Hardship Level (not applicable for homebase

C

Family

UNOPS LICA6

20241015

October 15, 2024

Operational Context: VenezuelaBrazil Emergency Response Operation
The humanitarian crisis precipitated by the sociopolitical and economic collapse in Venezuela has led to one of the largest mass displacements in Latin American history. Thousands of Venezuelans, including significant numbers of indigenous populations, have sought refuge in neighboring Brazil. The indigenous communities fleeing Venezuela include Warao, Pemón, Eñepá, Kariña, and others, whose livelihoods and cultural identities have been severely impacted by the ongoing crisis. Many have crossed into Brazil’s northernmost state, Roraima, particularly through the border town of Pacaraima, seeking safety, necessities, and protection.
In response to this influx, Brazil launched Operação Acolhida (Operation Welcomin 2018, a multiagency, governmentled humanitarian operation supported by UNHCR and other international organizations. The operation focuses on providing immediate protection and assistance to incoming refugees and migrants, including temporary shelter, access to healthcare, documentation, and legal support. One of the critical aspects of the response is addressing the specific needs of indigenous Venezuelans, who are particularly vulnerable due to cultural and linguistic barriers, distinct sociopolitical structures, and their deep connection to ancestral lands.
The humanitarian situation remains fluid, with continuous border crossings and a steady flow of new arrivals. The indigenous populations face unique challenges, including a lack of access to culturally appropriate services, displacement from their traditional territories, and an increased risk of exploitation, genderbased violence (GB, and statelessness. Indigenous migrants are often less familiar with legal processes and more isolated from support networks, complicating their access to protection and durable solutions such as local integration.
The Field Associate plays a crucial role in this context, ensuring that indigenous refugees and migrants receive protection and assistance tailored to their cultural, social, and legal needs. This requires close collaboration with indigenous leaders, local authorities, and operational partners to safeguard their rights while ensuring that protection frameworks respect their traditions. Addressing statelessness, ensuring child protection, managing GBV cases, and facilitating access to education are among the key challenges faced in responding to the specific needs of these communities.
Moreover, the border between Venezuela and Brazil remains a politically sensitive and dynamic zone, requiring continuous monitoring to prevent cases of refoulement and other rights violations. The operation also faces logistical challenges, given the remoteness of the areas and the pressures placed on local resources and services in Roraima.
The longterm nature of the crisis underscores the need for durable solutions, including local integration and resettlement opportunities, to ensure the safety, dignity, and rights of indigenous Venezuelan populations in Brazil. Balancing emergency response with sustainable protection strategies that involve the indigenous communities in decisionmaking processes is vital to maintaining the operational integrity of the VenezuelaBrazil emergency response.

Accountability:
• Ensure all protection activities are implemented in accordance with UNHCR’s standards and applicable legal frameworks, with special attention to indigenous rights.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with indigenous communities, local authorities, and protection partners to ensure culturally appropriate and effective protection responses.
• Work across sectors to ensure that protection considerations for indigenous refugees and migrants are integrated into all operational responses.

Required Qualifications:
• Knowledge of international human rights, refugee law, sociology, Anthropology and indigenous rights or other related fields.
• Proven experience working with indigenous populations and handling protection cases in a multistakeholder environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with demonstrated experience in negotiation, advocacy, and culturally sensitive communication.
• Familiarity with protection issues specific to indigenous communities, including child protection, statelessness, and genderbased violence.

This role requires a proactive and culturally sensitive approach, balancing immediate protection needs with longterm strategic planning to ensure that indigenous refugees and migrants are central to decisionmaking processes that impact their lives.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

Eligibility:

This position is advertised to internal and external applicants. Candidates must be legally present in Brazil at the time of application, recruitment and hire. Only Brazilian citizens or candidates legally present in Brazil will be considered eligible.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified. The recruitment process might include written test and/or oral interview for this job opening. No late applications will be accepted.

Remuneration:

UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training or any other fee.

A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered depending on relevant experience as per the requirements of the job advertisement.

Language requirements:

Portuguese as mother tongue is essential.

Working knowledge in English is also essential. Knowledge of Spanish will be considered as an asset.

Contract duration: until 31st December

Applications:

All applications must be submitted online in Workday. Email applications will not be accepted. Incomplete and late applications will not be accepted. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Shortlisted candidates might be required to sit for a written test and/or oral interview.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted based on the information submitted during the application. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

UNHCR is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, sexual orientation, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. UNHCR seeks to ensure that male and female employees are given equal career opportunities. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.

UNHCR has a zerotolerance policy against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SE. SEA is unacceptable behavior and prohibited conduct for UNHCR personnel. It constitutes acts of serious misconduct and is therefore grounds for disciplinary measures, including dismissal. Any concerns or suspicions about a possible case of SEA should be reported immediately to the Inspector General’s Office (IGat inspector@unhcr.org or through the online complain form at https://www.unhcr.org/php/complaints.php or by confidential fax: +41 22 739 73

Standard Job Description

Field Associate

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Field Associate is normally supervised by the (SenioField Officer or Head of Office and performs a variety of functions related to Field activities within the office. The supervisor defines general work objectives and provides necessary advice and guidance. The Field Associate may supervise some General Service support staff.
The incumbent keeps frequent internal contacts with staff members in the same duty station to exchange information, to establish understanding of respective needs; to ensure provision of services and resolution of problems and with the external contacts generally with officials of national and international institutions, leaders of the refugee community, local population and/or Implementing Partners (IPon subject matters which may be of importance to the Organization.

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, crossfunctional and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
Monitor the situation in the AoR, collect data and other information relevant to UNHCR and report to the supervisor accordingly.
Monitor the implementation of UNHCR programme including the delivery of all assistance items and monitoring of infrastructure.
Undertake regular visits to various sites in order to assess needs of persons of concern, with particular attention to vulnerable groups.
Keep regular contacts with local authorities and implementing partners as requested by supervisor.
Act as interpreter when required.
Contribute to the preparation of status and progress reports by providing info, preparing tables, etc.
Assist in administrative tasks as required such as preparation of reports and meeting authorized personnel and assisting them during field missions.
Inform and act on the reports received on persons of concern within the refugee community or from the local authorities.
In coordination with implementing partners, assist in the reception, registration and provision of assistance to persons of concern to UNHCR.
Negotiate with local authority counterparts, partners and populations of concern.
Represent UNHCR in physical monitoring of projects.

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(.
Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G63 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(of Education
Not applicable

Certificates and/or Licenses
Business Administration Law Political Science
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essentia

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Not specified

Desirable
Completion of UNHCR learning programmes or specific training relevant to functions of the position.
UNHCR field experience.

Functional Skills
*ITComputer Literacy
CODrafting and Documentation
CLMultistakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community
PGProgramme Management (programme cycles and reporting standard
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essentia

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.

Required Languages

Portuguese

,

English

,

Desired Languages

Spanish

,

,

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Anthropology, CLMultistakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community, CODrafting and Documentation, Continuous Monitoring, Core Values

Education

Bachelor of Arts (B: Anthropology

Certifications

LawOther, Political ScienceOther, Social AnthropologyOther

Other information

This position doesn’t require a functional clearance

HomeBased

No