Programme Officer

A (least hardship)

FamilyFamily

PR3

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

July 3 2025

Programme Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Programme Officer may be based in HQ field/regional bureau typically reporting to and be guided by the Senior Program officer and may supervise a small team of local and international staff. He/she may refer to UNHCRs Programme Manual (Chapter IV) UNHCRs corporate and regional strategic priorities operation plans and other relevant institutional rules and regulations for further guidance.
The Programme Officer will provide programmatic guidance and support with regard to the implementation of protection and solutions strategies within available resources. S/he will coordinate with the other sections/units to ensure harmonized programmatic approaches at all levels and throughout the UNHCR Operations Management Cycle. S/he will work in line with the overall UNHCR directions which crucially require working with partners including with forcibly displaced and stateless persons governmental institutions and the private sector ensuring that programme management is approached as per UNHCRs Strategic Directions Global Strategic Priorities (GSPs) Global Compact for Refugees (GCR) corporate positions on SDGs.

The incumbent is expected to work in line with the multi-functional team (MFT) approach as defined within the Program Manual ensuring the participation of relevant stakeholders in all phases of the Program Management Cycle.

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 UNHCRs core values of professionalism integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
- Support in assessing and analysing the needs of forcibly displaced and stateless persons in a participatory manner using an Age Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective as basis for planning.
- Provide support on programmatic aspects of developing multi-year protection and solutions strategies and annual plans with corresponding priorities taking into account corporate priorities.
- Support Results Based Management and programme capacity in light of evolving requirements programming approaches and gaps.
- Support the planning process in compliance with planning parameters outlined in the Programme Manual and the planning instructions.
- Review and analyse plans mid-year and year-end reports of UNHCR office(s) ensuring quality assurance and compliance with established policies guidelines procedures and standards.
- Support in the provision of overall direction to broaden partnerships with key stakeholders in order to maximize the protection and solutions response for forcibly displaced and stateless persons.
- Provide support to ensure a consistent application of the framework for implementing with partners including the effective implementation of the policy on selection and retention of partners management of partnership agreements risk-based project performance monitoring and risk-based project audits among others.
- Contribute to ensure consistent and coherent monitoring approaches tools and systems in line with global standards and polices.
- Actively contribute to UNHCRs programming of community of practice and continuously contributing to improvements of programming tools and processes.
- Identify potential gaps and problems and in cooperation with other relevant sections recommend appropriate solutions to ensure the efficient implementation of programme activities.
- Oversee a timely and effective follow-up of internal and external audits observations and recommendations that relate to programmatic issues.

- Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
- Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
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
Economics Business Administration Social Sciences
or other relevant field.

Essential
Demonstrated experience in programme management including familiarization with the OMC and sound knowledge Results Based-Management. Demonstrated experience in field operations sound knowledge on the centrality of protection in programming Joint Needs Assessments and the principles of targeting.

Desirable
Demonstrated experience in coordination within an inter-agency context and other actors in a refugee or humanitarian context. Sound experience in program management training and capacity building activities.

Functional Skills
PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards)
PG-Results-Based Management
PG-UNHCRs Programmes
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

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.

The ideal candidate for the Programme Officer position in Cairo should have relevant experience in programme management preferably within humanitarian or development contexts. Proven experience in implementing results-based management frameworks and engaging with UN agencies or similar organizations is highly desirable.

The candidate must possess strong analytical skills to assess programme effectiveness and identify improvement areas. S/he should have experience in preparing inputs for the Multi-Year Plan process concluding Partnership Agreements in consultation with Protection other technical units and field staff as well as verifying progress to ensure timely resource reallocation. Excellent communication and networking abilities are essential for building relationships with key stakeholders including refugees and partners to support UNHCRs Partnership Agreements effectively.

Technical proficiency in data management and reporting tools along with experience using COMPASS and RBM is crucial. The candidate should demonstrate leadership skills with a track record of mentoring team members and coordinating cross-functional efforts. A strong commitment to humanitarian principles cultural sensitivity and flexibility in adapting to a dynamic work environment are essential personal attributes.

