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UNHCR-Return and Reintegration Officer-P3-Damascus, Syria
Damascus, SyriaPosition Title: Return and Reintegration Officer
Receiving Agency: UNHCR
P Level: P3
Location: Damascus, Syria
Duration: 5 months (until end of April 2025)
Language: Fluency in English required
While UNHCR does not currently promote or facilitate the large-scale organized return of Syrian refugees, voluntary return in safety and dignity is the fundamental right of every refugee and internally displaced person.
In recent years, sizeable numbers of IDPs in Syria, and to a lesser extent, Syrian as well as Palestinian refugees, have chosen to exercise this right, often in very difficult circumstances. For many, this has meant carving out a very precarious existence, amidst large-scale destruction of homes, livelihoods and social and economic infrastructure, against a backdrop of continuing – and now once again deepening – humanitarian needs across the country. UNHCR and other UN agencies and NGOs have stepped up their support to communities receiving returnees, as well as other communities in need, including through concrete and practical interventions.
The significant escalations of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon at the end of September prompted an influx of Syrian nationals returning under duress into Syria – estimated at 425,000 persons at the time of writing, with roughly 72% Syrians. With UNHCR now shifting its focus towards implementing its protection monitoring and response strategy for returnees, it is imperative that UNHCR’s protection capacity in Syria be significantly scaled-up to accommodate the increased level of monitoring activities and protection service delivery that this will entail, not least for specific profiles that remain vulnerable to the significant protection risks that remain relevant inside Syria.
(1) monitoring and analyzing return and reintegration-related developments, including relevant protection concerns and responses at the sub-national, national levels and to suggest appropriate follow-up
(2) assisting in developing, operationalizing and reviewing return monitoring activities and interventions aimed at enhancing access and support to returnees and their communities, in close coordination with the Field, including through various forms of engagement with returnees and their communities (including participatory assessments)
(3) assisting in return and reintegration-related coordination efforts with internal and external partners, including preparing, implementing and following up on a variety of internal/external meetings and events (including teleconferences, cross-border meetings, interagency meetings and field missions)
(4) assessing protection monitoring and reintegration-related information needs, and assisting in collecting, preparing and providing related information to internal and external partners, in close cooperation and coordination with the Field and the Information Management (IM) and External Relations teams in the country offices. The incumbent is expected to work closely with the Return and Reintegration Working Group and its Technical Working Group within the HCT structure and with the Area-Based Return Support (ABRS) Specialist who is responsible for coordinating different actors to progress on the implementation of the ABRS.
Essential requirements
Personal Characteristics
The incumbent will possess strong political acumen and diplomatic skills and will be able to liaise with a variety of internal and external partners inside Syria. He/she will be able to conduct research and analysis and demonstrate strong organization skills with an attention to detail. Good inter-personal and communication skills are essential as the incumbent will be expected to engage directly with IDP and refugee returnees and members of host communities and work effectively and respectfully within and across teams. Working within a relatively small team, the incumbent should be able to work independently with a great deal of self-initiative, delivering quality outputs with minimal supervision.
Receiving Agency: UNHCR
P Level: P3
Location: Damascus, Syria
Duration: 5 months (until end of April 2025)
Language: Fluency in English required
Operational Context
UNHCR has been operating in Syria since the early 1990s, initially to respond to the influx of Iraqi refugees. Since 2012, UNHCR has expanded its operation to address the humanitarian needs of Syrians arising out of the crisis. UNHCR has a country office as well as seven field offices covering all 14 governorates of the country. UNHCR supports refugees, IDPs as well as refugee returnees and IDP returnees through targeted assistance interventions using an area-based approach in coordination with UN and NGO partners. In line with the community-based protection approach, UNHCR is supporting 114 community centers, complemented by more than 100 mobile units, and some 2,000 community outreach volunteers. Areas of interventions include: Protection, Cash-Based interventions, Core Relief Items, Infrastructure and Shelter, Self-Reliance and Livelihoods, and Health. In the context of an inter-agency coordination framework in Syria, UNHCR leads the Protection sector and Shelter and Non-Food Items sector together with relevant line ministries.While UNHCR does not currently promote or facilitate the large-scale organized return of Syrian refugees, voluntary return in safety and dignity is the fundamental right of every refugee and internally displaced person.
In recent years, sizeable numbers of IDPs in Syria, and to a lesser extent, Syrian as well as Palestinian refugees, have chosen to exercise this right, often in very difficult circumstances. For many, this has meant carving out a very precarious existence, amidst large-scale destruction of homes, livelihoods and social and economic infrastructure, against a backdrop of continuing – and now once again deepening – humanitarian needs across the country. UNHCR and other UN agencies and NGOs have stepped up their support to communities receiving returnees, as well as other communities in need, including through concrete and practical interventions.
The significant escalations of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon at the end of September prompted an influx of Syrian nationals returning under duress into Syria – estimated at 425,000 persons at the time of writing, with roughly 72% Syrians. With UNHCR now shifting its focus towards implementing its protection monitoring and response strategy for returnees, it is imperative that UNHCR’s protection capacity in Syria be significantly scaled-up to accommodate the increased level of monitoring activities and protection service delivery that this will entail, not least for specific profiles that remain vulnerable to the significant protection risks that remain relevant inside Syria.
