Associate Special Assistant

UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is mandated to help and protection to a population of 5.7 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full potential in human development, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWA’s services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance, and emergency assistance. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions.

UNRWA’s Executive Office (EO) is responsible for providing support to the Commissioner-General and the two Deputies Commissioner-General in executive planning, formulation and coordination of all aspects of UNRWA management. The EO oversees field offices, representative offices in Brussels, Cairo, New York and Washington D.C, HQ programmes and support departments. The EO leads and sustains organizational change Agency-wide, manages high-level strategic decision-making, serves as a catalyst for cooperation Agency-wide, and manages sensitive issues and diverse risks deriving from both the external and internal environment. The work of the Executive Office encompasses the following interrelated and interconnected spheres of work: 1) providing vision, leadership and strategic direction to the Agency, 2) leading organizational design, 3) governance and decision-making, 4) policy, 5) operational oversight, 6) internal stakeholder engagement and 7) advocacy and external stakeholder engagement.

The Deputy Commissioner-General for Programmes and Partnerships (DCG/PP) provides leadership and oversight of the Agency’s Field Offices (in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria) and a number of HQ departments/divisions, including the departments of Education, Health, Relief & Social Services, Microfinance, External Relations and Communications, and the Protection division. The DCG/PP leads and coordinates UNRWA’s efforts to protect and ensure timely and effective provision of services to Palestine Refugees during times of crises, such as conflict and/or public health emergencies, ensuring effective preparedness and response throughout the Agency. The DCG/PP oversees the Agency’s humanitarian response and emergency response mechanisms, including for the current crisis in Gaza and Lebanon. The DCG/PP represents the Commissioner-General at senior/ministerial level with host and donor Governments, at international, regional, and inter-agency meetings, seminars, and conferences, and with government and intergovernmental bodies, such as the General Assembly and its committees.

Additional information:

International UN Volunteers are entitled to:

• Monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) at the amount of USD 2,507.69 (subject to change in monthly Post Adjustment Modifier).
• Entry lumpsum, Exit lumpsum; and Travel Allowance
• Annual and learning leaves;
• Free Medical and life insurance; and
• Free access to different learning platforms.

For more information on UN Volunteer benefits, entitlements and support, please visit: https://www.unv.org/become-volunteer/volunteer-abroad

Within the delegated authority and under the direct supervision of the Special Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner General for Programmes and Partnerships (DCG/PP), the UN Volunteer will:

• Ensure optimal preparation of and follow up to meetings and engagements of the DCG/PP with internal and external interlocutors;
• Provide substantive and practical support, serving as secretariat in meetings chaired by the DGC/PP
• Draft and prepare correspondence, briefing notes, background documents, reports, talking points, speeches, presentations, social media posts, etc.
• Follow up on the implementation of decisions and on other matters referred by the DCG/PP to HQ departments and field offices
• Contribute to the optimal flow of information to, from and within the Executive Office;
• Colle ct, analyse, and present data and other information gathered from diverse sources to support decision making;
• Support the substantive preparation of and follow up to missions by the DCG/PP
• Support the maintenance of an effective system of information management
• Serve as the EO focal point for specific subjects and/or departments and field offices reporting to the DCG/PP
• Perform any other related tasks as required or assigned by the Special Assistant to the DCG/PP.