Associate Field Officer

Candidates must be primarily Turkish nationals. Associate Field Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
The Associate Field Officer is supervised by the Deputy Representative (Operations). S/he may receive indirect guidance from other sections and units relevant to the country/regional programme(s). UNHCR Manual, programme and protection objectives, Operations Plans, UN and UNHCR financial/budgetary rules and regulations will guide the work of the incumbent.

The incumbent may supervise some support staff. S/he has daily contacts with staff in the various field offices and with the functional units at the Country/Regional Office. S/he also has close liaison with a range of local civilian and military authorities and counterparts in NGOs and UN agencies to discuss matters of common interest.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

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.
- Protection incidents and gaps in assistance are immediately identified and addressed.

Responsibility
- Identify vulnerable groups or individuals who may need special attention or special arrangements and make recommendations on the needs of different groups of refugees.
- Assess protection and assistance needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in the region and monitor implementation of refugee assistance programmes.
- In co-ordination with implementing partners, handle the reception, registration and provision of assistance to persons of concern to UNHCR.
- Provide inputs for project submissions and periodic narrative and financial reports for the annual programme.
- Develop and maintain relations with local authorities ensuring smooth negotiations in all aspects of UNHCR's mandate for the benefit of refugees.
- Monitor the security situation in the area and intervene as appropriate with the local authorities.
- 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.
- Approve expenditures within the DOAP.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS)  in Law, Political Sciences or related fields plus minimum 3 years of previous work experience relevant to the function. Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master¿s) plus 2 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 1 year of previous relevant work experience may also be accepted.
- Field experience.
- Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.

***For National Officer positions, very good knowledge of local language and local institutions is essential.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES
- Computer skills.
- Knowledge of refugee law.
- Good knowledge of UNHCR's programmes.
- UNHCR Protection Learning Programme.
- UNHCR Operations Management Learning Programme.
- Knowledge of additional UN languages.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES
- Judgement and Decision Making
- Analytical Thinking
- Political Awareness
- Stakeholder Management Additional information

Shortlisted candidates will be required to sit for a test. Only short-listed candidates will be notified. No late applications will be accepted. Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training or any other fees).

REMUNERATION

A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. The monthly net salary is between TRY 12,418 and TRY 15,865 depending on relevant experience, dependency status and language proficiency. For more information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, please visit the portal of the Office of HR Management of United Nations.
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See below for this postion's Operational Context
======================================================================================================== UNHCR Izmir Field Unit is working closely with provincial directorates of line ministries, INGOs/NGOs, local governments and refugee populations in Aegean and Mediterranean Region. UNHCR¿s Izmir Field Unit promotes and supports access to and provision of protection and quality services for asylum-seekers and refugees in the Aegean and Mediterranean Region. Area of responsibility hosts a considerable number of urban refugee population with more than 260,000 persons of concern. UNHCR Izmir Field Unit covers 10 provinces including ¿zmir, Ayd¿n, Mu¿la, Manisa, Denizli, U¿ak, Kütahya, Isparta, Burdur and Antalya.

Izmir Field Unit has expanded its network and capacity development activities with diverse actors such as municipalities, social service centres, mukhtars, imams and other significant local actors that contributes in expansion of protection space for refugees. Moreover, the Field Unit is enhancing its outreach activities through partners, increasing community-based protection activities and involving refugees to its programs.

The coastal provinces along the Aegean are also relevant border regions for often irregular movements by sea. To support protection-sensitive border management and delivery of immediate humanitarian assistance to intercepted, apprehended and rescued persons, UNHCR Izmir Field Unit works in cooperation with relevant border authorities and national institutions in charge of managing Turkey¿s borders, including the Turkish Coast Guard, the Gendarmerie General Command and the National Police.

The Field Unit has been strengthening coordination mechanism in the Aegean and Mediterranean Region, in line with UNHCR,¿s strategic priorities.

The Associate Field Officer is supervised by the Deputy Representative. UNHCR Manual, programme and protection objectives, Operations Plans, UN and UNHCR financial/budgetary rules and regulations will guide the work of the incumbent.

The Associate Field Officer manages and guides the UNHCR Izmir Field Unit.

The Associate Field Officer develops, maintains and strengthens partnership through regular and close contact with local authorities including Deputy Governors, District Governors, Provincial PDMM directors, Turkish Coast Guard, Gendarmerie, Provincial Directorates of Family, Labour and Social Services and other stakeholders, local organizations, NGOs and partners in the area of responsibility and build productive relationship in the area of responsibility.

The Associate Field Officer participates in coordination meetings led by government and represents UNHCR and chair the inter-Sectoral coordination meeting to discuss all aspects of protection, registration, onward movement trends, humanitarian assistance, NFI and outreach to refugees in urban settlement and advocacy for the rights of persons with specific needs.

Through local contacts such as Coast Guard, Gendarmerie and Police, S/he monitors onward movement situation and reports regularly on trends, routes, protection challenges and urgent humanitarian needs of the people who are on the move based on interviews with persons of concern and meetings with other relevant counterparts in the area of responsibility.

In coordination with Programme Unit in BO Ankara, S/he monitors the implementation of UNHCR funded projects in the AoR, ensuring established PPAs and plans are implemented effectively. S/he organizes UNHCR trainings on International Protection and Refugee Law to enhance capacity of local authorities and NGOs. S/he supports Izmir Field Unit staff in providing information related to reception, access to registration and services/assistance available to persons of concern to UNHCR.

In consultation with Protection Unit in BO Ankara, s/he keeps track of specific protection cases (detention, UAM, SGBV, voluntary return, family reunification and/or resettlement etc.).

The Associate Field Officer supports Izmir Field Unit staff for the continuation of regular field visits, organizing in-depth/semi-structured interviews and FGDs with refugees in cooperation with partners to receive information on the capacities, challenges and proposed solutions of the refugees. S/he liaises with local authorities to discuss the findings of the in-depth/semi-structured interviews and FGDs with refugees to find durable solutions for the problems of the refugees.

S/he works closely with local authorities, municipalities, religious affairs personnel, mukhtars, NGOs and partners for better planning to reach out PoCs and identify protection challenges and gaps, specific risk groups and enhance community-based protection mechanism in the area of responsibility.

In this regard, very good drafting and communication skills in English and Turkish is essential. The closing date of the job opening is 15 November 2019.