Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer

Deadline for Applications

May 3, 2026

Grade

NOC

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

National Professional Officer

Reason

Temporary > Temporary Assignment/ Appointment

Hardship Level

B

Family Type

• Family<p></p><p></p>
• Residential location (if applicable)

Target Start Date

2026-05-15

Target End Date

2026-12-31

Standard Job Description

Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer

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 direct support from the Senior Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion Officer in the Regional Bureau and the global support of 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 services;

1. 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
2. enhance ongoing livelihoods and economic inclusion programming through evidence-based and market-driven approaches to improve economic inclusion outcomes.

The Livelihood and Economic Inclusion 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 play a role in formulating interventions that position UNHCR a key catalyst for livelihoods and the economic inclusion of refugees.

S/he will interact with both internal and external counterparts. The incumbent will work 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. Externally, the Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion Officer will help promote refugees' economic inclusion through effective partnerships with relevant government line ministries, development actors, the private sector, UN agencies, international organisations and NGOs, and research institutions and universities, both at the global and country levels.

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 UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

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.
• 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.

In the Regional Bureaux

• Keep abreast of policy developments and situation updates in the region, and advocate towards the economic inclusion and livelihoods of PoC.
• Maintain regular communication with livelihoods and economic inclusion focal points in Country Operations in the region, identify gaps, opportunities, and provide guidance and capacity building for impactful programming.
• Coordinate relevant technical assessments and research conducted in the region and support the identification of investment and funding opportunities that enhance the economic inclusion of UNHCR PoC.
• Develop and mobilize partnerships for the economic inclusion and improved livelihoods of PoC.
• Facilitate coordination and mobilize resources and partnerships for the economic inclusion of PoC and their livelihoods, at regional level.
• 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.

In the Country Operations

• 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.
• Manage the livelihoods and economic inclusion programme in the Operation, develop/update strategy, plan, monitor, report on and evaluate results.
• Conduct necessary assessments and research 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.
• Facilitate coordination and mobilize resources and partnerships for the economic inclusion of PoC and their livelihoods, at Operation level.

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.

Certificates and/or Licenses

Not specified.

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

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 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, 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. 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.

Functional Skills

CO-Drafting and Documentation

MG-Project Management

SO-Networking

LV-Livelihood Project Development and Implementation

LV-Microfinance and Banking sector analysis

MG-Management Planning

(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.

Desired Candidate Profile

Nature of Position

This position, based at the Regional Bureau for Eastern and Southern Africa, plays a pivotal role in advancing UNHCR’s strategic shift toward sustainable and inclusive economic solutions for forcibly displaced populations. The role supports the operationalization of the Global Compact on Refugees by promoting market-based, partnership-driven, and scalable approaches to financial and economic inclusion.

The incumbent will support country operations in the application of UNHCR’s financial and economic inclusion approach for the region, under the guidance of the Senior Social Protection Officer and will support from the Self-Reliance and Economic Inclusion Unit in the Sustainable Responses Service at headquarters. The incumbent will ensure that financial and economic inclusion strategies at country level are designed with a sustainability lens, promoting long-term self-reliance and reduced dependency on aid. The incumbent will oversee the coordination of the regional economic inclusion strategy, contribute to the implementation of sustainable responses approaches, provide technical support to field operations, develop policy and guidance, analyze relevant data, and support country operations to implement the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) Economic Inclusion and Social Protection (EISP) pledge and related pledges in the region.

The Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer will engage with relevant units and teams across the Regional Bureau, foster regional partnerships (including with Regional Economic Communities, Multilateral Development Banks, and private sector), coordinate relevant projects and programmes (including but not limited to work funded by the Mastercard Foundation, the PROSPECTs partnership, IKEA Foundation and others), co-lead the regional economic inclusion working group with external stakeholders, and develop relevant fact sheets and briefing materials.

Additionally, the Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer will play a key role in internal capacity building and driving organizational transformation in line with the Global Compact on Refugees.

Desired Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will have a minimum of five years of relevant experience in livelihoods, economic development, or related fields, with a strong background in market systems development, private sector engagement, and inclusive finance. Experience working on economically underserved areas in Africa is essential. Experience working with displaced or marginalized populations, a demonstrated ability to influence policy and practice at the national level, as well as experience working with international financial institutions and the private sector, are strong assets. The candidate should possess excellent communication, analytical, and coordination skills, and be committed to advancing sustainable and inclusive development outcomes. The candidate should also be skilled in knowledge transfer to country operations and adept at advocating for innovative and sustainable approaches.

Functional Clearance

• This position requires Functional Clearance
• Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level)

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Desired languages

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Additional Qualifications

Skills

CO-Drafting and Documentation, LV-Livelihood Project Development and Implementation, LV-Microfinance and Banking sector analysis, MG-Management Planning, MG-Project Management, SO-Networking

Education

Bachelor of Arts: Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts: Economics, Bachelor of Arts: Financial Management, Bachelor of Arts: Rural Development, Bachelor of Arts: Socio-Economic Development

Certifications

Work Experience

UNHCR Salary Calculator

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Other information

Written test may be administered as part of the selection process.