BACKGROUND

 The International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) is an international non-governmental organization serving and protecting uprooted people–refugees, internally displaced persons and migrants – regardless of faith, race, ethnicity or nationality. The Deployment Scheme is a specific program within ICMC, located in Geneva, Switzerland, that was established as a partnership between UNHCR and ICMC in 1998 to support resettlement-related activities worldwide.

Through the ICMC-UNHCR Resettlement Deployment Scheme, ICMC recruits and deploys skilled resettlement and child protection experts to UNHCR field operations throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East to support UNHCR in identifying and referring refugees for resettlement and ensuring that the best interests of the child are represented. In this context, ICMC deploys child protection experts to UNHCR field operations to conduct Best Interest Determinations (BID) and/or Best Interest Assessments (BIA) for unaccompanied minors or separated refugee children included in resettlement submissions; to provide training and capacity building to internal and external partners; and develop standard operating procedures for the establishment of BID panels in the field.

KEY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

 1. Interview Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children, their family, caregivers and community within a refugee context, and prepare a Best Interest Determination (BID) or Best Interest Assessment (BIA) report as to the suitability of resettlement as a durable solution for the child, either individually or as part of a particular household;

2. In coordination with UNHCR Protection, Field, Durable Solutions and Community Services units organize and/or partake in multi-functional inter-agency BID panel

meetings which have a mandate to assess recommendations and make a final determination as to each child’s best interests. BID Panel decisions will determine appropriate interventions for each unaccompanied minor/separated child’s protection, including appropriate durable solutions (i.e. access to resettlement);

3. Prioritise work on Best Interest Determinations according to protection urgency and pre-screen cases, in order to ensure that child custody issues are practically possible to resolve within the scope of custody procedures in the country of asylum, including through tracing, prior to undertaking BID assessments which are required for resettlement purposes;

4. Draft and/or review Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) based on the UNHCR Guidelines on Determining the Best Interests of the Child ;

5. Provide support, training, and guidance on individual cases to internal and external partners who are engaged in the interview, assessment and preparation of BID, including but not limited to on-the-job training for partner staff;

6. Write updates and reports on BID activities, including statistical reports and monitor the implementation of BID decisions;

7. Attend, organize, and chair BID Panels with UNHCR and government actors;

8. Perform other BID or resettlement-related activities as requested

 QUALIFICATIONS AND KEY COMPETENCIES

• University degree in relevant area (e.g. child psychology, social work, child education, human rights);

• Two or more years work experience, preferably including field experience abroad, in relevant work area (e.g. child protection and best interest determinations, community services, social work / counselling);

• Experience interviewing children, in particular refugee children, and conducting Best Interest Determinations (BID);

• Excellent oral and written English language skills; (fluency in French, Arabic, Spanish, or Russian highly desirable);

• Experience providing policy advice / guidance on Best Interest Determination in the context of resettlement, highly desirable;

• Knowledge of the international legal framework governing refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, highly desirable;

• Excellent drafting and analytical skills;

• Ability to work in stressful situations and at times, in hardship field locations where UNHCR office are located

• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively in teams;

 HOW TO APPLY

 Interested candidates are requested to submit a detailed application, P11 and cover letter detailing relevant child protection experience to deployments@icmc.net<

 Persons with past or present UN or UNHCR experience are requested to send copies of their previous Performance Evaluation Reports.

 In order to ensure a child-safe recruitment process, ICMC may request applicants to submit a criminal record check and/or other appropriate information.

Applicants must ensure their availability for a minimum deployment of three to six months. Candidates are deployed under an ICMC employment contract and are not considered to be UNHCR staff.

There is no closing date for receipt of applications as this is an open vacancy for a roster; however, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for an interview with ICMC. Following the interview, the dossiers of successful candidates will be submitted to UNHCR for final approval.

 CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT

 Compensation includes a competitive NGO salary and benefits package, including health insurance, annual leave, and travel to and from the field location

 ICMC is committed to equal opportunities for applicants and employees. All applications will be treated in strict confidence.

P11 Form.doc (199 KB)

P11 SUP.doc (92.5 KB)

Application Form CP BID Experts Oct 2012.doc (45 KB)

Best Interest Determination of the Child Consultants 15102012.pdf (324.72 KB)