Senior External Engagement Coordinator

December 22, 2025

B

FamilyFamily

PR5

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2025-12-08

Senior External Engagement Coordinator

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Senior External Engagement Coordinator reports directly to the Bureau Deputy Director, is supported by, and directly supervises staff, and oversees: 

• Communications and Public Information;
• Donor Relations;
• Partnerships;
• Inter-agency coordination;
• Information management and analysis.
• Internal and external reporting.

The role of the Senior External Engagement Coordinator in overseeing a vast platform of diverse and interrelated activities, ensuring strategic coherence and collaboration among the different functional areas of the Bureau and synergistic use of resources including through a multi-functional team, is key to the Bureau’s success in this external sphere. S/he provides direct support to the Bureau Director and other senior managers in the Bureau, as well as Representatives on issues related to external engagements, in a context of greater decentralisation of resource allocation and management to the field.

The Senior External Engagement Coordinator engages with the Division of External Relations or any other Bureau or Division to seek guidance and engage on strategic topics, in order to ensure information and knowledge sharing. Supporting the development of regional and functional strategies and priorities in line with UNHCR corporate and regional objectives, through engagement with a wide array of stakeholders and regional actors, s/he will collaborate closely with the other functional pillars in the Regional Bureau and with HQ-based Divisions and deliver strategic guidance of planning and management services to the Bureau and Country Operations through relevant technical teams.

The incumbent will lead the development and the implementation of UNHCR’s integrated communication strategy aimed at building awareness of, empathy with, and concrete support for refugees and other forcibly displaced persons while positioning UNHCR as an effective, impactful organization. Seeking to achieve the UNHCR’s resource mobilization goals within the region while simultaneously enhancing the visibility and reputation of country operations’ programme, the incumbent will lead in developing and implementing partnership and coordination and external engagement strategies in order to strengthen UNHCR’s position globally, regionally and/or locally and is responsible for the mobilization of public, political, operational and financial support for the work of UNHCR and comprehensive responses in his/her AOR.

The Senior External Engagement Coordinator will be responsible for ensuring UNHCR fulfils its coordination lead and catalytic roles and responsibilities, in line with its mandate, the Global Compact for Refugees, the IDP policy and cluster lead responsibilities and will advise the Director on UNHCR’s engagement in regional inter-agency processes, as required (e.g. regional economic commissions, regional United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs)). S/he is also responsible for ensuring the Regional Bureau provides timely support to Country Operations on inter-agency and coordination matters, in line with corporate policies, guidance and positions.

The incumbent supervises a team of senior staff in the Bureau and will also be responsible for providing support or guidance to host Governments whenever required on developing comprehensive plans under national leadership setting out policy priorities, institutional and operational arrangements, requirements for support from the international community, including investment.

In the Regional Bureaux, the incumbent is responsible for ensuring, in an effective and efficient manner which supports the Organization’s Mandate, overall quality assurance and managerial support of operations, in line with the Bureau’s 2nd line function, within the three lines of defence conceptual framework for effective control and risk management adopted by the UN system.

S/he will, further, cover the full spectrum of managerial oversight, manage performance and monitor the adherence of Country Operations to UNHCR’s rules and regulations, monitoring, identifying and addressing any emerging issues and risks as appropriate.  The incumbent also promotes a culture that is results-oriented, efficient and based on trust and pursues measures to ensure that inclusion, gender balance and diversity are taken into due consideration in staffing, resource allocation and representation at all levels throughout the region.

As a key custodian of the organization’s standards of conduct, s/he will proactively establish a working environment where all personnel feel safe, heard, equipped and empowered to speak up; demonstrate no tolerance for sexism, gender inequality, discrimination of any kind, abuse of power, harassment or sexual harassment; foster ongoing dialogue on those matters; take seriously all issues of inappropriate behaviour and actions reported, whether formally or informally; and seek guidance and support as necessary to ensure that appropriate follow-up is taken, working on the basis of zero tolerance for any form of misconduct.

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

• Develop, implement, strengthen and monitor UNHCR’s external engagement strategies in the region in alignment with UNHCR’s regional and global strategies, through an inclusive process that ensures buy-in from all stakeholders.
• Ensure consistent and cohesive messaging aligned with the Organization’s strategic and operational plans.
• Ensure that Bureau and Country Operations implement and adhere to UNHCR corporate fundraising priorities and procedures.
• Guide Bureau Director, Representatives and staff in Country Offices in identifying communications challenges and emerging issues in the region.
• Lead government and interagency resource mobilization activities in the Bureau and engage with current and prospective donors, including briefings and missions, to expand the donor base to meet growing needs.
• Develop country or regional strategies to raise locally available funds.
• Provide guidance and support for country or regional strategies to raise locally available funds.
• Provide guidance on and develop funding submissions to local funding sources.
• Ensure and maintain dialogue with donors, providing information and analysis to ensure support.
• Ensure that Country Operations receive support to identify, develop and strengthen development and private sector partnerships that bring additional resources, technical advice, services and technology to refugee-hosting and return areas.
• Develop and implement UNHCR’s regional inter-agency and coordination strategy and advise the Director on UNHCR’s engagement in regional inter-agency processes, as required.
• Lead and launch the Refugee Response Plans (RRPs) and mixed situation response plans, and ensure appropriate participation in Humanitarian Response Plans and processes. Maintain an overview of country level RRPs.
• Ensure an open dialogue and information sharing with NGOs and civil society partners to enlarge UNHCR’s support and tap into complementary resources/ support to refugees.
• Represent UNHCR at external meetings and fora, including inter-agency and international engagements to advance UNHCR's ability to deliver protection, assistance, and solutions to persons of concern to the Organization.
• Champion innovative partnerships meeting the organizational needs in adherence also to UNHCR’s inter-agency commitments.
• Organize annual regional NGO consultations and facilitate events, meetings, conferences, and other events, as requested.
• Explore opportunities for activation of international burden and responsibility sharing tools provided by the Global Compact on Refugees including national arrangements, support platform, regional and sub-regional approaches and Global Refugee Forum.
• Exercise judgement to prioritize media opportunities, and prepare talking points, speeches, presentations and other supporting materials, as needed.
• Provide timely support to Country Operations on inter-agency and coordination matters, in line with corporate policies, guidance and positions.
• Provide required support & training/capacity building of external engagement staff in the region to help streamline external engagement across relevant functions.
• May act as Officer-in-Charge in the absence of the Deputy Director.
• 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 P5 - 12 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 11 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 10 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education

International Relations;                     Political Science;                              Social Sciences;

Public Administration;                       Journalism;                                       Public Relations;

Digital Communications and Multimedia Studies                                       or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses

Not specified.

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

Experience in external engagement strategy development. Experience in strategic external engagement with donors, NGOs/civil society, UN agencies, and governments. Track record in communication/media strategies, resource mobilisation, and/or strategic partnership building. Understanding of humanitarian programming and financing and demonstrated ability to effectively advocate.

Desirable

Experience in campaign planning and implementation. Good understanding of the role of the UN in humanitarian emergencies, its agencies and ways of working. Good research, policy analysis and report writing skills. Representation to major program donors in a highly professional manner, in person and in writing. Experience in senior management positions. Clear understanding of the workings of major donor perspectives, requirements and standards. Media relations. Excellent press release, media advisory, spokesperson skills. Ability to build productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Functional Skills

CO-Cross-cultural communication

CO-Strategic Communication

CO-Public Speaking

CO-Preparation of key messages/talking points/speeches                       

CO-Brand Management

CO-Public Information

CO-Journalism (incl. print, broadcast, photography, video, layout & graphics)       

CO-Campaign Tracking

(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.

Competency Requirements

All jobs at UNHCR require six core competencies and may also require managerial competencies and/or cross-functional competencies. The six core competencies are listed below.

