Senior Reintegration Officer, Seconded to UNHCR, P4, Kabul, Afghanistan  

This position is exclusively open to Swiss citizens. Candidates who do not fulfil this condition will not receive response.

Background

Afghanistan operation remains one of the most complex operational contexts globally, grappling with the needs of the returnees and internally displaced persons amid a highly volatile and challenging environment. The country is currently facing a severe humanitarian and protection crisis, further intensified by the forced deportation of Afghans from both the Pakistan and Iran borders.

In total, 2.8 million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan in in 2025, creating challenges for reintegration and sustainable returns in Afghanistan. Movements are also taking place amid a severe humanitarian crisis and human rights challenges in Afghanistan, particularly impacting women and girls. UNHCR Afghanistan and partners are prioritizing border and protection monitoring, strengthening communication with communities and provision of protection services alongside cash-based and core relief items interventions to returnees at the borders. UNHCR is coordinating with relevant stakeholders and other actors, including development partners, to support return and reintegration needs in the medium to long term to ensure that returns are sustainable.

Since 2023, approximately 5.6 million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan, many under coercive circumstances, including nearly 2.9 million in 2025 alone. These large-scale returns have increased Afghanistan’s population by an estimated 10-12 per cent, making the region one of the most affected by refugee and migration movements worldwide. Humanitarian actors anticipate a further 2.5 million returns in 2026, placing severe pressure on basic services and humanitarian response capacities. In parallel, the broader Middle East crisis has accelerated return movements from Iran. These returns are taking place in an extremely fragile environment characterized by deepening poverty, a struggling economy, the near collapse of basic services. In response to the scale and urgency of the situation, UNHCR declared in Afghanistan a Level 2 Emergency 2025.

This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to one of the most critical displacement crises worldwide. The successful candidate will play a key role in shaping UNHCR’s response to the large-scale return of Afghan nationals and in supporting the transition from emergency assistance towards durable solutions and long-term resilience in Afghanistan.

Nature of the position

Under the supervision of the Deputy Representative (Protection), the incumbent provides technical support and operational guidance for the design, implementation, and monitoring of reintegration initiatives for returnees and host communities, in coordination with Field Offices. The role ensures that activities are aligned with UNHCR and UN policies on durable solutions, reintegration, and joint programming.

The incumbent contributes to the effective functioning of reintegration and related programme components, including shelter, and collaborates closely with Programme and Protection Units to support the integration of reintegration priorities within UNHCR’s Afghanistan Multi-Year Strategy.

A key function of the position is to support the integration of self-reliance, shelter, and economic inclusion measuresincluding livelihoods, employment, and access to financial servicesinto reintegration programming. The incumbent provides technical input and monitors implementation to enhance economic resilience and promote sustainable reintegration outcomes for returnees and host communities.

This role contributes to Inter-Agency processes such as joint and participatory assessments, FGDs, and development planning exercises (including CCA/UNSDCF), ensuring that reintegration priorities are reflected in broader recovery and development frameworks. The incumbent supports engagement with UN agencies, development partners, civil society, and the private sector, and contributes to the development of project proposals and capacity-building activities related to reintegration and durable solutions.

Tasks / Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Representative (Protection), the incumbent will:

• Provide technical leadership and operational support for the design, implementation, coordination, and monitoring of reintegration programmes for returnees and host communities, in close collaboration with Field Offices.

• Ensure effective application of UNHCR and UN policies and frameworks related to durable solutions, reintegration, and peacebuilding, supporting alignment of field-level interventions with corporate strategies.

• Support the coordination and functioning of Reintegration/Durable Solutions and Shelter interventions, ensuring quality implementation, coherence across sectors, and timely delivery of programme outputs.

• Promote the integration of self-reliance, livelihoods, and economic and financial inclusion componentsincluding microfinance, employment, and enterprise developmentinto reintegration programming.

• Support the implementation and expansion of economic inclusion activities, identifying opportunities at operational level to enhance access to financial services, microcredit, and livelihood support for returnees and host communities.

• Contribute to Inter-Agency coordination processes, including joint and participatory assessments (e.g., needs assessments, FGDs, CCA/UNSFA), ensuring reintegration priorities are reflected in recovery and development planning frameworks.

• Develop and maintain operational partnerships with UN agencies, development actors, NGOs, and private sector stakeholders to support programme delivery and area-based approaches.

• Contribute to the preparation of project proposals and programme documentation, including joint and Inter-Agency initiatives related to reintegration, shelter, and self-reliance.

• Support capacity-building initiatives for UNHCR staff, partners, and relevant stakeholders to strengthen technical understanding and implementation of reintegration and durable solutions programming.

• Provide technical advice and input to senior management and field teams on programme implementation, challenges, risks, and lessons learned, contributing to continuous programme improvement.

Profile

A Senior Reintegration Officer plays a crucial role in overseeing, guiding, and optimizing reintegration programming often within humanitarian, development, or transitional contexts. Below is a comprehensive candidate profile outlining the skills, competencies, experience, and attributes that define an ideal hire.

• Substantial experience in reintegration, durable solutions programming.

• Proven experience working in complex, politically sensitive, or conflict-affected environments.

• Managerial experience, including supervising national and international staff, and overseeing multi-disciplinary teams.

• Experience representing UNHCR or other international organizations in high-level meetings and negotiations with government authorities, development partners, and civil society.

• Previous experience coordinating Inter-Agency frameworks and multi-stakeholder platforms.

• Strong track record in integrating protection, livelihoods, and economic inclusion interventions into broader development and humanitarian programming.

Beginn of mission and duration: asap (after mutual agreement) for 12 months (extendable)

Duty station: Kabul, Afghanistan (non-family duty station, accommodation and work in Swiss compound)

Miscellaneous

For reasons of duty of care (increased risks due to other privileges and immunities) and to avoid conflicts of interest and potential bias, employees and their accompanying persons who hold dual or multiple citizenships shall, as a matter of principle, not be assigned to countries of which they are nationals.

Deadline for application: 28.07.26

For further information please contact Davide Vignati, Program Manager Afghanistan ([email protected]), +41 58 462 19 85

Contact/Application:

Please send your application, including a short description of your motivation, to:

Odette Mauron

Field Resources H

[email protected]