Field and Cash-Based Intervention Assistant
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Target Start Date
17/06/2024
Type
Onsite
Duration
7 months (Expected end date 31/12/2024)
Mission and objectives
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people.
Context
UNHCR is a global organization protecting people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. We work in over 130 countries, helping millions of people with life-saving support, safeguarding fundamental human rights, and helping them build a better future (see www.unhcr.org). UNHCR Bulgaria supports the Government of Bulgaria in providing a response to the Ukraine refugee situation and also in ensuring protection and inclusion space to other refugees and asylum seekers in Bulgaria. UNHCR supports the government to ensure policies and legislation are in line with international standards and promotes a comprehensive refugee response, grounded in multi-stakeholder, “whole-of-society” approaches that include refugees, local authorities, international organizations, civil society, private sector, and other stakeholders.
Since the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, over 2.4 million refugees from Ukraine have entered Bulgaria. The Government of Bulgaria has granted Temporary Protection to more than 181,000 refugees from Ukraine, of whom the majority are women and children. Around 46,400 remain with valid Temporary Protection in the country as of May 2024. Some 6,000 refugees from Ukraine are hosted under the state-sponsored accommodation programme, including hotels and state recreational facilities located predominantly in the Black Sea regions and other locations throughout the country.
Additionally, Bulgaria as an external EU border, plays a strategic role in refugee protection within Europe. In 2023, Bulgaria’s State Agency for Refugees registered over 22,500 asylum seekers, most from Syria and Afghanistan, which exceeded the asylum application numbers from 2022. The Government operates six reception centers for the registration, status determination, and accommodation of asylum seekers.
UNHCR supports government-led efforts to provide key protection – including legal assistance, information on services, education, and psychosocial support – reception and accommodation, as well as the delivery of core relief items for winterization and cash assistance for the most vulnerable groups. The post-distribution monitoring of UNHCR’s 2023 cash assistance for more than 7,000 refugees finds that the main needs addressed were food and health costs. UNHCR conducts various types of assessments among refugees to assess their needs, capacities, and coping mechanisms and identify those with specific needs to ensure their access to specialized services. Some of these activities are implemented directly by the Agency, with others implemented through partner agencies or service providers.
This United Nations Volunteers (UNV) assignment is part of UNHCR’s cash-based interventions program under the Protection Unit’s Field team.
Task description
The UN Volunteer will support UNHCR in implementing UNHCR’s Cash-Based Interventions program as part of the Protection Unit. Moreover, the volunteer may also support UNHCR in conducting various monitoring and vulnerability assessments across the country focusing on the major locations of the facilities accommodating refugees and asylum-seekers.
The main tasks and responsibilities of the UN Volunteer will be as follows:
• Provide technical support to the Head of Protection and supervisor on planning activities within the area of cash-based assistance and interventions (CBI), an integral part of UNHCR programmes, including assessments, planning and budgeting, technical choices, legal and regulatory aspects implementation modalities and coordination.
• Under the supervision of the Inter-Agency Coordination Officer, support the monitoring and multi-functional team coordination process for cash assistance, with proper collection, use, and monitoring of baselines, standards and indicators needed to measure and analyze CBI’s performance.
• Support in analyzing trends and target interventions including CBI expenditure, upstream and downstream activities.
• Assist in data management tasks as required, e.g. generating data for evidence-based decisions.
• Assist in fulfilling CBI-related reporting requirements.
• Help in providing information and communication to key stakeholders as well as refugees on UNHCR’s cash assistance program, in close coordination with the Communication with Communities colleagues.
• Support the use of UNHCR corporate tools and systems.
• Maintain protection presence and monitoring through regular field missions and reports, making direct contact with people UNHCR works with, host communities, local authorities, and partners.
• Identify and record/refer refugees with specific needs who require specialized services in accordance with UNHCR specific needs/vulnerability codes.
• Perform other related duties as required.
Required experience
3 years of experience in management of projects or programmes, data-related fields, business administration; social science; social economics, economics and finance or other relevant fields.
• Experience with setting up and monitoring/managing projects that involved data analysis and multi-stakeholder coordination is an asset, as is experience working in the UN or other international development organization;
• Good data analysis and management skills;
• Good IT skills and digital literacy;
• Experience with handling confidential data and demonstrated understanding of different data collection methodologies;
• Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills; including ability to communicate patiently and respectfully with a broad range of individuals including persons with specific needs;
• Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing;
• Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development;
• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel;
• Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, among others), email, and internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment;
• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines;
• Sound security awareness;
• Have affinity with or interest data management and/or social protection, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN system.
Area(s) of expertise
Economics and finance, Business management, Development programmes
Languages
English, Level: Fluent, Required
Bulgarian, Level: Working knowledge, Required
Required education level
Bachelor degree or equivalent in project management/monitoring, social sciences, and data-related studies.
Competencies and values
•Accountability
•Adaptability and flexibility
•Judgement and decision-making
•Planning and organising
•Professionalism
•Self-management
•Integrity
•Teamwork, collaboration and respect for diversity
•Commitment to continuous learning
•Communication
•Client and result orientation
•Analytical thinking
•Stakeholder management
•Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNHCR’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.
Living conditions and remarks
The UN Volunteer will be expected to travel to the field, particularly to areas of high presence of refugees.
This assignment requires full-time engagement (8 hours/5 days per week). The UN Volunteer will be responsible for his/her accommodation. The contract lasts for the period indicated above with the possibility of extensions subject to the availability of funding, operational necessity, and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment.
The applicable Volunteer Living Allowance is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities, and normal cost of living expenses. The purpose of the allowances and entitlements paid to UN Volunteers is to enable UN Volunteers to sustain a secure standard of living at the duty stations in line with United Nations standards without incurring personal costs. The allowances are in no way to be understood as compensation, reward, or salary in exchange for the UN Volunteer’s service. Contingent on specific eligibility criteria, location of the volunteer assignment, and contractual type and category, the payment of allowances will begin from the date of Commencement of Service.
Monthly Living Allowance (per month): BGN 2202
Entry lump sum (one-time payment): USD 400
Exit allowance: BGN 183.5 for each month served, paid on completion of the contract
Please note that the amounts can vary according to fluctuations in exchange rates.
Medical and life insurance:
• Medical insurance: The UN Volunteer and eligible dependents will receive UNV-provided medical insurance coverage.
• Life Insurance: UN Volunteers are covered by life insurance for the duration of the UN Volunteer assignment.
Leave entitlements:
• Annual leave: UN Volunteers accrue an entitlement to 2.5 days of Annual Leave per completed month of the UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave up to a maximum of 30 days is carried over in case of a contract extension within the same UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave may not be carried over in case of reassignment or a new assignment.
• Learning leave: Subject to supervisor approval and exigencies of service, UN Volunteers may request up to ten working days of Learning Leave per consecutive 12 months of the UN Volunteer assignment, starting with the Commencement of Service date, provided the Learning Leave is used within the contract period.
• Certified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers are entitled to up to 30 days of certified sick leave based on a 12-month cycle. This amount is reset every 12-month cycle.
• Uncertified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers receive seven days of uncertified sick leave working days in a calendar year. This amount will be reset at the established interval period.
You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator.
The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos
Inclusivity statement
United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements
This UNV assignment is subject to proof of vaccination against Covid-19 with WHO approved vaccine, unless the UNHCR Medical Service approves an exemption from this requirement on medical grounds
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