Saint Andrew’s Refugee Services, Cairo
Call for Applications: Refugee Status Determination Legal Officer
Founded in 1979, StARS is a refugee service provider in central Cairo that works to enhance the quality of life for refugees and vulnerable migrants through five broad program areas: education, psychosocial, legal, community outreach and unaccompanied youth and children support services. We provide high-quality services meeting the unaddressed needs of refugees, and we provide a safe and inclusive space for displaced people to come together as a community. We work for refugees, with refugees, to make rights recognition a reality.
StARS’ Mission: Driven by a commitment to justice and fairness, StARS works as displaced people and for displaced people to respect human dignity and enhance quality of life.
StARS’ Vision: Displaced people lead in the creation and implementation of responses to different forms of migration to establish safe, just, welcoming, and inclusive communities globally.
We serve people from many places, including Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
Project Description: Refugee Legal Aid Program
The Refugee Legal Aid Program provides advice and representation to refugees seeking recognition by UNHCR through refugee status determination procedures in Egypt and assists refugees in accessing resettlement to safe third countries. Refugee Legal Aid Program is seeking a Refugee Status Determination Legal Officer to assist refugees in their Refugee Status Determination process. Refugee Legal Aid Program strongly prefers to hire refugees, asylum-seekers, or persons from a forcibly displaced community to fill this role, with women strongly encouraged to apply, but the position is open to all interested applicants regardless of experience with forced displacement.
Current Sudan Context
In light of the recent and ongoing civil war in Sudan, StARS is experiencing a high influx of persons forcibly displaced from Sudan. This includes Sudanese nationals and other nationalities previously displaced from their country of origin to Sudan. StARS remains flexible and reactive to changes in the local asylum-seeking environment as influenced by the Sudan conflict. Refugee Status Determination Program is seeking to increase its capacity to provide adequate legal advice and representation in accordance with UNHCR procedures, to best assist those affected by this ongoing conflict.
Role
Under the supervision of the Refugee Status Determination Coordinator, the Refugee Status Determination Legal Officer is responsible for the provision of legal advice and representation to urban refugees in matters related to Refugee Status Determination procedures. This includes: assessment of initial requests for assistance; the screening of refugee cases to identify those of heightened vulnerability, specific need, or strategic importance. Over time and with mentoring and experience, the role is likely to advance to include preparation of detailed written statements addressing accounts of persecution in countries of origin and drafting legal briefs in support of refugee claims in appeal and reopening procedures. The Refugee Status Determination Legal Officer is also expected to contribute to advocacy efforts regarding the urban refugee population and to supervise and train volunteer staff. The Refugee Status Determination Legal Officer is a member of a team of approximately 25 legal staff and reports to the Refugee Status Determination Coordinator.
Responsibilities
All duties are carried out under the supervision of the Refugee Status Determination Coordinator.
Legal and Technical
- To develop and supervise the screening and intake of potential clients for representation in Refugee Status Determination matters.
- To provide general legal counseling and assistance to refugees regarding their applications for registration, protection, and Refugee Status Determination before UNHCR.
- To prepare clients for registration and Refugee Status Determination interviews and represent clients in such interviews as needed.
- To serve periodically as an on-call legal advisor, assisting clients by providing legal advice and assistance on a walk-in basis.
- To prepare and facilitate Refugee Status Determination preparation workshops and Know Your Rights trainings for refugee communities.
- To undertake country of origin research in support of individual claims and for general organizational research purposes and to maintain good working knowledge of the current political and social situations in the countries of origin of Refugee Legal Aid Program’s clients.
- To assess extra-legal client needs and refer to other StARS teams or external organizations as appropriate.
- To maintain good working knowledge of UNHCR’s Refugee Status Determination policies and procedures.
- To undertake comprehensive case management practices including maintaining and updating electronic databases and records for each client and keeping detailed notes of all casework activities.
- To adhere to the Nairobi Code of Ethics, the StARS Policies and Procedures Manual, and the StARS Code of Conduct.
Programmatic
- To assist the Refugee Status Determination Coordinator in development and implementation of team policies and procedures.
- To assist the Refugee Status Determination Coordinator in conducting data and trends analysis of clients approaching Refugee Legal Aid Program for Refugee Status Determination related services.
- To assist the Refugee Status Determination Coordinator in conducting data and trends analysis of UNHCR’s Policies and Practices.
- To assist the Refugee Status Determination Coordinator in establishing written manuals and procedures for the different services provided by the Refugee Status Determination team.
- To build and maintain strong relationships with refugee communities in Cairo.
- To build and maintain relationships with psychosocial and education staff and operational partners.
Supervisory
- To assist the Refugee Status Determination Coordinator and Refugee Status Determination Senior Legal Officers in conducting intensive one-to-two-week training for new volunteers two to three times per year.
- To assist the Refugee Status Determination Coordinator in the development of supervision procedures and mechanisms.
- To assist the Refugee Status Determination Coordinator in the management of volunteer caseloads, and the provision of case specific advice.
- To engage proactively in promoting self-care among volunteers and other staff.
- To ensure high quality legal advice and representation and a refugee rights-based approach.
Finance and Administration
- To undergo probation and regular performance appraisals.
Communication and Reporting
- To communicate regularly with the Refugee Status Determination Coordinator, reporting on all major issues and developments in the field and within Refugee Legal Aid Program.
- To promote information-sharing within Refugee Legal Aid Program and StARS on all issues affecting the populations we serve.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications and Experience
The ideal candidate will be a refugee, asylum seeker or from a forcibly displaced community but candidates of all backgrounds will be considered. The candidate should be energetic, articulate, and comfortable interacting with diverse segments of society. She or he will have demonstrated a firm commitment to human rights and refugee issues.
Essential qualifications:
- English being the official language of UNHCR Cairo and StARS, the Refugee Status Determination Legal Officer must have a working ability in oral and written English.
- Fluency in Arabic or a refugee language is preferable.
- High computer literacy level.
- Legal research and drafting skills.
- Ability to learn and apply UNHCR guidelines and procedures.
- Knowledge of the general protection situation and vulnerabilities of refugees in Egypt.
- A demonstrated commitment to and sensitivity toward vulnerable or displaced people.
- Ability to live and work in a fluid security environment.
- Ability to exercise sound legal judgment, well organized, self-motivated, and reliable.
- Demonstrated compassion for refugees and displaced people regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender or political preferences.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
- Demonstrated ability to work in a team as well as individually.
- A positive attitude and sensitive manner when dealing with clients including a range of interviewing skills for dealing with challenging scenarios, particularly in advocating for survivors of violence, trafficking, torture, and SGBV.
- Commitment and diligence and to work to meet UNHCR client deadlines.
Desirable Characteristics:
- Formal legal qualifications.
- Experience designing and conducting trainings for non-technical audiences.
- Life and work experience in the Middle East or Egypt or with an urban refugee population and in low resource settings
Working Hours: The Refugee Status Determination Legal Officer is expected to be at work for 40 hours per week, between the hours of 9am and 5pm, from Sunday to Thursday. Longer hours, evening and weekend work are sometimes necessary. Work will be conducted both in StARS premises and also in refugee communities and centers.
Supervised by: Refugee Status Determination Coordinator and Refugee Status Determination Senior Legal Officers
StARS salaries are standardized per position according to a pay scale and are not negotiable based on the individual experiences and qualifications of the candidate. StARS salaries are competitive with the local market. Position salary will be discussed at the shortlisting and interview stage.
This position is subject to a three-month probationary period, at which time the employee’s performance will be reviewed and probation may be extended.
Closing date for applications: 7 January 2024
Anticipated Starting date: 29 January 2024
Please send your Cover Letter and CV and brief legal writing sample to [email protected] using the subject line “Refugee Status Determination Legal Officer”. All applications should provide contact information for two professional/academic reference (referees will only be contacted after interviews).
Note: Only short-listed applicants will be contacted for an interview.
