Hardship Level: B
Family Type: Family
Family Type: Family
Residential location (if applicable): Grade: GS6
Staff Member / Affiliate Type: General Service
Reason: Regular > Regular Assignment
Remote work accepted: No
Target Start Date: 2023-08-01
Job Posting End Date: July 26, 2023
Standard Job Description: Field Associate
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Field Associate is normally supervised by the (Senior) Field Officer or Head of Office and performs a variety of functions related to Field activities within the office. The supervisor defines general work objectives and provides necessary advice and guidance. The Field Associate may supervise some General Service support staff.
The incumbent keeps frequent internal contacts with staff members in the same duty station to exchange information, to establish understanding of respective needs; to ensure provision of services and resolution of problems and with the external contacts generally with officials of national and international institutions, leaders of the refugee community, local population and/or Implementing Partners (IPs) on subject matters which may be of importance to the Organization.
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
- Monitor the situation in the AoR, collect data and other information relevant to UNHCR and report to the supervisor accordingly.
- Monitor the implementation of UNHCR programme including the delivery of all assistance items and monitoring of infrastructure.
- Undertake regular visits to various sites in order to assess needs of persons of concern, with particular attention to vulnerable groups.
- Keep regular contacts with local authorities and implementing partners as requested by supervisor.
- Act as interpreter when required.
- Contribute to the preparation of status and progress reports by providing info, preparing tables, etc.
- Assist in administrative tasks as required such as preparation of reports and meeting authorized personnel and assisting them during field missions.
- Inform and act on the reports received on persons of concern within the refugee community or from the local authorities.
- In coordination with implementing partners, assist in the reception, registration and provision of assistance to persons of concern to UNHCR.
- Negotiate with local authority counterparts, partners and populations of concern.
- Represent UNHCR in physical monitoring of projects.
- Perform other related duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G6 – 3 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher
Field(s) of Education
Not applicable
Certificates and/or Licenses
Business Administration Law Political Science
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Not specified
Desirable
Completion of UNHCR learning programmes or specific training relevant to functions of the position.
UNHCR field experience.
Functional Skills
*IT-Computer Literacy
CO-Drafting and Documentation
CL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community
PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards)
(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.
All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.
As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.
This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.
Desired Candidate Profile: Title of Position:\t\tField Associate Position Number:\t\t10031964 Category & Level:\t\tGeneral Service, G6 \t\t\t\tUNHCR Huaquillas, Ecuador Effective date:\t\t\t1 August 2023 Duration:\tInitially one year – Fixed Term Appointment (upon medical clearance, references and vaccinations check)
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
Since 2000, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has worked in Ecuador to protect and assist one of the largest population of recognized refugees in Latin America and the Caribbean. Since 2016, more than six million Venezuelans have left their country;
Ecuador is a destination and transit country for persons in need of international protection, with more than 70,000 recognized refugees (mainly Colombians) and an ongoing influx of refugees. The South American country has also become a main destination for Venezuelan refugees and migrants, ranking third after Colombia and Peru. More than 500,000 Venezuelan refugees and migrants are estimated to be residing in Ecuador, with less than half of them holding a legal status.
Since 2022 the increasing security setting in Guayaquil had a significant impact on the economy, affecting refugees, migrants and locals alike and mining the socio-economic inclusion strategy. This downturn deepened human rights gaps which will adversely affect refugees and migrants, the vast majority of whom work in the informal sector, lack a social safety net and cannot cover their basic needs, such as rent and food and are prone to discriminatory attitudes.
UNHCR’s operation in Ecuador is fundamentally driven to deliver protection and solutions to a variety of people forced to flee and stateless people in partnership and close collaboration with national authorities as well as non-governmental organizations and communities. Particular attention and specific multi-faceted protection and assistance is often provided within short timeframes and at times little resources in demanding operational environment.
Currently, in Huaquillas alone, the Municipality estimates that 2,000 Venezuelans reside regularly, the southern border of Ecuador has become in recent years a place of transit of people of different nationalities, refugees and migrants, so far this year at least 28,000 have transited through irregular crossings in the vast majority. At the same time the situation of insecurity and violence have generated risks to the life and integrity of humanitarian workers in the exercise of care and monitoring, this makes the work complex and has forced us to improve the security system and forms of approach to continue protecting those we serve without putting our teams at risk. The Field Associate (Protection) will report to the Associate Field Officer in Huaquillas. He/she will monitor protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards and provides functional protection support to information management and programme staff. The Field Associate (Protection) is expected to develop strong and positive relationships with local partners, public institutions and key actors at all levels in Huaquillas, to ensure protection gaps are identified, SGBV case management is carried out and child protection is ensured.
Therefore, UNHCR seeks to recruit persons devoted to the purposes of the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees who have commitment to humanitarian principles and functionally relevant work experience with different stakeholders. The candidates should have strong communication skills (written and spoken) principally in Spanish language whereas working level of English language is strongly desired. A high level of mobility and adaptability is required of the candidates as they may be requested to take up field mission in and out of the country at short notice.
SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS
A)\tEnglish language is desirable (B2 level). B)\tA technical test may be administered to shortlisted candidates. C)\tRecruitment as a UNHCR staff member and engagement under a UNHCR affiliate scheme or as an intern is subject to proof of full vaccination against COVID-19, independently of contract type and duration. The recommended candidate(s) will be required to provide the proof of vaccination prior to recruitment.
NOTE
UNHCR is committed to diversity and welcomes applications from qualified candidates regardless of disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, race, color or ethnic and national origins, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.
If you are a person with a disability and need additional assistance during the application and/or recruitment process, please contact us by email: ecuquhr@unhcr.org .
UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training or any other fees).
Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):: , ,
Desired languages: English , Spanish ,
Operational context: Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:: To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel
Nature of Position:: In the context of COVID-19, all interventions will be sensitive to current realities while ensuring that the necessary measures are in place to protect the health, safety and well-being of the population of concern (PoI)
The Field Associate will report to the Associate Field Officer in Huaquillas. It will oversee security standards, operational procedures and practices in providing protection in accordance with international standards and provide functional protection support to program and information management staff. The Field Associate is expected to develop strong and positive relationships with local partners, public institutions, and key stakeholders at all levels in the Cantons of interest, to ensure that protection gaps are identified, case management is carried out. SGBV and child protection is guaranteed.
The Field Associate integrates the Protection Unit in a Field Office, Sub-Office or Country Office and reports, as applicable, to the Head of the Protection Unit or the Head of the Field or Sub-Office. The incumbent has responsibility for protection delivery at the field level, in accordance with the AOR ‘s protection strategy, while ensuring application of protection standards, operational procedures and practices. He/she keeps daily contacts with communities of concern, authorities, partners and other stakeholders to maintain a flow of protection information and analysis, including on political, social and economic developments that have an impact on the protection and assistance of communities and persons of concern to UNHCR. The strategy to be developed requires experience in work experience in urban communities and community-based approach as well as working with population groups as women, children and population LGTBI, young boys, older adults.
The Field Associate relys upon the Field or Country Office to plan and undertake effective responses to the needs of populations of concern and to facilitate the delivery of the protection strategy and programmes. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effect. interfaces with communities of concern, local authorities and protection & assistance partners, as well as involving mobilization within the Province. Machala has some civil society org. promoting inclusion and non-discrimination of the foreign population, as well as maintaining an institutional impact for the guarantee of rights, so incumbent must maintain a relationship with these org. as well as with the PoI.
Living and Working Conditions:: Ecuador is a destination and transit country for persons in need of international protection. Over the past two decades, Ecuador has been hosting more than 68,000 recognized refugees and has become a main destination and transit country for Venezuelan refugees and migrants. Ecuador receives the 2nd largest number of Venezuelans after Colombia. Over 2.2 million have arrived in Ecuador since 2016. In 2019 Venezuelans have been arriving in Ecuador at an average of 1,950 people per day, almost all through the border crossings with Colombia. While 80% of Venezuelans arriving in Ecuador are in transit to third countries, official estimates are that more than 385,000 are residing in Ecuador.
The Province of El Oro has become a destination for migratory flows of people with the intention of staying. To date, 5,398 Venezuelans are estimated, with Machala being the place with the highest reception with 3,185 followed by Huaquillas, 889 and Santa Rosa, 307 people. However, due to the level of cases reported with people without migration documents who cross through Trochas, an underreporting of these figures is estimated. Additionally, Huaquillas is now a place of transit and blockage of people who do not enter Peruvian territory since they do not have regularization documents to be in the country.
The protection strategy of the FO Huaquillas / Machala assists 9 of the Cantons. It establishes 6 axes of intervention guiding protection initiatives, projects and partners, coordination scenarios, visibility, strategic allies, GTRM, as a framework for 2021, namely: i) border monitoring, ii) community strengthening, iii) institutional strengthening , iv) durable solutions, v) inter-agency coordination, vi) information management. This takes the form of binational exercises and border context readings, protection monitoring, technical assistance in scenarios of coordination and implementation of the normative framework of human mobility and refugee law, management of information, strengthening of local protection and humanitarian assistance systems, improvement in access to asylum and territory, coordination between civil society and public instit., strengthened communication with communities with a particular focus on SGBV, visibility of processes and achievements in international protection, timely response and conditions of dignity, access to legal guidance, local integration, assistance humanitarian-shelter sectors, biosecurity kits, protection networks, among others.
Additional Qualifications: Skills
Education
Certifications
Business Administration – Other, Law – Other, Political Science – OtherWork Experience
Competencies: Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration
UNHCR Salary Calculator: https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales
Compendium: Additional Information: Functional clearance: This position doesn’t require a functional clearance