Hardship LevelA (least hardship)
Family TypeFamily
Family TypeFamily
Residential location (if applicable)
GradeNOB
Staff Member / Affiliate TypeNational Professional Officer
ReasonRegular > Regular Assignment
Target Start Date2024-04-01
Job Posting End DateNovember 13, 2023
Standard Job Description
Associate Government Liaison Officer
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Associate Government Liaison Officer is usually located in country operations. S/he plays a crucial role in ensuring UNHCR's approach to the Government is consistent, strategic and coherent. UNHCR assists the Government on coordination, response delivery and protection issues. Typically, this involves joint coordination arrangements, partnership with various government departments in service delivery, and regular dialogue at all levels on refugee protection issues. The main aim is to ensure that UNHCR can fulfil its role to support the Government to lead the refugee response ensuring the protection of refugees and - in line with the GCR - promote the inclusion of refugees into national systems by coordinating with other actors - including development actors at the early stages of a refugee response and in mixed situations supporting the Government to prevent, respond to and resolve internal displacement while complementing and reinforcing national response efforts. This should be done in line with UNHCR¿s Mandate, the Global Compact for Refugees, the IDP policy, and agreed inter-agency commitments. More specifically, the incumbent advises the senior management on issues and processes concerning the relationship with the Government and related positioning, coordination, advocacy, information, resource allocation, fundraising, reporting, and communication with other UN agencies, NGOs, civil society actors, private sector, media and other relevant actors through strong engagement in humanitarian inter-agency processes, but also with a focus on development processes as they impact on UNHCR. The overall goal of the position is to strengthen and enhance the effectiveness of UNHCR¿s leadership roles and responses to situations affecting people of concern to UNHCR (refugees, asylum-seekers, IDPs, stateless persons, returnees, host communities) through an open and transparent partnership approach with the Government.
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
- Participates in formulating and communicating UNHCR positions on Government-related matters on protection, assistance and inclusion of refugees, providing suggestions for briefing notes, talking points and issues papers for relevant discussions with the Government.
- Provides suggestions for promoting UNHCR's policies and liaising with Government authorities on issues related to latest humanitarian and development processes.
- Assists in establishing and coordinating country-specific coordination mechanisms for situations co-led by UNHCR and the Government. Where applicable, assists in supporting the development of country-specific refugee response plans (or refugee and migration response plan and refugee and resilience plan) and comprehensive responses.
- Assists in ensuring the coherence of the work of the Multi-sector group (MSG) in accordance with the Government.
- Assists in organizing and implementing capacity-building seminars or training programmes for target groups (government officials, etc.).
- Responds to queries from Government Officials, NGOs, individuals, etc. and provides the information required or appropriately refers the queries elsewhere.
- Assists the supervisor in preparation of statements that represent UNHCR's overall policies and which highlight specific area of concern, ensuring that the supervisor is prepared for meetings/missions by providing relevant information and establishing contacts.
- Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
- Perform other related duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P2/NOB - 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree
Field(s) of Education
Political/Social Science,
Economics;
Law/International Law;
Business Administration;
or other relevant field.
Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified.
Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Not specified.
Desirable
Not specified.
Functional Skills
CO-Drafting and Documentation
CL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community
SO-Networking
TR-Training and Capacity Building of Governments and/or national programs
(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 The candidate will also must have:
• minimum of 4 years of work experience in liaising with Brazilian authorities at the national and sub-national authorities on refugee, statelessness and migration issues;
• legal background;
• previous management experience in humanitarian repsonses for refugees;
• previous work experience with International Refugee Law and national asylum systems.
Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level): English
,Portuguese
,
Desired languages
,
,
Operational context
To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel
In Brazil, refugees and other forcibly displaced people enjoy same rights and access to public services on equal footing as nationals. They also enjoy freedom of movement and do not face any limitations to choose their place of residence. National legislation does not impose legal restrictions on refugees as to access to documentation, the right to work, engage in income-generating activities or access education. Nevertheless, there often remains de facto challenges in the access to rights and services, as well as obstacles for maximizing refugees’ potential contribution to the economy, due to lack of capacity in local services or barriers specific to a person’s status.
Since 2018, Brazil has been committed to supporting refugees and migrants from Venezuela through a comprehensive federal response–Operation Welcome –which has set up high standards of assistance and protection in the region. UNHCR significantly contributes to each of the three pillars of Operation Welcome: reception and documentation; shelter and humanitarian assistance; internal voluntary relocation. The latter, known as “interiorização”, facilitates the socio-economic integration of Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Brazil. As of March 2023, more than 100,000 Venezuelans have been relocated to some 900municipalities across the entire country.
Indigenous peoples are among the most vulnerable refugees and migrants from Venezuela. With the loss of their traditional livelihoods, over 9,000 indigenous peoples from Venezuela currently living in Brazil (about the 2% of Venezuelans in Brazil) suffer high rates of food insecurity, have children out of school, and experience more discrimination than the rest of the Venezuelan population. Additionally, language barriers, limited schooling and income-generation opportunities significantly affect the prospects for local integration of indigenous peoples from Venezuela. Their sustainable transition out of emergency shelters and the promotion of their self-reliance respective to their socio-cultural patterns present challenges that require tailored interventions.
Over the last months, Brazil also saw an increase in the number of people of different nationalities (other than Venezuelans) entering the country, especially Afghan refugees in São Paulo. In 2021, Brazil established a humanitarian visa policy for Afghans and, since then, over 12,000 visas were authorized and over 7,000 Afghans have entered Brazil. Despite access to public services and social benefits is guaranteed, local authorities and civil society organizations have faced challenges in adapting the existing reception and local integration systems to the progressive increase in arrivals.
In addition, Brazil offers alternative stay arrangements for several other nationality groups, including Syrian, Haitian, Iraqi and Ukrainian nationals, which facilitates the issuance of humanitarian residence permits and local integration in Brazil. Some 80,000 Haitians with international protection needs are residing in Brazil with different legal statuses.
Humanitarian assistance programming and long-term solutions coexist in the operational context of Brazil. UNHCR fosters cooperation with a wide array of actors, including public authorities at federal, state, and municipal levels, to provide protection, access to rights and services, and promote refugee inclusion into national systems. UNHCR also engages with refugee communities, the private sector, academia, and civil society organizations, playing a catalytic role in bringing together various expertise and capacities for a more inclusive and sustainable refugee response.
Additional Qualifications
SkillsCL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community, CO-Drafting and Documentation, SO-Networking, TR-Training and Capacity Building of Governments and/or national programs
EducationBachelor of Arts (BA): Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Economics, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Political Science
Certifications
Work Experience
CompetenciesAccountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration
UNHCR Salary Calculator
https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales
Additional Information
Functional clearanceThis position doesn't require a functional clearance