Associate Programme CBI Officer, JPO, for nationals of the USA

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Associate Programme CBI Officer is an active member of the bureau/field operation/division and is normally supervised by a professional member who manages and oversees the UNHCR cash assistance programmes. The incumbent supports to ensure that operations are compliant with the technical guidance and administrative instructions on CBI, use CBI coherently and strategically and are adequately monitored.

S/he normally receives guidance and direction from the Senior Programme CBI Officer – or Programme CBI Officer – or Programme Officer or other more senior staff. S/he may maintain close links with CBI staff in UNHCR HQ.
Internally the Associate Programme CBI Officer will also liaise with UNCHR field offices and country offices. Externally s/he will liaise with Implementing and Operational Partners, National Governments, line ministries and UN agencies.

The incumbent is expected to work in line with the multi-functional team (MFT) approach as defined within the Program Manual, ensuring the participation of relevant stakeholders in all phases of the Program Management Cycle.

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
– Support the strategic and coherent use of CBI’s in the operations, assisting to ensure that CBI is maximised in assistance and service provision, strongly linking it to CRRF, MYMP and development, including linkages with Social Protection and Financial Inclusion.
– Support the review of and assist in coordinating the final clearance with DFAM of the CBI Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the operations, with support from more senior staff.
– Support the development of cash assistance programmes and support the senior management to ensure that CBI is fully, effectively integrated into the country operations plan for protection and solutions and Annual Program Planning and COP.
– Assist in ensuring compliance to HALEP and that CBI is included in the preparedness and response planning and be a first responder to new emergencies/ and returns situations to ensure operations are using CBI as a modality, in collaboration with more senior staff.
– Support the effective and coordinated procurement and contracting of Financial Service Providers by procurement/supply and finance.
– Provide technical support on planning and assist in policy making on activities within the area of CBIs as an integral part of UNHCR programmes including assessments, planning and budgeting, technical choices, legal and regulatory aspects, implementation modalities and coordination.
– Support and collaborate with sectors to increase the use of CBI in education, shelter, livelihoods and where applicable in health and WASH programmes.
– Support the adequate inter-agency coordination mechanisms on CBIs and assist in building and maintaining strong relations with partners, regional entities and represent UNHCR in CBI coordination, with support from more senior staff.
– Support the establishment of a sound monitoring process for cash assistance, with proper collection, use and monitoring of baselines, standards and indicators needed to measure and analyse CBI’s performance. Analyse trends and target interventions including CBI expenditure, upstream and downstream activities.
– Assist in assessing the technical soundness of the operations and generate data for evidence-based decisions.
– Assist in fulfilling CBI related reporting requirements.
– Support the use of UNHCR corporate tools and systems.

– 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 P2/NOB – 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Economics;
Social or Political Science;
Business Administration;
Social Economics;
or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified.

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Experience in working in cash based assistance programmes and/or humanitarian programming. Knowledge and technical skills in set up, design, implementation and monitoring of CBIs.

Desirable
Not specified.

Functional Skills
PG-UNHCR’s Programmes
CB-Cash-based Programming/Managing/Planning
(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 use of CBI as a modality has been on the rise since 2015. The programmes using this modality have been expanded and due to frequent changes in the context require additional efforts to keep tools and SOPs up-to-date to ensure compliance.

To ensure tools and SOPs are in line with the operational reality and that field offices receive sufficient support from the Country Office, the incumbent is expected to carry out regular field missions and to serve as a point of connection between CBI colleagues in the field and in the country office.

The operation developed in 2021 and has been using a matrix to evaluate compliance with SOPs and to identify areas of improvement in a yearly exercise where the incumbent shall also have a key role.

The JPO shall act as OIC in the absence of the CBI Programme Officer and represent CBI Unit in meetings when required.
In addition, the JPO may have other tasks as required in line with the operational priorities.

