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Standard Job Description
Senior Development Officer
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
UNHCR's mandated responsibility for finding solutions to refugee situations has long required stronger cooperation with development partners and the inclusion of forcibly displaced and stateless persons within development planning and programming instruments, including national development programmes. Due to a variety of factors, the proportion of refugees and internally displaced persons in protracted displacement situations remains high. Moreover, the diminishing number of forcibly displaced people who have access to so-called durable solutions constitutes a worrying trend that has persisted in recent years. The increasing scale of irregular migration, large scale refugee movements, internal displacement and the costs of responding to humanitarian situations have placed forced displacement high on the global agenda. Given the complexity and protractedness of many of today¿s forced displacement situations, often occurring in fragile contexts, awareness is growing that the humanitarian model of care and maintenance is unsustainable in the longer term and that forced displacement requires a development response to complement humanitarian assistance, address poverty and other development challenges in a sustainable and inclusive manner. The SDGs provide a yardstick for inclusive development based on the principles of Leaving No One Behind and Reaching the Furthest Behind First. It is also acknowledged that extreme poverty and human suffering associated with refugees and other forcibly displaced people need to be systematically taken into account existing when addressing development challenges and development prospects of host communities, countries, and regions.
The Global Compact for Refugees frames this new approach towards a more predictable and equitable responsibility-sharing, recognizing that more sustainable approaches to refugee situations cannot be achieved without the systematic engagement of a broader set of stakeholders, including development partners.
Among the most significant humanitarian-development cooperation partnerships strengthened in recent years has been between the World Bank and UNHCR on forced displacement. In the eighteenth replenishment (2017-2020) of the World Bank¿s International Development Association (IDA), which provides financing for low-income countries, an amount of US$ 2.2 billion has been included for those states receiving large numbers of refugees (Sub-Window for Refugees and Host-Communities). The IDA 18 allocation follows the operationalization of a Global Concessional Financing Facility (GCFF) for Middle-Income Countries (MICs) affected by large numbers of refugees. In addition, UNHCR has enhanced cooperation with the private sector wing of the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and bilateral development donor.
Within the context outlined above, the role of the Senior Development Officer is to support UNHCR's engagement and cooperation with development agencies¿ medium-term programmes assisting local communities and UNHCR's population of concern and the ability to leverage development partnerships to influence policy dialogue to enact institutional reforms toward improved protection environments, socio-economic inclusion, and self-reliance; taking into account and reducing the vulnerabilities of forcibly displaced persons. As such, the incumbent needs to have practical experience working with and an understanding of the interplay of different aspects of economic growth, governance, fragility and conflict, the main factors that influence the environment for inclusion and resilience for UNHCR¿s population of concern. Depending on the operating environments in the area of responsibility (AoR), the incumbent might need to have specific expertise in areas such as social protection, governance in fragile contexts, local governance and community development. It is anticipated that development responses to forced displacement will grow in significance in future years due to the greater importance attached to fragility and addressing protracted displacement situations. The incumbent will assist in identifying potential opportunities and ensure complementarity between UNHCR's protection work and the economic and social development objectives pursued by development partners and their government counterparts. It will, therefore, be important that the Assistant Development Officer supports relevant UNHCR staff within the AoR to contribute to the Operation¿s efforts to (i) align policy, operational and programme priorities between humanitarian and development agencies, (ii) establish and maintain reporting and knowledge, and information exchanges on key developments among all interested stakeholders, (iii) assist relevant UNHCR staff to engage in development planning, programming and coordination processes with Government entities and development partners; and (iv) assist relevant UNHCR staff in developing, contributing to and coordinating multi-year and multi-partner transition strategies for protracted forced displacement situations.
In Country Operations, the Senior Development Officer will normally work under the overall supervision of the UNHCR Representative or his/her Deputy. In the Regional Bureaux, the Senior Development Officer will normally work under the overall supervision of the Bureau Director, Deputy Director, Head of External Engagement Service or Chief of External Engagement.
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
For positions in Country Operations only
- Advise operations on practical research and analysis to interpret long-term political, economic and social trends that will enhance opportunities for solutions, resilience and inclusion for populations of concern to UNHCR as well as more sustainable approaches to refugee protection;
- Support the operation in planning for resilience and inclusion with a clear shared vision of longer term protection and solution outcomes for people of concern that takes account of host communities and leverages the roles, resources and capacities of development partners, including International Financial Institutions, Multilateral Development Banks, and Bilateral Development donors.
- Support the development of comprehensive multi-year protection and solutions plans/strategies (incl. Multi-Year Multi-Partner Strategies) for forcibly displaced and stateless persons to UNHCR and/or facilitate the inclusion of populations of concern into national and local development planning and programming instruments.
- Support and advise the operation in identifying, strategically articulating and capitalizing development and resilience opportunities, including through Government pledges and or pledges made by bilateral or multilateral development and/or peacebuilding partners.
- Provide technical leadership and support for relationship building with development co-operation agencies and peace and state-building agendas through the different stages of policy and programme identification, preparation, implementation and review.
