Assistant Operations Officer

H (no hardship)

Family Type

Family

Family Type

Family

Residential location (if applicable)

Grade

NOA

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

National Professional Officer

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

Remote work accepted

No

Target Start Date

2024-04-01

Job Posting End Date

December 20, 2023

Standard Job Description

Assistant Operations Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Assistant Operations Officer normally works under the direct supervision of the Senior Operations Officer/Coordinator or Head of the Office and will be the focal person responsible for liaising with Partners through sector meetings and other coordination mechanisms in the Area of responsibility (AoR) as deemed necessary and required by the senior management. S/he will also assist with management issues pertaining to the operations within the area of responsibility (AoR).

The incumbent does not normally have any direct supervisory role. S/he has daily contacts with staff in the various field offices and with the functional units at the Country/Regional Office. S/he also has close liaison with a range of local civilian and military authorities and counterparts in NGOs and UN agencies to discuss matters of common interest.

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 UNHCR’s activities in the operations within the AoR, if necessary, through mission to the countries/operations covered.
• Keep abreast of the events that may affect the situation of persons of concern (PoCs) in the countries/operations under AoR and provide regular reports and relevant information on developments regarding the situation of PoCs as appropriate.
• Support the analysis of the operational context, early warning signs and the protection situation of PoCs.
• Contribute to the preparation of analytic papers to support recommendations for action for the country offices/operations.
• Assist in identifying potential gaps and problems and in cooperation with other relevant sections recommend appropriate solutions to ensure the continued efficient implementation of programme activities and effective coordination with other UN agencies and NGOs.
• In the bureaux, respond to queries and requests for assistance and guidance from the field, and follow-up where needed, in close coordination with other concerned focal points of the Bureau.
• In the field, contribute to project proposals, conduct needs assessment in various fields of assistance and support implementation of projects under the AoR.
• Liaise with operational partners on issues relating to the protection and assistance of refugees/IDPs and other persons of concern.
• Maintain a wide range of external contacts with Permanent Missions, donors, and civil society organization.
• 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

Public Administration; Economics; Social Science;

Business Administration; Law; or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses

Not specified.

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

Understanding of UNHCR mandate and operations.

Desirable

Experience in field operations. Experience working with UNHCR; or other UN entities or partners preferably in the area of refugee or humanitarian operations. Proven track record in emergency preparedness, response and management.

Functional Skills

MG-Field Operations Management

MG-Coordination

(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 Assistant Operations Officer should have a high political awareness about the Aegean Islands and practical experience with UNHCR operations in particular in area of Durable Solutions. The incumbent also needs to have a good understanding about UNHCR Programme and Supply activities. Knowledge about other stakeholders, the role of the governmental institutions and the civil society in this context and familiarity with coordination mechanisms, liaison and advocacy are highly desirable. The incumbent should have excellent oral and written communication skills and be fluent in English and Greek (minimum C1 level). Experience with Communications and External Relations as well as Reporting is desirable for the position.

This is a National Professional Officer position. National Professional Officers are nationals of the country in which they are serving and their functions must have a national context, i.e. functions that require national experience or knowledge of the national language, culture, institutions, and systems.

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

Greek

,

English

,

Desired languages

,

,

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

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

Nature of Position:

Currently, some 91,000 asylum-seekers and refugees are hosted in Greece. So far in 2023, over 28,500 people have arrived either by sea or land. UNHCR provides expert advice to the State and evidence-based information that helps inform programmes and policies for asylum-seekers and refugees. Access to international protection, identifying durable solutions and support to vulnerable asylum-seekers and refugees, such as unaccompanied children and survivors of gender-based violence, are UNHCR’s key priorities. UNHCR also works with national and local authorities, the private sector, civil society and refugee communities to advance inclusion, develop support networks and create employability and training opportunities for refugees. The Office retains a readiness to respond to emergencies and new arrivals, with a focus on immediate support to the most vulnerable. UNHCR Greece plays a strong advocacy role since continued support is needed particularly from EU countries and EU institutions in providing immediate protection to those most at-risk through sufficient resources, ensuring capacity in the country and responsibility-sharing. UNHCR will continue to assist Greek authorities in responding to both short and long-term challenges.

The Assistant Operations Officer reports directly to the Head of Lesvos Sub-Office and supports all UNHCR Field Offices on the Aegean Islands (located on Lesvos, Chios, Samos, and Kos) with the operational engagements in Durable Solutions, Programme and Supply engagement in coordination with the relevant functional units in the Country Office. The incumbent shall additionally support the office with reporting, government, and external relations (ER), interagency coordination (IAC), as well as communications and Communications. The Assistant Operations Officer shall supervise a small team including Programme, Durable Solutions, and ER/Comms/IAC/reporting staff. He will work closely with the relevant functional units in Athens and provide guidance and support to the Field Offices in the area of responsibility.

Living and Working Conditions:

Lesvos is the third largest island in Greece located in the northeastern Aegean Sea. The capital of Lesvos is Mytilene. Lesvos is a family duty station, classified as H by ICSC. Mytilene International Airport, also known as Odysseas Elytis Airport, serves the island with domestic and some international flights. The island has several ports as well, including Mytilene, Molyvos, and Plomari, which are well-connected by regular ferry services. Public transportation, primarily in the form of buses, is available and medical facilities are well-developed and easily accessible. Public educational institutions at all levels are available, but no international schools are based on the island. The climate can be described as Mediterranean, with hot and dry summers and mild and rainy winters.

In accordance with UNDSS security risk assessment, the whole Greek operation is classified as Security Level 2 (low). Security Clearance is required for travelling in the country.

For more detailed information please consult the continuously updated living conditions booklet on Intranet.

Skills

Additional Qualifications

MG-Coordination, MG-Field Operations Management

Education

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

Certifications

Work Experience

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Political awareness, Teamwork & collaboration

UNHCR Salary Calculator

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

Compendium

Additional Information

Shortlisted candidates might be required to sit for a written test and will have to undergo an oral interview.

Position may require Functional Clearance.

Functional clearance

This position doesn’t require a functional clearance