Senior Field Officer At UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Senior Field Officer is normally supervised by the Head of Sub-Office or Representative or Deputy/Assistant Representative depending on the structure of the Office. S/he may receive indirect guidance from other sections and units relevant to the country/regional programme(s). UNHCR Manual, programme and protection objectives, Operations Plans, UN and UNHCR financial/budgetary rules and regulations will guide the work of the Senior Field Officer. S/he is expected to stay abreast of the challenges posed to the country/region by the political context, the UN and humanitarian reform and institutional developments.
The incumbent normally supervises some professional and support staff. S/he has daily contacts with staff in the various field offices and with the functional units at the Country/Regional Office. S/he also has close liaison with a range of local civilian and military authorities and counterparts in NGOs and UN agencies to discuss matters of common interest.

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

• Coordinate and supervise the field activities in the areas of protection and programme in the AoR.
• Stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment and provide advice to the Head of Sub-Office/Representative.
• Maintain relations with local Government Officials at a senior level, as well as with UN agencies, NGOs and other parties operating in the area, in order to promote UNHCR objectives.
• Ensure through direct action and advocacy with senior management that the necessary resources are allocated to address protection and operational gaps.
• Build the capacity of local partners and civil society through training and other initiatives to protect persons of concern.
• Develop and coordinate capacity-building initiatives for communities and persons of concern to assert their rights.
• Ensure through direct action and advocacy with senior management that the necessary resources are allocated to address protection and operational gaps.
• Through a wide network of external contacts and through studying field reports, regularly analyse the operational context, early warning signs and the protection situation of returnees/refugees and other persons of concern to UNHCR.
• Prepare analytic papers and formulate recommendations for action for the Office.
• Liaise with local Government authorities and operational partners on issues relating to the protection and assistance of returnees/refugees and other persons of concern.
• Supervise and monitor the implementation of UNHCR projects; provide protection for persons of concern to UNHCR by ensuring the observance by the local authorities of the recognized principles of refugee, humanitarian and Human Rights law. Intervene promptly with the authorities in the event of any action or measure detrimental to returnees/refugees and other persons of concern if/when necessary.
• Maintain close contact with UNHCR Field Offices that may have been established on both sides of the border.
• Represent UNHCR in the Field.
• Negotiate with local authority counterparts, partners and populations of concern.
• Enforce compliance with, and integrity of, all protection and assistance standard operating procedures.
• Approve expenditures within the DOAP.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P4/NOD – 9 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 8 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 7 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Law, Political Sciences or other relevant field.
(Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Certificates and/or Licenses
UNHCR Protection Learning Programme.
UNHCR Operations Management Learning Programme.
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Field experience.

Desirable
Knowledge of refugee law.
Good knowledge of UNHCR¿s programmes.