Profile Livelihoods Officer

Livelihoods Officer Profile

Various Locations

Grade: Junior (P2), Mid (P3) and Senior (P4) Level Positions

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is mandated to lead and coordinate international action to protect and assist refugees and other persons of concern. It is constantly seeking talented, compassionate candidates with high-integrity to strengthen its capacity to respond urgently to crises with the right skills. Given the nature of UNHCR¿s work, it is essential that its workforce has the right mix of skills and qualities to fulfil its mandate. 
While UNHCR's primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees, our ultimate goal is to help find durable solutions that will allow them to rebuild their lives in dignity. There are three durable solutions pursued by UNHCR for 6.4 million refugees in protracted situations: voluntary repatriation; local integration; or resettlement to a third country. While pursuing durable solutions, UNHCR works to increase the self-reliance and livelihood opportunities of refugees.
While pursuing durable solutions, UNHCR works with multiple stakeholders to promote the economic inclusion of refugees, hereby preparing them for their future whether it be a whether it be in a return home, or in their countries of asylum or in a third country.

Typical functions may include:
- Assessments and Strategic Planning
- Working with the multi-functional team to assess the legal framework for the right to work and rights at work and recommend advocacy initiatives and policy reform to improve economic
        inclusion.
- Building strong relationships with relevant stakeholders, including economic development agencies to adapt their programmes to become inclusive of UNHCR persons of concern; private
         sector to enhance inclusion in their labour force and supply chains; financial service providers to enhance  financial inclusion; and private sector service providers to include UNHCR persons
        of concern in supporting services (business development, micro-finance, training, saving accounts, poverty alleviation and social protection, etc.).
- Building on UNHCR databases to support the regular information sharing and coordination among different humanitarian, developmental and governmental stakeholders. This includes
        supporting the implementation of socioeconomic and wealth ranking surveys to inform targeting, monitoring and facilitation the engagement of development programmes.
- Conducting necessary assessments in collaboration with relevant private and public stakeholders. This includes impact assessments on local economies and surveys that help to inform
        interventions and identify investment and funding opportunities that enhance the economic inclusion of UNHCR person of concern.
- In case UNHCR is implementing specific livelihoods activities, the Livelihoods Officer will strengthen, guide and monitor the livelihoods interventions and ensure compliance with UNHCR

Minimum Criteria for Livelihoods programming.

Four Main Areas of Concentration

First Area: Global
Livelihoods Officer - Global/Senior Livelihoods Officer - Global
a. University degree in Development Studies, Economy or Socio-Economic Development, Business Administration, or another related field.
b. Experience with advocating, mobilizing and with working with multiple stakeholders, including private sector, development agencies, government authorities, NGOs and  social enterprises, in sub-sectors relevant to livelihood engagement e.g. microfinance, employment, entrepreneurship, private sector development, local economic development, micro-finance, poverty reduction, agriculture, livestock, vocational and technical education and training, etc.
c. International experience.

Second Area: Rural
Rural Development Officer/Senior Rural Development Officer
a. University degree in Development Studies, Economy, Socio-Economic Development, Business Administration, or another related field.
b. Experience with advocating, mobilizing and with working with multiple stakeholders, including private sector, development agencies, government authorities, NGOs and  social enterprises, on agricultural and rural development programmes.
c. International experience

Third Area: Urban
Livelihoods Officer - Urban/Senior Livelihoods Officer - Urban
a. University degree in Development Studies, Economy, Socio-Economic Development, Business Administration, or another related field.
b. Experience with advocating, mobilizing and with working with multiple stakeholders, including private sector, development agencies, government authorities, NGOs and  social enterprises, in sub-sectors relevant to urban livelihoods livelihood engagement e.g. microfinance, employment, entrepreneurship, private sector development, urban economic development, micro-finance, poverty reduction, vocational and technical education and training, etc.
c. International experience.

Fourth Area: Livelihoods specialists in one or more areas
Livelihoods Specialist
a. University degree in Development Studies, Economy, Socio-Economic Development, Business Administration, or another related field.
b. Solid, documented experience in one or more of the following areas: relevant strategic planning, livelihoods market analysis, value chain development, socio-economic assessment and wealth ranking, and M&E.
c. International experience.

Minimum Qualifications and Professional Experience Required:

For positions at the P2 level
- Education: Degree.
- Job experience: Minimum 2 years of relevant experience with graduate degree (equivalent of a Master¿s), 3 years with undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS).
- Languages: Proficiency in English is required.

For positions at the P3 level
- Education: Degree.
- Job experience: Minimum 5 years of relevant (international) job experience with graduate degree (equivalent of a Master¿s), 6 years with undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS).
- Languages: Proficiency in English is required.

For positions at the P4 level
- Education: Degree.
- Job experience: Minimum 8 years of relevant (international) job experience with graduate degree (equivalent of a Master¿s), 9 years with undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS).
- Languages: Proficiency in English and knowledge of a second UN language (Arabic/ Chinese/French/Russian/Spanish) at B2  is required.

The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.