Core Competencies

Accountability

Communication

Organizational Awareness

Teamwork & Collaboration

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Client & Result Orientation

Managerial Competencies

Empowering and Building Trust

Judgement and Decision Making

Leadership

Managing Performance

Managing Resources

Strategic Planning and Vision

Cross-Functional Competencies

Analytical Thinking

Political Awareness

Stakeholder Management

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.

The incumbent will cover countries in Southern Africa which were previously covered by RBSA except for DRC and ROC from 1 October 2025 onwards.

In Eastern and Southern Africa, the incumbent, beyond the responsibilities outlined in the standard job description, will also oversee Development Partnerships, Economic and Financial Inclusion and Social Protection.

Reporting to the D2 Director and as senior manager s/he must:

- possess strong leadership, organizational and managerial skills to ensure an effective team supervisory role and coordination with relevant country offices;

- be flexible with a high degree of accountability and pro-activeness in anticipating and managing situations, especially those involving reputational risk to the organization;

- demonstrate familiarity with and have a proven track record in resource mobilization from one or more of UNHCR’s targeted sources (traditional and non-traditional government donors, development partners, private sector including philanthropies, etc.) and comfortable briefing and interacting with donors;

- create effective networks, relationships, and synergies with senior staff in the extended region and UN agencies, intergovernmental organizations, NGOs, embassies, academic institutions and media;

- communicate effectively, orally and in writing, and be capable of establishing an enabling working environment (rapport with stakeholders);

- have the ability to integrate UNHCR’s goals for sustainable response of inclusion and self-reliance into resource mobilization and partnership efforts, and provide strategic oversight to related technical efforts in economic and financial inclusion and social protection;

- promote team spirit, functional collaboration and diversity;

- have the knowledge of, familiarity with Africa operations and political and humanitarian challenges would be beneficial;

- be able to travel on missions to remote field locations with challenging working conditions and security concerns.

It would be an additional asset, to have demonstrated, high-level negotiating skills in complex situations with government, customary institutions, authorities and traditional and non-traditional partners.

The incumbent may act as Officer-in-Charge in the absence of the Deputy Director.

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link:

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Nature of Position:

The UNHCR Regional Bureau for Eastern and Southern Africa (RBESA) is based in Nairobi, Kenya. It is a critical hub for collaboration, strategic engagement, and addressing cross-cutting operational challenges. A Regional Director heads the Bureau and has primary accountability for strategic decision-making, regional prioritization, and quality assurance—and enhanced delegated authorities to manage the region effectively. With functional links to the Divisions at HQs, technical experts are integrated within the regional bureau structures/pillars and lines of authority.

 

Strategic Planning and management ensure the region’s overall coherence with UNHCR’s global objectives and High Commissioner’s Strategic Directions; set regional bureau-wide priorities, manage, and direct all regional resources and assess contextual changes to adjust regional operational priorities; provide support to country operations, including on Human Resources, Supply, Finance and Information and Communications Technology (ICT); ensures financial and procedural oversight.

 

Protection elaborates and empowers regional approaches to UNHCR’s global protection priorities; monitors and supports the exercise of UNHCR’s core protection mandate at the country level.

 

External Engagement defines and oversees the implementation at country and regional level of strategic communications, resource mobilization, and partnership strategies, including with UN and NGO partners, development institutions, and the full range of stakeholders under the whole of society approach of the Global Compact on Refugees. The partnership approach includes cultivating and supporting partnerships for economic and financial inclusion, livelihoods, and social protection, supported by socio-economic analysis.

 

Data, Identity Management and Analysis (DIMA) supports regional information, data management, and analysis in alignment with regional objectives and provides expertise in the collection, validation, curation, protection, interpretation, and representation of operational data.

