Mexico ICLA Technical Assistant (Information, Guidance and Legal Assistance) – Coatzacoalcos, Mex. At Norwegian Refugee Council

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an international non-governmental organisation based in Oslo, Norway that works in over 40 countries providing humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable populations. NRC has been responding to the growing internal and external displacement in Central America and Mexico since 2015, focusing on the protection crisis and integrating legal aid, education, shelter and infrastructure, water and sanitation, and livelihoods interventions.

NRC is an organization with a high international reputation in humanitarian assistance and has been working in Latin America for more than 30 years, leading humanitarian action in many of the countries where it operates.

In Mexico, NRC has been collaborating with local partners since 2019 and is now expanding its reach, initiating activities through direct implementation in the States of Veracruz, Coahuila and Mexico City, with more than 20 collaborators hired by NRC in Mexico, providing assistance to displaced people in the intervention areas in the country.

1. Objective

A rewarding opportunity to join our team at NRC Mexico. We are seeking an ICLA (Information, Orientation, and Legal Assistance) Technical Assistant for our field office in Coatzacoalcos, who will be responsible for providing information, orientation, and legal assistance services for refugee cases and other forms of immigration regularization in Mexico and eventually information and orientation to refugee processes in the United States, management of civil identity documents, and access to basic services such as housing, work, and education, among others.

2. Main Responsibilities

1. Support coordination and implementation of information, guidance and legal assistance activities for the beneficiary population in offices, communities and missions according to the assigned ICLA themes.
2. Actively participate in the planning, execution and monitoring of NRC activities at the local level in coordination with those who exercise supervision.
3. Identify, document, care for, refer and follow up on cases within the framework of the work carried out, and in coordination with other key actors.
4. Carry out case management activities through assistance and support in legal processes to facilitate access to rights in the assigned ICLA topics, as well as in the preparation of legal documents necessary to access and enjoy these rights, periodically monitoring the legal assistance processes seeking to ensure their closure.
5. Provide support for the ongoing review of cases and evaluate those that present the greatest need for legal attention for analysis of possible strategic litigation cases and/or referral to consultants in accordance with established agreements.
6. Provide inputs for the design of legal strategies and ICLA activities to deliver ICLA services in an efficient and timely manner.
7. Apply and properly archive the tools for collecting, evaluating and systematizing information on the activities carried out, as well as the means of verification.
8. Provide inputs for the development of operational standards, thematic publications and information material for ICLA.
9. Support coordination with the administrative area of ​​the Office regarding purchasing and contracting processes related to the implementation of assigned ICLA projects and activities, according to NRC standard operating procedures.
10. Others assigned by the supervisor in the fulfillment of the objective of the position.

3. Professional Competencies

• University degree in Social Sciences (Law, International Relations, Social Work or similar).
• Experience in providing information, guidance and legal assistance.
• Skills in interview techniques for vulnerable populations.
• Ability to provide immediate response to identified cases.
• Experience working with vulnerable groups and ability to demonstrate sensitivity to conflict.
• Knowledge and experience in handling the Office package and databases.
• Excellent oral and written expression skills.
• Demonstrable knowledge of international and national regulations associated with the topics covered by NRC in Mexico.
• Excellent interpersonal relationships, positive attitude and ability to resolve complex situations.
• Excellent written and spoken command of the Spanish language

Desirable:

• Knowledge of the operational and security context in which NRC operates.
• Knowledge of the structure of the State and public policy for the care of people in need of international protection and the national protection system.
• Knowledge of the humanitarian context and social organization structures.
• Handling of the English language.

4. Behavioral Competence

The NRC competency framework establishes 10 behavioural competencies and the following are essential for this position:

• Managing unsafe environments.
• Ability to plan and achieve expected results.
• Teamwork skills.
• Analytical capabilities.

Want to know more? Click on this Job Description before continuing.

What We Offer:

• A challenging and meaningful job in a highly recognized humanitarian organization.
• A national contract, valid for 12 months, with the possibility of extension, with a competitive salary and benefits package.
• Flexible working environment in a dynamic office.
• Place of work: Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz.
• Travel: 30% to other intervention areas

We encourage you to join our work culture that allows staff to share ideas and take responsibility . We encourage and give responsibility to our entire team at all levels, to help solve the complex problems we face. You will have many opportunities to be heard and to take initiative.

NRC is an equal opportunity employer whose policy is diversity, equity and inclusion of staff in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, nationality, physical ability, among others.

NRC may review applications prior to the closing of the vacancy announcement, so interested candidates are encouraged to express their interest as early as possible.

About us:

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an international non-governmental organisation based in Oslo, Norway that works in over 35 countries providing humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable populations. NRC has been responding to the growing internal and external displacement in Central America and Mexico since 2015, focusing on the protection crisis and integrating legal aid, education, shelter and infrastructure, water and sanitation, and livelihoods interventions.

NRC is an internationally renowned humanitarian assistance organization that has been working in Latin America for over 30 years, leading humanitarian action in many of the countries where it operates. In Mexico, NRC has been collaborating with local partners since 2019 and is currently expanding its reach, starting activities through direct implementation with NRC-hired personnel in Mexico, providing assistance to displaced people in the intervention areas in the country.

Read more about NRC