Only candidates who are not nationals of the country of assignment are eligible to apply to this position

C

Family

DI1

Professional

* Staff members will not normally serve in International Professional positions in the country of their nationality. In addition, in case of a first appointment upon recruitment, the assignment must be outside the staff member’s country of nationality.

In practical terms this means that you are not eligible to apply for International Professional vacancies advertised in the country where you are national of.

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

No

2024-01-24

February 14, 2024

Deputy Representative

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
Direct supervision is received from the Representative at D2 level. Advice and operational support may also be provided by the Director/Deputy Director of the Bureau and by other senior staff in the Bureau and in the support Divisions at Headquarters. The Deputy Representative will also refer to policies, standards, rules and regulations which are in force within UNHCR.

The incumbent will assist the Representative in the overall management of UNHCR’s. He/she promote, together with the Representative, UNHCR’s objectives and priorities through formal and informal contacts with relevant government ministries and departments, UN agencies, diplomatic missions, I/NGOs, media, and other interested parties to raise support for the work of UNHCR. He/she maintain regular contacts with the Representative and staff at Headquarters and in the field to consult, discuss operational issues, and to seek common grounds for solutions on activities and programmes of importance to UNHCR and also, contacts with persons on matters of great importance to UNHCR’s programmes e.g. head of national/international organizations, embassies, UN agencies, and high officials/ministers in the national government. UNHCR is well integrated into the UN Resident Coordinator System.

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
– Provide legal protection advice and guidance on matters of doctrine and policy to Representative, the Heads of Offices and protection staff in the country.
– Provide advice and support to offices in the country operation on specific issues/problems faced related to asylum, refugee protection and assistance, including access to territory, access to RSD and asylum procedures, non-refoulement adequate reception and the implementation of durable solutions, including developing a Protection Management Framework for each national office.
– Provide legal and programme related advice and guidance to offices in the country on developing and maintaining fair and effective asylum regimes in accordance with international standards and norms, especially with regard to national asylum/refugee legislation and the building of local protection capacity.
– Provide legal and programme related advice and guidance on matters relating to the issue of asylum and migration to the Representative and offices in the country with particular emphasis on the problems of trafficking and smuggling.
– Provide guidance and leadership related to the implementation of the Age, Gender Diversity Mainstreaming (AGDM) Participatory Assessments in sub-region and ensure the follow up on any identified gaps related to the reception and integration systems and structures in the region with relevant stakeholders.
– Keep abreast of and analyse trends and key issues related to legal protection and assistance in the country, including preparing strategy and position papers with policy recommendations on specific protection, assistance and durable solutions related issues relevant to the country.
– Directly supervise Protection and Programme sections and develop operations plan in accordance with the organizational policies and operational strategies.
– Assist the Representative in the promotion of UNHCR strategic goals and objectives in the country, monitoring of the overall progress towards achieving them and in managing the Representation country office.
– Ensure that appropriate security measures are in place to protect staff, and that the country operation complies with UN MOSS/MORSS staff security rules, guidelines and procedures.
– Serve as OIC of the Country Office when the Representative is on mission or leave.
– Any other duties as may be required or assigned by the Representative.
– Represent UNHCR in the meetings and fora related to the functions.
– Enforce local compliance with UNHCR¿s global protection, programme, finance and human resources and security policies and standards.
– Authorize payments as per the organization¿s Delegation of Authority Plan (DOAP) and in accordance with UN/UNHCR rules and procedures.
– Modify operational projects and reallocate funds, within the approved budgets and in respect of donor earmarking.

