Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer has a key role to play in aligning livelihoods and economic inclusion efforts with the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), which underscores the need to mobilize additional actors and to adopt a whole-of-society approach to strengthen refugee self-reliance and help ease pressure on host countries. Promoting economic inclusion of refugees is a key development area that will enable the achievement of these objectives and contribute to the 2030 Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Leveraging the growing global momentum, UNHCR is working to translate the objectives of the GCR into impactful results for persons of concern (POC), including through follow-up on pledges made through the 2019 Global Refugee Forum. Contributing to this global roll-out of the GCR, the Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer, with support from the Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion Unit in the Division of Resilience and Solutions (DRS), works towards the following objectives: 1) improve the enabling environment for refugees to work through advocacy on the right to/at work, access to economic opportunities and service;

2) seek new and strengthen existing partnerships including with the private sector, development actors, government institutions and specialized agencies to advance economic inclusion of refugees; and

3) enhance ongoing livelihoods and economic inclusion programming through evidence-based and market-driven approaches to improve economic inclusion outcomes.

Duties

• Facilitate the economic inclusion of refugees in coordination with relevant external partners such as line ministries, private sector and development actors in accordance with UNHCR Global and Country level policies, priorities, and strategies, in particular the Global Compact on Refugees.
• Work with the multi-functional team, more specifically with the Protection Unit, to assess the legal framework for the right to work and rights at work in respective host countries and recommend/implement advocacy initiatives and policy reforms to improve UNHCR POC¿s economic inclusion, rights and access to work.
• Strengthen partnerships with relevant stakeholders to enhance economic inclusion of UNHCR POC. This includes advocating with public and private sector services providers to include UNHCR POC in supporting services (business development, micro-finance, training, saving accounts, poverty alleviation and social protection, etc.).
• Build on UNHCR databases to support 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 of development programmes.
• Conduct necessary assessments in collaboration with relevant private and public stakeholders, including impact assessments on local economies and surveys that help to identify investment and funding opportunities that enhance the economic inclusion of UNHCR POC.
• Work with economic development agencies to help adapt their programmes to become inclusive of UNHCR POC and with the private sector to enhance inclusion of UNHCR POC in their labour force and supply chains.
• In case UNHCR is implementing specific livelihoods activities, strengthen, guide and monitor the livelihoods interventions to help ensure they are market-based, and that the role of UNHCR has been strategically determined in consideration of its comparative advantage vis-à-vis other partners.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level

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

Business Management;

Socio-Economics Development;

Economics/International Economics Rural Development;

Financial Management;

or other relevant field.

(Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential: Technical competencies in sub-sectors relevant to livelihoods programming e.g. microfinance, employment, entrepreneurship, private sector development, local economic development, poverty reduction, agriculture, livestock, vocational and technical education and training, etc. Experience in facilitating the economic inclusion of vulnerable and marginalized groups and managing and advising on development processes in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, ideally in varied field contexts. Experience in working with and developing partnerships with private sector, NGOs, UN organisations, and government authorities in sub-sectors relevant to livelihood programming e.g. microfinance, employment, entrepreneurship, private sector development, local economic development, poverty reduction, agriculture, livestock, vocational and technical education and training, etc. Experience in conducting sector assessments using quality social-science methods and tools, and in developing at least one comprehensive multi-year strategic plan for livelihoods support.

Desirable: Experience with UNHCR policies and standards.

Language Requirements

For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.