RSD Associate (2 Vacancies) - UNOPS - BEY068 & BEY067 - G6 - Beirut, Lebanon

The RSD Associate is a member of the Refugee Status Determination (RSD) team. S/he is regularly conducting refugee status determination interviews and draft RSD Assessments for regular cases as well as more complex cases presenting issues requiring an examination of the possible application of Article 1F of the 1951 Refugee Convention and draft RSD Assessments. S/he is responsible for supporting all activities related to the processing of refugee claims in the Operation. The RSD Associate provides counseling to, and responds to queries from, asylum seekers and refugees regarding UNHCR's RSD procedures, their rights and obligations, including towards the host authorities, and the status of the processing of their claims. In discharging these responsibilities, the RSD Associate liaises closely with Registration, Community Services, Resettlement, and other Protection staff.

The RSD Associate is responsible for conducting COI and other research related to RSD and maintaining the Operation's local repository of relevant information, guidelines and standards. The RSD Associate assists in compiling and analyzing information related to the RSD activities of the Operation, and in drafting related correspondence and reports. The RSD Associate may provide interpretation and/or translation services in cases for which s/he has the required language competencies.

Accountability (key results that will be achieved)

• UNHCR’s RSD procedures are implemented in accordance with relevant UNHCR standards and policies, including policies related to age, gender, and diversity mainstreaming (AGDM).
• Persons of concern have fair and transparent access to the RSD procedures.
• Fraud in the RSD process is identified and appropriately addressed.

Responsibility (process and functions undertaken to achieve results)

• Conduct refugee status determination interviews and draft RSD Assessments.
• Stay abreast of legal, political, security and other developments which impact on the protection environment, and in particular, on protection delivery through RSD.
• Provide counselling to, and respond to queries from, asylum seekers and refugees, including in the context of the notification of negative RSD decisions.
• Maintain accurate and up-to date records and data related to all work on individual cases.
• Assist in preventing and identifying fraud in RSD through oversight, advice and guidance to UNHCR staff, partners and persons of concern.
• Systematically apply an age, gender and diversity (AGD) perspective in the performance of assigned functions.
• Conduct research on country of origin information (COI) and maintain the Operation's local repository of relevant information, guidelines and standards accessible to RSD staff in the operation. Assist in monitoring RSD trends and in compiling and analysing RSD statistics related to RSD case processing.
• Assist in developing and maintaining processes to ensure that persons of concern, Government authorities and partners have accurate information on the RSD procedures, including UNHCR standards, policies and practice.
• Perform any other duty, as requested.

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

• Refer individual cases to other functional units in the Operation and/or external partners for appropriate follow-up, in accordance with established criteria.
• Counsel individual asylum-seekers on the reasons for negative RSD decisions, in accordance with the RSD SOPs.