Assistant Resettlement Officer at HIAS Refugee Trust of Kenya

POSITION SUMMARY:

HIAS seeks to recruit an Assistant Resettlement Officer who will be expected to contribute towards meeting the departmental goals, aimed at promoting resettlement as a durable solution for the most at-risk refugee populations.  The Assistant Resettlement Officer will be responsible for intake interviews, resettlement interviews, the analysis of claims and need for resettlement and the drafting of Refugee Resettlement Forms (RRFs).  The incumbent should be qualified to represent HIAS resettlement clients in the Kenyan courts and provide legal information and assistance as it pertains to the client’s resettlement case.  They will also contribute to reporting for both internal HIAS purposes at the country and HQ levels and to donors. As part of the case management process, the Assistant Resettlement Officer with liaise with external referral stakeholders and partners and will conduct thorough case conferencing.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Conduct resettlement interviews, analyze claims, and apply applicable international law in accordance with HIAS Standards Operating Procedures.
• Advise and represent clients in court for child custody matters.
• Draft Resettlement Referral Forms and send to the Resettlement Coordinator for review.
• Complete resettlement forms for submission to relevant Embassies.
• Follow up on status of cases from submission to departure; ensure effective in-country communication on the status and follow-up on persons of concern being considered for resettlement; ensure that records on individual cases are kept up to date.
• Keep the Resettlement Coordinator abreast of weekly resettlement activities during weekly departmental meetings and by-weekly case tracking.
• Conduct individual counselling to clients on the HIAS internal resettlement process and HIAS anti-fraud policy.
• Provide timely and accurate feedback and information to HIAS resettlement partners and stakeholders.
• Provide technical and administrative support for resettlement-related training activities
• Attend case counselling sessions for individual clients with the aim of providing clients with timely and accurate feedback on the status of their cases.
• Maintain a database and an individual case management strategy for cases under resettlement consideration.
• Update status of resettlement cases on the Case Management System
• Maintain accurate resettlement statistics as well as up-to-date records on individual cases; assist in the preparation of reports.
• Conduct follow up for cases referred to external referral partners and provide timely updates on the status of the follow ups.
• Attend theme group meetings with various stakeholders and report back during weekly departmental meetings.
• Assist in preparing a budget for resettlement activities as well as monitoring expenditures and accounting for the same
• Facilitate and participate in trainings on resettlement and anti-fraud, including but not limited to preparing training materials and conducting research.
• Assist in the development of IEC materials on anti-fraud and resettlement case processing; and,
• Perform other duties as and when required. 

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:

• University Degree in Law. 
• Must be an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya. 
• Minimum of 3 years’ professional experience in working in refugee related context or in an NGO related context. Refugee Resettlement experience is preferred.  
• Knowledge of international legal framework governing refugees, human rights/human rights law preferred,  
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Excellent interviewing and counselling skills
• Ability to interact with refugee populations, strong interpersonal and diplomacy skills  
• Strong computer skills, in particular Microsoft Office,
• Excellent organizational and time management skills. 
• Proficiency in English and Swahili required.  
• Knowledge in Accountability to Affected Populations 
• Knowledge in PSEA 

DISCLAIMER:

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills required or permanent location. Location is subject to change based on programmatic needs. Flexibility is essential as we grow and develop. The successful candidate must be comfortable in a fast-paced, changing work environment with many crucial deadlines. All team members may be required to perform duties outside of their normal work hours of responsibilities as needed.

SAMPLE HIRING PROCESS:

We are committed to a fair and respectful hiring process, and we do our absolute best to respond to every applicant. We prioritize communication and transparency with all candidates, even those who are not moving forward. Here’s a snapshot of our hiring process: