Job Description

Please note that this vacancy is only open to eligible staff members who have been individually notified of their eligibility to apply for positions advertised in the Accelerated Posting Compendium.

June 12, 2026

D

Non Family with Residential Location

Accra, Ghana

PR5

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2026-07-01

Deputy Representative

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
Direct supervision and guidance is received from the Representative. Advice and operational support may also be provided by the Director/Deputy Director of the Bureau and by other senior staff in the Bureau and in the support Divisions at Headquarters. The incumbent will also refer to policies, standards, rules and regulations which are in force within UNHCR.

Regular contacts with the Representative and staff at Headquarters and in the field, to consult, discuss operational issues, and to seek common grounds for solutions on activities and programmes of importance to UNHCR and with persons on matters of great importance to UNHCR's programmes. These contacts may include heads of national/ international organizations, embassies, UN agencies, and high officials/ ministers in the national government. UNHCR is well integrated into the UN Resident Coordinator System.

Decisions taken directly influence the design and operation of all of UNHCR's activities in the country of accreditation. Proposals will have a substantive effect on UNHCR's policy on a wide range of issues in the country programmes. Errors lead to significant damage to UNHC's major objectives in terms of time, quality, and money in the country and will have a major negative impact on the safety of refugees and other forcibly displaced and stateless persons The Office's overall credibility and the safety of its staff may also suffer.

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
- Provide legal protection advice and guidance on matters of doctrine and policy to Representative, the Heads of Offices and protection staff in the country.
- Provide advice and support to offices in the country operation on specific issues/problems faced related to asylum, refugee protection and assistance, including access to territory, access to RSD and asylum procedures, non-refoulement adequate reception and the implementation of durable solutions, including developing a Protection Management Framework for each national office.
- Provide legal and programme related advice and guidance to offices in the country on developing and maintaining fair and effective asylum regimes in accordance with international standards and norms, especially with regard to national asylum/refugee legislation and the building of local protection capacity.
- Provide legal and programme related advice and guidance on matters relating to the issue of asylum and migration to the Representative and offices in the country with particular emphasis on the problems of trafficking and smuggling.
- Provide guidance and leadership related to the implementation of the Age, Gender Diversity Mainstreaming (AGDM) Participatory Assessments in sub-region and ensure the follow up on any identified gaps related to the reception and integration systems and structures in the region with relevant stakeholders.
- Keep abreast of and analyse trends and key issues related to legal protection and assistance in the country, including preparing strategy and position papers with policy recommendations on specific protection, assistance and durable solutions related issues relevant to the country.
- Directly supervise Protection and Programme sections and develop operations plan in accordance with the organizational policies and operational strategies.
- Assist the Representative in the promotion of UNHCR strategic goals and objectives in the country, monitoring of the overall progress towards achieving them and in managing the Representation country office.
- Ensure that appropriate security measures are in place to protect staff, and that the country operation complies with UN MOSS/MORSS staff security rules, guidelines and procedures.
- Serve as OIC of the Country Office when the Representative is on mission or leave.
- Any other duties as may be required or assigned by the Representative.
- Represent UNHCR in the meetings and fora related to the functions.
- Enforce local compliance with UNHCR's global protection, programme, finance and human resources and security policies and standards.
- Authorize payments as per the organization's Delegation of Authority Plan (DOAP) and in accordance with UN/UNHCR rules and procedures.
- Modify operational projects and reallocate funds, within the approved budgets and in respect of donor earmarking.

- 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
Education & Professional Work Experience
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
Business Administration; International Relations; Law;
Political Science; Social Science; Human Resources Management;
or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
HCR Learning Prog; HCR Managing Operatns Lrng Prg;
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
- High level of skill in management of broad programmes, political decision making and negotiating.
Desirable
- Completion of UNHCR training programmes, such as Protection Learning Programme, Operations Management Learning Programme.
- Knowledge of geo-political realities and their socio-cultural implications.

Functional Skills
*MG-Field Operations Management
*UN-UN/UNHCR Inter-agency Policies, Standards, Programmes, and Partnerships
*UN-UN/UNHCR Mandate and Global Strategic Priorities
*PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards)
UN-Analysis of geo-political realities and their socio-cultural implications
*MG-Political Decision Making
(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.

ESSENTIAL
· Extensive experience providing operational leadership at a senior level, contributing to strategic decision-making, operational prioritization, and effective management during periods of organizational transformation, restructuring, and emergency response including strong managerial and leadership competencies, and proven experience supervising multidisciplinary teams and managing large and complex operational portfolios.
· Strong advocacy, coordination, representation, and diplomatic skills, including experience representing UNHCR in senior inter-agency coordination fora and engaging with high-level authorities in sensitive operational environments.
· Demonstrated senior programme leadership in complex and high-risk operations, with strong track record in leading large-scale programme portfolios and operations in complex, high-risk, resource-constrained and rapidly evolving contexts involving refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced and stateless populations with proven capacity to ensure effective integration and coherence across programme, supply, technical sectors, monitoring and evaluation, and broader operational functions.
· S/he should demonstrate extensive experience in strategic planning, operational oversight, resource prioritization, programme cycle management, risk management, workforce restructuring, and delivery of results under significant operational and financial constraints along with solid understanding of Results-Based Management (RBM) principles and UNHCR corporate systems and tools, including COMPASS, Power BI, ActivityInfo, and related programme oversight and accountability frameworks.
· Demonstrated experience in community-based approaches, localization, Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), humanitarian-development-peace (HDP) nexus programming, resilience-building, and durable solutions. Demonstrable experience in leading multiyear multi partner strategic planning as well as being an integral part of inter-agency processes such as Humanitarian Response Plans (HRPs), United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) processes, and inter-agency coordination mechanisms.
· Strong track record in resource mobilization and external engagement with donors, government counterparts, United Nations agencies, development actors, private sector entities, NGOs, and other key stakeholders.

DESIRABLE
· Previous experience in complex internal displacement contexts and/or engagement with a Regional Bureau would be considered a strong asset.
· The candidate should possess excellent drafting skills in both English and French.

French

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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

UNHCR in Niger has a Representation office in Niamey and offices in 6 different locations in 5 regions.

As of 30 April 2026, Niger hosts over 447.097 refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from Mali, Nigeria and Burkina Faso. Most are in protracted situations, though the continued insecurity in surrounding countries continues to generate new arrivals in Niger. In addition, Niger hosts over 548.386 IDPs and is a transit country on the mixed migration route towards north Africa and the Mediterranean. All newly forcibly displaced populations require emergency humanitarian assistance and protection.

Niger has a favorable legal framework relating to the protection of refugees and IDPs. The forcibly displaced population and host populations in most regions are regularly subjected to violent attacks, kidnappings, and extortion by non-state armed groups, which negatively impact on the availability and accessibility of basic social services, humanitarian access to certain areas and social cohesion between communities. Economic sanctions following the coup d’état of 26 July 2023 further put pressure on displaced and host communities. One of UNHCR’s main strategic priorities is the promotion of self-reliance for forcibly displaced communities and their hosts.

Based on a Memorandum of Understanding between Niger and UNHCR, the Operation implements the Emergency Transit Mechanism since 2017, through which vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers are evacuated from Libya to Niger and processed for third country solutions. A small number of the most vulnerable non-ETM refugees are also submitted for resettlement. UNHCR also engages in sensitization and technical support for the prevention of statelessness through the access to civil registration services. Along with the Minister of Humanitarian Action, UNHCR is the co-coordinator of the protection cluster, with its four AoR (GBV, child protection, HLP and mine action).

Nature of Position:

The Deputy Representative is the most senior manager in the Country Office and reports to the Representative. As member of the senior management team and of the executive team, the incumbent plays a key role, together with the Senior staff (Protection, Programme, Administration), in assisting and advising the Representative in the overall management of the Niger operation ensuring key requirements are fully met (proper planning, sound control mechanisms in place, proper resources allocation, harassment-free working environment, etc.), including in the area of staff security and staff welfare.

The Deputy Representative also exercises the function of Officer-in-Charge in the absence of the Representative.

The position has direct or reviewing supervisory responsibility over the Niamey-based protection team which includes community-based protection, DIMA, resettlement, complementary pathways, durable solutions, cluster coordination and education. S/he has country-wide functional supervisory responsibility for all protection staff and provides protection oversight and guidance to the information and programme management functions.

The Deputy Representative transposes UNHCR’s Global Strategic Priorities into a comprehensive protection strategy adapted to the country context. S/he is the guardian of protection standards, operational procedures, and practices in protection delivery at the country level and represents UNHCR externally on all protection policy and doctrine-related issues.

