Job Description

VACANCY NOTICE

UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES

Position Title: Associate Livelihood Officer Date of Issue:  27 December 2024 

Position Level: NOB Closing Date:  15 January 2025 

Expected start date:01 March 2025 Duty Station:   New Delhi, India

Contract Type: UNOPS Local Individual Contract

Interested applicants are requested to apply through UNHCR Workday portal (https://unhcr.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/External/job/New-Delhi-India/Associate-Livelihood-Officer_JR2446884 ) not later before 15 January 2025.

Organizational Setting

The Associate Livelihood Officer will be key in operationalizing the strategic vision to align 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 we serve. Contributing to this global roll-out of the GCR, the Associate 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.

The Associate Livelihood Officer should be proactive, always looking for new opportunities and persuasive in mobilizing donors and new partners around new models of economic and social integration.

The incumbent will interact with the government counterparts and other stakeholders with specific mandate in livelihood activities as well as with the refugee communities.

Within UNHCR, the Associate Livelihood Officer will work under the supervision of the head of livelihoods and closely with multi-functional teams on matters including but not limited to protection, education, cash, partnerships, research and analytics, GBV, solutions, complementary pathways and more.

S/he will support the office's involvement with livelihoods and economic inclusion, working with relevant external stakeholders from government line ministries, development actors, private sector, UN agencies, international organisations, NGOs, research institutions and universities.

Operational context 

India currently hosts some 269,000 refugees and asylum seekers. These include some 91,000 Sri Lankan refugees and 73,400 Tibetans directly assisted by the Government of India.

There are as well 46,904 individuals registered under UNHCR’s mandate primarily from Afghanistan, Myanmar, and other countries. UNHCR works with the Government of India to offer protection and find solutions for registered refugees and asylum seekers. UNHCR’s main activities in India are focused on conducting registration and documentation, status determination,

legal assistance, and the search for durable solutions for refugees. With refugees and asylum seekers spread across 13 different locations across the country, UNHCR relies on its 9 NGO partners for support. It funds activities that complement or facilitate access to essential services and assist the most vulnerable people with humanitarian assistance.

UNHCR also works with various partners and key stakeholders to strengthen self-reliance and advocate for greater inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers as part of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG). UNHCR’s office is in New Delhi and has a Field Office in Chennai, Tamil Nadu State. 

Duties

Maintain close contact and cooperation with partners to facilitate the economic inclusion of refugees, 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. 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.).

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 and recommend/implement advocacy initiatives and policy reforms to improve UNHCR POC’s economic inclusion, rights and access to work.

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 utilizing community-based strategies 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.

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.

Desired candidate profile

The Associate Livelihood Officer reports to the Snr Programme Officer and will manage the work on livelihoods and economic inclusion as well as UNHCR’s cash-based interventions (CBI) program. He/she will be reviewing and operationalizing the UNHCR’s strategy on livelihoods and economic inclusion efforts,

which underscores the need to mobilize additional actors and adopt a whole-of-society approach to strengthen refugee self-reliance and help ease pressure on host countries in line with the objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees. Promoting economic inclusion through access to livelihoods and participation in the labour market 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. The incumbent’s objectives are: 1) In close coordination with UNHCR’s management, improve

the enabling environment for refugees through advocacy on the right to work, access to economic opportunities and services; 2) Seek new and strengthen existing partnerships with the private sector, development actors, financial service providers, UN agencies, government institutions and specialized agencies to advance economic inclusion of refugees, including with stakeholders

that pledged at the Global Refugee Forum; and 3) Enhance ongoing livelihoods and economic inclusion programming through evidence-based and market-driven approaches to improve economic inclusion outcomes and access to livelihoods.

The incumbent will also coordinate and provide oversight to the CBI programme that is implemented with UNHCR’s partners. S/he will review and update the programme in terms of approaches, tools and designs with the aim to identify and target the most vulnerable persons among the refugee and asylum seeker communities in India. S/he will be responsible for ensuring compliance with UNHCR’s CBI policy,

technical guidance and administrative instructions, putting in place measures to address risks if relevant and oversee post-distribution monitoring working in collaboration with multi-functional team members and partners towards harmonization of systems and approaches across the country.

The Associate Livelihood Officer will work closely with multi-functional teams in UNHCR on matters including but not limited to protection, education, cash, partnerships, research and analytics, GBV and solutions. S/he will work with relevant external stakeholders from government line ministries, development actors, private sector, financial service providers, UN agencies, international organizations, NGOs, research institutions and universities.

S/he will ensure effective implementation of livelihood projects and cash-based interventions, with the focus on strengthening the self-reliance of refugees and asylum seekers.

UNHCR is seeking candidates with demonstrated experience in livelihoods and economic inclusion of marginalized groups as well as developing and managing differentiated cash-based programming. The candidate should be proactive, always looking for new opportunities and persuasive in mobilizing public institutions, donors and other partners around new models of economic and social inclusion.

The candidate should possess excellent written and oral English language communication skills. Consensus teambuilding and cultural sensitivity is required. S/he should be a strong team player, excellent communicator, flexible and proactive to manage

a range of issues, situations and challenges, promote collaboration and diversity in a multicultural environment while contributing to a positive work environment. UN experience is desirable.

This is a Local Individual Contract Agreement ( LICA) under UNOPS and is open only to Indian nationals.

Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on the grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity. We work with skilled professionals who are committed to put people first and make a real difference to people’s lives.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted, and they may be required to undergo a written test and/or an interview. The selected candidate will work either from the UNHCR Office or other UNHCR partner locations in New Delhi, India.

Years of Experience / Degree Level

For UNOPS LICA9 - 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Essential requirements

Technical competencies in sub-sectors relevant to livelihoods programming e.g. financial inclusion, 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 in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, ideally in varied field contexts.

Experience in working with and developing partnerships with private sector, NGOs, UN organizations, development actors, and government authorities in sub-sectors relevant to livelihood programming e.g.

financial inclusion, employment, entrepreneurship, private sector development, local economic development, poverty reduction, agriculture, livestock, vocational and technical education and training, etc.

Functional Skills

Experience with Inter/Non-Governmental Organization (INGO/NGO);

Livelihoods & sub-sectors (value-chain upgrading, microfinance, cash assistance, etc.);

Field experience;

Project Management;

Strategic Planning;

Networking;

MS-Drafting, Documentation, Data Presentation; 

Monthly remuneration for this position is starting at INR 250,678.  

About Company

All Jobs posted by: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)