Aim of the Mission
The position is aimed to support the Syria operation to develop and implement the UNHCR’s protection monitoring and response strategy to support returnee hosting communities with high needs, in particular paying attention to the specific needs of refugee and IDP returnees to ensure their sustainable reintegration and maintain social cohesion.
Mission OBJECTIVES
The incumbent of this position will be responsible for supporting / assisting with:(1) monitoring and analyzing return and reintegration-related developments, including relevant protection concerns and responses at the sub-national, national levels and to suggest appropriate follow-up
(2) assisting in developing, operationalizing and reviewing return monitoring activities and interventions aimed at enhancing access and support to returnees and their communities, in close coordination with the Field, including through various forms of engagement with returnees and their communities (including participatory assessments)
(3) assisting in return and reintegration-related coordination efforts with internal and external partners, including preparing, implementing and following up on a variety of internal/external meetings and events (including teleconferences, cross-border meetings, interagency meetings and field missions)
(4) assessing protection monitoring and reintegration-related information needs, and assisting in collecting, preparing and providing related information to internal and external partners, in close cooperation and coordination with the Field and the Information Management (IM) and External Relations teams in the country offices. The incumbent is expected to work closely with the Return and Reintegration Working Group and its Technical Working Group within the HCT structure and with the Area-Based Return Support (ABRS) Specialist who is responsible for coordinating different actors to progress on the implementation of the ABRS.
Responsibilities
Reporting to Senior Repatriation Officer/ Head of Return Unit (P4), the incumbent is required to undertake the following:
- Stay abreast of and analyze political, economic, socio-cultural and legal developments at the regional, national and sub-national levels that impact or may impact on the return and reintegration of Syrian refugees and IDPs and keep the Head of Unit updated.
- Stay abreast of and analyze return and reintegration-related operational developments (incl. statistics) as well as strategies and program responses by UNHCR and other inter/national humanitarian/development actors at the regional, national and sub-national levels and suggest appropriate follow-up to the Head of Unit.
- Stay abreast of UNHCR and UN policies on return and reintegration, durable solutions, early recovery and resilience, peace-building and social cohesion.
- Assist in (further) developing and operationalizing as well as in reviewing return and reintegration-related activities and interventions aimed at enhancing access to returnees (incl. qualitative and quantitative data on return and reintegration) as well as support for their return and reintegration, in close coordination and cooperation with Sub and Field Offices (including on Area-Based Return Support, Return Follow-up Assessments, Participatory Assessments, returnee accompaniment), including drafting concept notes etc.
- Assist in providing secretariat support to the Return and Reintegration Working Group (RRWG) and its Technical Working Group (TWG).
- Assist in preparing, implementing and following up on return and reintegration-related events (incl. cross-border meetings with UNHCR operations in surrounding countries hosting Syrian refugees, heads of field office meetings, return and reintegration-related teleconferences).
- Assist in assessing return and reintegration-related information needs by Field offices and UNHCR operations in surrounding countries hosting Syrian refugees.
- Assist in preparing and collecting as well as disseminating return and reintegration-related information to Field offices and UNHCR operations in surrounding countries hosting Syrian refugees (including through the Syria Information Platform) in close liaison with Country Office technical units.
- Assist in assessing requirements for and developing Information Management products related to return and reintegration.
- Assist in preparing inputs related to return and reintegration for internal/external information material (including operational updates, factsheets etc.)
- Perform other related duties as required.
PROFILE
Experience
- For P3 - 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree (in social sciences); or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree
- Protection programming, experience in Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO/HRP)
- Field experience in reintegration/local integration situations.
Essential requirements
- Good knowledge of policies, principles and responses relating to early recovery and resilience as well as peace-building and social cohesion
- Sound understanding of the political context in Syria as in which the UN operates well. An understanding of /experience coordinating in an interagency capacity would be an asset.
- Strong ability in English language drafting and reporting with a proven track record.
- Proficiency with general office software essential. Additional experience working in information/data management will be an asset.
Personal Characteristics
The incumbent will possess strong political acumen and diplomatic skills and will be able to liaise with a variety of internal and external partners inside Syria. He/she will be able to conduct research and analysis and demonstrate strong organization skills with an attention to detail. Good inter-personal and communication skills are essential as the incumbent will be expected to engage directly with IDP and refugee returnees and members of host communities and work effectively and respectfully within and across teams. Working within a relatively small team, the incumbent should be able to work independently with a great deal of self-initiative, delivering quality outputs with minimal supervision.
CANADEM and its partners have a no-tolerance policy for inaction to prevent, respond to and follow up on alleged cases of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH). For this reason, we adhere to all policies, procedures and training of the United Nations on The Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (PSEAH). CANADEM mandates all deployees successfully complete the PSEA online course. This e-learning course is composed of a set of lessons designed to raise awareness about SEAH, become familiar with a range of measures to combat SEAH, understand the impact on victims and the consequences for UN Personnel who commit Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment.