CWS Employment Opportunities

Position Title: Caseworkers

*Enter the title of the position applied for at the top of the resume or in the body of your cover letter.

Church World Service does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability or veteran status in employment or the provision of services.

Church World Service/Resettlement Support Center (CWS/RSC) operates a US refugee resettlement program in sub-Saharan Africa through a Cooperative Agreement with the Department of State/Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration.  CWS/RSC is responsible for the preparation of refugee case files for adjudication by Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) officers, as well as the out-processing of all approved cases.  CWS/RSC is administered by Church World Service and is based in Nairobi, Kenya. 

CWS/RSC seeks qualified individuals for the Caseworker position.  The position is based in Nairobi and involves extensive travel throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

Position Description:

This position is primarily responsible for assisting eligible refugee applicants prepare the best possible case file for an interview with an Officer of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for final adjudication.

This position reports to the Caseworker Supervisor.

Main responsibilities include:

• Apply established Resettlement Support Center (RSC), Church World Service (CWS), Department of State (DOS), USCIS and Refugee Processing Center (RPC) policies and procedures in order to determine refugee eligibility criteria and establish a refugee claim.  A thorough understanding of current refugee country conditions is required to maintain a high performance standard.
• Travel throughout Kenya and/or Sub-Saharan Africa as assigned to conduct resettlement interviews with refugee applicants in a dignified and professional manner.
• Analyze, evaluate, and assess the eligibility of refugee applicants for final adjudication by USCIS officers.
• Establish the validity of an applicant’s identity through verification of all demographic and biographic information including but not limited to: names, nationalities, birth dates, and locations of all immediate family members in order to complete the refugee case history as required.
• Determine case composition and ensure all refugee cases are cross-referenced according to established standard operating procedures.
• Conduct personal interviews with refugee applicants to complete case histories/persecution claims. 
• Complete and update all case files and database records.
• Conduct file reviews in accordance with RSC and USCIS guidelines, paying close attention to detail.
• Assist in various administrative tasks including but not limited to: research, locating files, data entry, and case analysis.
• Analyze complex cases in consultation with Supervisors in accordance with established policies and procedures, while remaining open to supervisory direction.
• Contribute to the development of Field Team training procedures and their implementation.
• Contribute to the development and updating of standard operating procedures for the Field Team in coordination with Field Team Supervisors, Field Team Manager and Operations Coordinator.
• Perform additional duties and special assignments as needed to facilitate the efficient processing and operation of the United States Refugee Admissions Program in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Position Requirements: 

• Open to international applicants. A valid passport is required
• Bachelor’s Degree in a related field of study
• Previous living and/or working experience in a developing country
• Casework or previous resettlement experience an advantage
• Second language an advantage; French, Portuguese or Arabic preferred
• Demonstrated computer skills, especially Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Access
• Ability to travel extensively throughout the region, sometimes on short notice and under difficult conditions
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Strong verbal and written English language skills
• Ability to accurately type 40 w.p.m.
• Ability to work as a team member in a multi-cultural environment
• Ability to manage a large and diverse workload under pressure with competing priorities
• Ability to maintain high performance standards with attention to detail
• Ability to follow directions from Supervisors and implement policies and procedures with a positive and receptive attitude
• Ability to conduct oneself in a professional and courteous manner at all times to represent the professional and institutional interests of CWS/RSC Nairobi
• Ability to contribute to a team effort to implement the U.S Refugee Admissions Program in Sub-Saharan Africa

Please note that this position is open to all international applicants eligible to work in our regions of operations.

Special Requirements:

The candidate should be of good health, willing to travel extensively, and have a high degree of flexibility.  He/She should be flexible and able to work under pressure and over long hours in a dynamic multicultural organization.

Interested and qualified applicants should submit a cover letter and a résumé.

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