Mission and objectivesUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people.
ContextUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency is a global organization protecting people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. We work in over 130 countries, helping millions of people with life-saving support, safeguarding fundamental human rights, and helping them build a better future (see www.unhcr.org). Since the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, over 3.5 million refugees from Ukraine have entered Bulgaria and until the end of August 2025, the Government of Bulgaria has granted Temporary Protection to more than 216,400 refugees fleeing Ukraine, of whom the majority are women and children. UNHCR under its mandate leads and coordinates the Inter-Agency refugee response for the Ukraine Situation, in alignment with the Regional Refugee Response Plan for the Ukraine Situation (RRP) โ co-leading with and in support of the Government. Under the Refugee Coordination Mechanism, UNHCR has established the national refugee coordination forum โ along with an Education Working Group (led by UNICEF), a Protection and Inclusion Working Group (led by UNHCR), a Protection against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) network (co-led by UNHCR, UNICEF and a local organization) which fall under the inter-agency refugee coordination mechanism. There are currently 19 partners involved in the Refugee Response Plan for 2025-26. The Council of Ministers also has a Task Force for the Ukrainian Refugee Response, focusing on inter-ministerial coordination. Additionally, Bulgaria as an external EU border, plays a strategic role in refugee protection within Europe. In 2024, Bulgaria's State Agency for Refugees (SAR) registered over 12,250 asylum seekers, most from Syria and Afghanistan. From January to August 2025, the Government has received 2,434 asylum applications, of which 15 per cent are applications by unaccompanied children. SAR currently operates four reception centres for the registration, Refugee Status Determination procedures and accommodation of asylum seekers. UNHCR supports Bulgaria's Government to ensure policies and legislation are in line with international and EU standards including the EU Pact on Asylum and Migration, and promotes a comprehensive refugee response, grounded in a multi-stakeholder, whole-of-society approach. UNHCR supports government-led efforts to provide key protection, including legal assistance, information on services, education and psychosocial support, and solutions. UNHCR's priority protection interventions include access to territory and asylum procedures, inclusion of refugees in state-led programs, Child Protection and Gender Based Violence prevention, risk mitigation and response, support to persons with specific needs, and mitigation of the risks relating to trafficking and other forms of abuse and exploitation. This United Nations Volunteers (UNV) assignment is part of UNHCRโs Protection Unit and Inter-Agency Coordination and Information Management team.
Task DescriptionData and Information Assistant will work closely with colleagues across all units in UNHCR of the operation as well as with external partners on the issues of data and information exchange. The main tasks and responsibilities of the Data and Information Assistant will be as follows: ยท Support the units to respond to the data and information management needs of the operation, including the training of staff in the use and interpretation of dashboards and other UNHCR corporate applications and tools. ยท Operationalize country-specific common data standards and promote them with partners, including UNHCR data standards and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Common Operational Datasets. ยท Compile and aggregate information elements required to produce standardized information products and implement data/information collection plans for baseline and context-specific data. ยท Collect, collate and process information and perform data quality and consistency control. Analyse and visualize collected data. ยท Generate summary/statistical reports according to the standard reporting format, as well as reports, charts and tables as required by management. ยท Maintain protection presence and monitoring through regular field missions and reports, making direct contact with people UNHCR works with, host communities, local authorities and partners. ยท Perform other related duties as required.
Competencies and valuesยท Accountability ยท Adaptability and flexibility ยท Judgement and decision-making ยท Client & Result Orientation ยท Communication ยท Organizational Awareness ยท Planning and organising ยท Professionalism ยท Self-management ยท Integrity ยท Stakeholder management ยท Teamwork & Collaboration ยท Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNHCRโs mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.
Living conditions and remarksThe UN Volunteer position will entail travel to field locations, particularly to areas with high presence of forcibly displaced and stateless populations. The UN Volunteer will be responsible for his/her own accommodation. This assignment requires full time engagement (8 hours/5 days). The contract lasts for the period indicated above with the possibility of extensions subject to the availability of funding, operational necessity, and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment. The applicable Volunteer Living Allowance is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities, and normal cost of living expenses. The purpose of the allowances and entitlements paid to UN Volunteers is to enable UN Volunteers to sustain a secure standard of living at the duty stations in line with United Nations standards without incurring personal costs. The allowances are in no way to be understood as compensation, reward, or salary in exchange for the UN Volunteerโs service. Contingent on specific eligibility criteria, location of the volunteer assignment, and contractual type and category, the payment of allowances will begin from the date of Commencement of Service. Monthly Living Allowance (per month): BGN 2885.16 Entry lump sum (one-time payment): USD 400 Exit allowance: BGN 219 for each month served, paid on completion of the contract Please note that the amounts can vary according to fluctuations in exchange rates. Health and life insurance: โข Health insurance: The UN Volunteer and eligible dependents will receive UNV-provided medical insurance coverage. โข Life Insurance: UN Volunteers are covered by life insurance for the duration of the UN Volunteer assignment. Leave entitlements: โข Annual leave: UN Volunteers accrue an entitlement to 2.5 days of Annual Leave per completed month of the UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave up to a maximum of 30 days is carried over in case of a contract extension within the same UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave may not be carried over in case of reassignment or a new assignment. โข Learning leave: Subject to supervisor approval and exigencies of service, UN Volunteers may request up to ten working days of Learning Leave per consecutive 12 months of the UN Volunteer assignment, starting with the Commencement of Service date, provided the Learning Leave is used within the contract period. โข Certified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers are entitled to up to 30 days of certified sick leave based on a 12-month cycle. This amount is reset every 12-month cycle. โข Uncertified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers receive seven days of uncertified sick leave working days in a calendar year. This amount will be reset at the established interval period. The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/sites/default/files/2022-12/UNVcos20221%20Complete%20hi-res-final_compressed_NOV22.pdf