Senior Project Assistant, Communications

The United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) operates world-wide with a target of providing resettlement opportunities to thousands of refugees each year. IOM provides a range of assistance and support to the USRAP including, but not limited to, case processing, migration health assessments, cultural orientation training, organized transportation and administration of a travel loan and collections program. The Department of Operations and Emergencies (DOE), specifically the Resettlement and Movement Division (RMM), has the organizational responsibility to provide direction, oversight, and guidance to IOM’s global support to all resettlement programs.

Under the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), Resettlement Support Centers (RSCs) provide critical support and processing assistance for resettlement to the US. As part of an MOU between IOM and the US State Department Bureau for Population Refugees and Migration (PRM), IOM manages several RSCs which prepare applications for adjudication by and provide support to visiting US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers, facilitate security and medical screenings, provide information about arriving individuals to resettlement agencies in the US and offer Cultural Orientation (CO) training to individuals departing for the US.

Under the overall supervision of the Chief of Mission (COM) and direct supervision of the Project Officer, the successful candidate will be based in Islamabad, Pakistan and will have the following duties and responsibilities:

Responsibilities and Accountabilities

• Oversee a team of Processing site Pakistan staff members undertaking communications activities in an assigned area or areas related to case consultation, the information center and/or public affairs, including supporting staff development processes such as hiring, providing training, assigning duties and giving feedback to staff members on their performance on a regular basis to ensure high quality work and the accurate completion of communications activities.
• Oversee communications systems utilized by Processing site Pakistan, including, if assigned, email management systems, phone systems, websites and online case inquiry systems, walk-in case consultation spaces and waiting areas. As needed, identify system issues and potential solutions to communications challenges.
• In relation to case consultation, ensure case consultation spaces are as confidential as possible while remaining secure for staff members and that case consultation spaces can accommodate the existing volume of scheduled and walk-in individuals as well as potential influxes. Work with the Project Officer / Coordinator to ensure staff members undertaking case consultation are adequately trained and provide efficient, effective, accurate, clear and courteous information to all individuals.
• Oversee the information center, if assigned, ensuring that all communication undertaken by staff members by phone, email, through website(s) and other technological means and, if relevant, in person, are efficient, effective, accurate, clear and courteous. In coordination with the Project Officer / Coordinator, ensure the information provided by the Processing site Pakistan information center is up to date, relevant and accessible to all persons, including to at-risk individuals, and that the staff members providing the information are adequately trained.
• In close coordination with the Project Officer / Coordinator, undertake activities related to public affairs, including, as assigned, planning, developing, designing, producing and distributing materials for individuals served by Processing site Pakistan, RSC management, IOM, partners and donors, including print, audio, visual and online materials. As required, oversee responses sent to Congressional inquiries made to Processing site Pakistan about cases.
• Ensure START, other relevant databases and case files are updated in a timely and effective manner with communications-related content, and supervise communications-related processes being carried out within and between units, including by email and phone.
• Utilizing reports and other oversight mechanisms, ensure the regular QC of communications-related data in START and other communications tools such as email systems to ensure the accuracy and clarity of information shared with individuals as well as the RSC’s compliance with all USRAP and RSC SOPs. Proactively address communications-related backlogs or other issues in coordination with RSC management.
• In coordination with the Project Officer / Coordinator, liaise with other teams and units in Processing site Pakistan and with external partners such as USCIS, the Refugee Processing Center (RPC), panel physicians, the US Embassy and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Prepare unit statistics and report regularly to the National / Project Officer or RSC management on relevant activities, problems and solutions related to the workflow and processing pipeline.
• Train other communications team members to efficiently and effectively manage communications activities, update START and other databases accurately and to supervise communications team members and activities.
• Undertake duty travel as needed to participate in communications-related activities, for meetings and for training.
• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the USRAP, SOPs and START, as well as the ability to remain professional, impartial and unbiased during all interactions with applicants, colleagues and partners. Develop and implement SOPs as needed.
• Maintain and promote the confidentiality and integrity of all RSC-related information by implementing control procedures in line with USRAP standards of conduct and data protection rules. Alert RSC management of any non-compliance to SOPs or codes of conduct by RSC staff members.
• Perform such other duties as may be assigned.

Required Qualifications and Experience

EDUCATION

• Completed secondary education required

EXPERIENCE

• Six years of working experience with secondary education; four years of working experience with Bachelor’s degree
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Experience communicating with legal representatives is an advantage
• Ability to use own initiative and work under pressure with minimum supervision

SKILLS

• Excellent computer skills – Word, Excel and Internet
• Attention to detail and ability to organize
• Self-motivated and objective driven

Languages

REQUIRED

• For all applicants, fluency in English and Urdu is required (oral and written).

DESIRABLE

• Working Knowledge of any local language/s.

Note: Only short-listed candidates who is matching required criteria for the position will be contacted by IOM.

IOM provides equal opportunity to all qualified female and male including the physically challenged candidates.