Grade

GS5

General Service

Reason

Temporary > Temporary Assignment/ Appointment

E (most hardship)

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2024-12-05

2025-06-04

December 6, 2024

Standard Job Description

Senior Registration Assistant

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Senior Registration Assistant is a member of the Registration team. The incumbent is responsible for supporting all activities related to registration, which may also include functions related to reception, filing and data management. S/he provides counselling to, and responds to queries from, asylum seekers and refugees regarding UNHCR’s registration procedures and their rights and entitlements. S/he liaises closely with protection staff and partners to ensure timely identification and referral of persons of concern (POC) for protection follow up. The Senior Registration Assistant may assist in compiling and analysing information related to registration activities in the Operation. The incumbent 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
– Assist in the implementation of registration strategies and methodologies for POC.
– Conduct registration interviews when required in accordance with registration standards and guidance.
– Provide counselling to, and responds to queries from, asylum seekers and refugees regarding UNHCR’s registration procedures and their rights and entitlements.
– Maintain accurate and up-to date records and data related to all individual registration cases.
– Identify persons with specific needs and ensure timely referral to protection follow-up as required.
– Collaborate with protection staff and/or partners in the delivery of assistance and programming, including provision of identity and entitlement documentation.
– Draft correspondence and reports relating to registration activities in the Operation, when required
– Provide statistics and draft reports related to registration data, as requested.
– Act as interpreter and translator when needed.
– Refer cases to other units within the office and to implementing partners as necessary.
– Draft and submit reports and statistics related to registration.

– 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
G5 – 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not applicable

Certificates and/or Licenses
Social Science Statistics Mathematics Information Technology
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Good computer skills, particularly in data management.

Desirable
Training in basic principles of international protection. Experience in working with UNHCR proGres software.

Functional Skills
*DM-Data Management
PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards)
DM-Data Collection and Analysis
RG-Registration SoPs Design/Implementation
TR-Training – Virtual and face to face
IT-IT Refugee Systems & Applications
*IT-Computer Literacy
(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 was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org).
In Zambia, UNHCR supports the Government of Zambia to provide an enabling protection environment that allows asylum seekers, refugees and former refugees to be protected, be self-reliant and achieve durable solutions.
Zambia has adopted a comprehensive refugee response approach as envisioned by the New York Declaration of 2016 and the Global Compact on refugees of 2018, which guide the country’s refugee and asylum response. The framework envisages an all-of-society approach with solid investment and support from the international community to meet both immediate life-saving humanitarian needs and long-term solutions through development action.
As of the end of October 2024, Zambia hosts 106,136 forcibly displaced persons, including 79,342 refugees, 9,025 asylum seekers, and 17,769 former refugees classified as others of concern. These individuals reside across three refugee settlements—Mayukwayukwa (26,645), Meheba (42,783), and Mantapala (9,129) as well as in urban areas, including Lusaka, where 27,579 are located. The majority live in the settlements.
The Government of Zambia (GRZ) coordinates the asylum and refugee management through the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees (COR) in close collaboration with other government departments and the inter-governmental steering committee established for this purpose, with the direct support of UNHCR.
UNHCR in Zambia has two field offices (one in Solwezi and one in Kawambwa) and one Representational Office in Lusaka

Nature of Position:
The Senior Registration Assistant is directly supervised by the Head of Office in the Kawambwa Field Office and will be closely coordinating with the Associate Protection Officer in the field as well as with the Registration and Identify Management Officer in Lusaka.

The UNHCR Data Transformation Strategy 2020-2025 envisions that by 2025 UNHCR becomes a trusted leader on data and information related to forcibly displaced population (FDP), thereby enabling actions to protect and to empower them. The Strategy invests in four complementary priority areas: data management and governance; information systems; capacities and skill development; and culture for evidence-informed decision-making. The Data Transformation Strategy also includes UNHCR’s forward learning action plan on digital identity and the importance of strengthening a trusted and secure digital platform to facilitate protection and solutions, assistance delivery and the inclusion of FDP in State systems and their increased access to services. The Government of the Republic of Zambia under the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security through the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees (COR), with the support from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) assumes the role of registration in Zambia, whereby COR is fully responsible for the coordination, collection, recording and updating of personal data of refugees, asylum seekers and others of concern.
The Senior Registration Assistant is a member of the Registration team. The Senior Registration Assistant is responsible for supporting all activities related to registration, which may also include functions related to reception, filing and data management. The incumbent provides counselling to, and responds to queries from, asylum seekers and refugees regarding UNHCR’s registration procedures and their rights and entitlements. S/he liaises closely with protection staff and partners to ensure timely identification and referral of FDP for protection follow up. The Senior Registration Assistant may assist in compiling and analysing information related to registration activities in the operation.

The Senior Registration Assistant, assists in conducting registration interviews when required in accordance with registration standards and guidance, provides counselling to, and responds to queries from, asylum seekers and refugees regarding UNHCR’s registration procedures and their rights and entitlements. S/he maintains accurate and up-to date records and data related to all individual registration cases, identifies persons with specific needs and ensures timely referral to protection follow-up as required. S/he supports with the provision of identity and entitlement documentation, provides statistics and draft reports related to registration data, and acts as interpreter and translator when needed.

Desired Candidate Profile:

The incumbent is expected to possess up to date technical skills, expertise and knowledge in registration, identity, or biometric management systems using new technologies. Demonstrated familiarity with planning, programming, project development and strong organizational skills in the expertise are required. Demonstrated sound knowledge of digital identity standards and how to effectively apply them, and of civil registration, population registers and other national identity management systems is required.
A sound understanding of humanitarian principles and concepts as well as forced displacement and refugee protection is desirable. Strong teamwork and coordination skills and experience are required. Experience collaborating with partners, including host and donor governments, humanitarian and development partners is needed.
The incumbent must have demonstrated excellent English communication skills and be an effective and clear communicator orally and in writing 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

DM-Data Collection and Analysis, DM-Data Management, IT-Computer Literacy, IT-IT Refugee Systems & Applications, PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards), RG-Registration SoPs Design/Implementation, TR-Training – Virtual and face to face

Education

Certifications

Information Technology – Other, Mathematics – Other, Social Sciences – Other, Statistics – Other

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

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Shortlisted candidates may be required to sit for written test and/or oral interview.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements