International Rescue Committee

Program Brief

Founded in 1933, International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of the world’s leading agencies working in post-conflict and development contexts, supporting communities in over 40 fragile, failed and developing states. In this capacity, we work to restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted, struggling to endure and wishing to advance on a path of development.

The Resettlement Support Center Asia (RSC Asia), funded by the US State Department Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), assists persons throughout Asia seeking permanent resettlement in the United States. Responsible for a portfolio of 37 countries, RSC Asia: prepares refugee applications for the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) using START (a State Department–managed data system that supports the arrival and resettlement of refugees through technology); provides information to resettlement agencies about arriving refugees and offers cultural orientation training to refugees bound for the United States.

Purpose of the Role

The Senior Casework Officer (SCWO) provides both general processing and advanced casework services on behalf of refugee applicants to the USRAP, including data entry of refugee case file information into START. The SCWO ensures cases are error-free and are ready for adjudication by an officer of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for final adjudication. This position is also responsible for supporting USCIS circuit rides to Thailand and the region. Senior Casework Officers achieve and maintain a high- performance standard based on a thorough knowledge of, and adherence to, established resettlement policies and procedures regarding current refugee processing eligibility criteria, database, and file management guidelines, the role of US Resettlement Agencies and refugee producing country conditions.

Highlights of Key Responsibilities

• Travel independently or as part of a team within Thailand or to regional locations to conduct pre-screening interviews or support USCIS circuit rides when required
• Conduct prescreening interviews of refugee applicants in a manner that demonstrates a senior level understanding of the US Resettlement Admissions Program and background information relevant to specific caseloads
• Perform quality control following the interview process to finalize cases for USCIS presentation, ensuring error detection and correction in accordance with USRAP guidelines and the cooperative agreement.
• Support USCIS officers during circuit rides by ensuring schedules are accurate, briefing applicants, completing case files and document review prior to presenting a case to USCIS, completing quality check of documents after USCIS interviews, completing case updates into START and quality checking data in START after circuit rides.
• Maintain a high level of professionalism when representing RSC at meetings with partners when required
• Respond to case-specific inquiries from other RSC staff and/or partner organizations
• Send a regular report of quality check trends detected from case analysis of both the physical files and data in START
• Perform work in adherence to policy and procedure
• Keep immediate supervisor informed of developments in daily caseloads, including any urgent protection or medical conditions of applicants and their families
• Assume formal mentoring responsibilities for 1-2 assigned Caseworkers when required
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor, in line with the job scope