- Develop partnerships and networks with development cooperation actors to influence the policy dialogue with governments on institutional arrangements related to sectors, locations and programme content of consequence to UNHCR and forcibly displaced and stateless persons. This would, in particular, focus on supporting the coordination of the in-country relationship with the World Bank and other multilateral development banks, especially where there is potential for specific funding directed towards UNHCR's forcibly displaced and stateless persons (e.g. WB IDA sub-window for refugees and host communities or the WB Global Concessional Financing Facility).
- Cooperate with development partners to assist them in incorporating the concerns of refugees, returnees and others of concern to UNHCR into the design and implementation arrangements of projects and interventions in a manner that impacts positively on protection circumstances.
- Identify, commission and/or contribute to studies and analytical activities that build the conceptual framework and evidence base for comprehensive, development-oriented responses, including preparedness work, to forced displacement.
- Ensure that development actors are provided relevant data to inform their planning, programming and advocacy around resilience for and inclusion of UNHCR forcibly displaced and stateless persons.
- Engage with governments, development partners (both multilateral and bilateral), and with the private sector and civil society (as appropriate) to identify opportunities for UNHCR to contribute to the design and implementation of monitoring systems to track progress towards agreed outcomes.
- Facilitate coordination and collaboration and the sharing of knowledge and experience sharing between UNHCR and development actors and across UNHCR operations globally by documenting and disseminating good practices and active participation in the Sustainable Responses Service, Development Partnerships Community of Practice; and,
- Support training activities aimed at the capacity building of UNHCR and partner agency staff to achieve greater coordination, effectiveness and synergies between humanitarian and development interventions.
For positions in Regional Bureaux only
- Provide support, as detailed in the above duties for a country SDO for countries without an SDO as specified in the operational context for this position.
- Support the Regional Bureau and country operations in analysing from a development perspective the potential components of longer-term situational solutions strategies, identifying the protection/resilience/solutions challenges, and the means to address these and possible regional opportunities for engagement.
- Support and advise the Regional Bureau and/or operations in identifying, articulating and capitalizing development and resilience opportunities, including through pledges made by regional partners, and regional development initiatives and programmes.
- Aggregate, analyse and package available knowledge and data from country operations to feed into regional and HQ policy, programme and advocacy efforts.
- Ensure support and coherence, where relevant, across operations in how they engage with development actors (e.g. messaging, policies, etc.).
- Interpret long-term political, economic and social trends from a situational or regional perspective that will define the opportunities for inclusion for populations of concern to UNHCR as well as more sustainable approaches to refugee protection management.
- Engage with regional bodies, such as IGAD, ECOWAS, etc. to identify and advocate for entry points for inclusion in development-related fora; and,
- Identify, commission and/or contribute to studies and analytical activities from a situational or regional perspective that build the conceptual framework and evidence base for comprehensive, development-oriented responses, including preparedness work, to forced displacement.
- Lead risk assessments and discussions with team(s) to proactively manage risks and seize opportunities impacting objectives. Ensure that risk management principles are integrated in decision-making both at strategic and operational levels. Allocate resources for planned treatments with resource requirements in Strategic Plans. Ensure that risks are managed to acceptable levels and escalate, as needed. If a Risk Owner, designate the Risk Focal Point and certify that the annual risk review is completed and ensure that the risk register is updated during the year, as needed.
- Perform other related duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P4/NOD - 9 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 8 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 7 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree
Field(s) of Education
Development Economics; Development Studies; Socio-economic Development;
International Relations; Political Science; Law
or other relevant field.
Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified.
Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Six (6) years of direct work experience in a large international development institution in a relevant position and of which at least two (2) years in field operations. Preferably with knowledge of, or experience in, local or area based economic development, direct engagement in a technical sector such as education, WASH, social protection, health, energy. Practical experience working with and an understanding of the different aspects of economic growth, governance, fragility and conflict. Expertise related to the governance of specific multilateral development banks or bilateral development actors most relevant to the AoR.
Desirable
Experience with forced displacement. Experience in primary data collection, quantitative research methods and results-based management.
Functional Skills
*MG-Partnership Development
*IM-Knowledge Management
CL-Strategy Development and Monitoring
*SO-Critical Thinking and problem solving
*SO-Networking
*UN-Policy Advocacy in UNHCR
PG-Results-Based Management
*CO-Strategic Communication
*CO-Drafting and Documentation
PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
(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):
,
,
Desired languages
,
,
Operational context
To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link:
The Regional Bureau for West and Central Africa (RBWCA), based in Dakar, oversees UNHCR operations in eight countries with an established presence: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Mali, Niger, and Nigeria.
As part of a regional realignment, the Multi-Country Offices (MCOs) in Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal will close on 31 December 2025. Five standalone country offices –Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal and Togo, – became fully operational on 1 October 2025 as National Offices. The Multi-Country Office (MCO) Cameroon covers Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Sao Tome et Principe. The remit of the RBWCA has also expanded to include the Republic of Congo (under MCO Cameroon as of 1 October 2025), further consolidating oversight across West and Central Africa.
