PPH Officer (Islamic Philanthropy)

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

H (no hardship)

FamilyUNOPS IICA2

June 9 2025General Background:

UNHCR the UN Refugee Agency is a global organization dedicated to saving lives protecting rights and building a better future for refugees forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. Every year millions of men women and children are forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution. We are in over 130 countries using our expertise to protect and care for millions. UNHCR is almost entirely funded by voluntary contributions from governments and private donors.

In the UK philanthropic efforts including faith-based philanthropy are increasingly recognized as critical components of addressing global humanitarian challenges. As the displacement crisis continues to grow worldwide the need for innovative funding approaches is pressing. The UK has a strong tradition of charitable giving across various faiths with Islamic philanthropy playing an important role driven by principles like Zakat (obligatory alms) and Sadaqah (voluntary donations).

The Private Sector Partnerships (PSP) Service within UNHCR has been actively engaged in faith-based funding for several years. This includes Islamic philanthropy which has emerged as a significant and growing source of support for UNHCRs global refugee response. To further strengthen this initiative UNHCR has established a dedicated global hub for Islamic philanthropy in Dubai which provides strategic support and guidance to colleagues across the organization. The UK with its diverse Muslim community and well-established Islamic financial sector offers potential for UNHCR to expand its Islamic philanthropy portfolio. This work has already begun with the support of UK for UNHCR the National Partner charity for UNHCR in the United Kingdom.

Organizational context:

The Private Sector Partnerships (PSP) Services works in different regions: Europe MENA Americas Africa and Asia and further decentralizes at local levels.

The position will be part of UNHCRs Private Sector Partnerships Unit which sits within the Department of External Relations (DER) responsible for mobilizing resources to enable UNHCRs refugee response programming around the world. The PPH Officer (Islamic Philanthropy) position will be part of PSP Europe Regional team and will be based in the UNHCR Office located in London.

The position:

UNHCR is seeking to recruit an Officer to support the development of its Islamic Philanthropy strategy within the UK. The Officer will work closely with the UK for UNHCR team leveraging their experience in Islamic giving and philanthropy to help cultivate long-term partnerships with (for example) foundations faith-based charities institutional donors Islamic financial institutions and individual philanthropists.

The ideal candidate will have proven experience in Islamic philanthropy strong connections within the UK Muslim community and a deep understanding of the UKs philanthropic landscape. The Officer will play a key role in driving transparency compliance and trust ensuring UNHCRs programs align with Islamic philanthropic principles thus supporting the growth of this crucial funding stream.

The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the Senior PSP Officer (Europe) in close collaboration with UK for UNHCR (UK4U) working to support their fundraising team. The incumbent will furthermore help UK4U liaise with key UNHCR teams including the representation in London and the Bureau for Europe in Geneva.

The incumbent will be based in London UK including meeting regularly with the team at UK for UNHCR.

Duties and responsibilities:

Under the supervision of the Senior PSP Officer (Europe) the PPH Officer (Islamic Philanthropy) will perform the following duties:

Identify and establish contact with a range of potential Islamic Philanthropy supporters: including leading Islamic financial institutions in the UK (banks insurance firms wealth management companies etc) corporate organisations and their community Muslim networks Muslim charities across the UK grant giving organisations membership based groups (U)HNWIs and influential connectors with the aim of supporting UK for UNHCRs work to raise funds to help refugees and IDPs. Working with counterparts from UK for UNHCR this role would help support the prospecting process from first meetings through to opportunities secured;
Create a clear case for support and a range of compelling and up-to-date project proposals and reports to solicit and report back on Islamic funds tailored to the interests and priorities of Islamic philanthropists;
Build and strengthen relationships with key internal and external stakeholders related to the guidance and implementation of UNHCRs Islamic Philanthropy strategy and in support of UK for UNHCRs Islamic Philanthropy strategy;
Support in refining UNHCRs strategic approach to Islamic Philanthropy in the UK; this includes but is not limited to strengthening the case for support through existing streams (Zakat Sadaqah Waqf Sukuk) and identifying where the greatest opportunities are;
Support the speedy and effective implementation of the strategy aiming to support UK for UNHCR to build relationships and awareness among Islamic Philanthropy actors in the UK including donor partners (U)HNWIs financial institutions and Islamic institutions such as Zakat and Waqf Houses;
Support UK for UNHCR to help it further establish strong creative regular events and communications programme to provide cultivation stewardship and thanking opportunities throughout the year around Islamic Philanthropy;
Provide guidance and advice on best practices in the area of Islamic Philanthropy accompanied with recommendations on how UK for UNHCR and UNHCR can best employ such practices to increase credibility and transparency among audiences;
Support UNHCR in the monthly process of reconciling received Islamic funding in order to guarantee utmost accountability in recording such funds accurately channeling them to the programs/ beneficiaries they are supposed to be earmarked for and full transparency in reporting back to donors;
Liaise with relevant internal UNHCR stakeholders to guarantee on-going compliance of relevant programmes and expand the internal scope of compliance through the continuous identification of relevant UNHCR programmes for compliance purposes;
Ensure that regular reports on optimum and compliant utilization of Islamic funds by UNHCR in a professional and timely manner. Additionally assure external compliance reports are drafted and published by the relevant 3rd party;
Perform other adhoc functions.

Essential minimum qualifications and professional experience required:

The ideal candidate will be required to have:

University Degree in Finance Islamic Finance Economics Business Administration development public administration or other related field is mandatory for this position;
Minimum 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate/Bachelors degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate/Masters degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate/PHD degree;
Knowledge of Muslim community and networks in the UK;
Proven expertise in Islamic philanthropy and/ or Islamic finance in the UK or Islamic world;
Proven experience in fundraising;
Good knowledge of humanitarian assistance and UN environment;
Strong project management skills.

Key Competencies:

Excellent knowledge of Islamic Philanthropy and Financing Practices;
High client orientation networking and relationship-building skills;
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills;
Excellent negotiation skills;
Good written and oral communication and interpersonal skills;
Fluency in English language. Arabic language is a plus.

Location:

The successful candidate will be based with the team in UNHCRs office in London UK.

Conditions:

The position is associated with a yearly contract valid until end of the year with possibility of renewal. It is a full-time role from Monday to Friday (37.5 hours per week). Part-time working arrangement (minimum 50%) is possible upon further agreement with the selected candidate.

Application process:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to the next stages of the recruitment process. Shortlisted candidates will first be invited to take an eliminatory written test. Candidates who successfully pass the test will then be invited to an interview with the panel.

For more information please check UNHCRs websites ().

In case of unexpected technical problems during the application process candidates (not current UNHCR workforce members) should direct their questions to who can provide further technical support.

Standard Job Description

Required Languages

English

Desired Languages

Arabic

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

Certifications

Other information

This position doesnt require a functional clearance

Remote

No