Description of UNV VOLUNTEER DESCRIPTION of ASSIGNMENT

Description of UNV VOLUNTEER DESCRIPTION of ASSIGNMENT

Description of UNV VOLUNTEER DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT

Preamble:

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that promotes volunteerism to support peace and development worldwide. Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development and it benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for volunteerism globally, encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing volunteers.

In most cultures volunteerism is deeply embedded in long-established, ancient traditions of sharing and support within the communities. In this context, UNV volunteers take part in various forms of volunteerism and play a role in development and peace together with co-workers, host agencies and local communities.

In all assignments, UNV volunteers promote volunteerism through their action and conduct. Engaging in volunteer activity can effectively and positively enrich their understanding of local and social realities, as well as create a bridge between themselves and the people in their host community. This will make the time they spend as UNV volunteers even more rewarding and productive.

1. UNV Assignment Title:Finance Assistant

2. Type of Assignment:

International UNV volunteer

National UNV volunteer 

3. Project Title:UNHCR Operation in the Russian Federation

4. Duration:15 August 2010 – 31 December 2011

5. Location, Country:Moscow, Russian Federation

6. Expected Starting Date:15 August 2010

7. Brief Project Description:

Since 1993 UNHCR Moscow has been distributing cash assistance to the asylum-seekers and refugees residing in Moscow and the nearby regions. In addition, UNHCR Moscow is implementing the DAFI and Volrep to Afghanistan sub-projects with payment of cash allowances to the beneficiaries. All payments have been effected in cash by the two local United Nations Volunteers cashiers/distributors in the premises of the Refugee Support Centre (RSC). On average, some 180 persons have got cash assistance monthly during the first half of 2010.

Back in 1998, UNHCR Moscow did this process through a bank, but it stopped during the financial crisis, and other banks did not agree to work with our beneficiaries due to their lack of proper documents. In 2008, UNHCR Moscow started to research an alternative to the current system of cash handling at the RSC, and initiated discussions and meetings with four banks on the issue of paying individual assistance to the beneficiaries directly through the bank. In 2009, Sberbank expressed interest in working with UNHCR and considered a possibility of issuing standard plastic payment cards to UNHCR beneficiaries. However, this option is no longer feasible. The Russian Government plans to establish combined identity and payment cards that would streamline the payment of pensions, taxes, and be used like bank cards n stores. The plan is to issue plastic identity cards with microchips containing holder’s personal information and combining the features of a social security card and a bank card, enabling people to pay taxes, draw pensions and buy products in shops. Creating in Russia a national system of payment cards might be a good idea, but it is not clear to us whether and how the UNHCR beneficiaries with no proper documents might benefit from this new system and when and whether the transfer to the bank payment is feasible. Therefore, UNHCR has to continue cash payments and needs to maintain a cashier’s position

8. Host Agency/Host Institute:UNHCR Moscow

9. Organizational Context:(under this point two types of issues could be addressed: a) the partners/organizations, besides the host agency, with which the volunteer will be dealing/interacting with during the performance of the tasks under the assignment and the role of these partners in the development process/issue tackled by the project, and/or b) the brief description of the organization (host agency) in which the volunteer will be working (number of units/divisions, etc) and description and role of the unit/department where the volunteer will be placed)

As a result of the external audit in 2004, UNHCR Moscow developed a strategy for taking over the individual cash payments to the beneficiaries from the implementing partners to enhance the operational flexibility and eliminate the risk of taxation implications and pressure from the local tax authorities. The need for two UNV cashier-distributors with local knowledge and expertise was identified and individuals with the right profile were selected to fulfill the required role from 2005 until now. Contracts of the two local UNV cashiers-distributors will expire on 31 July 2010. Both UNVs have served the maximum period of a UNV assignment (5 years) and cannot be exceptionally extended beyond this maximum. Taking into account the need to continue the cash assistance programme, UNHCR Moscow will need to hire a new UNV to have sufficient human resources to do this work.

From 2010, UNHCR Moscow has started reducing the scope of cash assistance and plans to keep it to a minimum by the end of 2011. However, a complete phase-out is not deemed possible at this stage. It requires a political decision on behalf of the RF Government to regularize the situation of the asylum-seekers. We assume that we will need one full-time local UNV cashier at least until the end of 2011 to make the payments and process the documents, as this is quite a significant chunk of work, which cannot be transferred to the Programme or Administrative Units functions. Considering the need for stability and continuity in an operation, the objective will be best met using national staff with local knowledge and expertise.

10. Type of Assignment Place: assignment with family/ without family (please choose)

11. Description of tasks:

Under the direct supervision of Programme Officer (back-up Snr. Programme Assistant) the UNV volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

  • Distribute cash assistance to the beneficiaries in accordance with the established procedure
  • Record the decisions of the Assistance Commission in proGres.
  • Collect from the medical partner, verify and process the supporting documents for reimbursement of the medical costs to the beneficiaries.
  • Issue beneficiaries lists from proGres for clearance by the Programme unit.
  • Issue payments to the beneficiaries by cash according to the established procedure.
  • Record all cash payments in proGres.
  • Enter payments on cash register and count money in cash drawer at the end of the day to ensure that amounts are correct.
  • Prepare monthly cash delivery requests, including banknote breakdowns.
  • Deposit payments into the proper accounts using basic accounting practice and UNHCR budget codes.
  • Prepare summary reports in the existing formats to reflect cash flow.
  • Prepare and maintain various records, reports and files of transaction data.
  • Call beneficiaries to inform them about the approved payments.
  • Distribute sanitary materials to the eligible beneficiaries, record the distribution data in proGres, and maintain stock balance reports.
  • Perform other tasks related to cash and material assistance to the beneficiaries as per request of UNHCR.

Furthermore, UNV volunteers are encouraged to:

  • Strengthening their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and taking active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark IVD);
  • Getting acquainted with and building on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
  • Reflecting on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities;
  • Contributing articles/write-ups on field experiences and submitting them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
  • Assisting with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UNV volunteers;
  • Promoting or advising local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encouraging relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

12. Results/Expected Output:

  • Beneficiaries served on time.
  • Standards for customer services met.
  • Beneficiaries’ complaints effectively resolved; information on procedures and policies provided.
  • No discrepancies found.
  • Clean and orderly cash distribution area maintained.
  • Cash distribution records, reports and files accurately maintained.
  • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for development during your assignment such as specific quantification of mobilized volunteers, activities, capacities.

13. Qualifications/Requirements:

  • At least six-months experience in counting, receiving, or disbursing money, or any equivalent combination of experience and/or education from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.
  • Knowledge of basic arithmetic.
  • Knowledge of basic bookkeeping.
  • Skills in cashiering procedures and techniques.
  • Skills in dealing effectively with people and problem solving.
  • Giving full attention to what other people are saying, asking questions as appropriate.
  • Basic knowledge of structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words and grammar.
  • Using computer to enter data.

14. Living Conditions:n/a

15. Conditions of Service

A 12-month contract; monthly volunteer living allowance (VLA) intended to cover housing, basic needs and utilities, equivalent to US$ 700; settling-in-grant (if applicable); life, health, and permanent disability insurance; return airfares (if applicable); resettlement allowance for satisfactory service.

Your resumes/CVs along with P11 forms submit electronically to:

by NLT 10 August 2010. Applications beyond the indicated deadline will not be accepted.

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