The Bureau is accredited to regional intergovernmental bodies, including ECOWAS and ECCAS, and engages closely with UN regional entities. With both Anglophone and Francophone countries, the region requires bilingual, context-specific engagement across diverse political and operational environments.
The West and Central Africa region is currently home to over 21.9 million forcibly displaced and stateless persons, including IDPs, refugees, asylum-seekers, and returnees. Major concentrations are found in Chad, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and the DRC, where conflict, intercommunal violence, and human rights violations continue to drive new displacement.
Humanitarian needs continue to rise due to expanding armed conflict in the Sahel, political instability, and the regional impact of the Sudan crisis, which has generated large refugee inflows into Chad and CAR. The region is also a major crossroads for mixed movements, requiring a route-based approach (RBA) along the central and western Mediterranean routes and the Sahel–North Africa axis.
While some voluntary repatriation and spontaneous returns occur, large-scale solutions remain limited. UNHCR prioritizes long-term solutions beyond return – including socio-economic inclusion, transition to national systems, and strengthened access to services – in protracted and fragile contexts.
Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR) together illustrate the growing convergence between humanitarian response, national system-strengthening, and regional political dynamics in West and Central Africa. Chad has become the epicentre of the Sudan crisis, hosting more than 1.2 million refugees and operating at the limits of humanitarian capacity, making it a defining test case for UNHCR’s shift toward inclusion in national systems, development-anchored solutions, and reduced parallel structures. CAR, meanwhile, sits at the crossroads of the Sahel, the Great Lakes, and the Sudan regional crisis, with cyclical displacement, weak institutions, and volatile border zones continuing to strain its absorption capacity. Through the CAR Solutions Support Platform and cross-border coordination with Chad, Cameroon, Sudan and South Sudan, UNHCR is helping shape a more predictable framework for voluntary returns, community-based reintegration, and stabilization in areas of repeated displacement. Together, Chad and CAR underline the Bureau’s strategic move toward situation-based engagement, reinforced regional cooperation, and investment in national systems as the foundation for long-term solutions.
The Sahel has evolved from a sub-regional crisis into a complex, multi-layered situation that now shapes displacement, governance, and mixed movements across West and North Africa. The Central Sahel – Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger – continues to face escalating violence, shrinking humanitarian access, and rapidly deteriorating basic services, while the spill over into the Coastal States has transformed the crisis into a broader regional challenge. Despite this volatility, governments have demonstrated renewed political will through the Sahel+ strategy and the Lomé Dialogue, creating opportunities for coordinated approaches to asylum, border governance, protection data, and mixed movement management. UNHCR’s situational approach in the Sahel centres on community-based protection, urbanization and solutions, youth and gender, climate adaptation, and strengthened asylum systems, supported by a route-based framework that links countries of origin, transit, and destination. The Sahel thus represents both one of the deepest protection crises in the region and a critical entry point for state-led, regionally anchored solutions that reinforce resilience, inclusion, and social cohesion.
The DRC, n recent addition to the RBWCA’s remit and immediately a regional priority, represents one of the most complex additions to the Bureau’s portfolio, with nearly 6 million IDPs and over 1.2 million Congolese refugees hosted in neighbouring states (primarily Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania). The country also hosts over 510,000 refugees from the region.
UNHCR’s role in the DRC extends beyond humanitarian response to support key regional peace processes, including the Washington Agreement (June 2025), the Doha Declaration of Principles (July 2025), and the Tripartite framework between DRC, Rwanda and UNHCR. UNHCR is recognised as a neutral technical facilitator.
The global funding landscape is driving a shift from broad programme-based models to more projectized, donor-aligned delivery. The Bureau is adopting project-based management, with new SOPs defining roles along the project cycle, strengthened accountability and contribution-tracking, and enhanced M&E to demonstrate results.
Capacity building on project management, proposal writing, donor compliance, and risk management will be rolled out. A regional oversight mechanism, standardized templates, and regional proposal packs will support quality and alignment. Strategic prioritisation of proposals will be essential to avoid overload.
The Bureau will also diversify partnerships – including national partners, development actors, ECOWAS, and emerging donors – to reinforce sustainability and avoid overly ambitious or politically sensitive commitments, particularly in complex contexts such as the DRC.
In view of the Bureau's role for managerial oversight, technical guidance and support to operations in the region.
The incumbent to managing arising situations and challenges. In addition, the incumbent of the position will be expected to co-ordinate closely with other units in the Bureau, promote collaboration and diversity in a multicultural environment and contribute to a positive work environment.
The incumbent will be expected to travel on missions to remote field locations, some of which may have challenging living and working conditions as well as security constraints.
The Senegalese government has initiated a project for a common UN House in Diamniadio, for the use of United Nations services and offices, located in the new administrative city of Diamnadio, situated 40 km outside Dakar.
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Competencies
Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Leadership, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Stakeholder management, Strategic planning & visions, Teamwork & collaborationUNHCR Salary Calculator
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Additional Information
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