Church World Service Best Interest Determinations (BID) Specialist - Jobs in Tanzania
Job Description
Position Title: Best Interest Determinations (BID) Specialist
Reports To: ARDU Supervisor or Manager
Division : Immigration & Refugee Program+ (IRP+)
Department: Programs, Africa Regional Deployment Unit (ARDU)
Job Location: Kasulu, Tanzania
Grade Level: Grade 6, Specialist, National
Introduction: Church World Service (CWS) is a not-for-profit, faith-based organization transforming communities around the globe through just and sustainable solutions to hunger, poverty, displacement and disaster. CWS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, gender identity, genetic information, age, disability or veteran status in employment or in the provision of services.
Primary Purpose: This is a full time position within ARDU which strategically utilizes temporary CWS RSC deployments to UNHCR offices with the goal of increasing referrals and managing cases in the pipeline for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) in Africa. CWS RSC Africa works with UNHCR to assist in identifying and preparing Best Interest Determination (BID) and Best Interest Assessment (BIA) reports for unaccompanied and separated children, with the goal of identifying durable solutions for them, including resettlement through the USRAP. The primary function of the BID Specialist is to support the goals of ARDU through these temporary deployments throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Tasks to be completed by the BID Specialist while on deployment in UNHCR offices will be determined in the Terms of Reference (TOR) awarded to them prior to the commencement of each deployment.
Essential Duties:
The BID Specialist will be expected to:
1. Travel on deployments to UNHCR and other referring agencies’ offices on short notice, including to refugee camps.
2. Complete all duties in accordance with ARDU and UNHCR Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) including country-specific resettlement, confidential case management protocols, and (child) protection guidelines of the deployment location.
3. Monitor outstanding cases, make assessments and follow-up with relevant UNHCR units and/ or Child Protection partners to ensure smooth processing of referral submissions.
4. Analyze all information and interview unaccompanied and separated refugee children whilst conducting home visits for the purpose of preparing BID reports and presenting them to a BID panel.
5. Contribute towards identifying resettlement cases, compiling interview lists, scheduling interviews, as well as carrying out resettlement interviews with the goal of completing UNHCR Resettlement Registration Forms (RRFs) for review.
6. Complete and update all case files and database records per UNHCR guidelines.
7. Maintain updated knowledge of current refugee situations, with an emphasis on child refugee populations, served in sub-Saharan Africa.
8. Be available, whilst on deployment, to answer any specific technical questions raised by UNHCR or CWS RSC Africa colleagues regarding USRAP processing.
9. Actively participate as a member of the UNHCR team and comply with UNHCR’s security requirements.
10. Undertake additional work-related duties as agreed upon by ARDU management, UNHCR Supervisor and the BID Specialist.
11. Ensure that ARDU staff resources such as current practices and approaches in Child Protection (Best Interests Procedure Guidelines) processing are updated.
12. Communicate challenges related to casework, logistics and relationship with partners to ARDU Management in a timely manner.
13. Submit regular reports to ARDU management to document progress against deployment goals and objectives.
14. Contribute to the development of deployment training topics, procedures and implementation.
15. Undertake additional assigned duties while in the field or at the CWS RSC Africa office to support ARDU and CWS RSC Africa, including administrative tasks.
16. Any other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
Experience:
• Five (5) year’s work experience required
• Eighteen (18) months of related experience in child protection or child welfare is required.
• Previous confidential case management experience, including use of age-appropriate and gender-sensitive interview techniques is required.
• Experience working in a child protection framework is required. USRAP casework experience is desirable.
• Four (4) years relevant work experience is preferred.
Skills:
• Thorough and demonstrated knowledge of international child protection frameworks and UNHCR Best Interests Procedure Guidelines.
• Demonstrated knowledge of UNHCR/ USRAP resettlement processes.
• Excellent interviewing and counseling skills.
• Excellent drafting, writing
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