;
or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified.

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Good knowledge of refugee issues and Human Rights doctrine. Very good reporting and writing ability.
Desirable
Diverse field experience. Knowledge of ProGress database software.

Functional Skills
*CO-Drafting and Documentation
*IT-Microsoft Office Productivity Software
(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.

Operational Context:

UNHCR has been present in Zambia since 1967. The country office is in Lusaka, and the two (2) field offices are in Solwezi and Kawambwa covering Meheba and Mantapala refugee settlements, respectively. Lusaka covers a third settlement – Mayukwayukwa Refugee Settlement – from the country office in Lusaka.

As of June 2024, Zambia hosts 101,837 refugees, asylum seekers former refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (64,719), Angola (13,570), Burundi (12,787), Rwanda (5,035), Somalia (4,539) and other countries (1,187) as of 31 May 2024. The vast majority of PoCs live in the three refugee settlements, namely Mayukwayukwa, Meheba and in Mantapala, as well as urban areas including Lusaka. Majority of PoCs in Zambia are from Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda and Somalia. Zambia is a State Party to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees although it maintains reservations regarding employment and freedom of movement. Zambia is also a State Party to the 1969 Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa. Most of the refugees in Zambia have been recognized on a prima facie basis under the 1969 OAU Convention.
The main responsibility for UNHCR, in line with the statutory responsibilities, is to monitor the implementation of the 1951 Convention and promote long-term solutions for refugees and former refugees through progressive changes to the policies and practice that can improve the protection environment and effectively achieve inclusion in national plans/services, and greater self-reliance. UNHCR provides technical support and guidance to the Government on policy formulation, asylum, and refugee management matters. Most forcibly displaced persons in Zambia are from Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda and Somalia.

Zambia has adopted a comprehensive refugee response approach as envisioned by the New York Declaration of 2016, which guides the country’s refugee management. A new National Refugee Policy, issued in January 2024, aims to establish a progressive asylum, refugee management approach, and create a more enabling protection environment that provides opportunities for local solutions and self-reliance for refugees and former refugees in the country.

Nature of the Position
As part of the Protection Team in Field Office Solwezi, headed by the Associate Protection Officer, the Assistant Durable Solutions Officer supports the operation to take advantage of existing opportunities and explore new opportunities towards a range of durable solutions for refugees and former refugees in North-Western, Zambia. The Assistant Durable Solutions Officer will report to the Head of Office.

The Government of the Republic of Zambia has, in January 2024, launched its new National Refugee Policy and Implementation Plan which includes important commitments towards local long-term solutions for both refugees as well as former Angolan and Rwandan refugees in Zambia. These commitments are also reflected in Zambia’s pledges to the implementation of the Global Refugee Compact at the most recent Global Refugee Forum. In collaboration with a wide range of partners, including government agencies and via the UNCT, the Assistant Durable Solutions Officer will contribute to UNHCR’s efforts to support the government implement the new Policy, including by using UNHCR’s convening capacity to bring new partners to this effort, encouraging and guiding the government’s actions in this regard and collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders in government, civil society, among others. This will be done, for example, by leveraging the opportunity to effect essential key legislative and procedural changes (e.g., changes to Refugees Act of 2017 and alignment with Immigration and Deportation Act of 2010, which is also under review) and by improving registration/data collection/civil registration and ensure inclusion of that data into government data systems (interoperability of systems); support government to strengthen birth registration increase.

The Assistant Durable Solutions Officer will build on commitments made in the Global Compact on Refugees to support the development and maintenance of strategic partnerships with all relevant actors, not limited to UN agencies, development agencies, civil society, peacebuilding actors and more. This will require an analysis of risks and obstacles to solutions for priority areas of engagement.

Alongside the existing third country resettlement processing that already exists in the operation, the Assistant Durable Solutions Officer will explore and expand opportunities for refugees in Zambia to take advantage of complementary pathways in third countries, including in the southern Africa region, through initiatives such as humanitarian admissions programs, family reunification, private sponsorship, and opportunities for labour mobility and education. Further, the Assistant Durable Solutions Officer will seek to enhance local integration for populations where it may be the most appropriate solution.
The Assistant Durable Solutions Officer will assist with the development of communications strategies with populations of concern to ensure that they are engaged to identify the most appropriate solutions; including the enhancement of two-way communications, participatory assessments, intention surveys and other forms of community-based assessments are undertaken.
Finally, the Assistant Durable Solutions Officer will work collaboratively with staff who are already working on facilitation of voluntary repatriation of those refugees who may choose to return to their countries of origin in safety and dignity.

The incumbent is expected to:
– Provide counselling to refugees, former refugees, and other displaced population to identify the most appropriate durable solution and to enable them to make a well-informed decision;
– Interview candidates for voluntary repatriation and prepare documentation for their return, in line with Voluntary Repatriation SOPs;
– Interview and prepare Resettlement Referral Forms (RRF), in line with Resettlement SOPs;
– Interview candidates for local integration and prepare the appropriate documentation for onward submission to local authorities or partners, in line with Local Integration SOPs;
– Assist in updating the electronic database for resettlement, voluntary repatriation and local integration, in line with Standard Operating Procedures;
– Process documentation to ensure that POC receive the documents required for their durable solutions in a timely manner;
– Prepare statistical and ad-hoc reports to ensure accurate information is available and shared with relevant offices and partners;
– Interview and advise on the appropriate durable solution to be provided to forcibly displaced population;
– Prepare documents relating to durable solutions;
– Enter information into available database, in line with SOPs;
– Draft and submit reports relating to durable solutions;
– Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility;
– Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work;
– Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s);
– Perform other related duties as required.

Desired Candidate Profile
The incumbent must have demonstrated experience working with displaced population, providing durable solutions – local integration; resettlement; and complementary legal pathways to third country, preferably in a field operation. The incumbent must have an excellent understanding of fraud prevention, duty to report suspicions of fraud and consequences thereof, as well as documentation of instances of approaches by forcibly displaced population, colleagues, partners, or third parties. The incumbent must have sound understanding of international protection and sound experience in the field location with limited resources. Strong organizational and planning skills are a requirement of the position, and the incumbent must have demonstrated skills in this regard. The candidate’s skill set must be complemented by demonstrated experience in working with national authorities and partners in fair and efficient manner, including conducting frequent field monitoring visits. The incumbent must have demonstrated excellent English communication skills and be an effective and clear communicator orally and in writing, coupled with basic computer skills, and must have the ability and readiness to work in a fast-paced work environment and meet deadlines.

This position doesn’t require a functional clearance

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Skills

CO-Drafting and Documentation, IT-Microsoft Office Productivity Software

Education

Bachelor of Arts (BA): International Relations, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Political Science, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Social Science

Certifications

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Shortlisted candidate/s maybe required to seat for the written test and/ or oral interview

ABSTRACT:

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Assistant Durable Solutions Officer Zambia UNHCR Jobs 2024

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees looking for “Assistant Durable Solutions Officer”. Applicants with an Advanced degree may apply on or before 23-Jul-24.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has published a job vacancy announcement on 18/07/2024 for qualified applicants to fill in the vacant post of Assistant Durable Solutions Officer to be based in , Zambia. For more jobs, please visit https://unjoblink.org

Company Name: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Job Title: Assistant Durable Solutions Officer

Duty Station: , Zambia

Country: Zambia

Application Deadline: 23-Jul-24