Driver

April 19 2026

Grade

GS2

General Service

Reason

Temporary > Temporary Assignment/ Appointment

D

Non Family with Residential Location

Danger Pay

Budapest Hungary

Standard Job Description

Driver

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Driver in the UNHCR Office is normally supervised directly by the Administrative Officer/Associate/Assistant or another staff member when the scale of the Operation so require it. Besides driving the incumbent is responsible for up keep and maintenance of the assigned UNHCR vehicle(s) as per technical guidance and specifications established by the Organisation. S/he is required to follow strict instructions and security guidance provided by the supervisor. While the basic function of a driver is to drive the official vehicles of UNHCR s/he may be called upon to perform minor maintenance and repair of UNHCR vehicles.

The Driver has regular contacts with staff within the UNHCR Office and with others (including Partners government authorities etc.) outside UNHCR involving a limited exchange of information.

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 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
- Drive UNHCR vehicles for the transport of authorized passengers deliver and collect documents and other items.
- Meet official personnel at airports or other locations and facilitate immigration and customs formalities as required.
- Perform day-to-day maintenance of the assigned vehicles; check oil water battery brakes tires etc. and ensure that the assigned UNHCR vehicles are road or waterway worthy and maintained up to the established security standards.
- Perform minor repairs arrange for other repairs and ensure that the vehicle is kept clean.
- Ensure that the steps required by rules and regulations or other local procedures are taken in case of involvement in an accident.
- Log official trips daily mileage gas consumption oil changes greasing etc.
- Ensure that instructions and security guidance provided by the supervisor and security focal point are strictly followed.
- Ensures valid documentation for passengers items or cargo in vehicle.

- 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

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G2D - 2 years relevant experience with Completion of Primary Education or High School Diploma or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not applicable

Certificates and/or Licenses
*Driving Licences;
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Driving licence knowledge of driving rules and regulations.
Desirable
Not specified.

Functional Skills
* DV-Driving Rules and Regulations
DV - Basic Vehicle Mechanical Skills;
(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.

Operational Context:

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has been present in Ukraine since 1994 and substantially increased its presence and response after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The geographical presence within Ukraine has significatively expanded to deliver the emergency response. The country office is located in the capital Kyiv and sub- and field offices are currently located in Dnipro Kyiv Lviv Odesa and Kharkiv.

The war in Ukraine has caused death and suffering on a dramatic 2025 more than 12.7 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and protection according to the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan. Some 3.7 million people are internally displaced while around 6.8 million refugees from Ukraine are recorded across Europe and beyond. Some 75000 people including some of the most vulnerable notable older people and people with disabilities live in collective sites spread across the country. Ukraine also hosts asylum-seekers and refugees and is home to thousands of people who are stateless or at risk of statelessness.

The massive destruction of civilian infrastructure with the energy sector being particularly targeted has made life extremely challenging for millions of people who have lost their homes and livelihoods and has severely disrupted access to electricity water heating as well as critical services including healthcare education and social protection services. Humanitarian access continues to be hampered particularly in frontline areas as well as to areas under temporary occupation of the Russian Federation. Civilians remain exposed to serious risks to their physical security and integrity particularly in eastern and southern regions of Ukraine. The risk of GBV including sexual violence continues to prevail alongside family separations loss of housing and properties as well as identity and civil documentation. Populations displaced or otherwise affected by the war live in situations of deprivation following the loss or damage of their housing loss of income and often become dependent on an overstretched social protection system.

The Government of Ukraine maintains a strong lead role in responding to the needs of its population and UNHCR supports the Government and its central and local institutions to provide protection shelter/housing cash and in-kind assistance to displaced and other people impacted by the war. Currently UNHCR has MOUs with five-line ministries the First Ladys foundation as well as the Office of the Ombudsman 19 regional state administrations and agreements with 14 partners to deliver assistance and support the localization of the response.

Under the leadership of the UN Humanitarian Coordinator UNHCR operates as part of the Inter-agency humanitarian response working in close coordination with local authorities and humanitarian partners. UNHCR is leading three clusters - Protection Shelter and NFIs and CCCM. The strategic orientation of UNHCRs response is to reach people particularly those with specific vulnerabilities who remain in frontline and heavily affected areas with immediate relief while supporting displaced people and those who have remained in their homes or returned with protection advice housing support livelihoods advice and cash assistance to enable their recovery and attainment of durable solutions.

Protection needs to be truly at the center of this response as the highest critical needs of the population caused by the international armed conflict are in the area of protection. Since Ukraine is a highly sophisticated country with a strong government leadership and well-established administrative social protection and digital systems it is essential to design and deliver UNHCRs protection programs in a way which simultaneously addresses immediate needs and supports the further development of sustainable and inclusive national protection systems.

With the EU having voted to confirm Ukraines accession to the EU at the end of 2023 Ukraine will also embark on a series of substantial and long-term reforms in numerous sectors including justice and home affairs which presents an opportunity to contribute to strengthened and more inclusive protection asylum and statelessness reduction systems. Working closely with government authorities local community representatives and partners from the embassies UN civil society and international financial institutions amongst others is thus key to ensuring that UNHCRs response is closely aligned with and complementary of national and local strategies and recovery plans.

