Research Assistant

UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST – UNRWA   UNRWA is the United Nations agency responsible for the protection, care and human development of a population of some 4.6 millionPalestinerefugees living in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank,Jordan,Lebanon, and theSyrianArabRepublic. The Agency is committed to assistingPalestinerefugees in maintaining a decent standard of living, acquiring appropriate knowledge and skills, enjoying the fullest possible extent of human rights, and leading a long and healthy life. UNRWA is by far the largest UN operation in theMiddle Eastwith over 29,000 staff. Most of the staff members are refugees themselves, working directly to benefit their communities – as teachers, doctors, nurses or social workers. Research Assistant   Location Lebanon Field Office Type of Appointment Contractor Deadline for Application 30 March 2013 Vacancy Announcement Number 974/2013 Department/Division Programme Support Office – PBF Project    PLACE IN THE ORGANIZATION The candidate will be part of a team of three researchers, under the supervision of the Research Officer. The research team reports technically and administratively to the Field Programme Support Officer   BACKGROUND & RATIONALE This project falls under the Peace Building Fund (PBF) outcome “Empowerment of Palestine youth and job creation programme to overcome persistent and pervasive unemployment that pose an ominous threat to the stability of Lebanon”.   Palestinian youth entering the workforce are often high schooldropouts seeking employment at a relatively young age.  Another portion seeks jobs after earning a high school diploma, and a few seek further education, sometimes at universities, and more commonly at vocational training centres.  Despite the efforts of Palestinian jobseekers and the Employment Centre at UNRWA, many are left unemployed and unable to provide for themselves and their families.    UNRWA provides some support for people who would like to pursue university studies. It also has two vocational training centres (VTC) in Lebanon, one in Siblin and the other in Nahr el Bared.  Both can be accessed from the 9th grade or the secondary diploma (BACC II 12th grade).  In order to improve the quality of training offered to Palestine refugees and increase their chances at securing employment, UNRWA VTCs offer a range of courses catered to market needs, which will contribute at enhancing the skills of youth enrolled depending on their interests, and guide them in their career paths. Those enrolling at the VTCs after completing 9th grade can choose from a variety of trade courses, and those who have achieved secondary education can choose from semi-professional courses.Palestine refugee youth who have dropped out of school before secondary level and have no qualifications will be offered the opportunity to learn an employable skill through a fast-track process, via short-term vocational training courses.   The lack of accreditation of UNRWA’s vocational training certificates from the Lebanese ministry of Education is one of the major obstacles for VTC graduates and hinders their ability to find a job both inLebanonand abroad, as well as limits their options should they choose to continue their education at a university level. Although the process of accrediting the Siblin Training Center (STC) is expected to take place in two years, UNRWA aims at setting the standards in preparation for the accreditation by improving the quality of its VTCs and ensuring their compatibility to market needs.  This will be done by revising the course syllabus to bring it in line with Lebanese standards, as well as the provision of up-to-date equipment and software. At the same time, the teaching methodology will be improved through capacity building of instructors. These improvements will prepare the ground for the accreditation of the VTCs, to allow them to become the most viable and cost-effective option in the future in terms of educational opportunities forPalestinerefugees, as well as their gateway to the labour market. These improvements will enhance the employability prospects of high proportion of unqualified and/or unemployed youth who may turn into a source of instability in areas of tensions.   MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES In accordance with established Agency policy and procedures, the incumbent is responsible for: (A)     Assist in drafting a comparative analysis of UNRWA’s and the Ministry of Education’s TVET systems in terms of syllabi and training offered, equipment used, methodology and expertise of instructors based on the following: i)        Collecting data and providing a comprehensive and up-to-date study on the Lebanese Technical and Vocational Educational Training (TVET)system, ii)      Analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the Lebanese and UNRWA’s TVET systems, iii)     Assisting the Research Officer in designing guidelines and recommendations regarding the work plan and activities to be implemented in order to adapt STC to the Lebanese TVET requirements, with a precise timeline. (B)     Providing technical support on a research paper aimed at identifying the needs and aspirations of Palestinian youths inLebanon. (C)     Providing technical support on a research paper aimed at addressing the main gender inequalities related to access to jobs and education. (D)     Conducting a quantitative analysis of the compatibility of UNRWA’s Employment Service Centers (ESC) with the Lebanese labour market using data collected from the ESC database.   PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES (A)   Academic and Professional        Graduate degree in social sciences or related disciplines and at least 1 year of related research work experience. Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree and more than one year of experience are also encouraged to apply.   (B)   Experience        Experience in conducting in-depth interviews and focus groups as well as desk reviews and comparative analysis is required. Previous research experience in the field of education is highly desirable.   (C)   Language i)       Demonstrated ability to speak and write professionally in English ii)     Ability to speak and read Arabic is a must. Ability to speak French is desirable.   (D)   Skills and Competencies i)        Excellent skills at researching and writing at the standards of UN or other policy level reports ii)      Ability to work independently with strong sense of initiative, discipline and self-motivation iii)     Ability to in a collaborative team setting iv)     Preference will be given to applicants with relevant UN experience.   CONDITIONS OF SERVICE Salary: Monthly salary (full package) USD $1,500.- Contract Duration: Six months (Extendable)   EQUIVALENCY Candidates with an equivalent combination of relevant academic qualifications, professional training and progressive work experience may also be considered.   GENERAL INFORMATION UNRWA is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications equally from men and women. It is Agency Policy to give full consideration to qualified disabled candidates whose disability does not impact their ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of the post. Priority will be given to fully qualify registered Palestinian refugees. Prior to the commencement of services,the consultant shall confirm and acknowledge in writing,and provide proof of the existence of,self-procured adequate private insurance against medical,disability and accident for the duration of the contract. As a member of the United Nations system, UNRWA maintains a close relatives’ policy.  In this regard, if a candidate has a close relative (mother, father, brother, sister, son or daughter) who is already employed by the Agency, he/she can only be employed if the Agency is unable to find another suitable candidate.   UNRWA staff members with fixed term appointments may not be considered for any consultant/contractor position while in service. Candidates who are no longer employed by the Agency must have a minimum of 3 months break in service before they apply to any consultant/contract positions.   UNRWA is a United Nations organization whose staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity,neutrality and impartiality. This includes respect for human rights,for diversity,and for non-violent means of dealing with all kinds of conflict. UNRWA staffs are expected to uphold these values at all times,both at work and outside. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for UNRWA jobs. UNRWA is a non-smoking working environment. الأونروا هي منظمة تابعة للأمم المتحدة، وهي منظمة تفترض من موظفيها الالتزام بأعلى معايير الاستقامة والحياد والنزاهة. ويشمل ذلك احترام مبادئ حقوق الإنسان واحترام التنوع وتبني الوسائل غير العنيفة في حل كافة أشكال النزاعات.  المتوقع من موظفي الأونروا أن يقوموا بدعم هذه القيم في كافة الأوقات، سواء في أماكن العمل أم خارجه. إن أولئك الأشخاص الذين يتمتعون بالالتزام الكامل وغير المشروط بهذه القيم هم فقط الذين ينبغي أن يتقدموا بطلباتهم للعمل لدى الأونروا. الأنروا هي بيئه عمل لا يسمح فيها بالتدخين.     TECHNICAL & PRACTICAL TESTS REQUIRED   Only short-listed candidates will be contacted to submit a writing sample of their previous work by email to r.almoghrabi@unrwa.org.   The top 05 scoring candidates in the writing sample, who none have scored less than 50%, will be invited to the interview.   HOW TO APPLY Applicants are requested to send their applications (CVs) to: r.almoghrabi@unrwa.org.   If you have got the skills and experience required above, and want to make an active and lasting contribution to improving the lives of Palestinerefugees, then register on http://jobs.unrwa.org by creating a personal profile and completing the UNRWA Personal History Form. Only applications received through this website will be considered and the system will not allow applications after the deadline. Please note that UNRWA only accepts degrees from accredited educational institutions. Candidates may also be invited to take a technical exam in order further evaluate their qualifications for the post. Due to a high volume of applications received, only short-listed applicants will be contacted. The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. The United Nations does not concern itself with information on bank accounts. For any queries please send an email to: recruitmentquestions@unrwa.org     Date of issue: 21 March 2013