Assistant Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer

E (most hardship)Non Family with Residential LocationNon Family with Residential LocationNairobi (CO), KenyaNOANational Professional Officer

Reason

Regular > Regular AssignmentNo2025-01-01December 31, 2024

Assistant Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Assistant Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer will support in operationalizing the strategic vision to align livelihoods and economic inclusion efforts with the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), which underscores the need to mobilize additional actors and to adopt a whole-of-society approach to strengthen refugee self-reliance and help ease pressure on host countries. Promoting economic inclusion of refugees is a key development area that will enable the achievement of these objectives and contribute to the 2030 Agenda's Sustainable Development Goals.

Leveraging the growing global momentum, UNHCR is working to translate the objectives of the GCR into impactful results for persons of concern (PoC). Contributing to this global roll-out of the GCR, the Assistant Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer, with support from the Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion Unit in the Division of Resilience and Solutions (DRS), contributes to the following objectives:
1) improve the enabling environment for refugees to work through advocacy on the right to/at work, access to economic
opportunities and service;
2) seek new and strengthen existing partnerships including with the private sector, development actors, government institutions and
specialized agencies to advance economic inclusion of refugees; and
3) enhance ongoing livelihoods and economic inclusion programming through evidence-based and market-driven approaches to
improve economic inclusion outcomes.

The Assistant Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer should be proactive, always looking for new opportunities and persuasive in mobilizing donors and new partners around new models of economic and social integration. Within UNHCR, the Assistant Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer will work under the supervision of the head of livelihoods and closely with multi-functional teams on matters including but not limited to protection, education, cash, partnerships, research and analytics, GBV, solutions, complementary pathways and more. S/he will support the office's involvement with livelihoods and economic inclusion, working with relevant external stakeholders from government line ministries, development actors, private sector, UN agencies, international organisations, NGOs, research institutions and universities.


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
- Explore partnerships to facilitate the economic inclusion of refugees, such as line ministries, private sector and development actors in accordance with UNHCR Global and Country level policies, priorities, and strategies, in particular the Global Compact on Refugees. This includes advocating with public and private sector services providers to include UNHCR PoC in supporting services (business development, micro-finance, training, saving accounts, poverty alleviation and social protection, etc.).
- Work with the multi-functional team, more specifically with the Protection Unit, support the assessment of the legal framework for the right to work and rights at work and recommend/implement advocacy initiatives and policy reform to improve UNHCR PoC's economic inclusion, rights and access to work.
- Build on UNHCR databases to support regular information sharing and coordination among different humanitarian, developmental and governmental stakeholders. This includes supporting the implementation of socioeconomic and wealth ranking surveys utilising community-based strategies to inform targeting, monitoring and facilitation of development programmes.
- Conduct necessary assessments in collaboration with relevant private and public stakeholders, including impact assessments on local economies and surveys that help to identify investment and funding opportunities that enhance the economic inclusion of UNHCR PoC.
- In case UNHCR is implementing specific livelihoods activities, work closely with and provide technical assistance on livelihoods interventions to help ensure they are market-based, and that the role of UNHCR has been strategically determined in consideration of its comparative advantage vis-à-vis other partners.

- 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
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P1/NOA - 1 year relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or no experience with Graduate degree; or no experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Business Management, Socio-Economics Development, Economics, International Economics, Rural Development, Financial Management
or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Experience in facilitating the economic inclusion of vulnerable and marginalized groups in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, ideally in varied field contexts. Experience in working in partnership with private sector, NGOs, UN organisations, development actors, and government authorities in sub-sectors relevant to livelihood programming e.g. financial inclusion, employment, entrepreneurship, private sector development, local economic development, poverty reduction, agriculture, livestock, vocational and technical education and training, etc.

Desirable
Knowledge about latest development in the livelihoods sector, including broader UN processes on the SDGs and the Global Compact on Refugees.

Functional Skills
LV-Strategic Planning and Advocacy for Refugee Socioeconomic Rights
MG-Project Management
SO-Networking
CO-Drafting and Documentation
(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.

The incumbent must have substantial experience in working for/with various government ministries, partners and private sector. Demonstrated experience in policy work and field programming related to economic inclusion and/or social protection and labour programmes including direct experience with humanitarian, development and government actors would be a plus. S/he must have proven knowledge and technical skills in set up, design, implementation and monitoring of economic and/or social protection programmes and have excellent networking, communication and drafting skills. Having already a strong network, in particular with the private sector would be an advantage. S/he should be flexible, energetic, results-oriented, political savvy and keen on creating new opportunities for the organization.

