Egypt: Resettlement Coordinator, Refugee Legal Aid Program

Founded in 1979, St Andrew’s Refugee Services (StARS) is a refugee service provider in central Cairo that works to enhance the quality of life for refugees and vulnerable migrants through four programs: adult and children’s education, legal, and psychosocial 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.

Our mission is to enhance the quality of life of refugees in Egypt and make their rights a reality through client-centered programs.

Our vision is a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for refugees in which they can exercise their rights, pursue their aspirations, and live in dignity.

Out students and clients come from many places, including Ethiopia, Iraq, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, and Syria. StARS does not discriminate on the basis of nationality, ethnicity, or religion.

To learn more, please visit http://stars-egypt.org/ or https://www.facebook.com/standrewsrefugeeservices?fref=ts

Project Description: Refugee Legal Aid Program

The Refugee Legal Aid Program (RLAP) 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. RLAP is seeking a Resettlement Coordinator to oversee RLAP’s assistance to vulnerable refugees in accessing the resettlement process. To learn more about RLAP’s work, please visit http://stars-egypt.org/rlap/

Role

Under the supervision of the RLAP Director, the RLAP Resettlement Coordinator is responsible for the management and development of RLAP’s resettlement program. In consultation with the RLAP Director, the RLAP Resettlement Coordinator shall be responsible for determining the strategic direction of RLAP’s African/Iraqi and Syrian resettlement work. The RLAP Legal Coordinator will be responsible for the day-to-day management of RLAP’s Resettlement Team, which consists of one Legal Officer, two Legal Fellows, and between five and eight Volunteer Legal Advisors.

Responsibilities

All duties are carried out under the supervision of the RLAP Director. Effective communication with the RLAP Director and other StARS program coordinators is essential to the success of this role.

Legal and Technical

• To develop and supervise the screening and intake of potential clients for representation in resettlement matters.
• To maintain good working knowledge of UNHCR policies and procedures in resettlement matters.
• To oversee the review and preparation of resettlement referrals to both the African/Iraqi and Syrian Resettlement Units at UNHCR.
• To manage regular referrals of resettlement cases to UNHCR’s African/Iraqi and Syrian Resettlement Units and to manage follow-up communication and inquiries regarding resettlement cases.
• In coordination with the RLAP Director, to develop and manage RLAP’s provision of legal assistance in protection matters and ensure close coordination with StARS’s Psychosocial Team regarding StARS responses to protection issues.
• To maintain accurate records of client representations, including client files and RLAP’s resettlement case docket.
• To adhere to the Nairobi Code of Ethics, the StARS Policies and Procedures Manual, the StARS Code of Conduct, and the StARS Safety and Security Policy.

Programmatic

• In coordination with the RLAP Director, to maintain and develop RLAP’s relationship with UNHCR’s Resettlement Unit.
• To lead and participate in training for community groups and partner organizations regarding referral of potential resettlement cases to RLAP, with special emphasis on developing RLAP’s relationship with Syrian refugee service providers and community-based organizations.
• To provide reporting data to the RLAP Director as requested for purposes of reporting work to senior management, funders, and others.
• To regularly attend StARS management meetings for purposes of fostering close coordination with other StARS programs.

Supervisory

• In coordination with the RLAP Director, to recruit, train, and supervise the RLAP Resettlement Team, including paid staff, fellows, and volunteers.
• To complete tasks for and monitor progress on the StARS Strategic Plan.
• To engage proactively in promoting self-care among volunteers and staff.
• To ensure high-quality legal advice and representation and a refugee rights-based approach.

Finance/Administration

• To undergo probation and regular performance appraisals.
• To meet at least bi-weekly with the RLAP Director regarding the work of RLAP’s Resettlement Team.
• To revise the strategy of RLAP in response to changing situations and participate in annual work planning.

Qualifications & Experience

The ideal candidate will 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 RLAP Legal Coordinator must be fluent in verbal and written English.
• Working proficiency in Arabic strongly preferred.
• Qualified lawyer in any jurisdiction (J.D., LLB or equivalent), Master’s degree in a related field (Middle East studies, international development, international law, development studies) OR a minimum of one year of experience in providing assistance to refugees in the resettlement process.
• Excellent legal research and drafting skills.
• A demonstrated commitment to and sensitivity toward vulnerable or displaced people.
• Ability to live and work in a fluid security environment.
• Knowledge of or familiarity with UNHCR guidelines and procedures and the UNHCR resettlement process.
• Well organized, self-motivated, and reliable.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team as well as individually.
• Managerial experience and/or familiarity with volunteer oversight.
• Interviewing skills and proven experience dealing with challenging scenarios, particularly in advocating for survivors of violence, trafficking, torture, and SGBV.

Desirable Characteristics:

• 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.

Salary: 4,700 EGP/month, rising to 5,000 EGP/month at the completion of the probationary period (plus 100 EGP/month medical allowance).

Closing date for applications: 9 January 2016; applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Anticipated starting date: 24 January 2016.

The RLAP Legal Coordinator is expected to work 35 hours per week (with overtime as required) between the hours of 9am and 6pm from Sunday to Thursday.

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.

Interested applicants should send a cover letter, CV, and brief legal writing sample to rlap.applications@stars-egypt.org. Please write “Resettlement Coordinator” in the subject line.