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

A (least hardship)

Family

PR4

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2026-07-01

Senior Operations Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Senior Operations Officer normally works under the direct supervision of the Senior Operations Coordinator or Head of the Office and may have alternative reporting relationships depending on the structure and size of the Operation. S/he and will be the focal person responsible for liaising with Partners through sector meetings and other coordination mechanisms in the Area of responsibility (AoR). S/he will liaise with relevant sections at HQ/Region/Field on a wide range of issues concerning the operations such as protection, resource mobilization and allocations, human resources, budget, compliance, staff welfare and security matters. The incumbent may supervise professional and/or support staff. S/he will actively support the regional operational planning process, reporting and monitoring as well as mapping of areas where forcibly displaced and stateless people are currently located in the AoR. The incumbent will contribute to progress on issues such as negotiations on Partnership Project agreements, contractual service agreements, and management of Administrative Budgets related to the AoR.

Within UNHCR, the incumbent has regular contact with other sections/units at Headquarters and with field offices on issues related UNHCR's programme in the operations/countries within the AoR. External contacts are with, UN agencies and NGOs on UNHCR's programmes in the operations/countries covered under the AoR.

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

• Serve as the focal point for the operations within the AoR and follow up on situational realities, challenges and developments which may have an impact on the refugees, IDP situations, and other forcibly displaced and stateless people.

• Analyse information received concerning new refugee situations in the AoR and present coherent, consistent and credible proposals to address the emergency needs.

• Manage the process of gathering information, preparation of analytical papers and formulating recommendations for action for the operations within the AoR.

• Contribute to the preparation of action plans to address any operational/legal gaps that have been identified; and ensure advice/guidance is provided to field offices to improve the delivery of assistance of refugees and other forcibly displaced and stateless people.

• Provide guidance and support for communication, and sharing of best practices amongst countries/operations in the AoR as well as with other entities in the field and at Headquarters.

• Coordinate with field offices for provision of timely, coherent, consistent, quality information about their operations.

• In the bureaux, support senior staff in the preparation of the official submissions to the meetings of the Budget Committee and Contracts' Committee, and advocate for resources required for the operations to meet their objectives, especially during Annual Planning Reviews, Mid-Year Reviews and ad hoc resource allocation consultations. Analyse Country offices' requests concerning material requirements and staffing and initiate/coordinate appropriate action to provide Country offices with relevant and timely decisions and direction.

• In the field, coordinate and supervise the field activities in the areas of protection and programme in the AoR. Build the capacity of local partners and civil society through training and other initiatives. Liaise with local Government authorities and operational partners on issues relating to the protection and assistance of forcibly displaced and stateless people. Supervise and monitor the implementation of UNHCR projects.

• Monitor the implementation of programmes within the AoR through regular missions and participate in on-going needs assessments.

• Keep the various sections and technical units at the Bureau and HQ informed on issues related to the implementation of UNHCR's programmes within the AoR.

• Maintain a wide range of external contacts with Permanent Missions, donors, and civil society organization.

• Provide administrative and operational support across a range of programme activities, including but not limited to processing field requests related to financial transactions, procurement actions, and documentation for internal review and approval processes (e.g., Committee on Contracts, Budget Committee), ensuring compliance with relevant procedures and timelines.

• 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

Political Science; Economics; Social Science;

Business Administration; Law; or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses

Programme Management;

(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

Experience in field operations. At least 5 years of relevant experience in an international capacity. Understanding of UNHCR mandate and operations.

Desirable

Strong operational background and political awareness. Experience working with UNHCR; or other UN entities or partners preferably in the area of refugee or humanitarian operations. Proven track record in emergency preparedness, response and management.

Functional Skills

MG-Field Operations Management;

MG-Coordination;

(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

Judgement and Decision Making

Managing Resources

Empowering and Building Trust

Managing Performance

Cross-Functional Competencies

Analytical Thinking

Planning and Organizing

Negotiation and Conflict Resolution

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 Senior Operations Officer works under the supervision of the Senior Programme Coordinator, collaborates with, and provides support to other colleagues in the Strategic Planning and Operations Support Section. He or She also receives and provides support to and from other sections within the Regional Bureau.

