Durable Solutions Associate, Athens UNHCR
Hardship Level: H (no hardship)
Family Type: Family
Family Type: Family
Residential location (if applicable): Grade: GS6
Staff Member / Affiliate Type: General Service
Reason: Regular > Regular Assignment
Remote work accepted: No
Target Start Date: 2023-01-01-08:00
Job Posting End Date: December 26, 2022
Standard Job Description: Durable Solutions Associate
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Durable Solutions Associate reports to a more senior Durable Solutions or Protection colleague.
The incumbent is relied upon to contribute to the implementation of a durable solutions strategy. S/he works closely with protection, programme and field staff, contributes to 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, 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 POC.
- Prepare documents relating to durable solutions.
- Enter information into available database, in line with SOPs.
- Draft and submit reports relating to durable solutions.
- 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
HCR Protection Learning Prg;
HCR Resettlement Lrng Prg;
HCR Protection Induction Prog;
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Not specified.
Desirable
Diverse field experience. Experience in interviewing.
Functional Skills
DM-Database Management
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.
Desired Candidate Profile: Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):: English , Greek
Desired languages: ,
Operational context: Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:: To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel
Nature of Position:: The desired candidate reports to the Protection Officer, heading the Durable Solutions Unit at the UNHCR Country Office in Athens. He/she should have a profound and comprehensive understanding of local integration as a durable solution for refugees and other persons of concern to UNHCR as well as of the specific challenges in the Greek context, especially those related to (i) the standards and thresholds, embedded in national legislation, regulating access to rights and services , (ii) administrative obstacles and practices in the implementation of legislation.
He/She should have a profound understanding of livelihoods mechanisms and strategies for refugees in Greece and be fully conversant with market system development, employment policies, livelihood project development / implementation, socioeconomic profiling and surveys, theory of change and stakeholder mapping and analysis, implementation of durable solutions strategies, corporate partnerships.
The desired candidate must be fluent in written and oral Greek and demonstrate a thorough understanding of employment / Greek labor market dynamics and challenges for refugees /their employers. He/she must have proven experience in organizing and operationalizing interventions to address those challenges and make quality/decent jobs accessible to refugees.
Furthermore, it is expected from the desired candidate that he/she will have excellent interpersonal skills, strong coordination, and negotiation skills, be able to lead through advocacy and persuasion rather than hierarchical authority and filter the issues for which interventions are required by senior staff as opposed to those he/she can resolve without upwards escalation.
Holding an MBA or MA in another field of economics with a focus on refugees is an asset
Living and Working Conditions:: Greece has been one of the main entry points of refugees wishing to reach the EU. UNHCR has supported – and will continue doing so – the Government, which leads the refugee response working closely with the EU, state and municipal actors, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, refugees, local communities. While Greece is still considered a transit country, it has also become a country of asylum. UNHCR estimates that some 70,000-80,000 refugees, including those with subsidiary and temporary protection status, are currently living in Greece, in addition to some 30,000 asylum-seekers. While most refugees and asylum-seekers are in the mainland, living in and outside camps, there are currently over 4,500 in the islands. The large majority of the latter live in camps. UNHCR Greece is focused on a protection-driven approach around two pillars: 1.access to international protection and 2.durable solutions with a focus on integration. UNHCR uses a mix of operational engagement, CB protection efforts, expert advice provision to the Government, monitoring and improved data collection, targeted interventions and advocacy, aiming to support Greece in fulfilling its obligations to provide protection and solutions to persons in need of international protection. Child protection, prevention of sexual and gender-based violence and sexual exploitation and abuse, and institutional capacity strengthening in these areas will continue to be priority, in line with the Office’s age, gender and diversity mainstreaming approach. In doing so, UNHCR seeks to build on the strengths and capacities of refugees, working together and in consultation with them.
Additional Qualifications: Skills
European Integration, Integration Strategies, Livelihood Development, PR-Legal, economic, social and protection support to integration, PR-Local integration strategy development, PR-Local integration strategy implementation
Education
MA: Economics, MBA
Certifications
HCR Protection Induction Prog – UNHCR, HCR Protection Learning Program – UNHCR, HCR Resettlement Learning Program – UNHCR
Work Experience
Livelihood, Workforce to Supervise
Competencies: Accountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration, Technological awareness
UNHCR Salary Calculator: https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales
Compendium: All short-listed candidates will be required to undergo an interview and might be invited to sit for a written test. Recruitment of UNHCR staff is subject to proof of vaccination against COVID-19
Functional clearance: This position doesn’t require a functional clearance
