Details
Mission and objectives
The Office of the UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems world-wide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country.
The UNHCR Representation Office in Rwanda principally consists of a refugee population mainly refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo who have been on the Rwandan territory since 1996 and Burundian refugees who moved to Rwanda due to the volatile situation in Burundi since April 2015.
There is also a small population of Rwandan refugees returning after many years in exile. The UNHCR Rwanda Operation is composed of the Country Office in Kigali, Sub Office Kirehe, Field Office Karongi, Field office Huye, Field Office Kabarore, and two Field Units Gashora and Rubavu.
The UNHCR Representation Office in Rwanda principally consists of a refugee population mainly refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo who have been on the Rwandan territory since 1996 and Burundian refugees who moved to Rwanda due to the volatile situation in Burundi since April 2015.
There is also a small population of Rwandan refugees returning after many years in exile. The UNHCR Rwanda Operation is composed of the Country Office in Kigali, Sub Office Kirehe, Field Office Karongi, Field office Huye, Field Office Kabarore, and two Field Units Gashora and Rubavu.
Context
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Huye Field Office is in the Southern Province of Rwanda. As of 31st January 2026, Huye Field Office currently hosts 27,291 refugees spread across two camps (Kigeme 14,259 and Mugombwa 12,267) hosting refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Huye Urban that hosts 765 Burundian urban refugees. UNHCR Huye field office currently works through 7 implementing partners and more than 23 operational partners offering services in the 2 camps, and in the urban area. The Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Associate will support UNHCR Rwanda’s strategic priorities on protection, solutions, livelihoods, graduation, and economic inclusion, with the aim of strengthening self-reliance among refugees and host communities. The incumbent will work closely with government institutions, UNHCR partners, private sector actors, financial service providers, and other stakeholders to implement and coordinate economic inclusion initiatives. The role requires strong leadership, communication, and partnership-building skills to enhance collaboration across UNHCR programmes, including protection, education, cash assistance, GBV, solutions, and complementary pathways, particularly in the Southern Province. The UN Volunteer will also support community mobilization, knowledge management, documentation of good practices, and information sharing among humanitarian, development, and government stakeholders. She/he will maintain close coordination with the Head of Field Office and the Livelihoods and Development Unit at UNHCR main in Kigali to support the effective implementation of UNHCR programmes and strategic priorities in Rwanda
Task description
Under the direct supervision of the Head of Field Office, the UN volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
• Assist the operation in identifying potential opportunities and ensure complementarity between the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)'s protection work, the graduation and economic inclusion objectives pursued by development partners and the Government of Rwanda at the district level.
• Support relevant UNHCR staff to contribute to the operation’s efforts to align policy, operational and programme priorities between humanitarian and development agencies.
• Establish and maintain reporting, knowledge, and information exchanges on key developments among all interested stakeholders.
• Assist relevant UNHCR staff to engage in development planning, programming, and coordination processes with local government entities and development partners.
• Explore partnerships with relevant stakeholders to enhance graduation and economic inclusion of persons of concern (PoC) to UNHCR. This includes working with humanitarian, private sector, and development agencies to adapt their programmes to become inclusive of UNHCR PoC.
• Work closely with the private sector to enhance inclusion of UNHCR PoC in their labor force and supply chains, working with financial service providers to enhance financial inclusion, and working with public and private sector service providers to include UNHCR PoC in supporting services (business development, micro-finance, training, savings accounts, poverty alleviation, and social protection, etc.).
• Work with the multi-functional team, more specifically with the Protection Unit, to collect information about the legal framework for the right to work and rights at work.
• Support the implementation of graduation and socioeconomic inclusion to inform targeting, monitoring, and facilitation of the engagement of development programmes.
• Participate in necessary assessments in collaboration with relevant private and public stakeholders, including impact assessments on local economies and surveys that help to inform interventions and identify investment and funding opportunities that enhance the graduation and economic inclusion of UNHCR PoC.
• Work closely with stakeholders and provide technical assistance on livelihoods and graduation strategy interventions to ensure these project implementations are inclusive, market-based, and that the role of UNHCR has been strategically determined in consideration of its comparative advantage vis-à-vis other partners.
• Liaise with partners and authorities on livelihoods, graduation, and economic inclusion (at district level) related issues under the technical guidance of the supervisor.
• Prepare field reports and other relevant reports relating to livelihoods, graduation, and economic inclusion and make recommendations for interventions that enhance refugee economic inclusion to the designated officer.
• Perform other related duties as required.
Special notice: Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply to this assignment
• Assist the operation in identifying potential opportunities and ensure complementarity between the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)'s protection work, the graduation and economic inclusion objectives pursued by development partners and the Government of Rwanda at the district level.
• Support relevant UNHCR staff to contribute to the operation’s efforts to align policy, operational and programme priorities between humanitarian and development agencies.
• Establish and maintain reporting, knowledge, and information exchanges on key developments among all interested stakeholders.
• Assist relevant UNHCR staff to engage in development planning, programming, and coordination processes with local government entities and development partners.
• Explore partnerships with relevant stakeholders to enhance graduation and economic inclusion of persons of concern (PoC) to UNHCR. This includes working with humanitarian, private sector, and development agencies to adapt their programmes to become inclusive of UNHCR PoC.
• Work closely with the private sector to enhance inclusion of UNHCR PoC in their labor force and supply chains, working with financial service providers to enhance financial inclusion, and working with public and private sector service providers to include UNHCR PoC in supporting services (business development, micro-finance, training, savings accounts, poverty alleviation, and social protection, etc.).
• Work with the multi-functional team, more specifically with the Protection Unit, to collect information about the legal framework for the right to work and rights at work.
• Support the implementation of graduation and socioeconomic inclusion to inform targeting, monitoring, and facilitation of the engagement of development programmes.
• Participate in necessary assessments in collaboration with relevant private and public stakeholders, including impact assessments on local economies and surveys that help to inform interventions and identify investment and funding opportunities that enhance the graduation and economic inclusion of UNHCR PoC.
• Work closely with stakeholders and provide technical assistance on livelihoods and graduation strategy interventions to ensure these project implementations are inclusive, market-based, and that the role of UNHCR has been strategically determined in consideration of its comparative advantage vis-à-vis other partners.
• Liaise with partners and authorities on livelihoods, graduation, and economic inclusion (at district level) related issues under the technical guidance of the supervisor.
• Prepare field reports and other relevant reports relating to livelihoods, graduation, and economic inclusion and make recommendations for interventions that enhance refugee economic inclusion to the designated officer.
• Perform other related duties as required.
Special notice: Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply to this assignment
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