Field Assistant

Host entity: UNHCR Romania

Volunteer type: National

Areas of expertise: Communication, advocacy, public information

Application deadline: 03/09/2026

Mission and objectives

Our primary purpose at UNHCR is to safeguard the rights and well-being of people who have been forced to flee. Together with partners and communities, we work to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another country. We also strive to secure lasting solutions.

For over half a century, UNHCR has helped millions of people to restart their lives. They include refugees, returnees, stateless people, the internally displaced and asylum-seekers. Our protection, shelter, health and education has been crucial, healing broken pasts and building brighter futures.

Assignment context

The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was created in 1950, during the aftermath of the Second World War, to help millions of Europeans who had fled or lost their homes. We had three years to complete our work and then disband.

Today, over 70 years later, our organization is still hard at work, protecting and assisting refugees around the world.

Since 24 February 2022, Romania has received almost 7 million refugees fleeing directly from Ukraine or coming from Moldova. While many refugees are passing through Romania as transit country on their way to Poland, Germany, Bulgaria, or other countries, over 170,000 have received temporary protection status in Romania. Romania’s status as both a transit and a destination country necessitate a response premised on three key directions: first, providing immediate, urgently needed protection and assistance to arrivals to Romania; second, ensuring information about and access to legal statuses to which arrivals to Romania may apply, alongside non-discriminatory access to rights and services provided by the government and humanitarian actors, and third, ensure accountability and effective two way communication with the refugee population

This Field Assistant assignment is for a replacement of an already existing assignment.

Task description

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of Field Officer, and within the Bucharest field team’s area of responsibility, the Field Assistant:

· Contribute to the strengthening of the field team’s engagement with national and local authorities, organizations, civil society and refugee communities and identify opportunities for collaboration;

· Support with the planning and monitoring of the field team’s activities and ensure compliance with established policies, guidelines, procedures and standards;

· Engage the refugee communities through two-way communication to provide feedback on needs and assistance;

· Contribute to advocacy efforts and activities, particularly in the areas of access to basic needs, inclusion and integration;

· Support the coordination of partners and activities at UNHCR’s Community Centre at Romexpo;

· Support the monitoring of the UNHCR Community Centre at Romexpo, ensuring smooth operations and timely resolution of operational issues;

· Conduct needs assessments and support with data collection in the areas of basic needs;

· Support with non-food items post-distribution monitoring in close coordination with the relevant actors;

· Assist with field team coordination and communication with other UNHCR units for joint activities and information sharing;

· Support with the planning of meetings, events and field missions with participation as needed;

· Conduct regular field visits and protection monitoring missions to assess basic needs and identify protection concerns across diverse locations.

· Support with interpretation in the exchange of routine information, and contribute to related liaison activities;

· Contribute to capacity-building initiatives for authorities, partners and other actors;

· Administrative tasks as required such as preparation of reports and meeting minutes;

· Contribute to age, gender and diversity mainstreaming in all field activities;

· Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.

Results/expected outputs:

· As an active UNHCR team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNHCR and forcibly displaced persons in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including:

· Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honors commitments;

· Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules;

· Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time and quality standards;

· Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment

· A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed

Skills and experience

At least 3 years of professional work experience, or demonstrated ad hoc experience at the national and/or international level in the areas of political science, law, international relations or development or other relevant programmes; experience with Community Based Organisations and participatory methods is an asset, as is experience working in the UN or other international development organization;

· Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills;

· Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing;

· Strong capacity to work with individuals from different ages, genders and backgrounds

· Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels;

· Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel;

· Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines;

· Sound security awareness;

· Have affinity with or interest in working with refugees and volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System.

Competencies and values

· Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNHCR procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented;

· Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UNHCR in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority;

· Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity;sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age;commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues;

· Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment.

· Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities;

· Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups;

· Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary;

· Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNHCR’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

Living conditions

Romania is located in a temperate climate zone having 4 seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter). Winters are becoming milder with average temperatures around -2 centigrade on average during the daytime. Summers are hot, occasionally reaching around 35 centigrade, especially in July and August.

Bucharest is a safe metropolitan city, however as in any other city caution and good judgement shall be exercised.

Accommodation is relatively easy to find although more challenging in the last few months; short-, mid- and long-term. The city offers a wide range of hotels, Airbnb, long term rents, etc in areas not immediately neighbouring UNHCR Office. Accommodation can be fixed using the services of property agencies but online solutions are also numerous. You may check the full benefits and allowances applicable to the duty station using the UVP calculator. Please see the Conditions of Service for UN Volunteers for more information and details.”

As this is a National UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials.

UN Volunteer entitlements and allowances:

The purpose of the allowances and entitlements paid to UN Volunteers is to enable UN Volunteers to sustain a secure standard of living at the duty stations in line with United Nations standards without incurring personal costs. The allowances are in no way to be understood as compensation, reward, or salary in exchange for the UN Volunteer’s service. Contingent on specific eligibility criteria, location of the volunteer assignment, and contractual type and category, the payment of allowances will begin from the date of Commencement of Service For more information on entitlements please read the Condition of Service (https://explore.unv.org/cos). For information specific to your assignment please see below:

Monthly Living Allowance (Per month) apx. RON 8161.41
*The amount may fluctuate due to the local bank exchange rates.
Entry lump sum (one-time payment) USD 350
Travel Ticket when moving to duty station USD 200
Exit allowance (for each month served, paid on completion of contract) USD 120
Medical and life insurance Cigna Private Insurance

Leave entitlements: Annual leave: 2.5 days accrued per calendar month
Certified sick leave: 30 days annually
Uncertified sick leave: 7 days annually
Learning leave: 10 working days per consecutive 12 months
Maternity Leave: 16 weeks
Paternity Leave: 10 days

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.