Associate Programme Officer – P2  

Terms of Reference

UNHCR´s National Office at Uruguay is in Montevideo and is part of the Multi-country Office in Argentina (MCO ARG) that covers Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay, mainly countries of destination for refugees and migrants with need for immediate humanitarian assistance, protection intervention and, at the later stage, for various types of durable solutions.

In Uruguay, UNHCR supports asylum and regularization, preventing refoulement. Collaborating with local counterparts, the programming emphasizes inclusion, health, education, and labor market integration. Long-term goals involve creating complementary pathways through labor mobility and sustainable resettlement. 

At the end of 2023, the Refugee Commission (CORE) approved a Diagnosis with conclusions and recommendations regarding the challenges faced by the asylum system in Uruguay. To address these challenges, CORE also approved guidelines for a Strengthening Project for CORE and its Permanent Secretariat (2024 – 2025). In December 2023, during the Global Refugee Forum (GRF), Uruguay committed to: “Strengthen its asylum/refugee system to adapt to large-scale mixed movements as soon as possible. This process will involve: 1) working on the reform of normative and administrative frameworks to ensure enhanced synergy between the refugee status determination system and migration regulations; 2) strengthening the administrative framework for refugee protection to achieve: a) preservation of data quality and system integrity through digital registration with biometric variables and the use of digital tools for managing individual cases; b) ensuring interoperability of various state databases for refugee and asylum seeker registration and documentation; c) developing and reinforcing differentiated procedures for refugee status determination.” Uruguay committed to optimizing existing resources for the asylum/refugee system and relying on technical and financial contributions from UNHCR and interested donor countries. Additionally, during the GRF, Uruguay committed to developing pilot projects for the socio-economic, cultural, and legal inclusion of refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants. These projects aim to ensure early stabilization and local integration through inclusion, support for host communities, and the involvement of supportive cities and development actors. Furthermore, in May 2024, CORE approved a program for “Prima Facie Recognition of Refugee Status” as part of a comprehensive strategy to begin implementing measures to reduce the backlog of existing asylum applications. Similarly, a decree was approved for a “Residence by Roots Program,” based on criteria related to labor, family, and educational ties, targeting asylum seekers who entered the country at the border and have been continuously present for more than six (6) months until the decree’s effective date. The program is based on the consensus of the “Declaration on Migration and Protection from Los Angeles” (2022), which aims to open regular pathways for residence, including family reunification and regularization programs, to promote safer and more orderly migration. The National Migration Directorate (DNM) must take necessary measures to implement this program within 90 days of the decree’s publication. Since the beneficiaries are individuals with pending asylum (refugee) applications, the program will necessarily require strengthening both the capacities of CORE’s Permanent Secretariat and the DNM. Thus, the residence by roots program and the asylum capacity program are intended to be implemented together. As a result of these advancements, Uruguayan authorities are currently progressing with the implementation of the following initiatives to strengthen the asylum and migration system: 1) Residence by roots programme; 2) Prima Facie Recognition of Refugee Status Program; 3) Asylum Capacity Enhancement Program; 4) Inclusion Initiatives.

The Associate Programme Officer will report to the Head of National Office and work in close collaboration with the Programme Unit at MCO Argentina.

The desirable candidate should have relevant experience on Programme Coordination and be acquainted with UNHCR´s programmatic and related tools such as PROMS, COMPASS and Cloud ERP.
Knowledge of the regional context is highly desirable as well as partner engagement and management.
Understanding of UNHCR´s donor reporting mechanisms is an asset.

The ideal candidate should have excellent interpersonal skills, be fluent in spanish and in english, and be ready to work in a dynamic and multi-cultural enviroment. We are looking for a team-player that can rapidly deliver and coordinate the programmatic area of UNHCR´s NO Uruguay.

Experience working for NGOs, International Organizations and UNHCR is an asset.

Please note that this engagement is for 1 year only, with no possible renewal.

Standard Job Description

Associate Programme Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Associate Programme Officer may be based in HQ, field/regional bureau, typically reporting to and be guided by the Program officer and may supervise a small team of local staff. He/she may refer to UNHCR’s Programme Manual (Chapter IV), UNHCR’s corporate and regional strategic priorities, operation plans and other relevant institutional rules and regulations for further guidance.

The Associate Programme Officer will provide programmatic guidance and support with regard to the implementation of protection and solutions strategies within available resources. S/he will coordinate with the other sections/units to ensure harmonized programmatic approaches at all levels and throughout the UNHCR Operations Management Cycle. The incumbent will work in line with the overall UNHCR directions which crucially require working with partners, including with persons of concern, governmental institutions and the private sector, ensuring that programme management is approached as per UNHCR’s Strategic Directions, Global Strategic Priorities (GSPs), Global Compact for Refugees (GCR), and corporate positions on SDGs.
The incumbent is expected to work in line with the multi-functional team (MFT) approach as defined within the Program Manual, ensuring the participation of relevant stakeholders in all phases of the Program Management Cycle.

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
– Support in assessing and analysing the needs of persons of concern in a participatory manner, using an Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective as basis for planning.
– Provide support on programmatic aspects of developing multi-year protection and solutions strategies and annual plans with corresponding priorities taking into account corporate priorities.
– Support Results Based Management and programme capacity in light of evolving requirements, programming approaches and gaps.
– Assist the planning process in compliance with planning parameters outlined in the Programme Manual and the planning instructions.
– Support the revision and analysis of plans, mid-year and year-end reports of UNHCR office(s) in the Area of Responsibility AoR), ensure quality assurance and compliance with established policies, guidelines, procedures and standards.
– Assist in the provision of overall direction to broaden partnerships with key stakeholders in order to maximize the protection and solutions response for persons of concern.
– Provide support to ensure a consistent application of the framework for implementing with partners, including the effective implementation of the policy on selection and retention of partners, management of partnership agreements, risk-based project performance monitoring, and risk-based project audits, among others.
– Contribute to ensure consistent and coherent monitoring approaches, tools and systems across the region, in line with global standards and polices.
– Actively contribute to UNHCRs programming of community of practice and continuously contribute to improvements of programming tools and processes.
– Oversee a timely and effective follow-up of internal and external audits observations and recommendations that relate to programmatic issues.

– 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

Economics; Business Administration; Social Sciences; or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Programme Management
Certification Programme in Programme Management (CP-PM)
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

Demonstrated experience in programme management including familiarization with the OMC and sound knowledge of Results Based-Management. Demonstrated experience in field operations, sound knowledge on the centrality of protection in programming, Joint Needs Assessments and the principles of targeting.

Desirable

Demonstrated experience in coordination within an inter-agency context and other actors, in a refugee or humanitarian context. Sound experience in program management training and capacity building activities.

Functional Skills
MG-Project Management
PG-Results-Based Management
PG-UNHCR’s Programmes
PG-Stakeholder management and coordination with Implementing Partners (Gov/NGO/Corporate)
(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

English, Spanish

 Additional Qualifications

Skills

MG-Project Management, PG-Results-Based Management, PG-Stakeholder management and coordination with Implementing Partners (Gov/NGO/Corporate), PG-UNHCR’s Programmes

Education

Bachelor of Arts (BA): Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Economics, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Law, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Social Science

Certifications

CP-PM Certification Programme for Programme Management – UNHCR, Programme Management – Other

Work Experience

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