This position is advertised open to internal and external applicants.

Interested applicants should consult the Administrative Instruction on Recruitment and Assignment of Locally Recruited Staff (RALS). Applicants must be nationals of, and be locally recruited within the country of their employment.

Assistant Development Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
UNHCR¿s mandated responsibility for finding solutions to refugee situations has long required stronger cooperation with development partners and the inclusion of persons of concern within development planning and programming instruments, including national development programmes. Due to a variety of factors, the proportion of refugees and internally displaced persons in protracted displacement situations remains high. Moreover, the diminishing number of forcibly displaced people who have access to so-called durable solutions constitutes a worrying trend that has persisted in recent years. The increasing scale of irregular migration, large scale refugee movements, internal displacement and the costs of responding to humanitarian situations have placed forced displacement high on the global agenda. Given the complexity and protractedness of many of today¿s forced displacement situations, often occurring in fragile contexts, awareness is growing that the humanitarian model of care and maintenance is unsustainable in the longer term and that forced displacement requires a development response to complement humanitarian assistance, address poverty and other development challenges in a sustainable and inclusive manner. The SDGs provide a yardstick for inclusive development based on the principles of Leaving No One Behind and Reaching the Furthest Behind First. It is also acknowledged that extreme poverty and human suffering associated with refugees and other forcibly displaced people need to be systematically taken into account existing when addressing development challenges and development prospects of host communities, countries, and regions.

The Global Compact for Refugees frames this new approach towards a more predictable and equitable responsibility-sharing, recognizing that  more sustainable approaches to refugee situations cannot be achieved without the systematic engagement of a broader set of stakeholders, including development partners.

Among the most significant humanitarian-development cooperation partnerships strengthened in recent years has been between the World Bank and UNHCR on forced displacement. In the eighteenth replenishment (2017-2020) of the World Bank¿s International Development Association (IDA), which provides financing for low-income countries, an amount of US$ 2.2 billion has been included for those states receiving large numbers of refugees (Sub-Window for Refugees and Host-Communities). The IDA 18 allocation follows the operationalization of a Global Concessional Financing Facility (GCFF) for Middle-Income Countries (MICs) affected by large numbers of refugees. In addition, UNHCR has enhanced cooperation with the private sector wing of the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and bilateral development donor
Within the context outlined above, the role of the Assistant Development Officer is to support UNHCR's engagement and cooperation with development agencies¿ medium-term programmes assisting local communities and UNHCR¿s population of concern and the ability to leverage development partnerships to influence policy dialogue to enact institutional reforms toward improved protection environments, socio-economic inclusion, and self-reliance; taking into account and reducing the vulnerabilities of forcibly displaced persons. As such, the incumbent needs to have practical experience working with and an understanding of the interplay of different aspects of economic growth, governance, fragility and conflict, the main factors that influence the environment for inclusion and resilience for UNHCR¿s population of concern. Depending on the operating environments in the area of responsibility (AoR), the incumbent might need to have specific expertise in areas such as social protection, governance in fragile contexts, local governance and community development. It is anticipated that development responses to forced displacement will grow in significance in future years due to the greater importance attached to fragility and addressing protracted displacement situations. The incumbent will assist in identifying potential opportunities and ensure complementarity between UNHCR's protection work and the economic and social development objectives pursued by development partners and their government counterparts. It will, therefore, be important that the Assistant Development Officer supports relevant UNHCR staff within the AoR to contribute to the Operation¿s efforts to (i) align policy, operational and programme priorities between humanitarian and development agencies, (ii) establish and maintain reporting and knowledge, and information exchanges on key developments among all interested stakeholders, (iii) assist relevant UNHCR staff to engage in development planning, programming and coordination processes with Government entities and development partners; and (iv) assist relevant UNHCR staff in developing, contributing to and coordinating multi-year and multi-partner transition strategies for protracted forced displacement situations. 

In Country or Regional Operations, the Assistant Development Officer is normally supervised by and receives guidance from more senior development officers or alternatively from Senior Policy, Protection, Programme or External Relations staff depending on the structure of the Office. The incumbent may supervise some support staff and may receive indirect guidance from other sections and units. External contacts are predominantly with persons on subject matters of importance to development (e.g. counterparts in other organizations or at working level in national Governments).

