Senior CBI Assistant

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

E (most hardship)

Non Family

UNOPS LICA5

2024-05-01

April 20, 2024

Required/Desirable experiences and skills:
• Minimum of 1 year of work experience with satisfactory performance or better with UNHCR is required.
• Minium of 1 year of proven experience in direct interaction with refugees and asylum-seekers on issues related to entitlement or distribution of assistance is required.
• Experience in other modes of communication with the affected population such as hotline or mass/bulk SMS messages is required.
• Experience in handling, distributing and keep custody of prepaid cards or equivalent entitlement cards/device for cash assistance is required.
• Experience in working without physical presence of the supervisors is desirable.
• Excellent skills in data and file management is desirable.

Shortlisted candidates will be required to sit for an eliminatory written test with a passing threshold of 50%. only the passing candidates will be given a chance to sit for the interview. Scores of the written test will not be combined with the overall scoring.

– When completing the application, candidates are required to list all their language skills – including their mother tongue. The three broad levels are A1/A2 (“Basic User”), B1/B2 (“Independent User”), and C1/C2 (“Proficient User”).

Operational Context:

UNHCR Syria provides cash assistance (Cash Based Interventions, CBI) for both Syrians and refugees and asylum-seekers from various countries in several programmes such as multipurpose cash grant, education grant, cash for shelter minor repair, and cash for livelihoods. Despite significant challenges, in line with UNHCR’s global policy to mainstream CBI, UNHCR Syria has been expanding use of CBI in its programme.

Due to the dynamic operational context, the incumbent is expected to perform a wide range of tasks with primary focus on interface with the recipients of cash assistance including counseling and responding to complaints, distribution of bank prepaid cards, liaison with the financial service providers, as well as support to data management.

In addition to the standard Job Description of Senior CBI Assistant, the staff member will perform the following duties:
∙ Conduct face-to-face counseling with recipients including receiving and recording complaints and inquiries from refugees and asylum-seekers as well as providing feedback to them.
∙ Communicate with the recipients through sending bulk SMS on information related to cash distribution.
∙ Conduct distribution of prepaid cards to beneficiaries including identity verification of the beneficiaries.
∙ Liaise with the financial service providers (a commercial bank and/or a money transfer company) on start and end of the distribution, updating the recipient information, receiving reports, among others, and liaise with Finance Unit and field offices to ensure timely reconciliation of payment.
∙ Conduct verification of the reports from the bank, liaise with other units within UNHCR’s Country Office for further accounting process.
∙ Maintain the physical and online archive of all data related to transactions including “note for the file” to ensure transparency and effective information sharing among the team members.
∙ Any other tasks as deemed necessary by the supervisors.

Standard Job Description

Senior CBI Assistant

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Senior CBI (Cash-Based Interventions) Assistant is supervised by a Senior CBI/Programme or Field staff. S/he performs a variety of functions related to cash assistance activities within the office. The supervisor defines work processes and provides regular advice and guidance.
The incumbent will assist in monitoring the quality of the provision of cash assistance for the operation under area of responsibility. S/he will be required to maintain strong relations with other units within UNHCR as well as operational partners and contractors working with UNHCR on the delivery of cash assistance to persons of concern (POC).

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
– Coordinate data collection and cash assistance eligibility determination with relevant partners and contractors.
– Assist in monitoring the implementation of the UNHCR cash assistance programme including the delivery of all assistance item, monitoring of infrastructure, completion of home visits, etc.
– Export and manage data related to the cash assistance delivery.
– Perform data analysis and reporting as required.
– Coordinate with relevant units and personnel on decisions and visits related to cash assistance program.
– Coordinate with the bank and other institutes on actions related to cash delivery issues.
– Receive queries from internal UNHCR units and external agencies related to the cash assistance delivery and provide feedback and follow up as necessary.
– Ensure proper filing and record keeping.
– Liaise with POC, assistance beneficiaries, and partners.
– Direct incidents and problems to the supervisor when they cannot be resolved at their level.

– 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 G5 – 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not applicable.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Business Administration, Law, Political Science
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Computer skills, including knowledge of database applications.

Desirable
Knowledge of UNHCR programmes and activities. Experience in working with UNHCR contractors and partners. Experience in Cash-Based interventions. Working experience in MS/Excel and MS/Access.

Functional Skills
IT-Computer Literacy
IT-Microsoft Excel
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.

Required Languages

,

,

Desired Languages

,

,

Additional Qualifications

Skills

CB-Cash-based Programming/Managing/Planning, IT-Computer Literacy, IT-Microsoft Excel

Education

Certifications

Business Administration – Other, Law – Other, Political Science – Other

Other information

This position doesn’t require a functional clearance

Home-Based

No