Only candidates who are not nationals of the country of assignment are eligible to apply to this position
Hardship LevelA (least hardship)
Family TypeFamily
Residential location (if applicable)
GradePR5
Staff Member / Affiliate TypeProfessional
* 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 memberโs 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.
ReasonRegular > Regular Assignment
Remote work acceptedNo
Target Start Date2023-12-15
Job Posting End DateNovember 9, 2023
Standard Job Description
Deputy Representative
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
Direct supervision and guidance is received from the Representative. Advice and operational support may also be provided by the Director/Deputy Director of the Bureau and by other senior staff in the Bureau (Head of Desk, Legal Advice Unit, and Resource Management Unit) and in the support Divisions at Headquarters. The incumbent will also refer to policies, standards, rules and regulations which are in force within UNHCR.
Regular contacts with Representative and staff at Headquarters and in the field, to consult, discuss operational issues, and to seek common grounds for solutions on activities and programmes of importance to UNHCR and with persons on matters of great importance to UNHCRยฟs programmes. These contacts may include heads of national/ international organizations, embassies, UN agencies, and high officials/ ministers in the national government. UNHCR is well integrated into the UN Resident Coordinator System.
Decisions taken directly influence the design and operation of all of UNHCRยฟs activities in the country of accreditation. Proposals will have a substantive effect on UNHCRยฟs policy on a wide range of issues in the country programmes. Errors lead to significant damage to UNHCRยฟs major objectives in terms of time, quality, and money in the country and will have a major negative impact on the safety of refugees and other persons of concern. The Officeยฟs overall credibility and the safety of its staff may also suffer.
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 UNHCRยฟs core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.
Duties
- Provide legal protection advice and guidance on matters of doctrine and policy to Representative, the Heads of Offices and protection staff in the country.
- Provide advice and support to offices in the country operation on specific issues/problems faced related to asylum, refugee protection and assistance, including access to territory, access to RSD and asylum procedures, non-refoulement adequate reception and the implementation of durable solutions, including developing a Protection Management Framework for each national office.
- Provide legal and programme related advice and guidance to offices in the country on developing and maintaining fair and effective asylum regimes in accordance with international standards and norms, especially with regard to national asylum/refugee legislation and the building of local protection capacity.
- Provide legal and programme related advice and guidance on matters relating to the issue of asylum and migration to the Representative and offices in the country with particular emphasis on the problems of trafficking and smuggling.
- Provide guidance and leadership related to the implementation of the Age, Gender Diversity Mainstreaming (AGDM) Participatory Assessments in sub-region and ensure the follow up on any identified gaps related to the reception and integration systems and structures in the region with relevant stakeholders.
- Keep abreast of and analyse trends and key issues related to legal protection and assistance in the country, including preparing strategy and position papers with policy recommendations on specific protection, assistance and durable solutions related issues relevant to the country.
- Directly supervise Protection and Programme sections and develop operations plan in accordance with the organizational policies and operational strategies.
- Assist the Representative in the promotion of UNHCR strategic goals and objectives in the country, monitoring of the overall progress towards achieving them and in managing the Representation country office.
- Ensure that appropriate security measures are in place to protect staff, and that the country operation complies with UN MOSS/MORSS staff security rules, guidelines and procedures.
- Serve as OIC of the Country Office when the Representative is on mission or leave.
- Any other duties as may be required or assigned by the Representative.
- Represent UNHCR in the meetings and fora related to the functions.
- Enforce local compliance with UNHCRยฟs global protection, programme, finance and human resources and security policies and standards.
- Authorize payments as per the organizationยฟs Delegation of Authority Plan (DOAP) and in accordance with UN/UNHCR rules and procedures.
- Modify operational projects and reallocate funds, within the approved budgets and in respect of donor earmarking.
- Lead risk assessments and discussions with team(s) to proactively manage risks and seize opportunities impacting objectives. Ensure that risk management principles are integrated in decision-making both at strategic and operational levels. Allocate resources for planned treatments with resource requirements in Strategic Plans. Ensure that risks are managed to acceptable levels and escalate, as needed. If a Risk Owner, designate the Risk Focal Point and certify that the annual risk review is completed and ensure that the risk register is updated during the year, as needed.
- Perform other related duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P5 - 12 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 11 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 10 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree
Field(s) of Education
Business Administration; International Relations; Law;
Political Science; Social Science; Human Resources Management;
or other relevant field.
Certificates and/or Licenses
HCR Learning Prog; HCR Managing Operatns Lrng Prg; HCR Protection Learning Prg;
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Relevant Job Experience
Essential
- A high level of skill in management of broad programmes, political decision making and negotiating.
Desirable
- Completion of UNHCR training programmes, such us Protection Learning Programme, Operations Management Learning Programme.
- Knowledge of geo-political realities and their socio-cultural implications.
