Project Assistant, Cultural Orientation At International Organization for Migration

The United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) operates world-wide with a target of providing resettlement opportunities to thousands of refugees each year. IOM provides a range of assistance and support to the USRAP including, but not limited to, case processing, migration health assessments, cultural orientation training, organized transportation and administration of a travel loan and collections program. The Department of Operations and Emergencies (DOE), specifically the Resettlement and Movement Division (RMM), has the organizational responsibility to provide direction, oversight, and guidance to IOM’s global support to all resettlement programs.

Under the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), Resettlement Support Centers (RSCs) provide critical support and processing assistance for resettlement to the US. As part of an MOU between IOM and the US State Department Bureau for Population Refugees and Migration (PRM), IOM manages several RSCs which prepare applications for adjudication by and provide support to visiting US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers, facilitate security and medical screenings, provide information about arriving individuals to resettlement agencies in the US and offer Cultural Orientation (CO) training to individuals departing for the US.

Under the overall supervision of the Chief of Mission (COM) and direct supervision of the Project Officer, the successful candidate will be based in Islamabad, Pakistan and will have the following duties and responsibilities:

Responsibilities and Accountabilities

• Undertake cultural orientation activities in an assigned area or areas, such as such as training, scheduling or childcare and, as required, guide and assist in monitoring teams of Project Clerks and Project Assistants in organizing and completing cultural orientation activities in an assigned area.
• Undertake cultural orientation training activities, including providing training for a range of resettlement countries throughout the region, featuring student-centered activities in all classes, assisting in drafting training lesson plans in accordance with Processing site Pakistan cultural orientation objectives, assisting in the development of teaching materials, visual aids and bulletin boards supporting the curriculum and assisting in managing and restocking inventories of instructional supplies.
• Undertake cultural orientation scheduling activities for Processing site Pakistan, including, if assigned, providing all individuals requiring cultural orientation classes the opportunity to attend, assisting in planning and organizing circuit rides in an efficient and effective manner and providing logistical circuit ride support is provided when necessary. Train Project Assistants and Project Clerks to provide appropriate scheduling assistance.
• Assist in overseeing cultural orientation childcare activities for Processing site Pakistan, including, if assigned, monitoring and guiding staff members providing childcare assistance, helping ensure childcare spaces are appropriate, adequate and well-maintained, training childcare staff members to conduct basic cultural orientation activities designed for children and monitoring the work of childcare staff members.
• Through oversight and quality check (QC) measures, verify START is updated as needed with cultural orientation-related content, including scheduling data and case updates. Provide supervisors with relevant information needed for regular reports on cultural orientation activities, including program narratives and statistical reports.
• In coordination with supervisors, liaise as needed with other teams and units in Processing site Pakistan and other RSCs. Provide regular reports on the work being accomplished within the team to supervisors and team members.
• Train other cultural orientation team members as needed to efficiently and effectively manage cultural orientation activities, update START and other databases accurately and to monitor and guide team members and activities.
• In order to develop and maintain cultural orientation training-related skills, participate in and contribute to teacher trainings and staff development seminars and engage in self-directed study for professional development, including reading resettlement updates, language tutorials, attending cultural orientation-related workshops and seminars.
• Undertake duty travel as needed to participate in cultural orientation-related activities, for meetings and for training.
• Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the USRAP, SOPs and START, as well as the ability to remain professional, impartial and unbiased during all interactions with applicants and colleagues.
• Maintain the confidentiality and integrity of all RSC-related information by implementing control procedures in line with USRAP standards of conduct and data protection rules. Alert the Project Focal Point, Project Coordinator or RSC management of any non-compliance to SOPs or codes of conduct by RSC staff members.
• Perform such other duties as may be assigned.

Required Qualifications and Experience

EDUCATION

• Completed secondary education required

EXPERIENCE

• Five years of working experience with secondary education; three years of working experience with Bachelor’s degree
• Through knowledge of English
• Ability to use own initiative and work under pressure with minimum supervision

SKILLS

• Excellent computer skills – Work, Excel, and Internet
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Attention to detail and ability to organize
• Self-motivation and objective driven

Languages

REQUIRED

• For all applicants, fluency in English and Urdu is required (oral and written).

DESIRABLE

• Working Knowledge of any local language/s.

Only short-listed candidates who are matching required criteria for the consultancy will be contacted by IOM.

IOM provides equal opportunity to all qualified female and male including the physically challenged candidates.