Registration Officer, UNOPS IICA-2, Bassikounou at UN High Commissioner for Refugees

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is offering a full-time position within the Protection Unit in our Bassikounou Sub-office, in Mauritania.

The position will be within UNHCR’s Protection Unit, which is based in the Mauritania Sub-office in Bassikounou. This exciting position is a unique opportunity to gain experience in not-for-profit branding as well as experience working within the UN system.

UNHCR is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. Every year, millions of men, women and children are forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution. We are in over 125 countries, using our expertise to protect and care for millions.

• Title: Registration Officer
• Duty Station: Bassikounou, Mauritania
• Duration: Initial contract until 31 December 2021 with possibility of extension
• Contract Type: UNOPS International ICA-2 (equivalent to P3)
• Closing date: 10 October 2021
• Start date: 01 November 2021

Organizational context

The Registration Officer assists in the management and oversight of UNHCR Sub-Delegation Bassikounou registration procedures as well as related activities in the operation. The Registration Officer is normally supervised by the Head of Sub-Office supported by the Protection Officer. The Registration Officer assists with the development and implementation of an operation-specific registration strategy in compliance with the overall protection objectives of the office, to ensure that registration is effectively used for the identification of specific protection needs, for the management of operations, and for the achievement of durable solutions.

The Registration Officer may provide day-to-day coaching, direction, and support to UNHCR staff engaged in Registration and related activities (including Reception, Filing and Data Management staff), and monitors the efficiency and quality of registration processes, identity and entitlement documentation activities and refugee population data management.

The Registration Officer collaborates closely with Protection, Programme, Operational Data Management and Information Management colleagues as well as with Government authorities and partners on the provision of quality refugee population data for the delivery of inclusion in the national system, targeted protection, assistance interventions, programming and planning activities.

The position

Registration is an essential tool for protection, for the management of operations, and for the achievement of durable solutions. The Registration Officer plans, coordinates and monitors registration, population data management, and other registration-related activities for populations of concern to UNHCR Mauritania. His/her work will strengthen and improve the standardized collection of individual data from persons of concern, according to the priorities identified by the operation, and in compliance with its overall protection strategy. Responsibilities also include the analysis and dissemination of aggregate population data, which will inform programme planning, protection interventions and statistical reporting activities.

Duties and responsibilities

Accountability

• UNHCR’s Registration Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) are implemented in accordance with relevant UNHCR standards and policies.
• Persons of concern have fair and transparent access to registration procedures.
• The integrity of UNHCR’s registration procedures is ensured and refugee identities are secured over time through the implementation of case management and identity management tools.
• UNHCR’s population database (proGres) is maintained to a high standard and remains a reliable, trusted source of personal information and protection needs of persons of concern to UNHCR.

Responsibilities include:

Registration of Malian nationals in urban areas

a. Implement and monitor the merged registration-RSD exercise for Malians in urban areas (Nouakchott and Nouadhibou), ensuring the process is implemented as per the relevant SoPs and in accordance with UNHCR standards and policies.

Roll-out and implementation of PRIMES*

a. Support the roll-out and implementation of UNHCR’s Population Registration and Identity Management EcoSystem (PRIMES) in Nouakchott, Nouadhibou, and Bassikounou. Once PRIMES is implemented, ensure timely support and follow up.

Support registration activities

a. Coordinate registration activities to ensure data quality, standardization and consistency of data management;

b. Provide technical support to country staff on planned registration activities;

c. Assist in conducting regular data quality and audit checks to monitor the accuracy and representativeness of registration data and as a tool for identification and prevention of fraud;

d. Provide training to UNHCR and partner staff in registration methodologies, technologies and standards, to enable them to conduct registration activities and to manage registration and case related data on a continuous basis;

e. Standardize consolidation and timely dissemination of reports and statistics on persons of concern;

f. Document and report on registration activities at the operation level;

g. Undertake other related responsibilities or functions as required.

Authority

• Advise staff on planned registration activities, review plans and requests to ensure that they are in agreement with UNHCR standards and priorities.
• Ensure compliance by UNHCR staff engaged in registration and related activities with UNHCR standards, policies and operation-specific SOPs for all aspects of the registration operation.
• Design and review registration and registration-related documents, reports and statistics for internal use.

Essential minimum qualifications and professional experience required

a. Education

Degree in Law, Social Sciences, International Relations, Statistics, Information Technology or other related field.

b. Work Experience

Minimum 5 years of relevant (international) experience with graduate degree (equivalent of a Master’s) in population data management, protection, field support activities, 6 years with undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS). Previous experience in the humanitarian sector, in particular in deep field locations, will be an asset.

c. Key Competencies

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, flexibility, and organizational skills with strong capacity in multitasking.

Languages: Proficiency in French is required.

Location

The successful candidate will be based with the team in Bassikounou, Mauritania.

Conditions

The initial duration of contract is until the 31 December 2021, to align with our budget for 2021. Nevertheless, the position is expected to be extended beyond this date, and into 2022, subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funds.

This is a full-time role with working hours starting from 8.00am to 5.45pm Monday to Thursday and from 08.00am to 13.00pm on Fridays (40 hours per week).