Assistant Government Liaison Officer

Hardship Level

E (most hardship)

Family Type

Non Family with Residential Location

Family Type

Non Family with Residential LocationDanger Pay

Residential location (if applicable)

Addis Ababa,Eth Fed Dem Rep

Grade

NOA

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

National Professional Officer

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

Remote work accepted

No

Target Start Date

2024-03-20

Job Posting End Date

December 24, 2023

Standard Job Description

Assistant Government Liaison Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Assistant Government Liaison Officer is usually located in country operations. S/he plays a crucial support 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 assist senior management 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, s/he 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 support 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.

The Assistant Government Liaison Officer ensures that support is provided for strategic planning, assessment, monitoring and analysis concerning the relationship with the Government. The Assistant Government Liaison Officer will support all planning and reporting activities. The incumbent will support the supervisor in maintaining a constant dialogue with the Government on the overall protection context. A key tool in this regard will be the facilitation and support of periodic meetings with the Government, as well as to support the broadening of mutual information through meeting reports, situation updates and newsletters.

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

• Assist in the establishment of close working relations with Government Officials and/or other external parties.
• Provide suggestions for promoting UNHCR’s policies and liaising with Government authorities on issues related to latest humanitarian and development processes.
• Support coordination meetings as required, including by preparing meetings and background information, drafting minutes and follow-up documentation.
• Manage the flow of information to/from the supervisor and other senior staff; identifies priority matters that need to be urgently addressed by the supervisor.
• Draft correspondence, documents and reports, and prepares tables and ensures follow-up.
• Assist in ensuring appropriate links with the Government through establishment/maintenance of appropriate coordination and information exchange.
• Act on behalf of the supervisor to convey, clarify and explain UNHCR’s positions to Government or other external parties as applicable.
• Inform the supervisor on a continuing basis of relevant information on the outcome of discussions with external parties.
• Act as interpreter during meetings held by the supervisor with senior officials or other external parties.
• Accompany the supervisor and Headquarters visitors to camps, border missions and provincial cities.
• May be required to coordinate the work of lower level staff.
• 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 P1/NOA – 1 year relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or no experience with Graduate degree; or no experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education

Law/International Law;

Political Science;

Social Science;

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

(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

Generic JD to be applied.

Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):

,

,

Desired languages

,

,

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel.

Nature of Position:

The incumbent should advise 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 support 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.

Living and Working Conditions:

The incumbent will be based in Gondar Office. Gondar, also spelled as Gonder, is a city and woreda in Ethiopia. Located in the North Gondar Zone of the Amhara Region, Gondar is north of Lake Tana on the Lesser Angereb River and southwest of the Simien Mountains. As of 2016, Gondar has a population of 299,969.

Gondar previously served as the capital of both the Ethiopian Empire and the subsequent Begemder Province. The city holds the remains of several royal castles, including those in the Fasil Ghebbi UNESCO World Heritage Site for which Gondar has been called the “Camelot of Africa”.

Staff members should be prepared to operate under challenging conditions with extremely limited resources. The office deals primarily with several local camp environments with inherent risks to staff safety and health. Regardless of information campaigns, there are realistically few, or no

COVID-19 protocols adhered to in the communities. Staff are required to wear masks but will often work and live within large groups of people who do not.

There is a referral medical hospital in Gondar but with limited equipment. Staff with medical conditions should come with at least 3 months of prescribed medication.

The town has a central market where most of the common items can be found.

Also, there are government schools but focused mainly on the National Educational Curriculum.

Staff reside in commercial accommodation, mainly hotels. The town generally lacks apartments for rent save for the new city where it is mainly characterized of upcoming duplex buildings largely meant for family homes. There is running water as well as national power in the city whereby both services are not reliable. The office relies on WiFi for internet connectivity. Staff need to be aware therefore that internet may not be accessible after working hours.

Although there are functioning banks in Gondar, transacting in dollars is not possible. Staff are also advised to always have a cash reserve on them. It is recommended that first time travelers to the duty station dispense sufficient funds from the ATMs in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. Ethiopian regulations do not permit the transportation of more than $ 4,000 or its equivalent into the country.

The security situation is fluid and staff members should always get the latest travel advice and support prior to travel.

Skills

Additional Qualifications

CL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community, CO-Drafting and Documentation, SO-Networking

Education

Bachelor of Arts (BA): Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Political Science, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Social Science

Certifications

Work Experience

Competencies

Accountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration

UNHCR Salary Calculator

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Additional Information

Eliminatory or complementery written test may be conducted which will be followed by Competency -Based Oral Interview.

Female candidates are encouraged to apply. Only shortlisted candidates are contacted.

Functional clearance

This position doesn’t require a functional clearance