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
- Assist in commissioning and/or conducting practical research and analysis to interpret long-term political, economic and social trends that will enhance opportunities for solutions, resilience and inclusion for populations of concern to UNHCR as well as more sustainable approaches to refugee protection. Help ensure evidence generated from analytical and advisory services needs to be translated better into context-specific policy dialogue, project design, and programming.
- Assist in planning for resilience and inclusion with a clear shared vision of longer-term protection and solution outcomes for people of concern that takes account of host communities and leverages the roles, resources and capacities of development partners, including Multilateral Development Banks, and Bilateral Development agencies and donors;
- Support the facilitation of the development of comprehensive multi-year transition plans/strategies (incl. Multi-Year Multi-Partner Strategies) for Persons of Concern to UNHCR and/or facilitate the inclusion of populations of concern into national and local development planning and programming instruments;
- Support the identification, strategic articulation and capitalization of development and resilience opportunities, including through Government pledges and or pledges made by bilateral or multilateral development and/or peacebuilding partners;
- Assist in facilitating relationship building with development co-operation agencies and peace and state-building agendas through the different stages of policy and programme identification, preparation, implementation and review;
- Support the development of partnerships and networks with development actors to influence the policy dialogue with governments on institutional arrangements related to sectors, locations and programme content of consequence to UNHCR and persons of concern. This would, in particular, focus on supporting the coordination of the in-country relationship with the World Bank and other multilateral development banks, especially where there is potential for specific funding directed towards UNHCR¿s persons of concern (e.g. WB IDA sub-window for refugees and host communities or the WB Global Concessional Financing Facility);
- Support the cooperation with development partners to assist them in incorporating the concerns of refugees, returnees and others of concern to UNHCR into the design and implementation arrangements of projects and interventions in a manner that impacts positively on protection circumstances;
- Support the operation to ensure that development actors are provided relevant data to inform their planning, programming and advocacy around resilience for and inclusion of UNHCR persons of concern;
- Support the facilitation, coordination, collaboration and the sharing of knowledge and experience between UNHCR and development actors and across UNHCR operations globally by documenting and disseminating good practices and active participation in the Division of Resilience and Solutions¿ Development Partnerships Community of Practice;
- Support training activities aimed at the capacity building of UNHCR and partner agency staff to achieve greater coordination, effectiveness and synergies between humanitarian and development interventions.

Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P1/NOA - 1 year relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or no experience with Graduate degree; or no experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Development Economics;
Development Studies;
Socio-economic Development;
International Relations;
Political Science;
Law;
or other relevant field.
(Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Certificates and/or Licenses
(not specified)
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential:
Relevant work experience with an international agency/organisation implementing development programmes in field operations. Knowledge of, or experience in, local or area-based economic development. Experience in primary data collection, quantitative research methods and results-based management.

Desirable:
(not specified)

Functional Skills
*CM-Strategic Communication
*MS-Drafting, Documentation, Data Presentation
*MS-Networking
*MG-Partnership Development
*SO-Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
*PO-Policy Advocacy in UNHCR
*EX-Knowledge Management
CL-Strategy Development and Monitoring
MG-Project Analysis/Development/Implementation/Management/Coordination
SO-Negotiation Skills
PG-Results-Based Management
PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)



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.

Language Requirements

Good Knowledge of French and English.

Please note that UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travelling, processing, training or any other fees).

Only shortlisted candidates will be invited for an eliminatory written test  followed by an interview.
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See below for this postion's Operational Context
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Nature of the Position.

 
- Assist in the establishment and maintenance of effective working relations with relevant public and governmental entities and officials, with relevant local authorities and with a variety of partners through systematic communication and information sharing.
- Assist in conducting research on identifying development partners (actors, donors) that are able to engage with  long-term political, economic and social planning that will define the opportunities for inclusion of populations of concern to UNHCR as well as more sustainable and whole-of-society approaches to refugee and stateless protection and solutions management.
- Collect and compile data from operation(s) under the AoR for use in planning, policy and advocacy at the regional and country levels as appropriate.
- Support a multi-stakeholder coordination platform for strategical partnerships with development actors/donors through managing contact lists, meeting calendars, organizing meetings, minute taking, and follow-up on agreed actions to be taken. Assist / reinforce if needed the HDP Nexus Approach at local, provincial and national levels, to ensure a coordination between the actors that results in an improved collaboration and enhanced complementarity between the humanitarian, development and peace consolidation interventions. The more holistic approach should lead to early self-reliance of people in the targeted zones (displaced, refugees, host-community members) and early transition from humanitarian interventions to sustainable development.
- Prepare reports and briefings for internal and external partners as required.
- Follow-up on Administrative and Logistical arrangements to organise missions, workshops, coordination meetings and other events.

The length of this appointment is end of December 2021.

Closing date for submissions of applications is 24 September 2021. 

Apply by clicking the link below: https://public.msrp.unhcr.org/psc/RAHRPRDX/EMPLOYEE/HR/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_APP_SCHJOB.GBL?FOCUS=Applicant&SiteID=2#_ga=2.103178624.1888441255.1632208704-1865630727.1632208704