Functional Skills
*MG-Field Operations Management
*UN-UN/UNHCR Inter-agency Policies, Standards, Programmes, and Partnerships
*UN-UN/UNHCR Mandate and Global Strategic Priorities
*PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards)
UN-Analysis of geo-political realities and their socio-cultural implications
*MG-Political Decision Making
(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 ideal candidate should have extensive experience/knowledge in managing stakeholder relations at a senior level with Gov. partners, embassies, donors, UN agencies, media, and civil society. S/he must have the proven ability to deputize the Rep. and provide legal advice and guidance on matter of policy, protection, external relations, advocacy, and communications strategies. Political/ institutional awareness, together with managerial and coordination experience, are highly desirable. The candidate should have familiarity of the political, social, and cultural context of the region. A diversified field experience in major UNHCR operations in Africa, the Middle East and particularly in Asia would be an important asset. Some knowledge of Chinese language is desirable.
Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):
,
,
Desired languagesChinese
,
,
Operational context
Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:
To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link:
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel
Nature of Position:
UNHCR Chinaโs Mult-Year Strategy (MYS) is two-fold: to strengthen protection, assistance, and solutions for asylum seekers and refugees in China and to mobilize Chinaโs resources for UNHCRโs global operations.
Chinaโs mainland has been a signatory to the 1951 Convention and 1967 Protocol since 1982. In the absence of national asylum procedures, UNHCR is responsible for the registration and RSD of asylum seekers and finding durable solutions for refugees. It advocates for the Government to assume these responsibilities, to include refugee rights into existing legislation, and build an asylum legislative framework. To meet refugees' basic needs, UNHCR provides cash assistance. UNHCR has built a constructive partnership with the National Immigration Administration and its Refugee Affairs Division, which is UNHCRโs main counterpart.
Hong Kong SAR has not acceded to the 1951 Convention. Instead, it implements the Unified Screening Mechanism (USM) to assess claims for non-refoulement protection since 2014. UNHCR advises the Government and continues to advocate for procedural fairness in the assessment of claims under the USM.
Besides, the domestic protection activities, UNHCR has been enhancing its engagement with the Government and other stakeholders to mobilize political, funding, and other support for refugees worldwide and expanding its work on government liaison (GL), external relations, fundraising, communications, PSP, and sustainable procurement activities.
The Deputy Representative will be responsible for implementing UNHCR Chinaโs MYS related to protection and managing the Admin/Program Unit. He/She will ensure that the MYS planning and related processes are complied with. He/She will advise and support the Representative, who is directly managing the GL, external relations, fundraising, communications, supply, and PSP sections as well as the Hong Kong Sub-Office.
Ideally, the Deputy Representative should have extensive skills and experience in managing stakeholder relations at a senior level with the Government and other partners and in providing guidance on protection, external relations, advocacy, and communications-related policies and strategies. He/She should be familiar with the political, social, and cultural context of the region and have diverse field experience in major UNHCR global operations particularly in Asia. Some knowledge of the Chinese language is desirable.
Living and Working Conditions:
UNHCR China consists of a relatively small number of workforces. The Office is in Chaoyang District in Beijing, which is within a diplomatic designated area, where other UN agencies and many foreign embassies are situated.
Beijing, as the capital city of China, is divided into 16 districts and covers about 16410.54 square kilometers. Nestled on the north of the North China Plain, it borders Tianjin Municipality on the east and Hebei Province in all other directions.
Beijing is the administrative, economic, as well as a major international communication center in China. Beijing is also famous for its rich historical and cultural deposits. Since the 1970s, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee has recognized over 800 sites of cultural, scientific, or historical significance around the world. In particular, 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be found in Beijing.
Beijing has highly developed infrastructure, good public transport systems, high-end shopping, excellent healthcare facilities, and excellent accommodation for all budgets. Furthermore, there are many international schools based in Beijing offering various curriculum systems.
Additional Qualifications
SkillsOffice Administration, PG-Administration and monitoring of resources, PG-Operations Management Cycle, PG-Programme Implementation, PR-Analysis of laws and practice relevant to the immigration detention and ATD, PR-Application of various regional refugee instruments, PR-Asylum claims assessment and determination for international protection, PR-Asylum related guidelines, policy and procedures development, Stakeholder Relationship Management, Workplace Safety
EducationBachelor of Arts (BA): Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Human Resources Management, Bachelor of Arts (BA): International Relations, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Political Science, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Social Science
CertificationsHCR Learning Program - UNHCR, HCR Protection Learning Program - UNHCR, Programme Management (PM) 1 - UNHCR
Work ExperienceAnnual Budget OL in Operation/Office, Number of Persons of Concern Served, Number of Workforce in Operation/Work Setting, Workforce to Supervise, Working with Persons of Concern: Asylum Seekers, Working with Persons of Concern: Others of Concern, Working with Persons of Concern: Refugees
CompetenciesAccountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Leadership, Managing performance, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Stakeholder management, Strategic planning & visions, Teamwork & collaboration
UNHCR Salary Calculator
https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales
Compendium Bi-annual Compendium 2023 Part B - October 2023
Additional Information
Functional clearanceThis position doesn't require a functional clearance