Family Reunification Initiative (FRI) Secondment – New Delhi, India

Position Overview:

RefugePoint’s Family Reunification Initiative (FRI) seconds qualified staff (generally referred to as “Experts on Mission” or “Experts”) to partner offices globally to enhance refugees’ access to legal, rights-based family reunification opportunities in third countries through collaboration, coordination, training, and technical assistance (field building).

Funding for this secondment is provided by private philanthropic donors as part of RefugePoint’s Family Reunification Initiative (FRI), with the aim of supporting mutual goals to advance family reunification that have been identified in consultation with UNHCR India as the hosting entity.

In contrast to deployments that occur under RefugePoint’s UNHCR Collaboration Project (UNCP), this secondment will entail a higher degree of joint planning and consultation with and between both RefugePoint and UNHCR India, as well as greater programmatic engagement from the RefugePoint supervisor. In addition to benefiting from exchange with UNHCR colleagues and partners in India and across UNHCR operations working on similar objectives, this secondment will afford opportunities to connect the work, learning, and impact from this secondment with other direct service, field building, and systems change efforts within RefugePoint’s FRI, to engage in mutual learning with members of the Global Family Reunification Network (FRUN), and to contribute toward commitments made at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum (GRF) to advance the Multistakeholder Pledge on Supporting Refugee Family Reunification.

The Expert will work within a dual reporting structure that includes a UNHCR supervisor at their duty station and a reporting line to a RefugePoint supervisor.

The ideal start for this secondment is October 2024. The initial term of this secondment is 6 months.

Shortlisting and interviews for the secondment to UNHCR India will be conducted on a rolling basis. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply early to ensure full consideration.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Identify and provide support as required to individuals and families in India who may be eligible for family reunification and help them pursue these opportunities as appropriate.
• Coordinate and liaise with UNHCR’s partners for legal support, including IRAP.
• Design and deliver training and technical guidance to support partners working on family reunification cases, in coordination with other units, such as Protection and Child Protection.
• Equip partners and other internal team members to provide refugee populations with accurate information on FR options.
• Work with partners and internal team members to design and implement FR programs, with an emphasis on identifying, screening, and referring FR cases, delivering related casework services including regular interventions required to ensure forward processing, and developing systems to support their FR programs.
• Support partners’ efforts to cultivate organizational capacity and technical expertise on FR, with a focus on long-term sustainability planning to ensure continuity in the FR programs.
• Develop coordination mechanisms with key stakeholders to address barriers and facilitate FR systems and support.
• Create linkages between efforts in India under the Family Reunification Initiative and of other stakeholders in destination countries to foster a continuum of FR services and support.
• Liaise with FRUN partners in departure and destination countries to exchange learning and increase access to family reunification in line with the Multistakeholder Pledge on Supporting Refugee Family Reunification and Third Country Solutions for Refugees: Roadmap 2030.
• Participate in FRUN meetings and other fora that afford opportunities to share insights and contribute to collective efforts to expand refugees’ access to FR.
• Ensure proper compliance and implementation of the Family Reunification Operational Guidelines internally and in light of the multistakeholder pledges at the GRF on FR.
• Follow up on case composition issues with countries and seek feedback from concerned units.
• Set meetings and coordinate with UNHCR colleagues in HQ and different stakeholders regarding Family Reunification.
• Build partnerships with other embassies (NZ, UK, Germany, Scandinavian countries, etc.) on FR pathways and visas.
• Prepare and share weekly and monthly reports as needed and update proGres.
• Build and improve, as necessary, existing case management and case tracking systems. Ensure correct updates of CPaths events in proGres v4, following the SOPs and guidance notes to maintain the integrity of the process.
• Implement evaluation and data tracking mechanisms that enable reporting on progress towards GRF commitments and gauge the positive impact on refugees pursuing FR. Any other prioritized activity within the unit as needed.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of international human rights, humanitarian/refugee law and UNHCR mandate.
• Previous experience or exposure to third country solutions for refugees and complementary pathways of admission to third countries for refugees, especially family reunification.
• Understanding of reception conditions and legal status for persons of concern in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada and/or other traditional destination countries.
• Specific experience in and knowledge regarding conducting family reunification interviews and assessments is desirable.
• Knowledge of or willingness to become familiar with methods for identifying individual refugees or refugee populations for family reunification under complementary pathways.
• Knowledge in developing and implementing communication strategies and plans that increase complementary pathways’ exposure and mobilize public, political, and financial support.
• Advanced literacy in computer applications such as MS Word, MS Excel; literacy in UNHCR’s proGres database is an asset.
• Prior working experience with UNHCR in refugee resettlement and complementary pathways/ or refugee status determination is preferred; international/field exposure, particularly with NGOs or other UN agencies highly desirable.
• Understanding of and commitment to the important role partners play in advancing refugees’ access to third country solutions.
• Experience developing and delivering training and technical assistance to diverse stakeholders.
• Minimum 3-5 years working experience relevant to the function.
• Demonstrated interview skills.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• Able to work independently.
• Attention to detail and ability to prepare concise reports.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively in teams.
• Ability to work under time constraints and pressure.
• Awareness of the importance of preventing fraud and ways to mitigate risks to program integrity.

Compensation and Benefits:

At RefugePoint, we strive to recognize and reward our employees equitably and transparently. This means that we pay our employees based on a clear and consistent methodology and without regard to identity or personal relationships. The Expert receives a competitive total compensation package that includes salary and benefits, as follows:

• Starting salary of USD 4,025 monthly (non-negotiable);
• Monthly allowance to offset the cost of meals and incidental expenses;
• Reimbursement for visas and flights at the beginning and end of secondment;
• 34 days paid time off (PTO, which is a combination of sick and annual leave) per year, prorated based on start date;
• Enrollment in RefugePoint’s group health insurance policy (dependents included), as well as additional life and disability insurance;
• Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and other Mental Health and Psychosocial Support resources (MHPSS) internal to RefugePoint;
• After every 18 months of continuous employment, an Expert is entitled to be reimbursed for 1 flight home or for a flight up to an equivalent amount;
• Opportunities for training and other professional development.

Commitment to Diversity, Equal Opportunity, and Anti-Racism:

A diverse workforce helps RefugePoint realize its fullest potential. RefugePoint is committed to providing equality of opportunity for all persons in all aspects of employment without regard to race, religion, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, disability, ancestry, or any other factor unrelated to job performance.

Additionally, RefugePoint is aware that the pursuit of our vision, mission, and values is strengthened by integrating anti-racist principles in all that we do. Therefore, we are committed to being an anti-racist organization, and realize that doing so involves making a sustained commitment.

Candidates from historically underrepresented group(s) are encouraged to apply.

Agency Overview and Values:

Founded in 2005, RefugePoint is a leading innovator in the refugee solutions space—identifying pathways to safety and self-reliance for refugees and building collaborative efforts to embed our insights more broadly into global humanitarian response. RefugePoint has core, cross-cutting principles and values that define our work. We use a protection lens—prioritizing the most at-risk refugees and vulnerability over volume. Successful candidates will enjoy supporting and developing an organizational culture based on the guiding values of the organization. We strive to be:

• Refugee-Centered
• Anti-Racist & Anti-Colonial
• Equity
• Trauma-Informed
• Evidence-Informed Practice
• Collaborative

We prioritize elevating and amplifying refugee voices, increasing refugee client involvement in our work through an advisory board, and building the capacity of refugee-led organizations with a focus on East Africa. We are committed to monitoring, evaluation, and learning—building an evidence base of what works. And we focus on building collaborations—understanding that change does not happen with one organization alone.

You will be joining a growing organization that is spearheading new initiatives that are changing the face of humanitarian response, and we would be excited to have you as part of our team!