– Lead risk assessments and discussions with team(s) to proactively manage risks and seize opportunities impacting objectives. Ensure that risk management principles are integrated in decision-making both at strategic and operational levels. Allocate resources for planned treatments with resource requirements in Strategic Plans. Ensure that risks are managed to acceptable levels and escalate, as needed. If a Risk Owner, designate the Risk Focal Point and certify that the annual risk review is completed and ensure that the risk register is updated during the year, as needed.
– Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For D1 – 17 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 16 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 15 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Business Administration; Economics; International Relations;
Law; Political Science; Social Science;
Human Resources Management; or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
HCR Management Lrng Prg;

HCR Managing Operatns Lrng Prg;

HCR Protection Learning Prg;
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Minimum 17 years of previous work experience relevant to the function at professional level, with more than 10 years in international capacity. Senior positions in a large governmental or international agency.
Desirable
Knowledge of geo-political realities and their socio-cultural implications.

Functional Skills
*PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards)
*MG-Political Decision Making
UN-Analysis of geo-political realities and their socio-cultural implications
(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.

The Deputy Representative in Bangladesh must be an experienced senior manager who brings broad exposure to UNHCR`s global operations and has the motivation and ability to apply this knowledge in a dynamic operation with extraordinarily complex stakeholder relations including coordination arrangements and methodologies for enabling protection and operational implementation.

The Deputy Representative will need representational skills and be ready to stand in for the Representative in all settings. The UNHCR Bangladesh team is highly skilled and collaborative and has demonstrated great professionalism and team spirit when facing the stresses and challenges of the complex coordination and working environment against the backdrop of reduced humanitarian funding. To maintain this positive atmosphere, the Deputy Representative should bring a demonstrated collaborative approach, negotiation skills, maturity and commitment to teamwork, including in an inter-agency setting.

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link:

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Nature of Position:
Since August 2017, rapid and effective joint humanitarian action has saved thousands of lives, met critical needs, and protected some one million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar including 30,000 refugees on Bhasan Char, while also responding to the impact of the presence of Rohingya refugees on host communities in Cox’s Bazar District. UNHCR while substantively the leading refugee agency in the Rohingya response works with 116 humanitarian organisations – UN agencies, international and national NGOs.

Entering into the 7th year since the latest exodus from Myanmar in August 2017, the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh is now a protracted situation, (albeit with frequent climate and related emergencies) and can no longer rely on short-term humanitarian funding, but requires more robust, predictable and sustained funding for longer term investments in the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar and on Bhasan Char.

For the one million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, conditions in camps in Cox’s Bazar District– one of the country’s poorest districts and home to the world’s largest refugee camp – remain overcrowded with most of the refugees remaining fully reliant on humanitarian assistance for their survival. While investments need to be made in the refugees’ resilience and preparedness and capacities to sustain themselves in the camps while waiting for their return to Myanmar – through education, skills development, and livelihood opportunities – the support provided by the international community remains essentially of a life-sustaining nature. Most refugees continue to be entirely dependent on food distributions, which have seen recent significant reductions, primary and specialist health care, support for access to water, sanitation and hygiene, cooking fuel through liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) distribution, and a multitude of critical protection interventions.

In a significant change from the past, the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar hosting close to a million refugees, have witnessed a phenomenal deterioration of the security situation in the camps impacting the overall protection environment and especially posing severe protection risks to individuals with particular profiles. The rapid rise in criminality within the camps, is led by criminal gangs and political groups targeting particular refugee communities raising concerns about the safety and security of refugees as well as humanitarian staff working in the camps. The overall cause and impact of the insecurity is due to several key factors, notably also the reduced humanitarian aid and services compared to the rising needs.

Since the signing of MoU on Bhasan Char between the Government and UNHCR in 2021, UNHCR leads the coordination of the humanitarian response on Bhasan Char, which currently hosts over 31,000 refugees. The Government plans to relocate up to 100,000 refugees from the camps in Cox’s Bazar in the near future,. Supporting the protection and operational sustainability of the island will remain a key agenda for the operation working closely with the Government of Bangladesh and other partners.

The Deputy Representative will be required to travel frequently to Bhasan Char and Cox’s Bazar in support of overall management of the field operations.

The Deputy Representative will support the Representative to build upon the upward trajectory in relations with the Government, donors, UN and NGO partners. In view of the deteriorating security situation in the camps and diminishing humanitarian funding, the Deputy Representative’s primary focus will be on supporting the Principal Situation Coordinator in Cox’s Bazar in addressing the complex challenges and critical events that arise daily. Also required will be support to the Representative in interventions with senior level Government officials, programmatic engagement with donors, management of partner NGOs and INGOs and key private sector actors. In light of the shift of the operation from an emergency to a protracted one, targeted engagement with IFIs and with development stakeholders is an essential aspect of the responsibility.

The Deputy Representative will support with resource mobilization, and engagement with, non-conventional donors, and the civil society. The Deputy Representative will also engage on external relations and communication, advocacy with relevant stakeholders, resource mobilization, programme delivery and operation management, in other words manage the ‘engine room’ of UNHCR`s operations, allowing the Representative to commit fully to representational functions.

Working with the senior management team, the Deputy Representative will ensure integrity, accountability, efficiency and effectiveness and reinforce the First Line of Defense, as part of Risk Management 2.0, in such key areas as Programme, Administration and Finance, Supply and Human Resources management, based upon a solid understanding of the delegated authorities outlined in the new RAF as well as involved in External and Donor relations and Development and Partnership Management on the external engagement, development and resource mobilization fronts.

UNHCR`s global change processes will place new demands on the team. The Representative will look to the Deputy Representative to guide the adaptations required by Realignment and business transformation programme processes.

Living and Working Conditions

The position is based in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, which is the centre of national government, trade and culture and home to over 15 million people, making it the fourth-most densely populated city in the world.

Bangladesh has a subtropical monsoon climate characterized by wide seasonal variations in rainfall, high temperatures and humidity. There are three distinct seasons: a hot, humid summer from March to June; a warm, rainy monsoon season from June to October; and a cool, dry winter from October to March.

Dhaka is a C category duty station with 3 years of Standard Assignment Length. It is a family duty station, and educational facilities from primary to secondary school are available in Dhaka. There are some private hospitals in Dhaka which address simple sicknesses. Vaccination against Japanese Encephalitis virus is strongly recommended.

UNDSS-cleared hotels are available, with the rates differing depending on the availability and season. MOSS compliant apartments are available, UNDSS recommends that international staff reside in the diplomatic area of Dhaka, where the UNHCR office is also located. Leisure and recreational facilities are available.

Banks and ATM machines are also available in Dhaka. Most major credit and debit cards are accepted in hotels, restaurants and larger shops. Foreign currency can be exchanged easily in banks and exchange houses.

The current operational circumstances require frequently long working hours. This is a stressful work context, making a capacity for self-care critical.

The security level system in Bangladesh is level 3 moderate. Although security is generally acceptable, given the current situation in the area, no movement on highways at night is allowed. Walking and jogging on the street and using rickshaws and taxi companies not cleared by UNDSS are not recommended. Crowded local markets should be avoided.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

FI-General Financial Management, HR-Succession Planning and Management, PG-Programme Planning, RM-Risk Management

Bachelor of Arts (BA): Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Economics, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Human Resources Management, Bachelor of Arts (BA): International Relations, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Political Science, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Social Science

Certifications

HCR Management Learning Program – UNHCR, HCR Protection Learning Program – UNHCR, Programme Management (PM) 1 – UNHCR

Annual Budget OL in Operation/Office, Number of Persons of Concern Served, Number of Workforce in Operation/Work Setting, Workforce to Supervise, Working with Persons of Concern: Asylum Seekers, Working with Persons of Concern: Refugees, Working with Persons of Concern: Stateless

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Leadership, Managing performance, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Stakeholder management, Strategic planning & visions, Teamwork & collaboration

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

Compendium

Add. 3 to Bi-annual Compendium 2023 – Part A

Additional Information

This position doesn’t require a functional clearance