Associate Durable Solutions Officer

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)A (least hardship)

Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

Family

Staff Member / Affiliate TypeIUNV International

Target Start Date2024-12-09

Deadline for ApplicationsDecember 15, 2024

Terms of ReferenceIMPORTANT INFORMATION:

- This position is advertised to internal and external applicants. Candidates must be legally present in México at the time of application, recruitment, and hire. Only Mexicans or candidates holding a permanent residency or valid work permit in México will be considered eligible.

- Recruitment as a UNHCR staff member and engagement under a UNHCR affiliate scheme or as an intern, is subject to proof of full vaccination against COVID-19, independently of contract type and duration. The selected candidate(s) will be required to provide the proof of vaccination prior to recruitment.

- Only short-listed candidates will be notified. The recruitment process might include written test and/or oral interview for this job opening. No late applications will be accepted.

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

- This position is offered under UNV contract until 31/12/2025 with possibility of extension.

- Remuneration: A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered depending on relevant experience as per the requirements of the job advertisement. For information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, please visit the portal of the Office of HR Management of United Nations.

This is a temporary job posting on 'Job on Invitation-only' basis. No other applications will be considered.

Details
Organization mission and objectives
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (the UN Refugee Agency, also known as UNHCR) is an intergovernmental organization with a mandate to protect refugees and stateless persons worldwide. Since 1950, the agency has helped tens of millions of people restart their lives. Today, a staff of more than 15,000 people in 130 countries continues to help and protect millions of refugees, returnees, internally displaced and stateless people. UNHCR provides lifesaving assistance, protection, shelter, food, clean water, education and medical care to some of the world’s most vulnerable. UNHCR also provides assistance to refugees who want to return home when it is safe to do so and helps integrate refugees within their local host country or resettle to a third country when returning home is no longer an option. Non-governmental organization (NGO) partners work with UNHCR around the globe to assist and protect refugees and internally displaced people.

Assignment context

The UNHCR project “Promotion of economic inclusion and sustainable integration of the refugee population through collaboration with the private sector and the “Servicio Nacional de Empleo” in Mexico City has a country-wide reach. The International UN Volunteer will support the implementation of the project in El Bajío (Aguascalientes, Querétaro, León, Silao, Irapuato, San Luis Potosí), as well as Guadalajara, Monterrey and Saltillo

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) aims to contribute to the promotion of international cooperation as well as the sound development of Japanese and global economy by supporting the socioeconomic development, recovery or economic stability of developing regions. JICA, with its partners, will take the lead in forging bonds of trust across the world, aspiring for a free, peaceful and prosperous world where people can hope for a better future and explore their diverse potentials.

JICA dispatches experts and overseas volunteers to developing countries, and in return welcomes government officials and specialists as training participants and overseas students. People-to-people connections established through human resource development are the foundations of trust between developing countries and Japan.

Task description
Under the direct supervision of the Senior Durable Solutions Officer, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Strengthen the Country Office’s capacity to mobilize private sector actors, supporting socioeconomic inclusion programming in Mexico.
• Support the Country Office in mobilizing Japanese companies, which face human resource shortages in the Central part of Mexico, in particular within El Bajío.
• Support the Country Office in monitoring the needs of private sector companies, that partner with the local integration programme, maintain a fluent communication and capitalize on shared interests for advocacy purposes.
• Travel to the destinations of the Local Integration Program with all the security measures applicable to all United Nations personnel in Mexico.

Results/Expected Outputs

• Consolidate UNHCR’s Local Integration Program in Mexico.
• A permanent dialogue with chambers of commerce, private sector companies and lo-cal authorities guaranteed an efficient match between profiles of relocated refugees and the needs of the labour market.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for in-stance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
• Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities;
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publica-tions/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.
Requirements
Education: Bachelor degree is mandatory, and Master degree is desirable in Human Rights, Peace studies, International law, Development studies, International Relations, Political Science, Economy science, economy or related areas.

Minimum experience: 3 years of relevant experience working with Japanese private sector companies or 3 years of experience working with UN institutions, JICA or the Japanese Foreign Service.

Skills and experience description

• Demonstrated interest and/or experience in socio economic inclusion, financial inclusion, human rights, refugee law, humanitarian-development nexus.
• Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture, (i.e. studies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly desirable.
• Experience working in community organization and/or development cooperation pro-jects.
• Understanding or familiarity with political and drivers of violence in Latin America and Mexico will be considered an asset.
• Good interpersonal, networking and communication skills.
• Willingness to contribute and work as part of a team dedicated to serve others.
• Flexible and open to learning and new experiences.
• Respect for diversity and adaptability to other cultures, environments and living condi-tions.
• Computer skills (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, social media, and others).
• Fluent communication in English (both verbal and in writing)

Competencies and Values:

☒ Accountability
☒ Adaptability and Flexibility
☒ Building Trust
☒ Client Orientation
☐ Commitment and Motivation
☐ Commitment to Continuous Learning
☐ Communication
☐ Creativity
☐ Empowering Others
☒ Ethics and Values
☒ Integrity
☐ Judgement and Decision-making
☐ Knowledge Sharing
☐ Leadership
☐ Managing Performance
☐ Planning and Organizing
☐ Professionalism
☒ Respect for Diversity
☐ Self-Management
☒ Technological Awareness
☐ Vision
☐ Working in Teams

Living conditions

Mexico City (also known as CDMX) is the capital of the United States of Mexico. It is a category A, family duty station and has a high-level infrastructure:

-Health: Mexico City has a highly ranked medical infrastructure with many internationally acclaimed hospitals.

-Education: There is plenty of Govt and private schools. Most private schools are bilingual (English-Spanish), and there are US, British, German, Japanese, and French schools.

-Housing: Apartments can be rented both furnished and unfurnished, and services of real estate agents are widely available. All international staff members must present their residential places for UN security inspection BEFORE signing the lease contract. There is a large seismic area in Mexico City that is restricted for the selection of residences by UN staff.

- Weather and earthquakes: Mexico City has a pleasant climate, yet there are frequent weather changes. Heavy rains sometimes cause flooding in some colonies. Mexico City is situated in one of the most active seismic regions in the world, interlocked inside the area known as the Circum-Pacific Seismic Belt, the area with the highest seismic activity on the planet. Earthquakes are frequent and sometimes cause major damage to the urban infrastructure.

-Currency and exchange: Mexican Peso. Dollars, Euros, and traveler's checks can be exchanged at a currency Exchange office.

-Communications: Internet is available everywhere, but in houses and offices, a contract has to be made to access to this service.

-Transportation: There are public buses, subway, and if taxis are to be taken, it is recommended to take \"taxis de sitio\". Uber is also available.

Mexico City belongs to Security Risk Management area, Central SRM area, with the current General Threat Level 02, LOW. Status Approved by DO by Peter Grohmann, 20 Dec 2023. Time Frame 01 Dec 2023 - 30 Nov 2024. There are no known direct threats to UNHCR, yet UNHCR personnel may be affected by crime. Mexico City has high rates of crime, among them: street robbery with or without violence, vehicle theft; burglary, house thefts, and business robbery, telephone extortions and intimidation, frauds, kidnapping. Also, gender violence is high. Civil protests often reported in the city center, but rarely violent.

It is expected that 2024 will observed augmented violence in relation to the electoral process due to a high number of contested positions at the local level, the proliferation of criminal organizations, and their diversification of illicit economies.

Standard Job Description

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Additional Qualifications

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Other informationThis position doesn't require a functional clearance

Home-BasedNo