Assistant RSD Officer (N)

November 28, 2025

A (least hardship)

FamilyFamily

NOA

National Professional Officer

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2026-01-01

Assistant RSD Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Assistant RSD Officer is a member of the Refugee Status Determination (RSD) team. S/he is responsible for conducting RSD interviews to determine eligibility for refugee status, undertaking country of origin (COI) and other research related to the claim, as required, and drafting RSD assessments. The Assistant RSD Officer provides counselling to asylum seekers and refugees on UNHCR's RSD procedures and on their status, rights and obligations in the country of asylum. S/he may review RSD assessments of less experienced members of the RSD team, seeking the advice of a more senior RSD/Protection Officer on complex cases, and may assist in developing and implementing RSD training and other measures to enhance the quality and efficiency of RSD decision-making.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
- Stay abreast of legal, political, security and other developments which impact on the protection environment, and in particular, on protection delivery through RSD.
- Assist in the development of the RSD strategy of the operation and in the annual planning exercise.
- Conduct RSD interviews and draft RSD Assessments in accordance with applicable standards and guidelines.
- Review and endorse RSD decisions and provide appropriate feedback and guidance to RSD staff.
- Maintain accurate and up-to date records and data related to work on individual cases.
- Provide counselling to asylum seekers and refugees.
- Assist in preventing and identifying fraud in RSD through oversight, advice and guidance to UNHCR staff, partners and persons of concern.
- Assist in monitoring RSD trends and in compiling and analysing RSD statistics related to RSD case processing to identify and respond to developments or issues impacting on the efficiency or quality of RSD decision-making, and to propose remedial measures.
- Conduct research on country of origin information (COI) and legal issues related to RSD and assist in maintaining a local repository of relevant information, guidelines and standards accessible to RSD staff in the operation
- Ensure that persons of concern, Government authorities and legal partners have accurate information on the RSD procedures, including UNHCR standards, policy and practice.
- Assist in developing and maintaining processes to ensure that persons of concern, Government authorities and partners have accurate information on the RSD procedures, including UNHCR standards, policies and practice.
- Assist in initiatives to advocate with and support Government authorities and legal partners to establish and strengthen fair and efficient RSD procedures and RSD decision-making.
- Assist in evaluating and projecting RSD staffing needs using the RSD Staffing Benchmarks.
- Decide and endorse RSD decisions.

- 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 P1/NOA - 1 year relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or no experience with Graduate degree; or no experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Law; Political Science;
International Relations; or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
HCR RSD Lrng Programme;
HCR Cntry of Orig Inf Lrng Prg;
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Minimum 1 year of relevant professional job experience, preferably in the area of refugee protection, human rights or international humanitarian law. Knowledge of International Refugee Law and Human Rights Law and ability to apply the relevant legal principles.
Desirable
Working experience with procedures and principles related to RSD is highly desirable. Experience as a decision-maker in UNHCR or Government RSD procedures. Experience in counselling asylum seekers or refugees. Experience in working with vulnerable or traumatized individuals.

Functional Skills
DM-Data Collection and Analysis
PR-Counselling Asylum Seekers or Refugees
CO-Drafting and Documentation
LE-Legal Research
PR-RSD - Principles and Procedures, operational arrangements/assistance
SO-Research
PR-Government Refugee Status Determination (RSD) procedures
WB-Treatment of vulnerable/traumatized individuals
(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.

Operational Context

The Assistant RSD Officer (NO-A) is a member of the RSD Unit under the Protection Section, based in the UNHCR Multi-Country Office for Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Thailand is not a signatory to the 1951 Convention/1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees and there is no domestic legal protection framework in place for asylum seekers and refugees. UNHCR is conducting mandate refugee status determination for the urban population and the RSD team is currently responding to some 2,800 asylum seekers from 35 nationalities.

In late 2019, the Royal Thai Government (RTG) approved the establishment of a National Screening Mechanism (NSM) to identify persons with international protection needs on the territory of Thailand and lend predictability to the asylum and protection space. The NSM became operational in 2023. UNHCR is working closely with government counterparts to support these efforts.

The Assistant RSD Officer is a central member of the mandate RSD team with supervisory responsibilities as well as the NSM lead for the operation. This includes the day-to-day management of UNHCR’s mandate RSD procedures, processes for file assignment and management within the RSD procedures, scheduling procedures, coordination of the work of interpreters, reviewing RSD assessments, providing legal and procedural guidance, and drafting relevant standard operating procedures.

In what is an evolving context, the Assistant RSD Officer, under the overall guidance and supervision of the Senior Protection Officer, will play an important role in supporting the RTG’s implementation of the NSM and its compliance with international standards, including through leading capacity building initiatives, providing technical guidance and advice on relevant policies and operational structures, and advocating and liaising with government and non-governmental stakeholders on matters related to the NSM. As such, experience engaging directly with Thai authorities is essential.

The incumbent will support the Multi-Country Office’s strategy, planning and reporting responsibilities related to RSD and asylum systems. Further, the Assistant RSD Officer will assist the Senior Protection Officer in the ongoing development of UNHCR’s RSD and advocacy strategy for the Multi-Country Office.

Thai

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

Nature of Position:

Living and Working Conditions:

 

Additional Qualifications

Skills

CO-Drafting and Documentation, DM-Data Collection and Analysis, LE-Legal Research, PR-Counselling Asylum Seekers or Refugees, PR-Government Refugee Status Determination (RSD) procedures, PR-RSD - Principles and Procedures, operational arrangements/assistance, SO-Research, WB-Treatment of vulnerable/traumatized individuals

Bachelor of Arts: International Relations, Bachelor of Arts: Law, Bachelor of Arts: Political Science

Certifications

HCR Country of Origin Information Learning Program - UNHCR, HCR RSD Learning Program - UNHCR

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Judgement & decision making, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Teamwork & collaboration

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance