Team Lead, Refugee Status Determination

Innovative Human Rights NGO Seeks

Team Lead, Refugee Status Determination (RSD)

About Asylum Access

We are human rights advocates who support forcibly displaced individuals and communities as they reclaim their rights, agency and power.

Our unique combination of legal empowerment, policy advocacy and global systems change creates conditions in which refugees can live safely, move freely, work legally and go to school. Our work transforms the traditional approach of endless humanitarian handouts to a sustainable solution that honors refugees’ freedom, dignity and autonomy, and empowers them to make choices about their own lives.

Asylum Access’ global team and family of local civil society organizations advocate to make human rights a reality for refugees throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America. Our national organizations are led and staffed primarily by community members in those countries, and there is strong mutual trust and respect between us and our clients. On the international stage, we work with established institutions to shift the global system to better uphold and promote refugees’ human rights. We can help catalyze and lead systemic transformation because, uniquely among NGOs in the refugee response sector, we focus exclusively on rights and governance.

Department Description

The Legal Team primarily provides legal services to refugees, ensuring that they have access to justice, get necessary support during the refugee status determination (RSD) process and have information on Long Term Legal Solutions (LTLS). The Legal Team is overseen by the Protection Program Coordinator and includes the RSD and Protection Team Leads, RSD and Protection Officers, RSD and Protection VLAs, Screening and Intake Officers, Interpreter and Paralegal Coordinator, Interpreters and Paralegals.

Position Description

The RSD Team Lead assists the Protection Program Coordinator by overseeing Asylum Access Thailand’s (AAT) RSD Team in providing legal representation for RSD cases before UNHCR. This involves managing the RSD caseload at AAT, reviewing screenings, deciding on representation and strategy, finalizing legal submissions, providing group workshops and consulting with partners. Depending on the capacity of the RSD team at the time, the RSD Team Lead also manages durable solutions cases. When the national screening mechanism (NSM) is in place, the RSD Team Lead will support the provision of legal representation to clients in the NSM process. The RSD Team Lead directly supervises the RSD Legal Officer and NSM Officer, and helps manage AAT’s Volunteer Legal Advocates (VLA) program.

​​Key Responsibilities

All responsibilities will be undertaken under the guidance and support of the Protection Program Coordinator.

Case Management (75%):

• Review intake and screening interviews for, and prioritize, clients seeking RSD (and at times, durable solutions) representation and advice;
• Oversee research on country of origin information (COI) to assess credibility, support individual claims and for general research purposes;
• Oversee the provision of RSD  (and at times, durable solutions) individualized legal advice and assistance to clients, including on a walk-in basis;
• Oversee the provision of full legal representation and short services for RSD. This includes (but is not limited to) overseeing the:
  • Preparation of client and witness statements, including reviewing and providing feedback on client-drafted statements;
  • Drafting of legal briefs and closing statements;
  • Collection of documents to support client cases such as witness statements, medical reports, etc.;
  • Preparation of clients for and accompaniment of clients to interviews;
• Identify cases appropriate for special consideration by UNHCR, oversee drafting of inquiries to be submitted through AAT’s monthly correspondence with UNHCR and liaise with UNHCR on the status of client cases;
• Assess clients’ extra-legal needs, and work closely with AAT teams and external organizations, to ensure these needs are met;
• Undertake comprehensive case management practices, including maintaining database records and keeping detailed notes of all case work activities;
• Assist in the above case-management duties for the NSM, once it is implemented;
• Maintain good working knowledge of guidelines, processes and procedures of RSD, durable solutions and NSM;
• Maintain good working knowledge of current political and social situation in clients’ countries of origin (COO);
• Assist in developing and implementing team policies and procedures;
• Assist in developing and maintaining data collection and trends analysis on RSD and durable solutions services;
• Attend and contribute to team meetings and other trainings and orientations as required;
• Adhere to the Nairobi Code of Ethics, and AAT Code of Conduct, policies, and manuals.

Organizational development / planning and human resources (10%):

• Develop and implement RSD team policies and procedures;
• Assist in RSD team recruitment processes and provide training to new team members;
• Ensure the RSD team’s adherence to the AAT Code of Conduct, policies, and manuals;
• Develop quarterly reports and maintain data collection and trends analysis on RSD services (to manage workload, improve services and for donor reporting);
• Maintaining strong financial records and procedures as per AAT finance policies, including by ensuring proper financial documentation of all activities.
• Participate in AAT’s strategic and annual planning cycle and in planning new projects; and
• Attend and contribute to AAT and legal team meetings.

Relationship Building, Networking and Advocacy (10%):

• Engage in advocacy before UNHCR regarding RSD processes;
• Build and maintain relationships with staff and operational partners to ensure smooth running of operations and enable referrals;
• Attend and contribute to relevant external meetings;
• Build and maintain strong relationships with refugee communities in Bangkok, and facilitate communication of accurate information so as to enable the fulfillment of refugee rights;
• Support Executive Director and Policy Advocacy Team in policy and advocacy on issues affecting refugees and international human rights mechanisms; and
• Other relevant work as assigned by supervisor.

Community Education (5%):

• Guiding RSD team and community paralegals to deliver group workshops to refugee communities.

Reports to: Protection Program Coordinator

Essential Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer in any jurisdiction; OR a bachelor’s degree in law, human rights, social work, development or another relevant subject; OR more than 2 years experience working in refugee matters, especially RSD;
• Detailed understanding of the international legal framework governing refugees;
• Significant experience undertaking RSD casework;
• Demonstrated ability to work with people in vulnerable situations;
• Strong client interview, analysis, drafting, advocacy, and written and verbal communication skills;
• Ability to take initiative and ownership of cases and projects, proactively follow up, manage multiple deadlines, work effectively with a high attention to detail and manage a team;
• Advanced working knowledge of Microsoft Office and Google Workspace;  and
• Ability to fluently speak and write in English (as English is the working language of AAT and UNHCR Thailand).

Beneficial Qualifications

• Experience designing and conducting training  for non-technical audiences; and
• Experience working with interpreters and ensuring related professional and ethical standards are met.

Salary and Benefits

The Team Lead, RSD will receive a monthly payment of THB 40,000 per month, health insurance and vacation and other leave days.

Hours and Location of Work

The Team Lead, RSD is a full-time, one-year contract position based in our office in Bangkok, Thailand.  Candidates should be aware that some flexibility regarding working hours is required in order to meet external deadlines, and take calls and meetings with international colleagues outside of standard office hours.

Asylum Access is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We value the expertise of those who have experienced displacement, and encourage people with such lived experience to apply.

For more information about our organization, visit www.asylumaccess.org_._