JOHN GIBSON KARUMA WACHIRA
NAKURU CITY
Summary
A high-performing international civil servant with integrity and leadership skills. Applies knowledge and abilities to positively impact the lives of vulnerable individuals. Flexible in different situations and dynamic conditions and always culturally sensitive. Works great under extreme stress and deadlines as well as under minimum supervision.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Associate Resettlement and Complementary Officer (TA)
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Kasulu Field Office
10.2021 - 10.2023
- Perform resettlement casework interviews and complete related Resettlement Registration Forms (RRFs)/ assessments as per the prevailing standard procedures while ensuring high standards and qualities
- Perform first reviews of both P1 and P2 cases as per the set standard procedures and refer such cases for onward submission to the resettlement countries
- Constantly and positively contribute to the enhancement of quality of cases submitted by colleagues under my supervision, and also other colleagues whom I will be working closely with, by offering guidance and support whenever the need arises or is noted
- Work with reviewers to identify such needs and present needed guidance to relevant colleagues
- This would be through one-on-one coaching or via correspondences
- Support my managers in ensuring that anti-fraud SOPs related to fraud committed by refugees are applied consistently
- Ensuring that proper individual and/or group counselling of applicants is performed to reduce instances of fraud as well as to manage applicants’ expectations regarding resettlement processes
- Ensuring that fraudulent events/occurrences are reported to relevant colleagues by monitoring display of such messages at strategic areas in the camp offices
- Support the unit in conducting fraud investigations and related documentation and reporting when the need arises
- Apply flexibility in an effort to contribute sufficiently to the overall unit’s goals and targets while balancing such efforts with other duties assigned by my managers.
Resettlement Expert (Level II)
International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) as hosted by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Kabarore Field Unit
02.2021 - 09.2021
- Review of resettlement cases (RRFs) prepared by other caseworkers as per prevailing resettlement countries’ requirements, including discussions with caseworkers on how to improve their RRF drafting
- Resettlelment casework interviews, RRFs assessments and all related database/proGres and files updates of related resettlement cases
- Counselling of refugees regarding their resettlement processing via phone calls or face to face interviews and preparation of related reports for follow ups to ensure that cases do not go through cracks
- As needed, participation in protection work processes, such as continous registration, individual case management, child protection meetings in support of resettlement work
- Supporting of the Associate Resettlement Officer in enhansing anti-fraud mechanisms in the field and conducting fraud investigations and participate in Anti-Fraud Panel (AFP) meetings
- Support the Associate Resettlement Officer in providing supervision to the Assistants/Associates in the resettlement unit, As delegated to, support the Associate Resettlement Officer in providing de-briefings of missions or other resettlement related delegations
- Support the Associate Resettlement Officer in resettlement work trainings and protection related work as needed as well as in developing capacity within UNHCR and the implementing partners in support of resettlement activities
- Coordinate, assist and implement case identification projects as required
- Provide resettlement support and technical guidance to relevant colleagues as required with overall target of harmonizing resettlement work within the office and the country operation as a whole
- Performance of any other related duties as requested by the direct supervisor, Head of Field Office, Resettlement Officer, Senior Resettlement Officer, Deputy Representative or the Representative.
Resettlement Expert (Level I)
International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) as hosted by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Kabarore Field Unit
07.2019 - 12.2020
- Casework interviews and all related system and files updates of resettlement cases
- Desk review of cases identified during counselling session and assigning the same for pre-screening
- Anti-fraud material dissemination and sensitization within the Nyabiheke refugee camp, Rwanda
- Co-focal point for resettlement deferrals
- Focal point of medical cases
- Resettlement units' daily work plan monitoring, including interpreters' allocation
- As delegated to, assisting in debriefing of missions or other resettlement related delegations
- Protection work and training of colleagues
- Provision of support and technical guidance to, as well as help in building capacity of, colleagues in UNHCR and partnering organizations in support of and to harmonize Resettlement activities.
Protection Expert
International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) as hosted by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Kigali Branch Office
11.2016 - 06.2019
- Support the Protection/Community Services Desk in the identification/updating of specific needs (SPNs) and vulnerabilities in the proGres database during the 2016/17 verification exercise
- Also, ensuring of appropriate referral to Protection Unit after identification of protection cases
- Conducting of interviews and credibility assessments in the analysis of refugee claims in order to make determinations on cases referred to the Litigation Desk (LD) during the verification exercise (including registration of documented new-born babies/children, inactive cases, double registration, photo/name and/or biometric mismatch, etc.) in close collaboration with staff members from UNHCR and the Rwandan government including authorities from the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs (MIDIMAR) or the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration (DGIE)
- Ensuring that LD decisions are applied consistently to all cases in accordance with standard operating procedures and guidelines on the verification exercise
- Also, conducting quality assurance and ensuring that LD decisions are properly recorded under individual/group notes in proGres
- Assisting in other registration activities which have direct impact on resettlement including the development of proGres scripts, queries and reports to facilitate identification of other profiles/cases which do not meet P2 criteria but may be considered for resettlement under the regional durable solutions strategy for the Congolese (arrival between 2006 and 2008)
- Performing of other related duties as requested by the direct supervisor to further support resettlement and/or registration activities.
Associate Resettlement Officer (IUNV)
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as hosted by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Nakivale Field Office
08.2013 - 11.2016
- Conducting resettlement interviews (minimum of 6 cases per week) for approved profiles and other referrals and complete RRFs for review and clearance by the Resettlement Officer prior to referral to the Regional HUB
- File RRF (resettlement registration forms) and other supporting documents presented by the refugees in the physical files and update the action sheet accordingly
- Ensuring the UNHCR Uganda Resettlement SOPs are implemented in Nakivale and Oruchinga refugee settlements
- Coordination of some of the resettlement activities in Nakivale refugee settlement
- Taking part in meetings with refugees and counselling them on the UNHCR’s current policy, practices, prospects, procedural guidelines and associated challenges with resettlement in order to minimize unrealistic expectations about the resettlement process
- Updating and maintaining the Country-of-Origin Information database to be used by resettlement colleagues
- Undertaking missions to Oruchinga refugee settlement to process resettlement cases as needed
- Follow up on submissions and tracking approval/rejection by resettlement countries
- Participate in compiling resettlement statistic reports for submission to UNHCR HQ
- Performing any other resettlement tasks as requested by the Resettlement Officer.
Senior Resettlement Assistant
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Dadaab Sub-Office
06.2011 - 07.2013
- Interviewing of individual cases to assess their eligibility for resettlement, scrutinizing and assessing family composition and thereafter updating appropriate events in Progres database
- Preparing Resettlement Registration Forms (RRF) for onward submission to resettlement countries, in line with UNHCR resettlement policy and criteria
- Ensure that field offices are kept informed on the status and processing of the individual cases
- Assisting with the registration of new arrivals on the UNHCR’ registration unit and Department of Refugee Affairs (DRA) desks
- Co-manning of the Protection desk to provide services to the new arrivals relocates as part of the Emergency Response Team (ERT).
Registration Assistant
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Dadaab Sub-Office
03.2007 - 06.2011
- Unit’s Team Leader which involved logistics arrangement for supplies and transportation of colleagues to and from the various camps as well as drafting of documents and correspondences
- Screening and performing on-line registration of the persons of concern using the ProGres (V3) database
- Capturing of biometrics data (digital photos and fingerprints)
- Managing and updating refugee files as necessary
- Checking that all data fields in the Progres database are filled in properly
- Scheduling and processing of various registration processes such as verification/fingerprinting, new arrival registration, family reunification and card separation/mergers through personal interviews
- Receiving and ushering of scheduled refugees through the various processes.
Corporate sales intern
Safaricom Limited
Nairobi
01.2006 - 01.2007
- Assisting the administrator with day-to-day matters
- Signing up customers for postpaid services
- Processing of postpaid orders
- Handling of queries from walk-in clients as well as over the phone
- Holding and managing of phone fairs
- Following up of payments of approved orders; Maintaining of an excel database for weekly reports.
Presiding officer
Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK)
Langata, Nairobi
01.2005
- Supervising the voting and counting processes within the voting station
- Recording and handing over of the final counts to the Returning officer
- Resolving disputes within the stream/polling station.
File Clerk
Joint Voluntary Agency (JVA) (Now Resettlement Support Center(RSC) Africa)
Nairobi
01.2004
- Preparing and filing of all approved refugees’ departure records
- Photocopying and typing documents for traveling cases in accordance to the standard operating procedures
- Opening of individual files for each applicant and attaching their photos
- Arranging of documents in the files for review purposes by the department of homeland security officers.
Case Worker Assistant
Joint Voluntary Agency (JVA) (Now Resettlement Support Center(RSC) Africa)
01.2002
- Collection of biographic information from refugees via face-to-face interviews and updating of computer databases (WRAPS) with the information obtained
- Taking of digital photographs of refugees and manipulating them appropriately
- Scheduling of casework interviews and informing the refugees of the same.
Deputy Presiding Officer (DPO)
Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK)
Embakasi, Nairobi
01.2002
- Supervising the voting and counting processes within the voting station
- Recording and handing over of the final counts to the presiding officer
- Resolving disputes within the stream/polling station.
Education
Some College (No Degree) - Computer Applications
Institute of Advanced Technology (IAT)
Buruburu, Nairobi12-2004
Bachelor of Science - Physics
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture And Technology (JKUAT)
Juja Town, Thika03-2002
Skills
- Investigation leadership
- Information Verification
- Report Writing
- Strategic Planning
- Report Preparation
- Reporting and documentation
- Interpersonal Communication
- Attention to Detail
- Written Communication
- Time Management
- Problem-solving abilities
- Goal Setting
- Analytical Skills
- Continuous Improvement
- Problem-solving aptitude
- Professionalism
- Multitasking
- Effective Communication
- Decision-Making
- Excellent Communication
- Self Motivation
- Analytical Thinking
- Logistics Coordination
- Adaptability
- Relationship Building
- Problem-Solving
- Adaptability and Flexibility
- Interpersonal Skills
- Team Collaboration
- Data Analysis
- Time management abilities
- Teamwork and Collaboration
- Reliability
- Team building
- Organizational Skills
- Active Listening
References
- Julia ZAJKOWSKI, Senior Protection Officer, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Jakarta, Indonesia, +622-129643602, zajkowsk@unhcr.org.
- Godwin BWIRE, Former (currently in SIBA) Senior Resettlement and Complementary Pathways Officer, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Kasulu, Tanzania, +256779542805, bwire@unhcr.org.
- Catherine Wanjiru Mbuthia - NJOROGE, Senior Human Resources Office, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Nairobi Branch Office, Kenya, +254723845903, mbuthia@unhcr.org.
Certification
- ICDL certificate holder
Languages
Kikuyu
First Language
English
Proficient (C2)
C2
Swahili
Proficient (C2)
C2
Kinyarwanda
Elementary (A2)
A2
French
Beginner
A1
Somali
Elementary (A2)
A2
Affiliations
- I always endeavour to strike a balance between work and life.
Timeline
Associate Resettlement and Complementary Officer (TA)
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
10.2021 - 10.2023
Resettlement Expert (Level II)
International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) as hosted by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
02.2021 - 09.2021
Resettlement Expert (Level I)
International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) as hosted by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
07.2019 - 12.2020
Protection Expert
International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) as hosted by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
11.2016 - 06.2019
Associate Resettlement Officer (IUNV)
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as hosted by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
08.2013 - 11.2016
Senior Resettlement Assistant
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
06.2011 - 07.2013
Registration Assistant
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
03.2007 - 06.2011
Corporate sales intern
Safaricom Limited
01.2006 - 01.2007
Presiding officer
Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK)
01.2005
File Clerk
Joint Voluntary Agency (JVA) (Now Resettlement Support Center(RSC) Africa)
01.2004
Case Worker Assistant
Joint Voluntary Agency (JVA) (Now Resettlement Support Center(RSC) Africa)
01.2002
Deputy Presiding Officer (DPO)
Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK)
01.2002
Some College (No Degree) - Computer Applications
Institute of Advanced Technology (IAT)
Bachelor of Science - Physics
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture And Technology (JKUAT)
- ICDL certificate holder
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