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

H (no hardship)

Family

PR3

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2026-05-29

Strategic Planning Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Strategic Planning Officer works within HQ, Regional Bureau or Country Office and normally reports to a more senior staff member depending on the office setup. The incumbent normally supervises local and international staff.

The Strategic Planning Officer works on scenario building exercises to help UNHCR prepare for the future, as well as prepares analytical reports based on various internal and external data sources to identify relevant trends, opportunities and threats. These will feed into the development of UNHCR’s strategic plan for the next planning period in close collaboration with internal and external stakeholders. The incumbent also supports regional strategic dialogues between the senior management and Regional Bureaux and other parties as relevant to review progress against objectives and targets, assesses significant strategic developments and considers potential strategy reorientations. The incumbent provides dedicated technical support in strategic planning and analysis to key counterparts on an ‘on-demand’ basis through punctual assistance and deployments.

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 support with organizing exercises with the participation of internal and external stakeholders, developing scenarios for the future with implications for UNHCR to inform executive decision-making and strategic planning processes.

• Conduct horizon scanning activities to identify trends and their likely impacts on UNHCR (opportunities and threats) and prepare regular analytical reports to inform executive decision-making and strategic planning processes.

• Conduct research into specific issues of relevance to UNHCR to inform executive decision-making and strategic planning processes

• Analyse the performance/impact/budget of past major operations/situations (performance, impact, budget/expenditures) to identify strengths and weaknesses to inform strategic planning processes.

• Provide input to the review of sectoral strategies to identify misalignments and opportunities for synergies.

• Provide input to UNHCR’s strategic plan for the next planning period, upon consultations with various internal and external stakeholders, if appropriate.

• Work towards the alignment of corporate reporting systems, including impact and outcome indicators in UNHCR’s RBM system, Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) indicators and key performance indicators and identify variations from expected results that would require adjustments in planning.

• Provide input to regular regional strategic dialogues between the senior management and Regional Bureaux and other parties as relevant, including preparing regional scans and analytical frameworks, to review progress against objectives and targets, assess significant strategic considerations and consider potential reorientations of strategy.

• Provide technical expertise to key counterparts to support/accompany strategic planning exercises, review UNHCR’s approach to a thematic issue or a situation on an as-needed basis.

• Support efforts to cultivate a more analytical and critical thinking mentality within UNHCR in cooperation with the Strategic Planning and Management colleagues.

• 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

Years of Experience / Degree Level

For P3/NOC - 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education

Economics, Law, Business Administration,

Social Sciences, Mathematics, or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses

HCR Management Learning Programme; Programme Management; Business Intelligence (BI) Training;

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

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

Knowledge of and experience in strategic planning and analysis in development and/or humanitarian organizations. A balance of headquarters and field experience, including at the operational/country level (i.e. not a regional office but with direct involvement in/responsibility for delivery at the field level). Experience working with complex partnerships and various stakeholders, particularly in an inter-agency context. A diverse range of functional experience is an asset – e.g. programme management, protection, community development, external relations, head of office. Solid understanding of forced displacement issues. Driven, proven sense of initiative, results orientation, flexibility, as well as effective teamwork skills. Effective facilitation skills are essential in both virtual and in-person contexts. Ability to work flexibly, creatively and to multitask if the need arises. A high degree of self-motivation, positive attitude and drive.

Desirable

Not specified.

Functional Skills

CL-Strategy Development and Monitoring

IT-Business Intelligence (BI)

CO-Strategic Communication

PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards)

(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

Managing Performance

Managing Resources

Cross-Functional Competencies

Analytical Thinking

Innovation and Creativity

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.

Essential Attributes:

• Demonstrated experience and understanding of strategic planning processes, especially UNNCR's Plan/Get/Show,
• Have significant understanding of forcibly displaced and stateless people and experience of working with them in UNHCR's field operations.
• Have a proven record of managing indicators and are able to conduct complex data management and analysis for decision-making. Skills in learning-scheme development and facilitation are assets.
• Demonstrated familiarity with humanitarian-development-peace linkages, UNDCO’s work, including the UN cooperation framework, and inter-agency engagement in the field.
• Proven knowledge and experience of working with the results-based management framework in a humanitarian/development organisation.
• Good drafting, articulate communication and participatory coordination skills. The incumbent is expected to have high level of inter-personal skills, emotional intelligence, and proven ethical practices.

Desirable:
Knowledge in French is desirable

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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

Nature of Position:

The Division of Emergency and Programme Support (DEPS) integrates key functions of emergency management, programme and technical support, supply chain management, IDP cluster coordination, and field security. These functions collectively provide critical support to field operations, ensuring the timely, effective, and accountable delivery of protection and assistance to people UNHCR serves. DEPS comprises three services – the Emergency and Operational Support Service (EOSS), the Supply Management Service and the Programme and Technical Support Service (PTSS). DEPS aims to capitalize on the synergies of the three Services to offer policy, guidance, support, and oversight to regional bureaux and country operations.

The Programme and Technical Support Service (PTSS) is tasked with guiding the organization in planning, programming, measuring, and reporting on results at all levels. Such support includes strategy guidance, implementation guidance, technical support and management of all programme and partner management processes. It includes overseeing and ensuring that policies and procedures are adhered to in areas such as planning, budgeting, partner management, partner assurance, technical standards and reporting. PTSS comprises four parts, namely the Planning and Results Section (PRS), the Programme and Project Management Section (PPMS), the Solutions Engineering Team, and the Assurance and Compliance Section (ACS).

The PRS’s deliverables are oriented around the Plan and Show phases of UNHCR’s strategic planning and programming cycle. The Section is responsible for coordinating global strategic planning and analysis based on needs, drafting and implementing policies, procedures, and guidance related to planning and reporting, including on the Results-Based Management. It also acts as a focal point for programmatic aspects related to the UN system-wide undertakings, including works on UNSDCF. Working closely with all regional bureaus and HQ divisions and entities, it provides guidance to the organization for strategic planning throughout organisation and results reporting and provide global level data analysis supporting the evidence-based decision-making.

This position reports to the Chief of the PRS section. This position supports the section for both the Plan and Show phases as well as evidenced-based decision- making. The position’s key responsibilities include:

• Support the section for the policy and guidance development for the PLAN, GET and SHOW, including updating the programme handbook and exploring the use of AI.

• Support the section for enabling coherent multi-year strategy development across country, multi-country operations, regional bureaux, and headquarters. Follow-up on strategy cycles of different entities and support indicator management.

• Organise and follow up on various coordination fora, especially with the regional bureaus and relevant HQ divisions and entities. Support capacity building outreach.

• Produce analytical products, including contributing to the Global Appeal/Report and for evidence-based decision-making. Conduct thematic research.

• Assist the section in providing inputs to UN system-wide and governance related reports.

Living and Working Conditions:

The incumbent of the position will be based in Geneva HQ, a duty station offering high standard living conditions with a relatively high cost of living. With the exception of nationals of the European Union (EU), the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), Brunei Darussalam, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Principality of Andorra, San Martin, Singapore and Vatican, nationals from other countries are subject to the visa requirement for taking up employment. In the absence of a Swiss long stay entry visa, the Swiss mission cannot issue them a Carte de legitimation (equivalent to a work and residency permit).

Additional Qualifications

Skills

CL-Strategy Development and Monitoring, CO-Strategic Communication, IT-Business Intelligence (BI), PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards)

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

Certifications

Business Intelligence (BI) Training - Other, HCR Management Learning Program - UNHCR, Programme Management - Other

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Innovation & creativity, Judgement & decision making, Managing performance, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Stakeholder management, 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