Refugee Field Assistant

Our primary purpose at UNHCR is to safeguard the rights and well-being of people who have been forced to flee. Together with partners and communities, we work to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another country. We also strive to secure lasting solutions.

For over half a century, UNHCR has helped millions of people to restart their lives. They include refugees, returnees, stateless people, the internally displaced and asylum-seekers. Our protection, shelter, health and education has been crucial, healing broken pasts and building brighter futures.

Since the start of the international armed conflict in Ukraine which has forced some 5.9 million people to flee their homes seeking safety, protection, and assistance across Europe, more than 5.3 million border crossings from Ukraine and Moldova into Romania have been recorded. The Government and various stakeholders including civil society, the private sector, volunteers, and international organizations have responded to the crisis with generosity and hospitality.

As of 30th October 2024, there have been registered 175,331 unique individuals with Temporary Protection (TP) status in Romania. At the time of writing 185,165 TP permits have been issued. In addition, Romania registered 10,156 asylum applications in 2023, and is currently hosting around 4,600 beneficiaries of international protection and subsidiary protection, including nationals from Syria, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Ukraine, Yemen, Palestine, and some stateless persons.

UNHCR supports the Government of Romania overall response in coordinating humanitarian actors under the framework of the Regional Refugee Response (RRP) and through the Refugee Coordination Forum (RCF) and sector working groups. The RRP response is aligned with and complementary to the National Plan (NP) of measures for the protection and inclusion of displaced persons from Ukraine, beneficiaries of TP in Romania, and a vision for the medium and long-term refugee response in Romania.

The UNHCR Field Office’s area of responsibility includes counties in Northern Romania where five implementing partners respond in different locations. In this regard, the Field unit as part of the Multifunctional team (MFT) in Suceava, under the guidance of the Head of Office (HOO), covers the Area of responsibility (AOR) as liaison and engages with authorities, humanitarian stakeholders, and the community, for advocacy, coordination, and monitoring, with the technical support and collaboration of the Protection team and the MFT.

Regarding Field Unit Activities, the team supports monitoring and documenting the implementation of the following components of our response: Basic Needs, Border Monitoring, Emergency preparedness, and supporting and monitoring the building of safe and sustainable humanitarian services ecosystems and narratives, facilitating access to services and official information to the refugee community, respecting their rights and dignity, with close collaboration of different Stakeholders and listening to the voices of the community. UNHCR in the field has a catalytic role in the coordination mechanics among the humanitarian stakeholders, authorities, and refugee community and monitors the complementary approach of the services and escalates or flags the services that are discontinued.

The Field Unit provides support in identifying vulnerable families during their missions and provides support in the assistance of the needs of refugees and asylum-seekers, regarding basic needs in coordination with the MFT and monitoring and triangulating information regarding the context, trends, and security incidents, including the border, that can have an impact in the community and stakeholders for the decision-makers.

The Field Unit is accountable for reporting on time and managing and controlling the repository of documents produced in the unit and with the MFT, such as Mission Reports, Meeting Minutes, or other documents related to the Field Unit.

The unit's duties are coordinated and collaborated with the local MFT and the Country Office in Bucharest when needed under the guidance of the HOO.

The Refugee Field Assistant will be involved in the day-to-day activities of the unit in the office and participate in missions when required. The position is expected to support interventions on the field related to communication (including translation when needed) with communities and stakeholders, providing feedback and information to the Office. S/he may also provide necessary assistance in the coordination of UNHCR events with the MFT, and briefing notes, and coordinating or supporting in the preparation of meetings with authorities and other stakeholders. To increase awareness of the mission of UNHCR, the position will also support activities related to public information, like the SITREP. To achieve this, the position will work with multifunctional teams and establish effective communication with stakeholders, including partners, when is requested.

Activities to be conducted:

• Support monitoring exercises in field locations, including by collecting feedback and border monitoring interviews with the persons with and for whom UNHCR works in coordination with the MFT;
• Conduct field monitoring visits to assess the protection situation of the persons with and for whom UNHCR works in the Suceava Area of Responsibility, including overnight if necessary when is required, including border monitoring missions;
• Support in the identification of community structures and representatives, including mapping out locations and scope of action of community and NGOs representatives across Suceava AOR with the MFT;
•Support in administrative tasks such as preparation of reports and meeting minutes, and the organization of missions, need assessments, delivery of Non-Food Items, events, or other logistical aspects of the office requested, in collaboration with the MFT.
•Support in the report and update of the One drive, related to missions, minute minutes, or others documents related to the position.
• Contribute to the planning, monitoring, and evaluation of any further community outreach activities.
• Contribute to age, gender and diversity mainstreaming in all of UNHCR Romania’s activities;
• Assist in managing UNHCR's physical inventory at the office, the coordination of the delivery with the supply team as well as in filling and archiving the documents related.
• Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.