Eligible Applicants
1. General Background
The Representation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR in Algeria was accredited in 27 September 1984 under the Accord de Siege concluded between the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria desiring to continue and strengthen their long-standing cooperation in the field of protection and assistance to refugees in Algeria.
UNHCR operation in Algeria operates through its two offices serving two different caseloads; BO Algiers deals with the Representation and the urban refugees and asylum seekers mainly Syrians, while the Sub-Office in Tindouf deals with camps situation providing protection and assistance to vulnerable Saharawi refugees living in Tindouf area. The above Local-Support position is part of the Refugee programme of SO-Tindouf.
In Tindouf, Sahrawis have been recognized as refugees by Algeria on a prima facie basis within the framework of the 1969 African Union Convention, UNHCR continues to provide protection and assistance to Sahrawi refugees, who have been living in a protracted displacement situation in five camps near Tindouf for 45 years.
2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment
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The Senior Environment Associate works under the overall supervision of the Associate WASH Officer in close collaboration with the multi-functional teams including colleagues from Livelihood and Economic Inclusion, Protection, Public Health and Nutrition, Education and others. S/he will be primarily responsible for assisting the development, providing guidance on and overseeing the implementation of the innovative solutions for environment and solid waste management for refugees in Tindouf, Algeria.
The incumbent will work closely with partners and other external stakeholders, review ongoing activities to contribute to improving service delivery to persons of concern (PoC) in accordance with UNHCR Manuals and Technical Guidelines, and/or national standards. S/he will undertake frequent missions to the camps and support the UNHCR Office on issues related to environment, waste management and climate change, including mainstreaming the economic inclusion solutions and sustainability into all aspects of the projects. In addition, s/he will maintain regular contact with UN technical agencies, development partners, line ministries and local authorities, implementing and operational partners as needed.
The Senior Environment Associate will follow a rights-based and community focused approach to programme design and implementation. The incumbent will follow the five principles for protection, accountability and WASH as outlined in UNHCR¿s WASH Manual and the UNHCR livelihoods guiding principles.
3. Monitoring and Progress Controls
Accountability
– Promote and participate in the establishment of a complaint mechanism/system to improve the waste management accountability toward refugees.
– Promote and participate in the establishment of appropriate mechanism for plastic collection and segregation in the camps to support the recycling project.
– Make the innovative project for solid waste processing and recycling created in 2021in the camps, sustainable autonomous and profitable.
– Explore partnerships to facilitate the economic inclusion of refugees, such as private sector and development actors. This includes advocating with public and private sector services providers to include UNHCR PoCs in supporting services (business development, financial inclusion, training, poverty alleviation and social protection, etc.).
Responsibility
– Apply appropriately and coherently UNHCR’s policies, standards and procedures relating to Environment, Energy and Waste Management in the area of responsibility (AoR).
– Ensure environmental considerations are systematically included when assessing the needs of PoCs. This includes ensuring all responses work toward environmental sustainability for both PoCs and host communities.
– Promote community involvement and participation in different stages of the project cycle.
– Support regular information sharing and coordination among humanitarian, developmental and governmental stakeholders. This includes supporting the implementation of socioeconomic surveys and participatory assessments utilising community-based strategies to inform targeting, monitoring and facilitation of development programmes.
– Coordinate with other UNHCR sectors to ensure that environmental considerations and impact mitigation measures are adequately integrated in technical interventions, and that the developed economic inclusion work plan deliberately integrates protection safeguards and includes other possible relevant and innovative practices that may benefit PoCs.
– Provide technical guidance and support to partners on Environment, Energy, Climate change, Waste Management and Economic Inclusion to ensure quality, cost-effectiveness, sustainability and environmental sound interventions.
– Collect, analyze and update data and information concerning the environmental status of the camps.
– Support the operation in identifying pressing environmental and economic challenges in the camps and co-develop novel and creative solutions by drawing on a broad range of innovation approaches, frameworks and methods
– Stay abreast of new technologies and relevant partnerships related to environment and climate change to respond to the needs of PoCs more efficiently.
– Remain up to date on new innovations, approaches and technologies, particularly those that could be potentially applied to the humanitarian sector and/or forced displacement settings
– Undertake field verifications, monitor development and support the evaluation of activities and approaches adopted by partners, reporting the results to the supervisor for sharing with other technical units.
– Assist training and capacity building activities to address the identified skills and knowledge gaps.
– Contribute to internal and external reporting commitments, including proposal drafting for environment and energy while ensuring new projects are coherent.
– Based on assessments, and in consultation with relevant stakeholders, draft sustainable solutions to address the basic needs of PoCs while mitigating the environmental impact of the interventions.
– Support quality monitoring of interventions, track and record relevant indicators in UNHCR¿s corporate tools.
– Perform other related duties as required.
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4. Qualifications and Experience
a. Education
Certificates and/or Licenses
Environment Community Development Urban Planning
Natural Resources Management Project management Water/Sanit Management
Business Management Rural / Economic Development Social Work
b. Language Requirements
Essential: Good command of English and Arabic
Desirable: French and/or Spanish.
c. Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
– For G7 – 4 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher
Essential
– Strong experience in area of Community Development & Project management including surveys, programme implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and coordination.
– Experience in environmental assessment, planning, monitoring and evaluation of integrated environmental programmes/projects in displacement and stable situations.
– Awareness of refugee-related environmental problems.
– Familiarity with emerging environmentally sustainable and appropriate technologies, and renewable energy.
– Familiarity with community-based and participatory approaches.
Desirable
– Knowledge and understanding of solid waste management practices, vector control and hygiene promotion/awareness raising strategies. Knowledge and understanding of relationship between environment, energy, climate, solid waste, and vector control to public health indicators, and value of hygiene promotion/awareness raising.
– Business management, budgeting, planning experience, ability to work with various (relevant) computer software.
c. Key Competencies
Core Competencies
Accountability
Communication
Organizational Awareness
Teamwork & Collaboration
Commitment to Continuous Learning
Client & Result Orientation
Managerial Competencies
Empowering and Building Trust
Managing Performance
Cross-Functional Competencies
Analytical Thinking
Planning and Organizing
Innovation and Creativity
Other required competencies:
– IT-Computer Literacy.
– PR-Refugee Issues.
– SP-Environmental Assessment/Planning/Monitoring/Evaluation of integrated projects/programs.
– SP-Emerging environmentally sustainable and appropriate technologies, and renewable energy.
– SP-Environment – Experience in displacement and stable situations.
– MS-Analysis.
– PR-Participatory Approach.
– CO-Drafting and Documentation.
Selection and recruitment process:
Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information.
The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include tests and/or assessments, as well as a competency-based interview.
Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted and candidates in the final selection step will be subject to reference checks based on the information provided.
Closing Date
Please note that the closing date for Senior Administrative Assistant position is Thursday 9 December 2021 (midnight Geneva time).
