Job Title:  Field Officer (UN Jobs)

Organisation: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Duty Station:  Adjumani / Pakelle, Uganda

About Organisation:

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. UNHCR’s mandate under the Statute of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is to lead and co-ordinate action for international protection to refugees; seek permanent solutions for the problems of refugees and safeguard refugee rights and well-being. UNHCR has an additional mandate concerning issues of statelessness, as it is given a designated role under Article 11 of the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

Job Summary: The Field Officer is normally supervised by the Senior Field Coordinator or Head of Sub-Office/Field Office 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 incumbent.

The incumbent normally supervises some support staff and may supervise lower grade professional 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.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• • Prepare project proposals; draw up plan of operation for implementation, including institutional arrangements for budgets.
  • Assess refugee needs in the various fields of assistance and make recommendations for the establishment of projects, adjustment or discontinuation of existing projects and advise the Head of Office accordingly.
  • Closely monitor the implementation of projects under the geographical area of responsibility and ensure the provisions under the agreements signed with the implementing partners are being adhered to.
  • Regularly prepare written reports on the implementation of projects and the situation in the sites.
  • Maintain good working relations with local government officials, implementing partners and other agencies in the area.
  • Report immediately on any security problems that may occur affecting programme, beneficiaries and the smooth running of the operation.
  • Provide assistance to UNHCR Technical advisers and consultants as well as visitors visiting project sites.
  • Represent UNHCR in the Field.
  • Negotiate with local authority counterparts, partners and populations of concern.
  • Approve expenditures within the DOAP.
  • Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
  • Perform other related duties as required.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

Years of Experience / Degree Level

• For P3/NOC – 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education

• Law, Political Sciences, or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses

• 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.

Functional Skills

• IT-Computer Literacy
• PG-UNHCR’s Programmes
• (Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements

• • For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
  • For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
  • For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

Desired Candidate Profile

• Extensive experience in emergency preparedness and response in the context of refugee influx.
• Extensive experience in linkages between humanitarian and development interventions aimed at service integration, livelihoods and socio-economic inclusion.
• Extensive experience in interagency coordination with various partners, including government counterparts and international and national NGOs.
• Solid and proven experience in comprehensive needs assessment and programme monitoring
• Experience in developing, reviewing and implementing comprehensive Protection and Solutions Strategies.
• Solid experience in managing large and complex operations.
• Excellent management, leadership, teamwork, communication, and drafting skills.
• Good working experience in the field and specifically in hardship and remote location(s).
• Knowledge of refugee law.
• Good knowledge of UNHCR programmes.
• Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):
• Desired languages