TERMS OF REFERENCE Chiffre Nr. 2025-2-32

JUNIOR PROFESSIONAL OFFICER PROGRAMME (JPO)

1.         GENERAL INFORMATION

Title: JPO, Associate External Reporting Officer

Sectors of Assignment/Office: New York Office (NYO)

Organization: UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Country and Duty Station: New York, USA

Duration of assignment: 2 years with possibility of extension for another year. The extension of appointment is subject to yearly review concerning priorities, availability of funds, and satisfactory performance.

Please note that for participants of the JPO Programme two years work experience are mandatory! Relevant work experience can be counted. In order to assess the eligibility of the candidates, we review the relevant experience acquired after obtaining the first university degree (usually bachelor’s degree).

2.         Justification

The current state of the world (multiplication of conflicts, displacement crises, breaches of IHL, failures of protection of civilians, climate impact, etc.) has resulted in an increase in workload for the New York Office, with a higher number of relevant Security Council meetings, more bilateral follow up with member states, more UNHCR engagements during UNGA High Level Week, etc. It is anticipated that this “heightened state of alert” will continue in the next few years, with little signs of improvements in multilateral cooperation, or of the numbers of conflict-induced displacement crises abating.

In addition, the Pact for the Future (adopted at the Summit for the Future) is expected to create several follow up work streams (covering, amongst others: AI governance and digital spheres; climate change; reform of the financial infrastructure; reform of UN structures and governance; peacebuilding).

The above developments translate in increased pressure on NYO staff, who are all stepping up to cover higher numbers and more intense substantive files, and higher numbers of processes. As past experience with a JPO position in the NYO has proven, a JPO position can support significantly in addressing workload pressures for the team as a whole; a strong JPO can cover (with supervision and support) several substantive geographical or thematic files.

The JPO will be involved in following and influencing policy, however, since no P2-level “policy” job title exists, “associate reporting officer” is the closest option. It should be noted that the NYO offers an excellent learning environment for a JPO, with intense exposure to UN Headquarters multilateral processes, first-hand experience of diplomacy and negotiations, regular exposure to senior UNHCR leaders on mission to NY, exposure to interagency collaboration. A JPO position in the NYO offers a great education for a UN/humanitarian/diplomatic/international career. 

The JPO plays a key role in policy, political and advocacy engagement here in New York with Member States and UN institutions.

3.         Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

General information about the organizational structure of the local UNHCR organization: The JPO is reporting to the Senior Management, and is part of the team of Policy colleagues.

UNHCR New York is primarily involved in policy development, political analysis, advocacy and partnership to ensure that UNHCR’s mandate and positions are expressed with, and ideally taken inot account by, key stakeholders in New York (Member States and UN entities).

Matters of central concern to UNHCR are high on the agenda of the United Nations in New York and are also of prominent concern to civil society and the media. UNHCR in New York works closely with the Executive Office of the Secretary General (EOSG) and many other parts of the UN Secretariat. UNHCR is appreciated as the agency that has the expertise as far as refugees are concerned and indeed in terms of the migration/ refugee movements notably confronting the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, Europe and South East Asia. UNHCR is specifically respected for bringing field perspectives to the Headquarters level discussions and decision-making fora.

With starkly increased numbers of refugees and internally displaced persons, precipitated by new and unresolved conflicts (interacting with climate change, food insecurity, rising inequality and other megatrends), the Security Council is often engaged with matters of central importance to UNHCR and opportunities for the High Commissioner to address the Security Council, and for the NY Office to engage with the Council have increased. These matters often engage the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs/Department of Peace Operations (DPPA/DPO) whose leadership role in integrated and mission settings coincide with some of the largest UNHCR operations globally. UNHCR also works close with other humantiarian UN entities (such as OCHA, WFP,UNICEF) and development actors (DCO, UNDP) with a view to ensure that that the interests of refugees and other forcibly displaced persons are addressed in broader UN policy initiatives and decisions, and that, as per the Global Compact on Refugees, refugees are included in (socio-economic) national systems and development plans.

Additionally, the UNHCR Office in New York (NYO) is frequently called upon to brief and partner with civil society, including academic institutions, regarding refugees and stateless persons. Moreover it is increasingly the port of call for global media based in New York on issues pertaining to the UNHCR’s global programmes and persons of concern.

The incumbent for this position is expected to interface frequently with counterparts in all of the above-mentioned entities and with the Permanent Missions of UN Member States, on matters of policy, protection, refugee inclusion. The incumbent is expected to provide regular and timely analysis of political and protection developments and key processes within the UN and their possible impact on UNHCR, its operations worldwide and refugees and other forcibly displaced persons, as well as feed into those processes.

The incumbent is expected to provide guidance to the colleagues in NY and functional direction on UNHCR’s inputs into specific processes and on specific geographical and thematic portfolios, which may include processes related to the “Pact for the Future”, and portfolios including geographic coverage, or “the group of life” (food, shelter, education, WASH). The incumbent will give inputs in e.g. the Regional Monthly Reviews (part of the Secretary-General’s prevention processes) and in briefings and talking points for the Secretary General and his Deputy and for senior UNHCR colleagues, and preparation for UNHCR inputs into the SG’s Deputies and Executive Committee meetings respectively.  The incumbent is also expected to liaise with members of civil society, NGOs and academic institutions on issues pertaining to UNHCR’s global mandate.

4.         Supervision

The JPO will be under the direct supervision of the manager indicated under ‘Supervisor title and position number’.  The supervisor will be responsible for the performance evaluation of the JPO. The manager will also ensure that the JPO is provided a thorough induction and orientation briefing, followed by on-the-job training as well as continuous guidance for training/learning opportunities throughout the assignment. In support to the manager, the JPO Unit provides the Supervisory Guidelines upon recruitment/reassignment of the JPO.

