UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES
OFFICE OF THE REPRESENTATIVE IN MYANMAR
Internal/External Vacancy Notice Number: HCR/YGN/19/003
(OPEN TO NATIONAL APPLICANTS)

Post Title                             : Assistant Field Officer

Post Number                         10003134

Contract Type                    : Fixed-Term Appointment (FTA)

Post Level                          : NOA

Position Start Date            : As soon as possible

Post Duration                    : Initially one year with possible extension

Duty Station                      : Hpa-An, Kayin State

1.Organizational Context

The Assistant Field Officer (NOA) post is based at the UNHCR Field Office in Hpa An, Kayin State with coverage of Kayin and Mon States, east Bago and Tanintharyi Regions. A Field Unit in Loikaw, Kayah State oversees Kayah.

Under the overall supervision of the Head of Field Office, the Assistant Field Officer will contribute towards building a protection and coordination oriented, operational and field focused response to displacement while supporting durable solutions pathways and creating positive conditions for the return and reintegration of refugees and IDPs.

The AFO will supervise the day to day work of the FO Hpa An Field Unit while working closely with Protection, Program and other Offices in a multifunctional approach: the incumbent keeps frequent internal contacts with staff members to exchange information, establish understanding  of respective needs and problem resolution. The AFO will maintain and reinforce external contacts, as per agreement with HOFO, with officials of national and international institutions, leaders of displaced populations/ populations of concern, CBOs/CSO and local, State or National leaders and seek to expand collaboration with SE level donors, innovation partners or other groups.

The AFO will support the Head of Field Office to enhance and strengthen internal and external coordination mechanisms and partnerships by helping to organize and/or support key Working Group, Forums or workshops. Previous experience in stakeholder analysis, working group and meeting management, training, meeting finalisation and preparing presentations is a plus.

The AFO will prepare/ finalize written and/or oral reports, presentations and talking points on key issues and activities and provide secretariat support in key fora and meetings. When required the AFO may perform some financial and administrative support functions in close coordination with Head of Office, Program and/or Admin/Finance staff to support the work of the Unit and Programs. The AFO may also be required to undertake field missions (travel) that may require overnight travel in SE Myanmar, Yangon and occasionally to Thailand for cross border meetings or other regions.

2.Duties and responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Head of Field Office, the Assistant Field Officer will oversee the field unit Hpa-An, which is responsible for Kayin and Mon States, Tanintharyi and East Bago Regions in south-east Myanmar Operations. The AFO will also work to strengthen internal and external coordination mechanisms with a wide array of partners, government, working groups or other actors:

Accountability:

• UNHCR’s policies, standards and procedures are constantly and coherently applied in the area of responsibility (AoR).
• The needs of persons of concern in the AoR are assessed and analysed in a participating manner and using an Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective to form a firm basis for planning.

Responsibility:

• Assess the needs of persons of concern in the AoR and formulate project submissions in collaboration with district authorities and implementing partners.
• Promote and monitor the implementation of assistance projects.
• Report regularly on rate of flow of new arrivals and estimate expected influx based on interviews with persons of concern.
• In co-ordination with implementing partners, assist with the reception, registration and provision of assistance to persons of concern to UNHCR.
• Keep track of cases of detention; register applicants for voluntary repatriation and family reunion.
• Assist in the preparation of monthly sectoral reports and submit material for preparation of periodic project monitoring reports and year-end reports.
• Undertake other relevant duties as required.

Authority:

• Submit recommendation for protection interventions to the designated officer.
• Negotiate with local authority counterparts, partners and populations of concern.

3.Required Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Adapts his/her actions to take account of the political, religious and cultural context;
• Dedication to United Nations principles and commitment to UNHCR visions and goals;
• Promotes team work and harmony collaborating with team members integrating  others’ ideas into his/her thinking. Leverages the different experiences and expertise of members to achieve better, more innovative outcomes;
• Commitment to perform tasks in a responsible, timely and professional manner; detail- oriented and committed to achieve high-quality results; ability to work under time pressure and meet tight deadlines; ability to prioritize tasks and execute them accordingly;

Managerial Competencies:

• Judgement and Decision Making
• Leadership
• Managing Resources

Cross Functional Competencies:

• Analytical Thinking
• Political Awareness
• Stakeholder Management

Essential Minimum Required Qualifications and Professional Experience

Education:

• Undergraduate degree in Law, Political Science or related field;

Experience:

• Minimum 2 years of relevant work experience

Language & Communication:

• Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English and local languages
• Proficiency in local languages of the operational area will be significant advantage.
• Knowledge of other UN languages is an asset
• Strong and demonstrated negotiation/communication skills (written and oral)

Others

• Excellent reporting and analytical writing and thinking skills
• Ability to establish working networks with local authorities and a wide range of stakeholders
• Field Experience in refugee/ IDP situations and a broad overview of humanitarian and assistance/ development oriented operations and programs;
• Computer skills; operational data/ information management skills a plus;
• Knowledge of refugee law and local legal frameworks and contexts
• Good knowledge of UNHCR’s programmes

Eligibility Requirements:

For Internal applicants

1.   All staff members with indefinite or fixed term appointments are eligible to apply as long as they are nationals of the country.

2.   General Service (GS) staff, regardless of grade or length of service, with a university degree, may apply to any vacant NOP position for which staff member should qualify in terms of professional experience, academic qualifications, language and other requirements for the post.

3.   General Service staff with six consecutive years of UNHCR service since appointment, at the G-6 level and above at the time of application, but without a university degree, are eligible to apply for vacant NOA positions only.

For external applicants

4. External applicants for NPO positions should be a national of the country.

5.   External applicants must process at minimum, a first university degree from a nationally recognized institution;

6.   Both internal and external NPO applicants must be fully proficient in the official UN working language of the duty station and in at least one official language of the country in which they are to serve.

Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Please declare if you have any immediate relative currently working with any UN agencies.

UNHCR is an equal opportunity employer and regrets its inability to reply individually or attend to telephone queries on the advertised posts.