Associate Livelihood & Economic Inclusion Officer

Deadline for Applications

June 17, 2026

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

D

Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

Non Family with Residential Location

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

UNOPS IICA1

Target Start Date

2026-06-01

Terms of Reference

- Advanced degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Economics, Business management, Socio-Economic Development, Rural Development, International Development, Financial Management, Agriculture Economics, Development studies, or other relevant studies

- Minimum 2-3 years of relevant experience in livelihoods, economic inclusion, economic recovery, development programming, resilience, or related areas

- Demonstrated experience in livelihoods and economic inclusion programming, including areas such as entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, employment promotion, vocational training, local economic development, agriculture, livestock, market systems, or poverty reduction.

- Experience in coordination and partnership-building with NGOs, government institutions, UN agencies, development actors, cooperatives, financial institutions, or private sector stakeholders

- Ability to conduct assessments, socio-economic surveys, market analyses, or data collection activities.

- Proficiency in project monitoring, reporting, and program implementation

- Experience working in field-based operational environments

- Familiarity with the humanitarian-development nexus and the Global Compact on Refugees

- Experience working in refugee or forced displacement contexts

- Good knowledge of market-based programming and financial inclusion approaches

- Previous experience with UNHCR or another UN or a development agency is an advantage.

- Proficiency in French and English

Standard Job Description

Associate Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Associate Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer will be key in operationalizing the strategic vision to align 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). Contributing to this global roll-out of the GCR, the Associate Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer, with support from 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 service;
2) 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
3) enhance ongoing livelihoods and economic inclusion programming through evidence-based and market-driven approaches to improve economic inclusion outcomes.
The Associate 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 interact with the government counterparts and other stakeholders with specific mandate in livelihood activities as well as with the refugee communities. Within UNHCR, the Associate Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer will work under the supervision of the head of livelihoods and 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. S/he will support the office's involvement with livelihoods and economic inclusion, working with relevant external stakeholders from government line ministries, development actors, private sector, UN agencies, international organisations, NGOs, research institutions and universities.
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
- Maintain close contact and cooperation with partners to facilitate the economic inclusion of refugees, 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. 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.).
- 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 and recommend/implement advocacy initiatives and policy reforms to improve UNHCR POC's economic inclusion, rights and access to work.
- 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 utilising community-based strategies 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.
- 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.

- 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 P2/NOB - 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year 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 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.
Desirable
Knowledge about latest development in the livelihoods sector, including broader UN processes on the SDGs and the Global Compact on Refugees.
Functional Skills
LV-Strategic Planning and Advocacy for Refugee Socioeconomic Rights
MG-Project Management
SO-Networking
CO-Drafting and Documentation
(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.

Required Languages

,

,

Desired Languages

,

,

Additional Qualifications

Skills

CO-Drafting and Documentation, LV-Strategic Planning and Advocacy for Refugee Socioeconomic Rights, MG-Project Management, SO-Networking

Education

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

Certifications

Work Experience

Other information

This position requires Functional Clearance

Remote

No