Field Officer -Shire

Job Description

Only candidates who are not nationals of the country of assignment are eligible to apply to this position

Professional

* Staff members will not normally serve in International Professional positions in the country of their nationality. In addition, in case of a first appointment upon recruitment, the assignment must be outside the staff member’s country of nationality.

In practical terms this means that you are not eligible to apply for International Professional vacancies advertised in the country where you are national of.

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Field Officer is normally supervised by the Snr Field Coordinator or Head of Sub-Office/Field Office depending on the structure of the Office. S/he may receive indirect guidance from other sections and units relevant to the country/regional programme(s). UNHCR Manual, programme and protection objectives, Operations Plans, UN and UNHCR financial/budgetary rules and regulations will guide the work of the incumbent.

The incumbent normally supervises some support staff and may supervise lower grade professional staff. S/he has daily contacts with staff in the various field offices and with the functional units at the Country/Regional Office. S/he also has close liaison with a range of local civilian and military authorities and counterparts in NGOs and UN agencies to discuss matters of common interest.

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

– Prepare project proposals; draw up plan of operation for implementation, including institutional arrangements for budgets.

– Assess refugee needs in the various fields of assistance and make recommendations for the establishment of projects, adjustment or discontinuation of existing projects and advise the Head of Office accordingly.

– Closely monitor the implementation of projects under the geographical area of responsibility and ensure the provisions under the agreements signed with the implementing partners are being adhered to.

– Regularly prepare written reports on the implementation of projects and the situation in the sites.

– Maintain good working relations with local government officials, implementing partners and other agencies in the area.

– Report immediately on any security problems that may occur affecting programme, beneficiaries and the smooth running of the operation.

– Provide assistance to UNHCR Technical advisers and consultants as well as visitors visiting project sites.

– Represent UNHCR in the Field.

– Negotiate with local authority counterparts, partners and populations of concern.

– Approve expenditures within the DOAP.

– Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications Education & Professional Work Experience Years of Experience /

Degree Level

• For P3/NOC – 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree.

Field(s) of Education

• Law, Political Sciences or other relevant field. (Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Certificates and/or Licenses

• UNHCR Protection Learning Programme.
• UNHCR Operations Management Learning Programme. (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

• Field experience.

Desirable

• Knowledge of refugee law.
• Good knowledge of UNHCR¿s programmes.

Functional Skills

• IT-Computer Literacy
• PG-UNHCR’s Programmes (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.

– The candidate should have previous working experience in an emergency/complex context as well as experience in remote management/monitoring.
– Demonstrated experience in coordination, particularly within the interagency context and contributing to interagency response strategies while ensuring that the interest of refugee and other populations that UNHCR serves well represented and articulated.
– Multiple stakeholder management and mobilization including working with the Government, NGO and operational partners.
– Managing, analyzing and providing informed projections to guide senior management on the efficient utilization of financial and other resources that will support the development of the country operations plan.
– Proven experience in leading and managing large and diverse teams toward a shared vision to ensure that global strategic priorities (GSP) and regional priorities as well as information on projected resource availability guide the planning parameters.
– the incumbent must possess excellent drafting skills and a deep understanding of how to leverage opportunities in Ethiopia, in line with the GCR/CRRF and the identification and implementation of innovative solutions for other populations of concern to UNHCR.
– Demonstrated experience in working with development actors and donors.
– Experience in collaborative leadership in managing relations with traditional and non-traditional partners with diplomacy and respect.
– Manage a transparent, consultative and responsible process for the approval of the country-level budgets and the allocation of resources.

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

Nature of Position:

This position is situated under UNHCR Sub Office in Shire in Tigray region. The situation in Northern Ethiopia particularly in the Tigray region is presumed to have improved following the Peace Agreement signed between the Federal Government of Ethiopia and Tigray  People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in November 2022. Since the signing of the Peace Agreement, active fighting has stopped in most areas, the blockade lifted, and some services resumed including humanitarian interventions, public transport, commercial flights, health services, limited banking available, and network connection functioning except in Sheraro.

The Tigray regions hosts close to 1.8 million internally displaced persons, comprised of both persons living in a protracted internal displacement situation as a result of the two-year long conflict as well as more recent displacements. In Shire Area of Responsibility, approximately 112,387 households and 621,002 individuals are hosted in IDP sites in Shire, Axum, Sheraro, Mai Tsebri, Hitsats and Selekleka. Following the signing of the Peace Agreement, durable solutions including preparations for return, remain the key priority for the operation.

In addition to causing widespread internal displacement, the conflict also impacted the Eritrean refugee operation resulting in relocation of refugees from Mai-Aini and Adi-Harush refugee camps to Alemwach in Amhara region. As of March 2023, approx. 5,000 refugees and asylum seekers who were in hiding across the region, reported at UNHCR offices making if necessary for the Sub-Office to explore an urban refugee response as majority are not willing to relocate to Alemwach. The protection environment for refugees and asylum-seekers remains challenging. Eritrean asylum seekers are not legally recognized in the country since February 2020 due to policy change, no documentation provision including asylum seeker certificates, proof of registration (PoR), refugee ID cards and civil documentation. Lack of documentation results in protection risks including lack of access to services and detentions. The position will cover both refugee and IDP response.

Living and Working Conditions:

Staff member should be prepared to operate under challenging conditions with extremely limited resources. The staff members will be working within a city that has been isolated for almost two years due to the crisis which began in November 2020. The office deals primarily with several local camp environments with inherent risks to staff safety and health. Regardless of information campaigns, there are realistically few, or no COVID-19 protocols adhered to by the camp(s) population. Some staff wear masks but will often work within others who do not.

There is one general hospital in Shire offering limited services. Most pharmacies are open, even if they may experience limited availability of some medicine. Staff with prescriptions should come with at least 3 months of prescription medication. Staff are accommodated in one guest house and UNDSS-cleared hotels. The Guest bedrooms are ensuite. The kitchen is partly equipped. New cookers with oven have been provided recently. Shire town has power and water. However, services have been disrupted for some months and repairs are underway. Generators are available at the offices and guesthouses for limited hours. The office relies on VSAT for internet connectivity.

The currency used in operation area is the Ethiopian Birr (ETB). Ethiopia commercial bank has resumed operations fully. Clients can now withdraw up to 50,000 ETB a day. Inter-banks transfers are also operational. Foreign currency may only be changed at authorized banks. Exchange of foreign currency outside the regulated banks is a criminal offence, and international UN personnel caught by police exchanging money in such unregulated markets have been known to be arrested and detained for several days. Any entry or exit of cash more than US$3,000 or the equivalent in other foreign currencies) must be declared to the customs authority upon arrival. ATM cash withdrawals are currently unavailable in Shire. Internet service provided by Ethio telecom has resumed as well but with weak and poor connection.

Recently there is one regular flight between Addis Ababa and shire every day, but its unreliable due to overbooking. Staff members will depend on the UNHAS available flights to Shire and sometimes by road convoy through Mekelle or Samera and flight to Addis Ababa.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

• Bachelor of Arts (BA): Law (Required),
• Bachelor of Arts (BA): Political Science (Required)

Certifications

• HCR Protection Learning Program – UNHCR,
• Programme Management (PM) 1 – UNHCR

Competencies

• Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Managing performance, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration

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

Compendium

• Add. 4 to March 2023 Compendium – Part B

• This position doesn’t require a functional clearance