Data and Information Assistant

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.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency 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).
Since the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, over 2.8 million refugees from Ukraine have entered Bulgaria and until the end of February 2024, the Government of Bulgaria has granted Temporary Protection to more than 189,000 refugees fleeing Ukraine, of whom the majority are women and children. The Council of Ministers has formed a Task Force for the Ukrainian Refugee Response, focusing on inter-ministerial coordination.
UNHCR under its mandate leads and coordinates the Inter-Agency refugee response for the Ukraine Situation, in alignment with the Regional Refugee Response Plan for the Ukraine Situation (RRP) – co-leading with and in support of the Government. Under the Refugee Coordination Mechanism, UNHCR has established the national refugee coordination forum – along with an inter-agency Cash Working Group (led by UNHCR), an Education Working Group (led by UNICEF), a Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Technical Working Group (led by WHO), a Protection and Inclusion Working Group (led by UNHCR), a Protection against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) network (co-led by UNHCR, UNICEF and a local organization) which fall under the inter-agency refugee coordination mechanism. There are currently 19 partners involved in the Refugee Response Plan for 2024.
Additionally, Bulgaria as an external EU border, plays a strategic role in refugee protection within Europe. In 2023, Bulgaria's State Agency for Refugees (SAR) registered over 22,500 asylum seekers, most from Syria and Afghanistan, which have exceeded the asylum application numbers from 2022. SAR operates six reception centers for the registration, Refugee Status Determination procedures and accommodation of asylum seekers. Amid an increase in arrivals of Afghan and Syrian asylum seekers since 2022, UNHCR supports Bulgaria's Government to ensure policies and legislation are in line with international and EU standards, and promotes a comprehensive refugee response, grounded in a multi-stakeholder, whole-of-society approach.
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. UNHCR's priority protection interventions include access to territory and asylum procedures, inclusion of refugees in state-led programs, Child Protection and Gender Based Violence prevention, risk mitigation and response, support to persons with specific needs, and mitigation of the risks relating to trafficking and other forms of abuse and exploitation. UNHCR is also providing technical support to asylum authorities for digitalised systems

This United Nations Volunteers (UNV) assignment is part of UNHCR’s Protection team.

The UN Volunteer (Specialist) will work closely with colleagues across all units in UNHCR of the operation as well as with external partners on the issues of data and information exchange.

The main tasks and responsibilities of the UN Volunteer (Specialist) will be as follows:

• The incumbent will support the units to respond to the data and information management needs of the operation, including the training of staff in the use of proGres and other UNHCR corporate applications and tools.

• The incumbent will be tasked with generating statistical reports according to the standard reporting format, as well as ad-hoc reports, charts and tables as required by management.

• The incumbent will assist in monitoring the quality of the provision of cash assistance for the operation under its area of responsibility through established Monitoring and Evaluation systems. She/he will be required to support the CBI unit to produce regional internal and external reports. She/he will assist the CBI unit in the development of all new activities.

• The incumbent will 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.

• Perform other related duties as required.