Associate RSD Officer at UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Associate RSD Officer, IICA 1 (P2), contract (UNOPS) for 6 months with an extension.

Background Information:

The Associate RSD Officer provides legal, operational, and strategic support on mandate Refugee Status Determination (RSD) at the country operations level. This position is located in UNHCR Tunisia, and reports to the Protection Officer.

The incumbent provides advice and guidance on legal and procedural matters related to RSD in the context of mandate RSD, is responsible for conducting RSD, and reviewing and providing advice on individual cases in-line with the requirements of the UNHCR RSD Procedural Standards. The incumbent is also responsible for contributing to the development of an RSD strategy and, where required, methodologies to promote the effectiveness of RSD as a protection tool, and implementing broader organizational objectives and priorities in compliance with relevant UNHCR standards and policies.

The incumbent will provide effective management/supervision of staff working as eligibility officers within the RSD Unit in UNHCR Tunisia, including completion of regular staff assessments, on-going allocation of work assignments, and other related administrative issues.

The incumbent will provide advice and support to staff engaged in RSD and related activities, monitor trends in RSD decision-making, and conduct training and other capacity-development/strengthening activities to promote consistency in RSD procedures and decision-making throughout the UNHCR Tunisia operation. They will also contribute to developing and enhancing regional and global RSD standards and policies, as necessary.

The Associate RSD Officer advocates with and supports government authorities and other legal partners, including NGO and civil society actors, to further develop their protection and status determination capacities in-line with the GCR and other key UNHCR planning considerations.

The Associate RSD Officer works closely with RSD staff, as well as staff responsible for registration, resettlement, and training activities. They will also liaise with relevant focal points in DIP, in particular within the RSD and PNS Sections, and other HQ Divisions – as required.

Functional Statement

· Provide legal/procedural advice and support on RSD adjudication issues within their Area of Responsibility (AoR);

· Stay abreast of legal, political, security and other developments relevant to mandate RSD, and the protection environment, including developments in relation to national asylum/RSD systems, as applicable.

· Support engagement with relevant national authorities and structures in identifying and expanding opportunities in view of developing or strengthening national asylum/RSD systems;

· Support the review of RSD assessments in-line with UNHCR policies/guidelines related to mandate RSD, and endorse RSD decisions as required;

· Conduct interviews and draft RSD assessments, including for complex/sensitive cases, as per relevant UNHCR standards and guidelines;

· Provide ongoing coaching as well as training on the refugee inclusion criteria, principles/procedures related to exclusion, cancellation/revocation of refugee status, international humanitarian law, human rights law, interviewing techniques, credibility assessment/material fact assessment, and legal drafting;

• Provide effective management/supervision of staff working as eligibility officers within the RSD Unit in UNHCR Tunisia;

· Provide training to other UNHCR units on the refugee criteria and related issues as needed;

· Assist with the development of a RSD strategy and support senior management to ensure its full and effective integration into the protection and solution strategy of the Country Operations Plan;

· Assist with developing/enhancing regional and global RSD standards and policies, as required;

· Assist with the design and implementation of operation-specific SOPs for all aspects of RSD operations in-line with relevant standards/policies, including UNHCR’s AGD policy and Forward Plan, ensuring the prioritisation of persons with specific needs;

· Monitor trends and systematically compile statistics related to RSD case processing;

· Analyze key indicators of the quality and efficiency of decision-making in RSD processing to assess the RSD capacity and resource requirements of UNHCR Tunisia;

· Evaluate and contribute to projecting RSD staffing and financial needs using the RSD Staffing Benchmarks, and support allocation of appropriate human, material, and financial resources;

· Contribute to identifying and preventing fraud in RSD through oversight, advice, and guidance to UNHCR personnel, partners and persons of concern.

Essential Minimum Qualifications & Experience Required

For P2/NOB – 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education

Public International Law, with specialisation in International Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian Law, and/or International Refugee Law.

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

3 years of experience working directly with procedures and principles related to adjudicating individual asylum claims in RSD procedures. In-depth knowledge of International Refugee Law, International Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian Law, and International Criminal Law, and ability to apply relevant legal principles in the RSD context, including decision-making in the context of exclusion.

Thorough knowledge of the Procedural Standards for RSD Under UNHCR’s Mandate, and other guidelines and standards governing UNHCR’s mandate RSD activities. Experience in counselling asylum-seekers and individual case management. Experience and demonstrated skills in refugee law training.

Desirable

Experience as a decision-maker in UNHCR or Government RSD procedures is highly desirable.

Experience in providing legal representation to asylum seekers in UNHCR or Government RSD procedures. Experience in supervising a team. Completion of the RSD Learning Programme and other UNHCR Learning Programmes relevant to RSD. Training and coaching experience. Experience in working with vulnerable or traumatized individuals.

Language Requirements

Knowledge of English and French essential

Knowledge of Arabic is desirable

Key Competencies

Accountability

Communication

Organizational Awareness

Teamwork & Collaboration

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Client & Result Orientation