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Senior Policy Adviser

Geneva

  • Organization: UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
  • Location: Geneva
  • Grade: Senior level - P-5, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Political Affairs
    • Legal - Broad
  • Closing Date: Closed

Before submitting an application, UNHCR staff members intending to apply to this Job Opening are requested to consult the Recruitment and Assignments Policy (RAP, UNHCR/HCP/2017/2 and the Recruitment and Assignments Administrative Instruction (RAAI), UNHCR/AI/2017/7 OF 15 August 2017.

Senior Policy Adviser

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The role of the Senior Policy Adviser is to lead the development of policies on a variety of protection and solution challenges in the region, including protection strategies and operational responses, building on comprehensive responses outlined in the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). The incumbent may be based in the Division/Field/Regional Bureau. S/he will normally report to and be guided by the Director/Deputy Director/Representative and may supervise a small team of local and international staff.

The Senior Policy Adviser will provide strategic advice to the management as well as coordinate with other Bureaux and Divisions on policy matters with the aim of ensuring harmonization across regions and in global policy matters of UNHCR.

S/he will consult and closely coordinate with the Division of Resilience and Solutions, the Division of International Protection, the Division of Programme Management and Support and other Divisions as well as other Regional Bureaux and operations as required as is most relevant according to the matters to be dealt with as well as ensuring due information and coordination with concerned states.

S/he will focus in particular on issues pertaining to inclusion and development, which represent a wide range of challenges and opportunities which crucially require working with new partners, including with local government actors, civil society, academia and the private sector. UNHCR has a role to play as a facilitator in integration dialogue engaging a diversity of partners. The incumbent is also expected to support and undertake new initiatives in regional fora which can extend UNHCR's influence and promote solutions for refugee situations in the region. The incumbent will also provide strategic advice and analytical support to the management.

In the Regional Bureaux, the incumbent is responsible for ensuring, in an effective and efficient manner which supports the Organization's Mandate, overall quality assurance and managerial support of operations, in line with the Bureau's 2nd line function, within the three lines of defence conceptual framework for effective control and risk management adopted by the UN system.

S/he will, further, cover the full spectrum of managerial oversight, manage performance and monitor the adherence of Country Operations to UNHCR¿s rules and regulations, monitoring, identifying and addressing any emerging issues and risks as appropriate.  The incumbent also promotes a culture that is results-oriented, efficient and based on trust and pursues measures to ensure that inclusion, gender balance and diversity are taken into due consideration in staffing, resource allocation and representation at all levels throughout the AoR.

As a key custodian of the organization's standards of conduct, s/he will proactively establish a working environment where all personnel feel safe, heard, equipped and empowered to speak up; demonstrate no tolerance for sexism, gender inequality, discrimination of any kind, abuse of power, harassment or sexual harassment; foster ongoing dialogue on those matters; take seriously all issues of inappropriate behaviour and actions reported, whether formally or informally; and seek guidance and support as necessary to ensure that appropriate follow-up is taken, working on the basis of zero tolerance for any form of misconduct.

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 development and articulation of the  strategies and policies in the area of responsibility (AoR) by supporting their use and application, through consultative processes among senior managers in the field, and reflecting major global developments influencing UNHCR's work, such as the Global Compact on Refugees and UNHCR's support to applying comprehensive responses included therein.
- Review and analyse information related to solution perspectives in the AoR, ensuring overall harmonization and coherence of the solution strategies, policies and operations.
- Ensure effective representation and engagement with strategy and policy development and evaluation processes on selected cross-cutting protection and policy issues, both within UNHCR and, as appropriate, on the inter-agency level, or with relevance to government-led comprehensive responses at national or regional levels.
- Advise the Director on key strategic issues pertaining to solutions.
- Lead the development and formulation of solutions oriented strategies which would be sub-regional and country specific, as necessary, taking into account the local context.
- Contribute to fostering and maintaining new partnerships with UN, whole-of-government including local authorities as applicable, private sector, civil society, academia, development partners, regional organizations and other actors geared towards achieving solutions in line with the GCR and application of comprehensive responses.
- Closely coordinate work related to strategy development within the Bureau, with other Bureaux and Divisions at HQ, Regional and Country Representations, governmental departments, other major stakeholders, including in private sector, at high level. Reach out to People of Concern and their involvement in the process of the search for adequate solutions is key.
- In Regional Bureaux, contribute to strengthening the Bureau¿s capacity for results-based management, monitoring and the evaluation of operational performance through the development of relevant tools and approaches and identifying and meeting capacity-building needs.
- Provide substantive guidance on the implementation of the solutions strategy and relevant ongoing activities to operations in the region and appropriate Divisions and Services at HQ.
- Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P5 - 12 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 11 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 10 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree.

Field(s) of Education
Public Policy; Public Administration; Law; International Law; Political Science; Social Science; or other relevant field.

Relevant Job Experience
Essential: Prior experience with an international organisation, development organisation or with government as part of solution-oriented or similar programmes supported by international actors. Demonstrated ability to conceptualise, develop and implement strategy and policy. Experience in both headquarters and the field, working with multiple priorities in high-pressure environments.

Desirable: Experience in coordination of UNHCR interventions with other actors, in a refugee context. Experience in applying legislative policies in international organization or the public sector. Training in UNHCR's Protection and management learning programmes, including thematic protection learning programmes.

Functional Skills
PO-Policy Advocacy in UNHCR;
PO-Policy Development, Evaluation, Research, Publication;
MG-Strategic Planning;
MS-Drafting, Documentation, Data Presentation;

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.

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. C001L4 - Accountability Level 4
C002L4 - Teamwork & Collaboration Level 4
C003L4 - Communication Level 4
C004L4 - Commitment to Continuous Learning Level 4
C005L4 - Client & Result Orientation Level 4
C006L4 - Organizational Awareness Level 4
M001L4 - Empowering and Building Trust Level 4
M005L4 - Leadership Level 4
M004L4 - Strategic Planning and Vision Level 4
M002L4 - Managing Performance Level 4
M003L4 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 4
X004L4 - Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Level 4
X001L4 - Analytical Thinking Level 4
X006L4 - Policy Development & Research Level 4

The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.

Please note that UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travelling, processing, training or any other fees).

Please note that the closing date for vacancies in this September 2020 Compendium is Tuesday 20 October 2020  (midnight Geneva time).

This vacancy is now closed.
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