The Deputy Representative is relied upon by the Office to plan, manage, and guide regional and country-wide protection delivery to populations of concern and to promote and gain support for UNHCR’s protection agenda externally. This includes ensuring that operational responses in all sectors are designed with an integrated protection angle, with mainstreamed protection methodologies and integrated protection safeguards. S/he ensures that persons and communities of concern remain at the center of the planning process and are included in the decision-making process on issues that affect them directly and that their perspective and interests are properly represented and communicated to authorities, protection and assistance partners and to the broad network of donors and stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection. UNHCR is well integrated into the UN Resident Coordinator System.

Living and Working Conditions:

Socio-political tensions rose in Niger after the 26 July 2023 coup d'état ousting President Mohamed Bazoum. Because of the sanctions imposed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), including the closure of land borders, notably with Benin, institutions and individuals grapple with prolonged power outages, liquidity challenges, and scarcity and price hikes of essential goods. There are several supermarkets though because of the sanctions, foreign goods are rare. Several restaurants offering Lebanese, Chinese, French, Italian and other foods are available in Niamey. There are several banks and ATMs available in the capital.

After the temporary closure of airspace following the coup d’état was lifted, regular international commercial flights in and out of Niamey resumed.

Niamey is a non-family duty station (D classification) with 8-week R&R cycle. There are a number of supermarkets where local and foreign goods are available and expatriates frequent a number of restaurants offering Turkish, Lebanese, Chinese, French, Italian and other foods. Very limited educational services are available. There is a UN Clinic with limited clinical materials and the Medical Section in Geneva after assessing the medical facilities has recommended two clinics safely accessible by UNHCR staff. However, it’s very poor. Most travel within the country is undertaken regularly through UNHAS flights and some of them are reachable by car. The accommodation with minimum standards is available in the field offices. There are several banks and ATM available in the capital but most of the time out of service and provided a limited amount to withdraw. There are 3 seasons in Niger: rainy (June-Sept), cool (Oct-Feb), and very hot (March-May). Communication by mobile is acceptable. Housing conditions are becoming more difficult due to untimely power cuts, and the very high price of rent including advances of 3 to 4 months’ advance payment. The 2018 Finance law impacts the cost of most purchases.

Security Considerations:

The security level in Niger ranges from Level 3 (Moderate) to Level 5 (High), with Agadez classified at Level 3; Niamey, Maradi, Zinder, Dosso, southern Tahoua, and Diffa at Level 4 (Substantial); and Tillabéri and northern Tahoua at Level 5 (High).

In Niamey, due to actual terrorist threat of kidnapping and armed attacks against convoy in south of Niamey Region, any mission should move under armed escorts between 8:00 a.m to 17:00 p.m. Despite tension around its borders, with military operations taking place regularly, Niamey remains reasonably stable, due to criminality staff members are discouraged from walking in the streets, taking taxis, staying out late at night and visiting public places alone. Almost no red zone exists but in fact staffs should reside in certain perimeter around the assembly or concentration point. Pertaining to civil unrest and disturbances, the situation can be volatile and unpredictable in Niamey. In addition, the public unrest, materialized by meeting/ marches, regular sit-ins and roadblocks has become recurring. Personal security arrangements are highly recommended over the security measures set up. There are authorized travel times, weekly radio control and security advisories broadcasts. Security Clearance is required and can be requested via TRIP at https://dss.un.org. Requests for clearance should be submitted 7 days prior travel.

In residential areas in Niamey, there is almost no red zone, but international staff must reside within a certain perimeter, preferably in areas located maximum 30 minutes from the office. In addition, the United Nations system has established a curfew measure between 10.00 pm and 5.00 am to mitigate risk to personnel.

UNHAS flight services are available to most field locations. Missions by road to field locations travel under armed escort depending on the context, the area and according to the assessment by the administrative authority, either the governor or the prefect of the location. Travel for missions by land takes place between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. The request for armed escort is submitted 7 days in advance and the request for Security clearance must be positively approved before any mission. Rampant crime constitutes a substantial security challenge and affects the civilian population in certain locations of the country, and those who find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time.

A weekly radio check (every Thursday for UNHCR) and security advisory communiqués are disseminated by UNDSS/SFSO UNHCR.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Bachelor of Arts: Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts: Human Resources Management, Bachelor of Arts: International Relations, Bachelor of Arts: Law, Bachelor of Arts: Political Science, Bachelor of Arts: Social Science

Certifications

HCR Learning Program - UNHCR, Programme Management (PM) 1 - UNHCR

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, Planning & organizing, Stakeholder management, Strategic planning & visions, Teamwork & collaboration

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

Compendium

Accelerated Posting Compendium 2026 - Part B

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance