Head of Sub-Office El Gedaref Sudan (UNHCR)

Closing date: Thursday, 27 July 2023 | Head of Sub-Office El Gedaref Sudan (UNHCR)

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Only candidates who are not nationals of the country of assignment are eligible to apply to this position: Hardship Level: E (most hardship)

• Family Type: Non Family with Residential LocationDanger Pay
• Residential location (if applicable): Nairobi (CO), Kenya
• Grade: PR5
• Staff Member / Affiliate Type: Professional

* Staff members will not normally serve in International Professional positions in the country of their nationality. In addition, in case of a first appointment upon recruitment, the assignment must be outside the staff member’s country of nationality.: In practical terms this means that you are not eligible to apply for International Professional vacancies advertised in the country where you are national of.: Reason: Fast Track > Fast Track

• Remote work accepted: No
• Target Start Date: 2023-07-20
• Job Posting End Date: July 27, 2023
• Standard Job Description: Head of Sub-Office

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

Head of a UNHCR Sub-Office (HoSO) is a senior managerial position within a given country operation. The incumbent carries the full delegated authority of the UNHCR Representative (or the country Manager) of the country, who will exercise entire supervisory managerial responsibility over the position. The position, on the other hand, provides all information on developments in relation to the protection (legal protection issues relating to the persons of concern to UNHCR), security (Physical security in relation to the UNCR staff and the persons of concern to UNHCR) and operational matters (programme and office management / administration) within the domain of its geographical area of responsibility to the UNHCR Representative (or the country manager) on a regular and timely manner. Subject to the specific legal or socio economic or security developments in the Area of Responsibility (AOR), Representative will direct and guide the Head of the Sub-Office to take the most appropriate course of action. Concerning overall physical security concerns, HoSO will liaise directly with the competent UN security coordinator while keeping the UNHCR Representative fully informed.

While the functional responsibility of a Head of a Sub-Office will always remain the same despite its grade level, the other parameters (therefore the depth and breadth of the competencies) such as the size of the population of concern to UNHCR, their specific legal/security concerns, volume of assistance, Number of operational / Implementing partners and the size of the Office (i.e. number of UNHCR staff and their grade levels) will determine the appropriate grade level. The operational autonomy also depends upon the same parameters/competencies.

As the most senior UNHCR staff member within the given geographical area, he/she is required to liaise with all the relevant senior government officials, security organs in the area, the Head of various Non-Governmental Organisations (both national and internationals based in the area), Civilian/tribal leaders/elders, local opinion makers and the local media net-work to ensure his/her assigned responsibilities are effectively and efficiently discharged.

As the extended field representative of UNHCR at the front line of High Commissioner’s operations, he/she remain as the effective advocate and assistant to the local authorities to ensure that the respective government authorities in the area implement their conventional responsibilities in favour of refugees and others of concern to UNHCR.

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

•  Monitor and report on the implementation of refugee conventional responsibilities and international obligations of the local authorities Vis a Vis the population of concern to UNHCR within the given geographical area; based on local situations/developments make appropriate recommendation to the UNHCR Representative.
•  Advocate and promote UNHCR standards concerning the treatment of asylum seekers, refugees and returnees as well as IDPs, where applicable; Advocate, promote and encourage the concerned authorities and local opinion makers to uphold established UNHCR standards that have become the international norms.
•  Ensure that the basic needs of the concerned population are properly assessed with the participation of the beneficiaries themselves, the host governments and/or the competent Implementing partners and/or UNHCR itself.
•  Subject to the needs, ensure that the planning, formulation and budgeting of identified assistance projects are done as per UNHCR programme cycle; upon approval of assistance project, ensure the timely implementation and rigorous monitoring of identified assistance activities
•  Ensure through the subordinate staff that all deadlines for monitoring and reporting of UNHCR operational activities (i.e. include assistance as well as Administrative) are met on a regular basis.
•  Manage all UNHCR resources, both human, financial/material, at an optimum level for the wellbeing of the concerned population and the UNHCR staff.
•  Ensure that all security measures of UNHCR office (and residential, wherever applicable) compounds are always up to date; any security breaches and/or potential security threat should be reported immediately to competent UN security coordinator in the country.
•  Ensure that staff welfare, both in terms of working and living conditions, are maintained at a satisfactory level within the constraints in the operational area; this requires remaining current in health and medical facilities locally available and evacuation options available in a moment of medical urgency.

Living and Working Conditions::

Gedaref is classified as category E non-family duty station. The Gedaref Sub-office covers 4 refugee camps in eastern Sudan: Um Gargour in Kassala state, Um Rakuba, Tunaydbah and Babikri in Gedaref state. Gedaref also has three transit centers Hamdayet in Kassala state, Gallabat and village 8 in Gedaref state. SO Gedaref supports staff responding to emergency in Ethiopia emanating from the conflict in the Tigray region. Gedaref Sub-office has two guesthouses with about 30 international staff including two medical personnel from Iqarus and 72 national staff. Both guesthouses are equipped with satellite TV and with a common room has flat TV screen and BeIn satellite decoder. The city of Gedaref has two approved UNDSS hotels Al -Rabwah hotel and Almotwakil hotel. Food stuffs are readily available in local markets and one can eat/buy at two restaurants usually in the evenings. Bottled water and water dispensers are recommended as the quality of the tap water in Gedaref is hard and salty therefore bodywash and soap that can lather in hard water are recommended. There is a resident UNHCR doctor in Gedaref, and a nurse at all times as government hospital and private hospitals in Gedaref state are not of the established UN standards. In case of emergency the UNHCR doctor will support with evacuation processes. There are no recreational activities in Gedaref and internet connectivity even though stable, can be erratic at times. All offices and guesthouses have UNHCR internet connections. Gedaref is usually hot but cold during the raining season with possible flooding. Staff are strongly recommended to bring with them books, sunscreen, windbreakers, gumboots, mosquito nets as well as Malaria medication.

Additional Qualifications: SkillsHR-Administration of Staff Contracts and Benefits, IT-Computer Literacy, IT-Microsoft Office Productivity Software, MG-Office Management, PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators

EducationBachelor of Arts (BA): Economics (Required), Bachelor of Arts (BA): International Relations (Required), Bachelor of Arts (BA): Law (Required), Bachelor of Arts (BA): Management (Required), Bachelor of Arts (BA): Personnel Administration (Required), Bachelor of Arts (BA): Political Science (Required)

CertificationsHCR Learning Program – UNHCR, Programme Management (PM) 1 – UNHCR

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Head of Sub-Office El Gedaref Sudan (UNHCR)