5.         Functional Statement

Accountability

-INTERNALLY: 

• Exchange of information on strategic policy under the area of responsibility;
• Analysis of key developments and advice related to humanitarian processes and high-level inititives provided to UNHCR HQ, NY and field offices, to support operational effectiveness and inform UNHCR policies and positions.

-EXTERNALLY: 

• Advocate for UNHCR policies; analyze the situation and propose strategies for an integrated and coordinated UN approach including UNHCR’s position; and communicate information on UNHCR’s mandate;
• Interface is established and maintained at the decision making level with IASC agencies and partners, UN DPPA and other UN entities and Permanent Missions;
• Policies and planning processes (particularly reform processes and plans for missions/operations) related to humanitarian response and issues relevant to incumbent’s portfolios are duly informed by UNHCR concern and input for these processes is appropriately facilitated.

Responsibility

• Support UNHCR’s engagement with New York based humanitarian, development bodies and processes;
• Gather and maintain up-to-date knowledge, analyse and report on significant developments with relevant New York based stakeholders and processes related to the humanitarian (including emergency) response, which may affect UNHCR’s operations and activities;
• Stay abreast of UNHCR’s global operations and policies and support engagement with relevant divisions at HQs to ensure a smooth flow of information and receive inputs on operational issues and policy positions in order to effectively represent UNHCR;
• Promote UNHCR’s objectives and the priorities of refugees and others we serve through presentations, provision of written advice, and the participation in briefings and inter-agency meetings, with a view to influencing policy development, priorities and work progarmmes of the various NY based bodies and processes related to humanitarian response;
• Liaise with counterparts at the UN Secretariat entities, Agencies Funds Programmes and Departments on areas of responsibility (particularly WFP, UNICEF, OCHA, IOM), to advocate for UNHCR’s position, to promote integration of principles in the broader UN framework, to identify common priority aresas and positions so as to strengthen UNHCR’s objectives, and to create linkages and opportunities for partnership;
• Enhance understanding of UNHCR’s mandate and operations amongst NY based stakeholders;
• Ensure that UNHCR’s interests and concerns are taken into account in the UN and inter-agency position papers and policy statements impacting on UNHCR’s operations and protection activities;
• Enable consistent and comprehensive UNHCR messaging and interventions through close collaboration with the UNHCR NY office human rights/protection, development/solutions, political/security portfolios, as well as UNHCR HQ and field;
• Evaluate opportunities and challenges in the pursuit of UNHCR’s strategic objectives; its positiong within the UN and IASC system and safeuarding of its unique protection mandate during periods of reform;
• Assist in formulating the office’s engagement strategy with NY based UN humanitarian and emergency partners and processes, in order to strengthen UNHCR’s role and influence, and to enhance UNHCR’s contributions to develpoment and implementation humanitarian (including emergency) policies, with particular vigilance when related to reform of the humanitarian architecture;
• Support participation of UNHCR in relevant fora, including drafting of briefs, policy papers and talking points;
• Cover any other thematic issues/geographical region from a policy perspective, as required; and
• Undertakes other tasks as required.

Authority

• Participate in meetings within UNHCR and with external partners at relevant level.

6.         Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience:

Master’s Degree in Law, Political Science, International Relations, Communication, Journalism or a related field. 

Work Experience:

Minimum of two years of relevant professional experience.

Skills:

• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintains relationships with a broad range of partners to understand needs and gain support;
• Proven capacity to develop clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies to identifies priority activities and adjust priorities as required;
• Ability to negotiate and ability to influence others to reach agreement on issues;
• Demonstrated ability to work independently using own initiatives, multi-task and deliver timely analysis under short deadlines;
• Ability to identify key issues in a complex situation, and come to the heart of the problem quickly; and
• Excellent report writing skills and computer literacy in MS Office.

Language Requirements

Essential: English

Desirable: second UN language

Desirable Qualifications & Competencies

• Previous experience working in a multi-cultural environment, field operations or in a policy-related function would benefit the incumbent.
• Experience with UNHCR or UN Secretariat/another UN agency would also be an advantage.

7.         Competency Requirements

Managerial Competencies

• Judgement and Decision Making

Cross-Functional Competencies

• Analytical Thinking
• Innovation and Creativity
• Policy Development and Research
• Political Awareness
• Stakeholder Management

8.         Training Components and Learning Elements

Training Components:

– Mandatory training courses:

1. Basic Security in the Field (NB: needs to be retaken every 3 years)
2. Advanced Security in the Field  (NB: needs to be retaken every 3 years)
3. Protection Induction Programme (PIP)
4. UN Course on Harassment, Sexual Harassment and Abuse of Authority
5. Orientation to IPSAS

– Recommended training courses:

1. Fundamentals of Fraud and Corruption Awareness
2. Information Security Awareness Training
3. Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)

Learning Elements:

The JPO will learn/obtain a solid understanding of key elements of UNHCR and UN NY structure, functioning and processes, at strategic level. The learning elements result from the tasks the JPO has to carry out during the assignment, such as knowledge of UNHCR policies, the UN system and its policies particularly in relation to humanitarian, political, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, development issues. 

Additionally, the JPO will gain strengthened drafting skills as a result of daily reporting from meetings/events/developments; presentation and negotiation skills as the JPO will assist in advocating for the inclusion of UNHCR positions into UN policies having a direct impact on refugees, IDPs, and stateless persons.

The JPO assignment in New York provides an opportunity to strengthen political awareness and professional networking at international level.

Bitte senden Sie Ihre JPO-Bewerbung direkt an das Büro Führungskräfte zu Internationalen Organisationen (BFIO) unter Angabe der Chiffre Nr. 2025-2-32 auf dem Bewerbungsbogen

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