Job Description

Job Title: RSD Officer

Job ID:
6904
Location:
APA Location:

Almaty, Kazakhstan
Almaty, Kazakhstan

Salary Grade: P3

Eligible Applicants
UNHCR staff members who meet the eligibility criteria in accordance with the Policy and Procedures on
Assignments may apply for this position. In addition, for positions at the P-2 and P-3 levels, candidates
who have been accepted on the UNHCR International Professional Roster may express their interest by
submitting an application.
Procedures and Eligibility
Before submitting an application, UNHCR staff members intending to apply to this Job Opening are
requested to consult the IOM-FOM issued for this Compendium / Fast Track exercise, as well as the
Policy and Procedures on Assignments (IOM/FOM/33/2010 refers).
Duties and Qualifications
Refugee Status Determination Officer
The RSD Officer is responsible for the protection and assistance of asylum-seekers and refugees in
operations where the Individual RSD is a principal protection activity undertaken for persons of concern
to UNHCR. The RSD Officer has a leadership role in a Refugee Status Determination (RSD) team. The
overall objective of the Officer is to supervise RSD procedures under UNHCR's Mandate and to
effectively manage RSD caseloads. The incumbent is required to ensure that RSD-related activities
(reception, registration and decision-making) are carried out in respect of relevant Protection guidelines
and the RSD Procedural Standards by the whole team. Although general supervision is normally
provided by a more senior Protection staff member and/or Deputy/Representative, the RSD Officer is
responsible for ensuring that RSD policies, guidance and practices are consistent with country objective
and for promoting regional harmonization. The incumbent must have a sound understanding of RSD and
related issues and appropriate qualifications and experience to analyze complex cases. The RSD Officer
should have a high degree of professionalism and responsibility; a certain degree of independence; and
an ability to collaborate externally with the Government, implementing partners, judicial authorities,
associations of refugees, NGOs and legal advocates engaged in RSD/refugee protection to foster a
climate of trust, support and understanding. The RSD Unit PCS/DIP in the Headquarters provides advice
and support as required.

The RSD Officer is responsible for managing the RSD operation to ensure that UNHCR RSD procedures
are implemented fairly, efficiently and with integrity; and that decisions-making is of quality and
consistent with UNHCR policies, including the RSD Procedural Standards, and Country of Origin (COI)
information.
FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT:
She or he is responsible for:
Ensuring access to the procedure, protection and assistance of asylum-seekers and refugees in a
manner adapted to applicants with specific needs.
Supervising RSD related activities, including file management; reception of asylum seekers and
refugees; interpretation; complaint procedure; registration; scheduling of interviews; timely issuance of
certificates and decisions.
Recruiting and training RSD staff and interpreters, and is responsible for their ongoing training
on legal and RSD advise (including complex cases and COI guidance) and supervision in all aspects of
their duties. This includes the review of RSD assessments, the provision of eligibility and COI research,
the drafting of assessments and monitoring of compliance with timelines.
Supervising and conducting, if required, first instance and appeal interviews (complementary
interviews, as necessary), draft RSD assessments.
Case management monitoring and reporting on statistics including the size of the pending
caseload (or backlog), case processing capacity, trends in decision-making and profiles of asylumseekers.
She or he shares protection information with regional and global RSD counterparts, with UNHCR
Headquarters, in particular with the Bureau and the RSD Unit PCS/DIP.
She or he liaises and provides Protection and RSD-related training to external counterparts
including Government, implementing partners, judicial authorities, associations of refugees, NGOs and
legal advocates engaged in RSD/refugee protection. This is done to foster a climate of trust, support and
understanding and also to ensure that the asylum seekers have access to the UNHCR RSD procedure and
to promote or build the capacity of the authorities to conduct RSD and provide effective protection.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES:
University Degree (BA) in either in Law, Political Sciences or International Relations.
Minimum of 8 years (with a BA) or a minimum of 6 years (with a Master) of relevant experience at
professional level.
At least 2 years of experience in Refugee Status Determination
Working experience in International Refugee Law;

Experience in counseling refugees/asylum seekers and in individual case management.

Good knowledge of refugee issues and human rights doctrine.
Fluency in spoken and written English and in another relevant UN language, as required and local
language for National Officer posts
Commitment to refugees, cultural and gender age awareness, flexibility, and ability to work in a
multicultural environment as well as in cooperation with government counterparts.
Excellent analytical and legal drafting skills; demonstrated skills in refugee law training;
Computer literacy
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES:
Ability to work effectively in challenging situations including field locations;
Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills.
Completion of the Protection Learning Programme, RSD/Resettlement Learning Programme, Middle
Management Learning Programme
Knowledge of computer applications, such as MS Word, Excel, Access.
Position Competencies
C001L3 - Accountability Level 3
C002L3 - Teamwork & Collaboration Level 3
C003L3 - Communication Level 3
C004L3 - Commitment to Continuous Learning Level 3
C005L3 - Client & Result Orientation Level 3
C006L3 - Organizational Awareness Level 3
M001L3 - Empowering and Building Trust Level 3
M002L3 - Managing Performance Level 3
M005L3 - Leadership Level 3
M006L3 - Managing Resources Level 3
Closing Date

Please note that the closing date for Addendum 1 to the September 2011 Compendium is Monday 12
December 2011 for internal vacancies and Tuesday 3 January 2012 for external vacancies (closing date
Geneva midnight).