External Relations Assistant

The Office of the UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and coordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org).

In line with this mandate UNHCR supports the Republic of Uganda in protecting individuals who seeks asylum in the country as well as those in the country at risk of being stateless or who already are considered stateless. UNHCR also provides direct assistance through implementing partners to refugees and asylum seekers in Uganda.
UNHCR puts strong effort into identifying durable solutions for all refugees in Uganda and to reduce the risk of persons in the country becoming stateless.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. UNHCR is mandated by the United Nations to protect and safeguard the rights of refugees, also supporting former refugees who have returned to their home country, people displaced within their own country, and people who are stateless or whose nationality is disputed. UNHCR is guided by and acts as the guardian of the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol.

UNHCR leads international action to protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. Formally known as the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1950 in the aftermath of the Second World War to help the millions of people who had lost their homes. Today, UNHCR works in 137 countries, providing life-saving assistance, including shelter, food, water and medical care for people forced to flee conflict and persecution, many of whom have nobody left to turn to. UNHCR defends their right to reach safety and helps them find a place to call home so they can rebuild their lives. Long term, UNHCR works with countries to improve and monitor refugee and asylum laws and policies, ensuring human rights are upheld. UNHCR considers refugees and those forced to flee as partners, putting those most affected at the centre of planning and decision-making.

This UNV assignment is part of UNHCR’s initiative to increase its proactive fundraising efforts for Uganda operation, the largest refugee response in Africa, with more than 1.9 million refugees, 13 settlements and a budget of over USD 361M. Uganda has a model refugee policy and as the first country to pilot the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), it currently leads on the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees with an explicit goal to sustain and further operationalize its progressive refugee policies whilst leveraging sustainable support for both refugee and host communities. This assignment is key in organizing donor missions, developing fundraising material, supporting the monitoring of implementation of donor contributions and drafting donor reports for UNHCR and the entire refugee response, which the GoU and UNHCR jointly coordinate through the Uganda RRP. The operation continues to spearhead efforts to improve accountability in the refugee response, following the allegations of fraud and corruption in 2016-2017.

The position is located at Country Office (Kampala). The External Relations Assistant reports to the External Relations Associate. The ER Assistant maintains contact with three Sub-Offices (Adjumani. Arua and Mbarara) and other UN agencies, NGOs, government partners to facilitate alignment and accuracy of information. As and when required, the ER Assistant will provide support to other units under the respective area of responsibility, including Comms and Operational Reporting.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of External Relations Associate or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UNV External Relations Assistant will:

- Develop concept notes and funding proposals.
- Organize donor missions
- Support monitoring of implementation of donor contributions
- Draft donor reports

Results/expected outputs:

As an active UNHCR team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNHCR and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including:

- Compile fundraising material and adapt it to match donors’ requirements
- Collect information for donor reports.
- Perform all milestones from Donor Mission Checklist for every mission.