Deadline for Applications
March 3, 2026
Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)
B
Family Type (not applicable for home-based)
Family
Staff Member / Affiliate Type
Community UN Volunteer (Local)
2026-03-15
UN VOLUNTEER DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT
1. Description of Assignment title: Refugee Reception Area Assistant
2. Host entity: UNHCR
3. Assignment Country: Jordan, Mafraq
4. Volunteer Category: Refugee UN Volunteer
5. Number of assignments: 1
6. Start date: 2/15/26
7. Duration in months or set expected end date: 11 months.
8. Possibility of extension: ☒Yes ☐No
*Dependent on continuation of mandate, availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance; there is no guarantee of assignment extension.
9. Sustainable Development Goal(s):
1. No Poverty
3. Good Health and Well-being
10. Mission and Objectives:
The Office of the UNHCR was established on December 14 1950, by the UN General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and coordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally, or resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org).
11. Context:
This assignment is for individuals with a stateless, refugee or similar protective status, including Temporary Protection in the country of assignment. An official document proving refugee status must be submitted. The applicant with the abovementioned refugee status should submit the official document as proof of refugee status before and/or during the interview. The applications without the respective document will not be considered for this assignment.
With over 420,000 registered refugees, including some 90% from Syria, Jordan is among UNHCR's largest operations. The operation moves at high speed and requires regular adaptability and flexibility. Zaatari camp was established on July 27, 2012, as a temporary home for Syrian refugees fleeing their home country. The camp hosts more than 51,000 refugees.
The Refugee UN Volunteer Reception Area Assistant is considered the first line of staff covering the community needs, takes the overall responsibility for camp management-related issues in the Zaatari camp, and reports the needed information to the UNHCR Field unit under the direct supervision of the Field officer.
Average computer knowledge and good experience in reporting are required. The assigned Refugee UN Volunteer must exercise great diplomacy in his/her tasks and enable harmonisation in assistance across the operational area. S/he should also proactively assist the office's units in projecting needs with requesters and participate in planning and unit service delivery strategy. The working conditions at the field level require flexibility, service-oriented, and excellent interpersonal skills to ensure a solid team spirit.
Applicants should understand that, in the regular course of his/her duties, there will be public or external occasions where photos and videos will be recorded and as a result his/her likeness may appear in the media and social media and in media. S/he will therefore need to be comfortable with her/his picture appearing on the internet.
12. Task description:
Under the direct supervision of the Field Officer, the Refugee UN Volunteer will:
• Conduct all administrative matters in the UNHCR Reception Area in Zaatari camp, including reporting any maintenance and cleaning needed, monitoring the site, and inventory record keeping.
• Perform a daily check of the Reception Area's readiness according to standard operational proceedures, and addressing any other issues arising.
• Be flexible ready and able to occasionally work on a night shift when the Reception Area receive cases that need the presence of the RUNV.
• Support in prioritising, reviewing, and discussing the response action for the referred by different UNHCR units.
• Supporting with data entry and helping contact camp refugees to collect field-related information.
• Follow up and update the waiting list for caravan distribution, and the priority/eligibility of refugee families to receive extra/new caravans.
• Support in reviewing/updating the caravan distribution priority/ eligibility list criteria.
• Report empty, vacant, or closed shelters to the Field Officer for proper action.
• Follow up on any cases experiencing problems with the Mobile Wallet services and requiring a home visit to check.
• Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the Field Officer.
Furthermore, Refugee UNVs are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers program mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities during their work. As such, they should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and taking an active part in UNV activities;
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
• Provide annual and end-of-assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results, and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;
• Promote or advise local groups in online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organisations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever possible.
13. Area(s) of specialization:
• Knowledge of Zaatari camp composition, structure, and sitting;
• Knowledge of the UNHCR Reception Area operations and regulations;
• Knowledge of the UNHCR shelter regulations and strategy;
• Knowledge of the fire awareness plans;
• Knowledge of the UNHCR emergency plans;
• Knowledge of the Mobile Wallet services.
14. Required skills and experience:
• Secondary education is required (diploma is desirable);
• Work experience in the UN or nongovernmental organisations within a refugee camp context is prefered;
• Excellent interpersonal skills, cultural and social sensitivity, and the ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with various partners, including grassroots community members, and authorities at different levels, are required;
• 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 UNHCR volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development and the UN System.
15. Required experience: 1 year of relevant volunteer or work experience.
16. Area(s) of expertise:
☒ Administration
☐ Agriculture
☐ Architecture and settlements
☐ Arts and design
☐ Business management
☒ Communication
☐ Community development
☒ Crisis and emergency response
☐ Development programs
☐ Economics and finance
☐ Education
☐ Elections and governance
☐ Energy and environment
☐ Engineering and Construction
☐ Facility management
☐ Health
☐ Human resources
☐ Information technology
☐ Legal Affairs
☐ Logistics and inventory
☐ Manual labor and skilled trades
☐ Natural and life sciences
☐ Procurement and contracting
☐ Product Safety
☐ Security and protection
☐ Social work
☐ Translation and interpretation
☐ Transport
☐ Volunteer management
17. Required education: Secondary Education
18. Languages: Basic knowledge of English and Fluency in Arabic is required.
19. Competencies and values:
• Integrity and professionalism.
• Accountability.
• Commitment to continuous learning.
• Teamwork and respect for diversity.
• Communication.
• Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement.
20. Living conditions and other remarks:
The position is based in Sub Office Mafraq, presently a B category duty station. Compared to other governorates, working conditions in the north of Jordan are harsh. Sub Office Mafraq is a hot and dry desert, dusty environments with extreme daily temperature fluctuations.
As this is a Refugee UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. A candidate living inside or very close to the camps is a plus, as this will help us to achieve fast response times in case of emergencies or any urgent work.
21. Driving license needed: ☐Yes ☒No
22. Assignment is reserved exclusively for persons with disabilities: ☐Yes ☒No
23. Reasonable Accommodation: ☐Yes ☒No
Other Information:
Inclusivity Statement
United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity program that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender and care-protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all Refugee UNVs commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person's race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin, or other status.
Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements.
Selected candidates for certain occupational groups may be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), in line with the applicable Host Entity's policy.
Duty stations: Mafraq
Assignment 1: UNHCR Sub Office of Mafraq- Zaatari camp
Hiring Manager for this assignment:
Moh'd Al-Taher, Associate Field Officer, UNHCR, Sub Office Mafraq
Alternate Hiring Manager for this assignment (if available):
Mahmoud Abu Dalo, Field Associate, UNHCR, Sub Office Mafraq
Supervisor of UN Volunteer (if known):
Moh'd Al-Taher, Associate Field Officer, UNHCR, Sub Office Mafraq
Standard Job Description
Required Languages
,
,
Desired Languages
,
,
Additional Qualifications
Skills
Education
Certifications
Other information
This position doesn't require a functional clearance
Remote
No