Call Centre Assistant (Call Operator)

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world.  UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of peace building, humanitarian and development projects.  Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.  

With more than 20 years of experience in the country, UNOPS Afghanistan focuses on providing maximum support to the people of Afghanistan through the delivery of projects and services that improve the lives of people in need. The UNOPS Afghanistan Country Office (AFCO) serves as an organizational mechanism to deliver a range of projects for which UNOPS has been designated as the implementation agency. At present, UNOPS AFCO activities cover a range of sectors including humanitarian, basic human needs, cash for work, infrastructure, development, procurement and HR services.

The functional objective of UNOPS AFCO is to contribute to improving the lives of girls, boys, men and women living in Afghanistan. The aim of UNOPS AFCO is to provide efficient and cost-effective implementation services on behalf of all our partners to support the humanitarian response and development of the country. UNOPS AFCO’s mission is to exceed the expectations of all stakeholders in the delivery of AFCO services, at all times, in all places, in all circumstances, in order to improve the lives of Afghans in need.

Responding to one of the most complex humanitarian crises in the world, the Afghanistan Inter-Agency Information and Accountability Centre (IAIAC) known as Awaaz Afghanistan is an inter-agency call centre (a two-way communication and accountability mechanism) that responds to the information and communication needs of affected populations in Afghanistan and allows affected populations to shape their own relief and recovery. Based in Kabul and functioning as a toll-free humanitarian helpline, Awaaz Afghanistan is a link to the partnership between those who wish to assist and those who need assistance and is accountable to both constituencies.

Supported by the Humanitarian Country Team, with current funding from the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF) and the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), Awaaz’s primary objective is to promote two-way communication between affected populations to:

1. Empower communities through the provision of accessible and timely information on how to access humanitarian services and resources required to improve their situation

2. Help ensure efficient and effective coordination of humanitarian actors operating in Afghanistan by collecting and circulating information about the urgent needs and priorities of affected populations

3. Support an environment of transparency and accountability by:

   1. Establishing an easy-to-access and safe mechanism through which affected populations can lodge feedback and complaints

   2. Channelling feedback and complaints to humanitarian actors to influence humanitarian programming and shape quality advocacy

Purpose and Scope of Assignment 

UNOPS is seeking a Call Centre Assistant (Call Operator) to support the Call Centre Team to be responsible for answering and making calls, sharing information with and gathering information from callers with accurate data entry, and flagging urgent issues. The Operator must be proficient with written and spoken English, Dari and Pashto. Knowledge of other languages will be an asset. The outcome of this consultancy is to further strengthen and streamline IAIC’s management processes as part of its overall objective to strengthen accountability to affected populations in Afghanistan. The IAIC is currently open seven days per week, from 7am to 7pm; Shift schedules are open to change depending on operational requirements. Female operators are available during working hours.

Result of this function achieves Awaaz’s objectives through the provision of:

• Call handling, information sharing and information gathering, inputting data accurately and informing supervisor of urgent issues/cases;

• Professional-grade call handling ability, displaying sensitivity, neutrality, and patience, and adhering to confidentiality and data protection principles;

• Implementation of protection standards as trained and advised;

The incumbent reports to the call centre supervisor/lead, who reports to the Project Manager Afghanistan Country Office (AFCO) - Kabul, Afghanistan.

The Operator will perform the following duties with transparency and integrity, and in adherence to the humanitarian standards for information management as provided by the Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance (ALNAP), the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) and the Sphere Handbook:

• Daily call handling (inbound and outbound); 

• Ensuring quality and accurate data entry - writing clear and concise caller notes in English, ensuring a rapid call handling

• Ensure that all calls are treated with the degree of empathy, respect, dignity, and understanding commensurate with the sensitivity of the call and the vulnerability of the caller; 

• Dealing with distressing calls professionally; 

• Capture and relay of accurate and timely information to callers in a professional manner;

• Liaise with supervisors and other operators to provide relevant information to callers when needed;

• Attend briefings, meetings, training, quality assurance performance improvement sessions called by supervisors. 

• Maintain and advance core skills (active listening, stress management, etc) as directed by the management;

• Flag information gaps to supervisors;

• Ensure enquiries that fall beyond the scope of developed scripts, intake forms, and guidance notes are referred to the supervisor for further action; 

• Perform remote call monitoring (RCM) when needed

• Perform duties in line with key performance indicators (KPI), Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and Office rules and regulations; and

Education

• Secondary education is required; a university degree preferably in information management, information technology, statistics, or any other related fields is considered an asset.

Experience

Required:

• A minimum of four years of relevant experience in humanitarian context, call centre (call operator), data collection or programm functions is required.

• Experience in usage of computer, datasets, and Microsoft Office software package (MS Excel especially) is required

Desired:

• Experience working in a call centre or other related field handling customer enquiries;

• Experience in gender sensitivity, gender-based violence, sexual exploitation and abuse, mine-risk awareness, active listening techniques, basic counselling, and UN referral pathways;

• Working knowledge of protection issues, communicating with disaster affected populations, accountability to affected populations, and protection response infrastructure

Languages

• Fluency in English is required 

• Fluency in Uzbek/Turkmen is required.

Contract type:Local ICA
Contract level: LICA 4
Contract duration: Ongoing ICA - Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance 

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 

• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.