Deadline for Applications
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Family Type
Residential location (if applicable)
Grade
Staff Member / Affiliate Type
Reason
Regular > Regular AssignmentTarget Start Date
Standard Job Description
Programme Officer
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Programme Officer may be based in HQ, field/regional bureau, typically reporting to and be guided by the Senior Program officer and may supervise a small team of local and international 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 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. S/he will work in line with the overall UNHCR directions which crucially require working with partners, including with forcibly displaced and stateless persons, 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), 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 forcibly displaced and stateless persons 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.
- Support the planning process in compliance with planning parameters outlined in the Programme Manual and the planning instructions.
- Review and analyse plans, mid-year and year-end reports of UNHCR office(s), ensuring quality assurance and compliance with established policies, guidelines, procedures and standards.
- Support in the provision of overall direction to broaden partnerships with key stakeholders in order to maximize the protection and solutions response for forcibly displaced and stateless persons.
- 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 in line with global standards and polices.
- Actively contribute to UNHCRs programming of community of practice and continuously contributing to improvements of programming tools and processes.
- Identify potential gaps and problems and in cooperation with other relevant sections recommend appropriate solutions to ensure the efficient implementation of programme activities.
- 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
Education & Professional Work Experience
For P3/NOC - 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree.
Field(s) of Education
Economics, Business Administration, Social Sciences
or other relevant field.
Essential
Demonstrated experience in programme management including familiarization with the OMC and sound knowledge 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
PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards)
PG-Results-Based Management
PG-UNHCR's Programmes
(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.
Desired Candidate Profile
Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):
,
French,
Desired languages
,
,
Operational context
To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link:
UNHCR in Mauritania operates through its country office in Nouakchott, a sub-office in Bassikounou, and field units in Nouadhibou and Nema. As of September 2025, Mauritania hosts a record 176,798 registered refugees, primarily from Mali and concentrated in the southeast of Mauritania, in the region of Hodh Chargui.
In response to the 2012 crisis, UNHCR, in partnership with the Government of Mauritania, established Mbera refugee camp in Hodh Chargui, near the Malian border. The camp now accommodates over 119,000 refugees, 71% of whom are women and children. Beyond the camp, UNHCR estimates over 170,000 Malian refugees have settled in Hodh Chargui, across a number of localities where they sometimes outnumber Mauritanians.
Over the past decade, UNHCR and its partners have worked to strengthen the resilience of refugees and host communities, promoting social cohesion and increasingly integrating climate action within their interventions. The Government of Mauritania maintains a progressive policy of inclusion, granting refugees access to healthcare, education, and employment on the same basis as nationals. The overall response, coordinated under the Refugee Coordination Model (RCM) led by UNHCR, operates squarely within the humanitarian–development–peace (HDP) nexus, bringing together humanitarian, governmental, and development actors to advance durable solutions. In 2025, the Refugee and Resilience Plan for Mauritania (3RP Mauritania) was launched to consolidate this approach—strengthening community resilience, addressing urgent humanitarian needs, while promoting refugee inclusion within national systems and reinforcing local capacities. Going forward, UNHCR will support the Government of Mauritania in launching and implementing a five-year compact for the sustainable socio-economic development of the region of Hodh Chargui benefiting both host communities and refugees (which currently represent over 30% of the population).
In view of the foregoing and under the direct supervision of the Deputy Representative, the Programme Officer is responsible for:
' Facilitating the countrywide planning for the operation, coordinating closely and providing expertise and hands-on support to the sub office and field unit.
' Engaging directly with local, national and international partners in designing partnership agreements and monitoring implementation in line with established guidance and procedures, and in coordination with project control.
' Contributing to ongoing contingency planning and emergency preparedness.
' Contributing to UNHCR 's engagement with development actors, and more and more environmental actors as part of the so-called 'nexus ' strategy.
' Providing hands-on support to local and national partners in developing capacity to protect and assist refugees and comply with UNHCR 's standards and requirements.
' Monitoring and managing the countrywide budget for the operation, ensuring compliance with programming requirements and effective use of corporate planning and monitoring tools.
' Contributing to reporting on the achievement of UNHCR 's results and impact.
' Guiding and capacitating UNHCR 's staff in developing the necessary knowledge and skills in programme and stakeholder management.
Mauritania is a stable country security-wise but is impacted by the overall unstable regional security environment. Living conditions for international staff are generally acceptable, with a reasonable number of houses and apartments available, often with nice gardens and pools. Educational facilities exist but are limited, and staff with school-age children are advised to enquire first on the available schooling. The main nuisances in Nouakchott are the warm weather year-round, the dust (Nouakchott being a city built in the desert). Medical facilities are limited and staff requiring medication should bring such medication with them. Recreational facilities are very limited and the consumption of alcohol in restaurants and other public places is prohibited and not available. Bank facilities and cash points (ATM) are available.
Willingness and ability to undertake missions to Bassikounou (E duty station) is an operational requirement.
Nouakchott is currently security level 2. Guards are provided to all international staff, and UNDSS carries out an assessment of security features of the residences of international staff.
Additional Qualifications
Skills
Education
Certifications
HCR Learning Program - UNHCRWork Experience
Competencies
Accountability, Analytical thinking, Change capability & adaptability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Managing performance, Managing resource, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Teamwork & collaborationUNHCR Salary Calculator
https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales
Additional Information
Functional clearance