In addition to the responsibilities outlined in the Job Description, the ideal candidate will demonstrate the following:

Essential attributes
[ER3.1][AG3.2]
• Proven experience in conducting multi-year strategy development and in translating strategies into operational plans
• Demonstrated experience in managing and supporting UNHCR field operations, with a strong operational background
• Proven capacity to provide strategic and operational guidance to country operations on multi year protection and solutions strategies, programme delivery, effective use of human, financial, and material resources, and reporting to support evidence-based decision making
• Solid experience supporting country operations in emergency preparedness, response, and management in complex and challenging operational contexts
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate and address emerging operational risks and issues at country, multi country or regional level, including in contexts of constrained resources and evolving operational environments
• Working knowledge of both French and English in a professional context

Desirable attributes

• Experience supporting inter agency coordination mechanisms and refugee response planning, including engagement with UN agencies, NGOs, and other partners at country or regional level
• Familiarity with operational and solutions oriented approaches under the Global Compact on Refugees, including regional or multi country coordination platforms
• Experience providing advisory support to operations affected by political transition, climate related impacts, or inter communal conflict
• Sound understanding of UNHCR’s mandate and protection and solutions framework[ER4.1][AG4.2]
• Strong analytical and coordination skills, with the ability to engage effectively with internal and external stakeholders and to communicate clearly in both written and oral forms[ER5.1][AG5.2]
• A strong team player, has strong service-orientation, flexibility and proactivity to manage arising situations and challenges, and promote collaboration and diversity in a multicultural environment and contribute to a positive work environment

The incumbent of the position 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.

French

,

,

,

,

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

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

Nature of Position:

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 were closed 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, the most 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 prioritization 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.

The incumbent has regular contact with other sections/units at the Regional Bureau and at HQ and with country operations on issues related to UNHCR's programme and project implementation within their AoR. External contacts are with UN agencies and NGOs on UNHCR's programmes in the operations. The position is based in the Regional Bureau for West and Central Africa in Dakar, Senegal and the incumbent may supervise a small team of local staff.

In line with the Regional Bureau’s mandate, the incumbent is expected to provide strategic operational oversight and technical support to country operations, demonstrating strong professionalism, sound judgment and results‑orientation. The role requires a collaborative and service‑oriented approach, effective communication and the ability to work proactively in a multicultural environment. The position entails regular missions to field locations, including remote and hardship duty stations, to provide operational support and ensure compliance with UNHCR policies and standards.

Living and Working Conditions:

It is planned that the entire United Nations system in Dakar will relocate to a common UN house in Diamniadio, approximately 40 km from the main city. Staff who choose to live in the the city would face a substantial commute. Arrangements are being made for staff transportation and teleworking schedules to ensure acceptable working conditions. Candidates applying for positions based in Dakar should consider this accordingly.

As the capital of Senegal, Dakar has a population of over one million and offers reasonable medical facilities, providing both general and specialist care in line with international standards. Dakar is classified by the United Nations as an "A" family duty station, indicating access to all basic services and most recreational activities and facilities.

Living conditions are comfortable, and essential services are readily available.

While the asylum practices in West Africa are generally generous, the operational and political environments present unique challenges for the UN, and particularly for UNHCR. The region hosts a variety of political and UN coordination mechanisms, requiring significant time and effort to ensure that UNHCR remains relevant. Key structures include the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, led by a Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG), the Regional UNDG, and regional offices for WFP, UNICEF, OCHA, UN Women, FAO, among others. Donors also have regional platforms in West Africa.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Contextual Analysis, Implementation Support

Bachelor of Arts: Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts: Economics, Bachelor of Arts: Law, Bachelor of Arts: Political Science, Bachelor of Arts: Social Science

Certifications

Programme Management - Other

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Managing performance, Managing resource, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, 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