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational health and safety considerations for this duty station, please visit this link: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Nature of Position:

UNHCR Kakuma covers the Kakuma refugee camp and Kalobeyei integrated settlement, hosting some 301,407 refugees from 25 different nationalities. The Government of Kenya, in line with the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) and its Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), in collaboration with its partners has taken concrete steps through number of initiatives to improve the socioeconomic conditions and inclusion for refugees, and support building resilience of host communities. These include enactment of Refugees Act of 2021, Refugee Regulations, and importantly the Shirika Plan (one of the pioneering innovative approaches globally for Refugees’ inclusion) and its building blocks of GISEDP and KISEDP in line with the County Integrated Development Plans (CIDPs), the Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), its Medium-Term Plan (MTP, 2023-2207), and Vision 2030.

The Assistant Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion Officer is based in UNHCR Sub Office Kakuma, typically reporting to the Snr Operations Officer and with an overall supervision from the Kakuma Head of Sub-Office. The incumbent will supervise a local staff, Senior Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion Assistant.

The Assistant Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion Officer will provide programmatic guidance and support with regard to the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the livelihood’s strategy and related programmes. The incumbent will work in line with the overall UNHCR directions which crucially require working with partners, including with persons of concern, governmental institutions, UN sister agencies, humanitarian and development actors and the private sector. He / She is expected to carry the overall management of livelihood programmes, including designing, and applying specific programme methodologies, implementation approaches and ensuring the attainment of livelihood programme objectives, in accordance with the overall livelihoods strategy and private sector development principles. Additionally, he / she will be expected to guide and monitor the on-going livelihood activities/programmes for refugees in line with UNHCR policies, mainstreaming gender, age and diversity- in order to ensure their timely, and effective implementation.

Living and Working Conditions:

Kenya is an open country that enjoys social stability resulting from the smooth functioning of state institutions. Kenya is also provided with a good level of infrastructure (e.g. roads, distribution of water, electricity, etc.) and a popular tourist destination. The current Security Level in the capital and in SRM Area 1A: Northern Rift Valley (Kakuma, Lodwar) is Moderate -3. All United Nations personnel must scrupulously comply with UNDSS procedures and recommendations during their assignment to Kakuma, Kenya. Thefts and burglary are the main incidents against UN personnel.

Kakuma city is a non-family duty station with a hardship classified D, its living conditions are difficult, but the social climate is calm. The weather is hot, dry and sunny hence no heavy clothes would be recommended. Windy storms are common during the months of December and more pronounced in January till March.

Staff live in UNHCR-provided accommodation, which was constructed in 2001, the condition of these houses has improved with time as renovations and painting has been carried out in the past. The accommodation facilities are generally acceptable condition with minimal standard. The incumbent will be briefed deeply on conditions of accommodations, laundry, meals, communications, air and road transports, recreations, and others relevant information. However, staff members are charged rental fee predetermined by the organization paid upfront on monthly basis.

The currency used in Kenya is Kenyan Shilling (KES). It is also possible to withdraw cash from automatic telling machines found in all banks here in Kakuma. There are limited banking facilities at Kakuma with two banks (Equity & Kenya Commercial Bank having branches locally

Internet and communications networks are available at the compound with fairly speed. the mobile telephone network remains stable with 3G.

Climatic conditions are relatively harsh, and despite fumigation of the compound, insects and even snakes are present in the environment on seasonal climate changes.

UNHCR has established satellite level 1 JMS medical clinic in the compound following COVID-19 situation readily available 24/7 hours, there is also Kakuma Mission Hospital where a doctor/Surgeon is deployed and paid for by UNHCR provide assistance to refugees, but special arrangements can be made during emergencies for staff members. There are also some pharmacies within Kakuma with basic medical facilities. Evacuation opportunities are limited. Candidates with conditions requiring regular treatment or medical supervision should be appropriately advised. The yellow fever vaccine is compulsory and vaccination cards should be updated. Vaccinations against Meningococcal Meningitis and Hepatitis A and B are also recommended. The basic drugs are available in pharmacies, but it is recommended to bring specific prescription drugs.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

CO-Drafting and Documentation, LV-Strategic Planning and Advocacy for Refugee Socioeconomic Rights, MG-Project Management, SO-NetworkingBachelor of Arts (BA): Business Administration/Management, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Economics, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Financial Management, Bachelor of Arts (BA): International Economics, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Rural Development, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Socio-Economic Development

Certifications

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration

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

Compendium

Additional Information

This position requires Functional Clearance