The Bureau provides operational support and oversight to 25 country operations: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Some 3600 staff are deployed in the Bureau and country offices. The Bureau also oversees UNHCR’s Representation to the African Union (AU) and the Economic Commission of Africa (ECA) based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Most UN agencies, including WFP and UNICEF, have regional offices in Nairobi, and host some of their HQ teams.

 

The region has the largest number of people for whom UNHCR works in Africa. This includes 6.3 million refugees and asylum seekers, as well as 17.8 million internally displaced people.  The region is also home to over 68,000 stateless persons, or persons at risk of statelessness.

 

In 2025, approximately 672,000 refugees returned to their home countries in the region.

The majority of people forced to flee their countries are hosted in 7 countries, namely Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania (United Republic of), and South Africa.

Since conflict erupted in Sudan in April 2023, a staggering 12 million people have been forced to flee, both within and outside of the country, triggering the world’s largest displacement crisis today. The Regional Bureau Director also serves as the Regional Refugee Coordinator for the Sudan situation, thus RBESA supports him with coordination and planning, reporting and resource mobilization for the Sudan situation.

Uganda hosts nearly 2 million refugees, mainly South Sudanese, the largest refugee population in Africa. South Sudanese are also among the highest displaced outside their country.

 

In Somalia, around 3.5 million people are internally displaced throughout the country, the second largest internal displacement situation in the Eastern and Southern Africa region. Mixed movements and human trafficking are significant regional protection challenges.

 

The region is characterized by pockets of instability and insecurity, recurrent climatic events contributing to intercommunal conflicts, fragile state institutions and governance systems, and heightened socio-economic vulnerability of forcibly displaced. Political instability and conflicts in Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Sudan have led to displacement, resulting in large internal and external population movements. Despite the challenges, the Bureau seeks to expand opportunities that exist in the humanitarian/development/peace nexus to enhance collaboration and engage strategically with governments, donors, and financial institutions for the inclusion of refugee programmes in national systems, while seeking contributions of development actors to sustainable reintegration initiatives in Burundi, Somalia, Ethiopia, and South Sudan.

 

The ESA region has received over half (51%) of the World Bank’s total global IDA allocations under the special instruments for refugees and host communities covering seven countries. The Bureau engages with partners in the UN, financial institutions (AFDB, IFC, WB) and Regional economic communities (IGAD and EAC) and ICGLR as part of its agenda. A broad range of progressive pledges were made by States, regional entities and other stakeholders at the second Global Refugee Forum 2023, which will drive the protection and solutions agenda in the region for the coming four years.

Living and Working Conditions:

Nairobi is in UN security Phase III, but politically instigated demonstrations and riots may occur at any time. There is general crime similar to that in large cities. Crime in Nairobi is high and physical violence is a common feature of break into residences, carjacking and robbery. A high sense of vigilance and alertness is required. Despite the security concerns mentioned above, Nairobi is a duty station for families. It has good medical facilities. Recreational facilities, schools and hotels are of international standards.

It has an excellent climate. Comfortable houses and other forms of accommodation are available, as well as good banking facilities, unlimited access to all forms of communications, such as internet, telephone Sim cards etc. There is no malaria in Nairobi, but cholera, malaria and yellow fever occur in other parts of Kenya.
 

Additional Qualifications

Skills

CO-Brand Management, CO-Campaign Tracking, CO-Cross-cultural communication, CO-Journalism (incl. print, broadcast, photography, video, layout & graphics), CO-Preparation of key messages/talking points/speeches, CO-Public Information, CO-Public Speaking, CO-Strategic Communication

Bachelor of Arts: Digital Communications and Media/Multimedia, Bachelor of Arts: International Relations, Bachelor of Arts: Journalism, Bachelor of Arts: Political Science, Bachelor of Arts: Public Administration, Bachelor of Arts: Public Relations, Bachelor of Arts: Social Science

Certifications

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Leadership, Managing performance, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Stakeholder management, Strategic planning & visions, Teamwork & collaboration

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Flash Vacancy Notice

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance