Refugee Employment Assistant

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency is a global organization protecting people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. We work in over 130 countries, helping millions of people with life-saving support, safeguarding fundamental human rights, and helping them build a better future (see www.unhcr.org).

Since the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, over 2.8 million refugees from Ukraine have entered Bulgaria and until the end of February 2024, the Government of Bulgaria has granted Temporary Protection to more than 197,000 refugees fleeing Ukraine, of whom the majority are women and children. Currently there are more than 70,000 valid temporary protection holders as of October 2024. The Council of Ministers has formed a Task Force for the Ukrainian Refugee Response, focusing on inter-ministerial coordination.

UNHCR under its mandate leads and coordinates the Inter-Agency refugee response for the Ukraine Situation, in alignment with the Regional Refugee Response Plan for the Ukraine Situation (RRP) – co-leading with and in support of the Government. Under the Refugee Coordination Mechanism, UNHCR has established the national refugee coordination forum – along with an inter-agency Cash Working Group (led by UNHCR and the Agency for Social Assistance), an Education Working Group (led by UNICEF and UNHCR), a Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Technical Working Group (led by WHO), a Protection and Inclusion Working Group (led by UNHCR), a Protection against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) network (co-led by UNHCR, UNICEF and a local organization) which fall under the inter-agency refugee coordination mechanism. There are currently 19 partners involved in the Refugee Response Plan for 2024.

Additionally, Bulgaria as an external EU border, plays a strategic role in refugee protection within Europe. In 2024, Bulgaria’s State Agency for Refugees (SAR) registered over 9,000 asylum seekers as of September, most from Syria and Afghanistan, which have exceeded the asylum application numbers from 2022. SAR operates six reception centers for the registration, Refugee Status Determination procedures and accommodation of asylum seekers. Amid an increase in arrivals of Afghan and Syrian asylum seekers since 2022, UNHCR supports Bulgaria’s Government to ensure policies and legislation are in line with international and EU standards, and promotes a comprehensive refugee response, grounded in a multi-stakeholder, whole-of-society approach.

UNHCR supports government-led efforts to provide key protection – including legal assistance, information on services, education and psychosocial support – reception and accommodation, as well as the delivery of core relief items for winterization and cash assistance for the most vulnerable groups. UNHCR’s priority protection interventions include access to territory and asylum procedures, inclusion of refugees in state-led programs, Child Protection and Gender Based Violence prevention, risk mitigation and response, support to persons with specific needs, and mitigation of the risks relating to trafficking and other forms of abuse and exploitation.

UNHCR has been working together with the private sector, authorities, and refugee communities to mitigate economic inclusion risks and barriers and facilitate access to jobs and economic inclusion. The current favorable economic context in Bulgaria provides a unique opportunity for the economic inclusion of refugees. While public opinion has been mixed around solidarity with refugees from Ukraine it is important to showcase objective impact of refugees in the host country. To support evidence-based advocacy, UNHCR together or in support of specialized actors will collect and analyze data relevant to planning of interventions and promoting a narrative on refugees’ economic inclusion and impact. UNHCR has built partnerships with the main private sector stakeholders in Bulgaria and is looking for a team member to manage its engagements with them with a view of facilitating the socioeconomic inclusion of refugees.

UNHCR Bulgaria has initiated a Refugee Employment Platform that aims to support refugees in finding employment by connecting them with employers, providing necessary information about their rights and obligations, and supporting both parties throughout the hiring process. This project aligns with global efforts to ensure that refugees have access to dignified livelihoods and are empowered to contribute to the host country’s economy.

The Refugee Employment Assistant will work closely with colleagues across all units in UNHCR of the operation as well as with external partners to manage and promote the Refugee Employment Platform. In working under the supervision of the Associate Livelihoods Officer, and the Refugee Employment Coordinator, and in close cooperation with the Integration Team, they will be key in operationalizing the strategic vision to align livelihoods and economic inclusion efforts with the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), which underscores the need to adopt a whole-of-society approach to strengthen refugee self-reliance and help ease pressure on host countries. Promoting economic inclusion of refugees is a key development area that will enable the achievement of these objectives and contribute to the 2030 Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The Refugee Employment Assistant will support the Office in working towards the following objectives:
1) improve the enabling environment for refugees to work through advocacy on the right to/at work, access to economic opportunities and service;
2) strengthen existing partnerships with the civil society, private sector and communities to advance the economic inclusion of refugees; and
3) contribute to ongoing livelihoods and economic inclusion programming through evidence-based and market-driven approaches to improve economic inclusion outcomes.

The Refugee Employment Assistant will:

– Register job seekers, support content creation (of materials providing necessary information to employers and job seekers) and entry, and support job matching on the digital Refugee Employment Platform.
– Maintain close contact and cooperation with partners to facilitate the economic inclusion of refugees through the Platform.
– Provide direct support to both refugees and employers, answering questions, guiding them through the platform, and resolving issues.
– Work with NGOs and community organizations to inform refugees about the platform and encourage their participation.
– Perform other related duties as required.