Programme Officer at United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

UNHCR was created in 1950, during the aftermath of the Second World War, to help millions of Europeans who had fled or lost their homes. We had three years to complete our work and then disband. Today, over 65 years later, our organization is still hard at work, protecting and assisting refugees around the world.
Summary


The Programme Officer may be based in HQ, field/regional bureau, typically reporting to and be guided by the Senior Program officer and may supervise a small team of local and international staff. He/she may refer to UNHCR's Programme Manual (Chapter IV), UNHCR's corporate and regional strategic priorities, operation plans and other relevant institutional rules and regulations for further guidance.
The Programme Officer will provide programmatic guidance and support with regard to the implementation of protection and solutions strategies within available resources. S/he will coordinate with the other sections/units to ensure harmonized programmatic approaches at all levels and throughout the UNHCR Operations Management Cycle. S/he will work in line with the overall UNHCR directions which crucially require working with partners, including with persons of concern, governmental institutions and the private sector, ensuring that programme management is approached as per UNHCR's Strategic Directions, Global Strategic Priorities (GSPs), Global Compact for Refugees (GCR), corporate positions on SDGs.
The incumbent is expected to work in line with the multi-functional team (MFT) approach as defined within the Program Manual, ensuring the participation of relevant stakeholders in all phases of the Program Management Cycle.
All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties

Support in assessing and analysing the needs of persons of concern in a participatory manner, using an Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective as basis for planning.
Provide support on programmatic aspects of developing multi-year protection and solutions strategies and annual plans with corresponding priorities taking into account corporate priorities.
Support Results Based Management and programme capacity in light of evolving requirements, programming approaches and gaps.
Support the planning process in compliance with planning parameters outlined in the Programme Manual and the planning instructions.
Review and analyse plans, mid-year and year-end reports of UNHCR office(s), ensuring quality assurance and compliance with established policies, guidelines, procedures and standards.
Support in the provision of overall direction to broaden partnerships with key stakeholders in order to maximize the protection and solutions response for persons of concern.
Provide support to ensure a consistent application of the framework for implementing with partners, including the effective implementation of the policy on selection and retention of partners, management of partnership agreements, risk-based project performance monitoring, and risk-based project audits, among others.
Contribute to ensure consistent and coherent monitoring approaches, tools and systems in line with global standards and polices.
Actively contribute to UNHCRs programming of community of practice and continuously contributing to improvements of programming tools and processes.
Identify potential gaps and problems and in cooperation with other relevant sections recommend appropriate solutions to ensure the efficient implementation of programme activities.
Oversee a timely and effective follow-up of internal and external audits observations and recommendations that relate to programmatic issues.
Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience

For P3/NOC - 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree.

Field(s) of Education

Economics, Business Administration, Social Sciences or other relevant field.

Essential

Demonstrated experience in programme management including familiarization with the OMC and sound knowledge Results Based-Management. Demonstrated experience in field operations, sound knowledge on the centrality of protection in programming, Joint Needs Assessments and the principles of targeting.

Desirable

Demonstrated experience in coordination within an inter-agency context and other actors, in a refugee or humanitarian context. Sound experience in program management training and capacity building activities.

Functional Skills

PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards)
PG-Results-Based Management
PG-UNHCR's Programmes
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements

For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.
All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.
As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.
This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

Desired Candidate Profile

Essential:

Familiarity of UNHCR’s Operations Management Cycle, the Programme related procedures e.g., resources allocation, planning, and management processes, monitoring and evaluation.
Demonstrated experiences in effective partnership management and multi-stakeholders collaboration in humanitarian and /or development contexts
Demonstrated experiences in strategic planning processes and knowledge of results-based management (RBM) concepts and tools as well as programming policies and approaches, including PLAN for the Results, GET the Results, and SHOW the Results phases.
Knowledge of UNHCR Program tools (e.g., BTP, PROMS), and training in UNHCR's and or UN programme management learning programmes.
Knowledge of Cash-based Interventions (CBI) including supporting and overseeing the CBI components of the operation.

Desirable:

Experience working in complex operational and multicultural environment and building and leading teams and coordinating consultative processes.
Experience with UNHCR and or UN organization and or INGOs on programme management and understanding of national development planning processes.
Ability to translate organizational changes, strategies, and policies into programmatic deliverables.
Experience in guiding teams in designing and monitoring strategies translating them into programmes.
Prior programme management experience with UNHCR or other UN organizations in the field or relevant working experiences with non-UN international organizations in the field.
Prior experience working in the field and in similar Operational contexts.