Registration Assistant – G4 – ZAH225 – UNOPS Contract - Zahle

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

Eight years into the Syria crisis, Lebanon remains the country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita, with nearly 950,000  Syrian refugees registered with UNHCR, about 20,000 refugees of other origins - mostly Iraqi - and Palestine refugees under UNRWA’s mandate.  There are no formal camps for Syrian refugees in Lebanon, and refugees are living in hundreds of communities and locations across the country. 

The refugee response is led by the Government and UNHCR and UNDP, supported by the international community. As the designated lead agency in the refugee response, UNHCR has established a sector-based structure in Beirut and in the field. The structure brings together over 150 UN agencies, national and international NGO partners [over 150 actors, including UN agencies, national and international NGOs and Ministries] in identifying and agreeing on the strategic priorities to address the needs of Syrian refugees and vulnerable Lebanese communities. The Lebanon Chapter of the Response Plan falls under the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP), whereby UNHCR guides the refugee response and UNDP facilitates the resilience and stabilization component.

The UNHCR operational response in Lebanon is one of the largest for the organization. Media attention and the frequency of influential high-profile visitors is high. The Office has grown substantially in the past years and is currently operating with around 650 staff. Aside from the country office in the capital city of Beirut, UNHCR has field offices in Mount Lebanon, Qobayat, Tripoli, Tyre and Zahle.

The Registration Assistant is a member of the Registration team and is supervised by the Registration Manager or his/her delegate. The Registration Assistant is responsible for supporting all activities related to registration/counselling/verification of persons of concern, which may also include functions related to reception and filing. The Registration Assistant responds to queries from asylum seekers and refugees regarding UNHCR's registration procedures, their rights and entitlements and their files with UNHCR. The Registration Assistant liaises with protection staff and partners to ensure timely identification and referral of persons of concern for protection follow up. The Registration Assistant may provide interpretation and/or translation services in cases for which s/he has the required language competencies. 

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

Accountability (key results that will be achieved)

• UNHCR's Registration Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are implemented in accordance with relevant UNHCR standards and policies. 
• Persons of concern have fair and transparent access to registration procedures. 

Responsibility (process and functions undertaken to achieve results) 

• Conduct registration/counselling/verification interviews in accordance with the national registration SOPs and registration standards.
• Counsel refugees and asylum-seekers, managing their expectations on protection, assistance and durable solutions, providing them with information at the reception and in the waiting areas on UNHCR’s procedures, their files with UNHCR and their rights and entitlements; 
• Maintain accurate and up-to date records and data related to all individual cases.
• Identify persons with specific protection needs and vulnerabilities, and ensure timely referral to protection follow-up as required. 
• Collaborate with protection staff and/or partners in the delivery of assistance and programming.
• Support all activities related to the registration/counselling/verification of refugees and asylum seekers which may also include functions related to reception, filing and data management.
• Act as interpreter and translator when needed, in case which s/he has the required language competencies;
• Participate to possible mobile missions organized to respond to refugees and asylum seekers located in remote areas and/or with extreme vulnerabilities;
• Apply anti-fraud safeguards and report known or suspected fraud as per the SOPs; 
• Perform other related duties as required.

Authority (decisions made in executing responsibilities and to achieve results)

• Refer cases to other units within the office and to implementing partners as necessary.