As the war continues new urgent humanitarian needs are created every day alongside protracted ones and peoples and communities efforts to recover and rebuild their lives in war-torn communities. Among the IDPs and refugees from Ukraine the majority express a hope and desire to return to their homes as soon as the security situation allows. The protection needs of the population thus need to be analyzed and addressed both from a humanitarian as well as from an early recovery and durable solutions perspective with UNHCR playing a leading role in this work.

Desired Candidate Profile:

Valid Drivers license. Safe driving record; knowledge of driving rules and regulations and skills in minor vehicle repair. International organization and/or Embassy experience is preferable. Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word Excel) is required. The candidate can work in a dynamic environment with recurrent security incidents; the function requires field missions Abroad. The candidate is pro-active has the ability to identify issues and suggest improvements to be made. Fluency in Ukrainian and working knowledge of English is required.

Nature of Position (Position specifications):

The workload in the Lviv Field Office remains consistently high. On average the office manages no fewer than 25 shuttle trips per month primarily to and from Poland in addition to regular field missions. These shuttle movements are critical to ongoing operations and require stable and reliable driver capacity.
Lviv Field Office covers 8 oblasts representing the widest geographical area of responsibility among all field offices. According to 2026 operational statistics Lviv continues to rank among the busiest offices reflecting a sustained and significant level of activity. This volume of work clearly demonstrates the necessity of maintaining sufficient driver capacity at all times.
At present there is a notable shortage of female drivers which creates operational challenges particularly in assignments where female staff are required for safety cultural or programmatic reasons. Ensuring gender balance within the driver pool is not only an organizational priority but also a practical necessity in the field.


Living and Working Conditions:

Ukraine is currently designated as a non-family country location with Dnipro and Kharkiv classified as E duty stations and Odesa as a D duty station with 4-week R&R cycle whereas Kyiv and Lviv are classified as D duty station with 6-week RR Cycle and Budapest being a designated R&R location for all duty stations. English is not widely spoken access to hard currency is possible from local banks (rents are normally paid in USD). International staff rent private apartments in the cities of their duty stations. The quality of life is of average European standard with relatively solid infrastructure. However the volatile security situation which includes frequent missile and drone attacks that trigger air raid alarms requiring immediate move to the shelters (frequently during nights) affects the living and working environment on everyday basis resulting with sleep deprivation high levels of stress affecting the staff welfare and addition due to massive attacks on the countrys critical infrastructure there are frequent and prolonged electricity power cuts coupled with lack of generators in private multistorey buildings and apartments which may also affect elevators heating water and possible sewage systems leading to an overall unpredictable and at times difficult living situation especially in winter. Due to the state of war there is a country wide curfew in place from 00:00-05:00 every day. Also all airports are closed and air-traffic is not available resulting in travel within and in and out from/to Ukraine being done mainly by car and local trains supported by official shuttle for Poland and Moldova border crossing. Average train ride combined with shuttle by road from Kyiv to Poland Hungary or Moldova airports ranges from 11-17 hours with train tickets selling very quickly. Movement between different locations within and outside Ukraine is not allowed during workdays and weekends/public holidays unless there is a specific approval from the Agency Representative.

Security:

The international armed conflict in Ukraine is ongoing and the Russian Federation Armed Forces temporarily occupy parts of Donetsk Luhansk Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. The frontline is the primary area of kinetic military operations particularly in the eastern and southeastern regions and north of Kharkiv. Cruise missiles ballistic missiles aero-ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been targeting vital civilian and military sites including airports since the start of the invasion. As a result commercial air travel is suspended and vehicles and trains are the only modes of transportation. Since 2023 there has been an increase in attacks targeting civilian infrastructure throughout the country.

Whilst the UN has not been targeted directly the threat of collateral damage continues to remain in place with cases of UNHCR IPs reporting collateral damages and several humanitarian workers recorded as been killed and injured since the start of the full-scale invasion. The UN Security Management System (UNSMS) applies a comprehensive Security Risk Management (SRM) process to identify security threats and evaluate risk levels. The security risk levels are regularly reviewed. Currently the most significant threats and hazards are associated with the international armed conflict with current risk levels ranging from high to Very High or Unacceptable in areas with ongoing hostilities.

This has resulted in a decrease of humanitarian space making it difficult and sometimes impossible to access people in need in frontline areas. When assessing risk levels the security personnel and the UNHCR Representative as part of the countrys Security Management Team adhere to the SRM process as defined by the general the projected risk level in all three SRM areas where the UN/HCR operates is High.

Therefore applicants for positions in Ukraine should be prepared to work in a highly dynamic security environment where unexpected events occur frequently. Air raids are common and staff may be required to work from bunkers or underground car parks metro stations and other locations for extended periods. Power and water outages are to be expected and will make life more challenging during the winter months. Depending on the evolution of the war disruptions to public services such as shops banks and restaurants may occur. Curfews are in place throughout the country and mission travel must be authorized by the Representative or designated managers subject to the completion of mandatory BSAFE SSAFE and IFAK training and security clearance procedures. Private trips within the country are prohibited for international staff.

The Field Security Unit works closely with UNDSS and other interlocutors of the UNSMS to ensure that program activities can be implemented within the acceptable level of risk by following the required measures and procedures set up and approved by the Designated Official. Due to the countrys evolving operational and security environment UNHCR needs to maintain strong security contingency preparedness supporting its mandate of providing protection and assistance to people in need.

This position doesnt require a functional clearance

English

Ukrainian

Skills

DV - Basic Vehicle Mechanical Skills DV-Driving Rules and Regulations

Education

Certifications

Driving License - Other

information