Admin Associate

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Kabul, Afghanistan

Experience: 3 to 5 Years

Skill Required: HR and Admin

Having entered the fifth decade of their displacement, Afghan refugees constitute one of the largest protracted displacement crises of our time. Over the years, the region has remained in flux and return movements have been interspersed with waves of emigration, sporadic flows of refugees, and exponential internal displacement. COVID-19 has pushed millions of vulnerable people further into poverty, with potential implications for population movements within the region and further afield. Hundreds of thousands remain further afield, notably in Germany, other European Union Member States and Turkey.

Between 2002 and 2020 an estimated 7 million Afghans have returned to Afghanistan, with more than 5.2 million being refugees who have voluntarily repatriated with UNHCR¿s assistance. Refugee returns during the last three years have been far lower than in previous years, with 2,147 Afghan refugees returned from Pakistan (1,092), Iran (939), and other countries (116) in 2020, the lowest return figure that could be attributed to the deteriorating political, security and economic situation in Afghanistan and the impact of COVID-19. These returns have taken place against a backdrop of increased internal displacement due to conflict and natural disaster. OCHA, estimates that overall, nearly five million persons have been displaced since 2012 and have not returned to their place of origin.

Despite strong political will to achieve peace in Afghanistan, uncertainties result from the current political context, including the significant delays in the intra-Afghan peace negotiations and the withdrawal of US troops as part of the US/Taliban negotiations. There are currently two elements constituting the international military forces in Afghanistan: the US Operation Freedom with 2,500 troops, which were recently reduced from 4,500 troops on 15 January 2021 with a possible complete withdrawal by May 2021; and the NATO Resolute Support with fewer than 12,000 troops from dozens of nations involved in a non-combat mission of training and advising the Afghan security forces.

There are 72,445 refugees living in Afghanistan. Most of this group were displaced from Pakistan to Afghanistan in 2014 and settled in areas of Khost and Paktika provinces. A small number (approximately 380 people) reside in urban areas of Kabul and other cities. Refugees constitute one of the most vulnerable populations in the country. They face significant legal challenges due to the fact that that the National Law on Asylum still has not been enacted.

UNHCR provides international protection and finds solutions to the refugee situation in Afghanistan building upon the ongoing consultations within the context of the Support Platform for the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR) and the Global Compact on Refugees. These include the Inaugural Meeting of the Core Group of the SSAR Support Platform (7 October 2020), the 7th Meeting of the SSAR Quadripartite Steering Committee (1 October 2020), and the High-Level Meeting on the SSAR Support Platform (6 July 2020).

While ongoing security challenges remain significant, there is also an opportunity at present for Afghanistan¿s gradual progression on the path towards peace and stability, which could pave the way for the long-awaited solution of voluntary repatriation. UNHCR will expand the Priority Area of Return and Reintegration (PARR) from 20 to 40 areas in 2021. Full, explicit and impactful inclusion of returning refugees into national development planning and programming is essential to enable their sustainable reintegration which will in turn solidify and fortify the broader peacebuilding, reconciliation and stabilization efforts, the integral linkages between timely, inclusive and forward-looking planning for return and reintegration and the three overarching pillars of Afghanistan¿s National Peace and Development Framework (ANPDF II) for 2021-2025, as well as relevant implementation mechanisms, including the National Priority Programs (NPPs):

  • Peacebuilding: ensuring that the imperative of voluntary return and reintegration is firmly embedded in relevant peace processes and any subsequent agreement with a view to enabling returning refugees to become part of cohesive and harmonious communities and to
  • participate in peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts.
  • Market-building: capitalizing on the human capital, skills and assets acquired by refugees in host countries to support market-building efforts and address human resource gaps, including through return of qualified individuals, private sector investments or opportunities for regional connectivity; and
  • State-building: advancing inclusion of the displaced in development processes, planning and programmes; with particular focus on enhancing absorption capacity and delivery of quality services and ensuring rights through targeted humanitarian, development, and peace (triple nexus) investments in priority areas of return and reintegration, building resilience of communities as a whole; in full alignment with the strategic long-term approach to peacebuilding outlined by the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
  • The Administrative Associate is responsible for the office management in assisting the concerned manager in the implementation of general administrative and resource management tasks.
  • The Administrative Associate is normally supervised by a (Senior) Administrative Officer or a National Administrative Officer who defines general work objectives and provides necessary advice and guidance. The incumbent may supervise some support staff. S/he keeps frequent contacts with staff at various levels in the office and occasionally with staff at the same level in other duty stations and/or Headquarters; with local suppliers and/or officials and/or Implementing Partners (IPs) on subject matters which may be of importance to the Organization.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Assist the supervisor in the provision of resources (human, material and services) necessary to support the day-to-day activities of the staff in the office.
  • Assist the supervisor in ensuring the UNHCR Office premises provide a healthy, safe and respectful working environment.
  • Provide administrative support in the areas of finance, administrative and human resources as well as up to date and accurate data and records in MSRP and other systems.
  • Provide interpretation of administrative rules, regulations and procedures. Perform personnel work including processing of entitlement, issuance of contracts maintenance of various personnel records and files.
  • Assist in the recruitment of General Service staff for non-specialized work including evaluating candidate applications, administering recruitment exams if applicable, conducting preliminary interviews of candidates; assign General Service staff to meet work requirements.
  • Collect information and assist in conduct of surveys on local cost of living, daily subsistence allowance criteria, local salaries for office and servicing staff, house rentals.
  • Brief international personnel on general administrative matters relating to visas, licences, security; provide advice and ensure administrative support as required.
  • Arrange for and/or attend meetings on day-to-day administrative matters, participate in discussions of new or revised procedures and practices, interpret and assess the impact of changes and make recommendations for follow-up action.
  • Prepare, on own initiative, correspondence, reports, evaluations and justifications, as required, on general administrative or specialized tasks which may be of a confidential nature within the assigned area of responsibility.
  • Assist in the preparation of office budgets applicable to staff and servicing costs and maintain necessary budgetary control records.
  • In addition to general administration responsibilities, may also supervise directly or indirectly, activities concerned with office and grounds maintenance, security, transport and similar services.
  • Arrange for requisition of office supplies and equipment and arrange for control of distribution and maintenance of appropriate inventory records.
  • Perform other related duties as required.

Essential qualifications, skills and professional experience

Education:

  • Business Administration, Finance, Office Management, Human Resources or other related fields.

Years of Experience:

  • For G6 - 3 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Desirable:

  • Completion of UNHCR learning programmes or specific training relevant to functions of the position.

Language:

  •  For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
  •  For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
  •  For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

Source: https://public.msrp.unhcr.org/psp/RAHRPRDX/EMPLOYEE/HR/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_APP_SCHJOB.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST&Action=U&FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=2&JobOpeningId=38649&PostingSeq=1