Legal Associate

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. Legal Associate – Palestine Refugees from Syria in Lebanon   Location Lebanon Field Office Type of Appointment Contractor Deadline for Application 15 May 2013 Vacancy Announcement Number 966/2013 Department/Division Office of the Director - Protection Unit    MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES In accordance with established Agency policy and procedures, the Legal Associate, under the direct supervision of the Legal Aid Coordinator is responsible for: (A)     Through interviews with Palestine Refugees from Syria (PRS) monitor, document and track trend and identify relevant legal test cases; (B)     Provide on-the-spot advice to PRS advice on legal, protection and humanitarian services from UNRWA and other service providers; (C)     Provide PRS referrals to UNRWA’s Legal Aid Coordinator for further legal counseling when necessary; (D)     Follow up case management of PRS and ensure adequate closure of cases; (E)     Develop the capacity of UNRWA frontline staff so that they are aware of the legal concerns facing PRS and of UNRWA’s responses and are able to provide advice where appropriate; (F)      Provide regular written and verbal updates on key issues and concerns expressed by PRS in order to: Feed into in the development of an adequate response and the identification of referral mechanisms; Be raised in coordination meetings for awareness raising and response identifications; Feed into the development of communications materials advising PRS of their rights and the services available to them; (G)     Liaise with UNRWA’s Protection Unit to indentify individual cases and support necessary follow-up; (H)     Act as a focal point in the areas of UNRWA’s operation in Lebanon for the dissemination of information, verbal and written, regarding the response by UNRWA, and other external stakeholders, to the legal and protection issues faced by PRS; (I)        Attend area coordination meetings and provide briefings to stakeholders including popular committees, local and internationals NGOs, community-based and civil society organizations on areas of legal and protection issues related to PRS; (J)       Contribute to donor reports and proposals; (K)     Perform other tasks as required.   PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES (A)   Academic and Professional        A university degree in law, international law and/or humanitarian law.   (B)   Experience i)      One to two years of relevant work experience in humanitarian affairs, inter-agency coordination or refugee/IDP affairs in a UN Agency, non-governmental organizations, or human rights organization or which at least 1 year was spent working in the field. ii)     Demonstrated experience in disseminating legal advice; iii)   Demonstrated experience in human rights case management and/or advocacy.   (C)   Language        Demonstrated oral fluency in Arabic and excellent written and spoken English.     (D)   Skills and Competencies i)      A commitment to UN values of non-discrimination on the basis of race, gender, economic status, or religion; ii)     Excellent communication skills: able to listen to and correctly interpret messages from others and able to tailor language, tone and style to match audience when disseminating information; iii)   Ability to work under pressure and in challenging conditions; iv)    Ability to work effectively within a team as well as work independently without close supervision; v)     Willingness to work in Palestinian refugee camps; vi)    Flexible, able to assess and analyze situations quickly, objectively and prudently; vii)  Computer literate.   DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS i)      Knowledge of UNRWA’s operations inLebanon; ii)     Experience of working withPalestinerefugees; iii)   Experience in communicating with a variety of audiences; iv)    Experience in working within the framework of Lebanese Law.   CONDITIONS OF SERVICE Salary: Monthly salary (full package) USD $2,000. Contract Duration: Six months (renewable depending on funding availability).   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: Short-listed candidates will sit for one test: Written technical test (100%).   The top 05 scoring candidates in the written technical test given that none have scored less than 50%; will be invited for an interview.    HOW TO APPLY 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. Please apply as requested above, do not send your CV To this email address. يرجى تقديم الطلبات حسب التعليمات اعلاها وعدم ارسال السيرة الذاتية الى هذا البريد الالكتروني.     Date of issue: 06 May 2013