Operational Context:
Mexico has consolidated as a main destination country for persons in need of international protection in the Americas. The exponential growth in the number of asylum applications, which reached a historical record in 2021, continued in 2022. In contrast to the apparent trends established in the second half of 2021 with an overwhelming number of Haitian nationals requesting asylum in Mexico; 2022 has seen an exponential growth in the arrival of Cuban, Venezuelan and Nicaraguan nationals, and a steady increase of Central American individuals, mostly from Honduras.

In Mexico, UNHCR is supporting the Government and other actors to build a stronger asylum system that allows refugees to fully exercise their human rights, from the moment of entry into Mexico, to when a durable solution is found. There are promising options for local integration and tangible results have been achieved in this respect.

The operation has been implementing Cash Based Interventions since 2015 in order to respond to the basic needs and specific needs of those that continue to cross Mexico’s southern border in significant numbers to seek protection and asylum.

With a growing number of beneficiaries and the need to mitigate security risks over the recent years, the decision was taken to provide the assistance through electronic transfer modality. As such, following the first tender and the establishment of a Frame Agreement for cash transfer services in 2018, the operation has been using the Financial Service Provider, Si Vale SA de CV for the disbursement of cycles of MPGs, one-off assistance to those found vulnerable among the PoCs.

The Associate Programme CBI Officer is an active member of the Country Office and is normally supervised by the CBI Programme Officer who manages and oversees the UNHCR cash assistance programmes. The incumbent provides support to ensure that operations are compliant with the technical guidance and administrative instructions on CBI, that they use CBI coherently and strategically, and are adequately monitored.

The incumbent is expected to work in line with the multi-functional team (MFT) approach as defined within the Programme Manual, ensuring the participation of relevant stakeholders in all phases of the Program Management Cycle.

Accountability:
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.

Responsibility:
-Support the strategic and coherent use of CBI’s in the operations, assisting to ensure that CBI is maximised in assistance and service provision, including linkages with Social Protection and Financial Inclusion;
-Support the review of and assist in coordinating the final clearance with DFAM of the CBI Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the operations, with support from more senior staff;
-Support the development of cash assistance programmes and support the senior management to ensure that CBI is fully, effectively integrated into the country operations plan for protection and solutions and Annual Program Planning and COP;
-Assist in ensuring that CBI is included in the preparedness and response planning and be a first responder to new emergencies/ and returns situations to ensure operations are using CBI as a modality, in collaboration with more senior staff;
-Support the effective and coordinated procurement and contracting of Financial Service Providers by procurement/supply and finance;
-Provide technical support on planning and assist in policy making on activities within the area of CBIs as an integral part of UNHCR programmes including assessments, planning and budgeting, technical choices, legal and regulatory aspects, implementation modalities and coordination;
-Support and collaborate with sectors to increase the use of CBI in education, shelter, livelihoods and where applicable in health programmes;
-Support the adequate inter-agency coordination mechanisms on CBIs and assist in building and maintaining strong relations with partners, regional entities and represent UNHCR in CBI coordination, with support from more senior staff;
-Support the establishment of a sound monitoring process for cash assistance, with proper collection, use and monitoring of baselines, standards and indicators needed to measure and analyse CBI’s performance. Analyse trends and target interventions including CBI expenditure, upstream and downstream activities;
– Assist in assessing the technical soundness of the operations and generate data for evidence-based decisions.
– Assist in fulfilling CBI related reporting requirements;
-Support the use of UNHCR corporate tools and systems;
-Perform other related duties as required.

Education/Qualification:
For P2/NOB – 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Work Experience:
Experience in working in cash based assistance programmes and/or humanitarian programming. Knowledge and technical skills in set up, design, implementation and monitoring of CBIs.

This job is advertised in the frame of the JPO Programme and reserved exclusively to candidates with nationality of the United States of America.

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

Spanish

,

English

,

Desired languages

,

,

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

Nature of Position:

Living and Working Conditions:

Additional Qualifications

Skills

CB-Cash-based Programming/Managing/Planning, PG-UNHCR’s Programmes

Education

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

Certifications

Work Experience

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration

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Compendium

Additional Information

Functional clearance

This position requires Functional Clearance