VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
Legal Associate - Contingency Roster
In 2013, over 42,000 persons arrived by sea to Italy, marking the second largest mixed migratory flow of the past ten years. Nationals from Syria and Eritrea made up for more than half of the total sea arrivals in 2013, indicative of an increasing number of persons in need of international protection among those arriving in mixed migratory movements by sea.
In the first 9 months of 2014, the numbers of sea arrivals sharply increased up to 135,000, and projections indicate that this trend might continue in 2015. Nationals from Syria, Somalia and Eritrea continue to represent the largest groups. In particular, as the situation in Syria does not improve and the routes through Turkey, Egypt and Libya remain open, a surge in arrivals of Syrian nationals is expected in the coming months. Against this background, the Italian Ministry of Interior decided to authorize the tenth phase of the Praesidium project in 2015.
UNHCR hence intends to establish a roster comprised of qualified field workers in order to respond to possible emerging protection needs in areas of sea arrivals (Apulia, Calabria and Sicily).
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
a. monitor the admission/rejection practice of the competent authorities regarding the arrivals of "mixed flows", inter alia by carrying out missions to the reception centers and – as appropriate – to relevant sea ports and areas of arrivals and by: participating, as appropriate, in the identification- and screening procedure applied by the competent police forces; carrying out, as appropriate, interviews with potential asylum seekers arriving via sea; gathering any other useful information regarding the a/m admission practice from other available sources;
b. ensure that information on the possibility to apply for asylum procedure is disseminated among all arrivals (i.a. also through the distribution of information material);
c. ensure that - potential - asylum seekers are provided with adequate legal counseling;
d. ensure that those who intend to apply for asylum are admitted to the asylum procedure;
e. provide support and on-the-job training to relevant actors and organize and/or participate in training events;
f. monitor the reception conditions offered to asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international protection and contribute, in particular, to the elaboration of a set of common standards and criteria for monitoring activities in centers hosting (also potential) asylum seekers;
h. establish and maintain contacts with all relevant actors involved, in particular with the local authorities, the local Prefectures, the police and other public security forces, camp management and -operators, relevant NGOs, and with the competent officials of the Ministry of Interior;
i. undertake necessary UNHCR training;
j. respect the confidentiality of any sensitive information and adhere to the UNHCR Code of Conduct;
k. perform other protection-related duties as required.
Qualifications Required:
 - University Degree in Law, Political Science or related areas;
 - At least 4 years of work experience in the field of asylum/refugee procedures;
 - Proficiency in written and oral English and Italian;
 - Ability to interact with diverse groups, work under pressure and produce report within tight deadlines;
 - Ability to work in a team and in a multi-cultural environment;
 - IT skills: Microsoft Office, Power Point, Internet.
Starting Date: January 2015
Envisaged Duration: 6 months
Envisaged Duty Stations: Apulia, Calabria or Sicily
Remuneration: UNOPS Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA) terms and conditions
How to Apply: Interested candidates are invited to fill in the Personal History Form (P.11) which can
be downloaded at www.unhcr.org/recruit/p11new.doc  and send the duly completed form, together
with a motivation letter, both in English, by e-mail to itarovacancies@unhcr.org . Please specify the
job title in the subject line.
Closing Date for Applications: 7 November 2014
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Please note that:
 - There is no automatic notification service for confirming receipt of applications.
 - Incomplete applications will not be considered.
 - Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for an interview