Given the dynamic operation the incumbent will need to be experienced in working in complex operations and handling competing priorities. The candidate will be expected to have proven managerial and excellent functional competencies with leadership skills that have been acquired from previous field experience in complex duty stations. Performance orientation proactiveness and maturity are equally important to keep the workforce together and to yield best results. Strong leadership and negotiation skills are required for the incumbent to defend the organizations interest. The candidate should have experience in humanitarian transition as well as development inter-agency coordination mechanisms as the candidate will be responsible to represent UNHCR at several fora for which excellent communication skills are essential. In that sense understanding of programme and administration management principles is essential. S/he must also have interpersonal skills such as empathy and willingness to take lead in coordinating with external interlocutors as well as support staff deal with working conditions.

Knowledge of Arabic is desired.

Arabic

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

The majority of Egypt is at Security Level 2 (Low) with the exception of the Western Desert (Security Level 3 Moderate) and the North Sinai (Security Level 5 High). UNHCR currently operates only in Low to Moderate security level areas. The security situation is relatively stable; however there have been a number of attacks on security (police and military) forces and on rare occasions religious and tourism sites. Civil unrest since 2015 is low there are very rarely large demonstrations or public disorder incidents. The crime rate in the country is moderate with some incidents particularly in the crowded neighbourhoods of large cities (Cairo and Alexandria) such as thefts burglary and robbery (e.g. bag snatchers especially against females). Sexual harassment against women and girls is high in the country targeting both Egyptian and foreigners. Hazards are the most challenging safety issue. Road accidents are common in Egypt due to poor road conditions dangerous driving and non-enforcement of traffic laws. Fires in apartments are a hazard with electricity standards low causing electrical fires. Vulnerability to staff is exacerbated by disregard of safety advisories such as installing smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in their residences.

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station please visit:

Nature of Position:

The Arab Republic of Egypt is a signatory State to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol as well as the 1969 OAU Convention Governing Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa. In accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding of 1954 concluded between UNHCR and the Government of Egypt all activities pertaining to registration documentation and refugee status determination (RSD) are carried out by UNHCR. UNHCR in Egypt has offices in Greater Cairo and a Field Office in Alexandria.

UNHCR is present in various parts of Egypt delivering lifesaving assistance to those most in need. Together with its partners UNHCR Egypt works towards ensuring the inclusion of refugees in the education and health systems and carries out community projects to enhance the integration and promote the livelihoods of refugees among many other initiatives.

Following the outbreak of armed conflict in Sudan on 15 April 2023 large numbers of civilians have been forced to flee including people who were already internally displaced because of previous conflicts in Sudan and refugees from other countries who had sought safety in Sudan. To scale up the response to the Sudan Situation in July 2023 UNHCR declared a Level 3 emergency for the refugee and returnee situation within Egypt and other countries. There are over 900000 registered refugees and asylum-seekers in Egypt as of March 2025. Refugees in Egypt live in urban settings across the major cities with most new arrivals coming from Khartoum in Sudan. Most refugees live in urban areas of Cairo and the North Coast. UNHCR is scaling up the delivery of cash assistance and registration to address the most urgent needs of the most vulnerable.

Emergency and multi-purpose cash grants are among UNHCRs main interventions. Furthermore registration of new arrivals will continue to be key to UNHCRs protection response. Protection mechanisms are established to ensure that persons at risk are supported by protection prevention and response activities.

Living and Working Conditions:

Cairo is a family category A duty station has good residential areas and offersmultiple touristic sites and locations to visit and enjoy. Cairo also offers excellent and frequent air connections to a wide range of international destinations. When it comes to accommodation food furniture and clothing there is variety of choice withs the costs depending on the preferences of the incumbent. International banks and a wide variety of private health facilities are available even though some international staff members opt to seek specialized medical services abroad. Bilingual and international schools are many but some colleagues have experienced overt discrimination on the basis of nationality when trying to register their children into certain schools. Some international staff have experienced difficulties importing or exporting private vehicles as the customs-clearance process is cumbersome. Also some staff members have experienced significant delays in the customs clearance of their personal belongings leading to high demurrage and storage charges. Heavy traffic air & noise pollution and long commuting hours are often mentioned as challenging aspects of living in Cairo.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Bachelor of Arts: Business Administration Bachelor of Arts: Economics Bachelor of Arts: Social Science

Certifications

HCR Learning Program - UNHCR

Work Experience

Competencies

Accountability Analytical thinking Change capability & adaptability Client & results orientation Commitment to continuous learning Communication Empowering & building trust Judgement & decision making Managing performance Managing resource Negotiation & conflict resolution Organizational awareness Teamwork & collaboration

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Additional Information

This position doesnt require a functional clearance