C Family UNOPS LICA6 2024-10-15 October 15, 2024 Operational Context: Venezuela-Brazil Emergency Response Operation
The humanitarian crisis precipitated by the socio-political and economic collapse in Venezuela has led to one of the largest mass displacements in Latin American history. Thousands of Venezuelans, including significant numbers of indigenous populations, have sought refuge in neighboring Brazil. The indigenous communities fleeing Venezuela include Warao, Pemón, Eñepá, Kariña, and others, whose livelihoods and cultural identities have been severely impacted by the ongoing crisis. Many have crossed into Brazil’s northernmost state, Roraima, particularly through the border town of Pacaraima, seeking safety, necessities, and protection.
In response to this influx, Brazil launched Operação Acolhida (Operation Welcome) in 2018, a multi-agency, government-led humanitarian operation supported by UNHCR and other international organizations. The operation focuses on providing immediate protection and assistance to incoming refugees and migrants, including temporary shelter, access to healthcare, documentation, and legal support. One of the critical aspects of the response is addressing the specific needs of indigenous Venezuelans, who are particularly vulnerable due to cultural and linguistic barriers, distinct socio-political structures, and their deep connection to ancestral lands.
The humanitarian situation remains fluid, with continuous border crossings and a steady flow of new arrivals. The indigenous populations face unique challenges, including a lack of access to culturally appropriate services, displacement from their traditional territories, and an increased risk of exploitation, gender-based violence (GBV), and statelessness. Indigenous migrants are often less familiar with legal processes and more isolated from support networks, complicating their access to protection and durable solutions such as local integration.
The Field Associate plays a crucial role in this context, ensuring that indigenous refugees and migrants receive protection and assistance tailored to their cultural, social, and legal needs. This requires close collaboration with indigenous leaders, local authorities, and operational partners to safeguard their rights while ensuring that protection frameworks respect their traditions. Addressing statelessness, ensuring child protection, managing GBV cases, and facilitating access to education are among the key challenges faced in responding to the specific needs of these communities.
Moreover, the border between Venezuela and Brazil remains a politically sensitive and dynamic zone, requiring continuous monitoring to prevent cases of refoulement and other rights violations. The operation also faces logistical challenges, given the remoteness of the areas and the pressures placed on local resources and services in Roraima.
The long-term nature of the crisis underscores the need for durable solutions, including local integration and resettlement opportunities, to ensure the safety, dignity, and rights of indigenous Venezuelan populations in Brazil. Balancing emergency response with sustainable protection strategies that involve the indigenous communities in decision-making processes is vital to maintaining the operational integrity of the Venezuela-Brazil emergency response.

Accountability:

• Ensure all protection activities are implemented in accordance with UNHCR’s standards and applicable legal frameworks, with special attention to indigenous rights.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with indigenous communities, local authorities, and protection partners to ensure culturally appropriate and effective protection responses.
• Work across sectors to ensure that protection considerations for indigenous refugees and migrants are integrated into all operational responses.

Required Qualifications:

• Knowledge of international human rights, refugee law, sociology, Anthropology and indigenous rights or other related fields.
• Proven experience working with indigenous populations and handling protection cases in a multi-stakeholder environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with demonstrated experience in negotiation, advocacy, and culturally sensitive communication.
• Familiarity with protection issues specific to indigenous communities, including child protection, statelessness, and gender-based violence.

This role requires a proactive and culturally sensitive approach, balancing immediate protection needs with long-term strategic planning to ensure that indigenous refugees and migrants are central to decision-making processes that impact their lives.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

Eligibility:

This position is advertised to internal and external applicants. Candidates must be legally present in Brazil at the time of application, recruitment and hire. Only Brazilian citizens or candidates legally present in Brazil will be considered eligible.

Only short-listed candidates will be notified. The recruitment process might include written test and/or oral interview for this job opening. No late applications will be accepted.

Remuneration:

UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training or any other fees).

A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered depending on relevant experience as per the requirements of the job advertisement.

Language requirements:

Portuguese as mother tongue is essential.

Working knowledge in English is also essential. Knowledge of Spanish will be considered as an asset.

Contract duration: until 31st December 2024.

Applications:

All applications must be submitted online in Workday. Email applications will not be accepted. Incomplete and late applications will not be accepted. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Shortlisted candidates might be required to sit for a written test and/or oral interview.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted based on the information submitted during the application. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

UNHCR is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, sexual orientation, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. UNHCR seeks to ensure that male and female employees are given equal career opportunities. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.

UNHCR has a zero-tolerance policy against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA). SEA is unacceptable behavior and prohibited conduct for UNHCR personnel. It constitutes acts of serious misconduct and is therefore grounds for disciplinary measures, including dismissal. Any concerns or suspicions about a possible case of SEA should be reported immediately to the Inspector General’s Office (IGO) at inspector@unhcr.org or through the online complain form at https://www.unhcr.org/php/complaints.php or by confidential fax: +41 22 739 73 80.

• Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
• Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G6 - 3 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not applicable

Certificates and/or Licenses
Business Administration Law Political Science
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Not specified

Desirable
Completion of UNHCR learning programmes or specific training relevant to functions of the position.
UNHCR field experience.

Functional Skills

• IT-Computer Literacy

CO-Drafting and Documentation
CL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community
PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards)
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates. Portuguese English Spanish Anthropology, CL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community, CO-Drafting and Documentation, Continuous Monitoring, Core Values Bachelor of Arts (BA): Anthropology Law - Other, Political Science - Other, Social Anthropology - Other This position doesn't require a functional clearance No