The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country. It also has a mandate to help stateless people.
In more than six decades, the agency has helped tens of millions of people restart their lives.
Working for UNHCR
UNHCR’s staff are the backbone of the organization and about 89 percent of them are based in the field. UNHCR staff provides live-saving aid and protection every day for millions of uprooted and stateless people around the world. This is something that UNHCR staff takes great pride of, despite the many hardships they face while working in deep field operations, at times close to or within conflict areas. Their greatest reward is to know that their work has a major positive impact and brings hope to people uprooted by conflict and persecution.
At the beginning of 2015, there were over 9,300 members of staff, including a combined total of 1,050 in UNHCR’s Geneva headquarters and the Global Service Centre in Budapest. The numbers break down into 6,854 national staff and 2,476 international staff.
UNHCR work in 125 countries, with staff based in a mixture of 109 regional and branch offices, and 341 sub and field offices. Their staff work in a wide range of disciplines, including protection (legal), administration, community services, public affairs, logistics, health and gender. The largest concentration of field staff is in Kenya (477), followed by Jordan (445), Ethiopia (413), Iraq (373) and South Sudan (364).
UNHCR language requirements
As a highly mobile Organization operating in more than 100 countries, UNHCR is deeply committed to the principle of multilingualism and requires its international professional staff, upon recruitment, to demonstrate competence in at least two official UN languages. Therefore, candidates aspiring to join the international professional category must be able to demonstrate, at a minimum, proficiency at an advanced level (C1 or above) in either one of the two working languages of UNHCR (English and French) as well as knowledge of a second official UN language at an intermediate level (B2 or above).
A certificate is not required in respect of a UN language that is the mother tongue of the candidate. Otherwise, certification is obligatory.
UNHCR recommends that you carefully review the language requirements of the Job Opening you wish to apply for and note that excellent knowledge of a language requires proficiency at an advanced level (C1 or above) whereas for working knowledge proficiency needs to be demonstrated at an intermediate level (B2 or above).
Find the list of certificates recognized by UNHCR to prove language proficiency at C1 and B2 levelshere.
VACANCIES
PROTECTION CLUSTER INFORMATION MANAGEMENT OFFICER (WOS)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
INTER-AGENCY PROTECTION COORDINATION OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SENIOR SECRETARY
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-11-01
SENIOR LEGAL ASSOCIATE (HQ)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-11-01
SNR LEGAL OFFICER (STATELESSNESS)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
WASH OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
WASH OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SNR RESETTLEMENT TRACKING, ANALYSIS AND SYSTEM DEVELOPER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SNR REGIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SNR REGIONAL PROTECTION OFFICER (STATELESSNESS)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SNR PROTECTION COORDINATOR (OPERATIONAL SUPPORT)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SNR PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SNR PROGRAM OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SNR PI OFFICER (ADVOCACY & REPORTING)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SNR LEGAL OFFICER (INFORMATION ANALYST)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SNR INTER-AGENCY COORDINATION OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SNR EXTERNAL RELATIONS OFFICER (HQ)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SNR DR OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SNR DR OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SNR COORDINATOR (TECHNICAL SUPPORT)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SNR COMM/PI OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SNR COMM/PI OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SNR CLUSTER COORDINATOR (SHELTER /NFI / CCCM)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SNR CLUSTER COORDINATOR (CCCM)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SNR BUSINESS SYSTEM ANALYST
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SNR BUSINESS LIAISON AND ANALYSIS OFFICER (BUDGET SYSTEM)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SENIOR PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SENIOR MEDICAL OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SENIOR DATA PROTECTION OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
SENIOR ADVISOR (EDUCATION)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS AND SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
PROTECTION OFFICER (CHILD)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
PROGRAMME/SOLUTIONS OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
PSP OFFICER (UAE SMALL DONORS)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
PSP OFFICER (MENA/LG)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
PSP OFFICER (LEADERSHIP GIVING)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
PSP OFFICER (DUBAI/NEW MARKETS)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
LIVELIHOODS OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
LIVELIHOODS OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
INTER-AGENCY COORDINATOR
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT OFFICER WOS(SHELTER /NFI /CCCM)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
HEAD OF NATIONAL OFFICE (VIENNA)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
HEAD OF FIELD OFFICE
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
HEAD OF EVALUATION SERVICE
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-11-15
GLOBAL WEBSITE EDITOR (FRENCH)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
FIELD SAFETY ADVISER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
ENERGY OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
ENERGY OFFICER (HQ)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
EDUCATION OFFICER (TERTIARY REPORTING)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
DONOR RELATIONS OFFICER (IN-KIND)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
DEPUTY DIRECTOR
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER (CPIS)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
CHIEF, STAFF WELFARE SECTION
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
CHIEF OF SECTION (NEWS & MEDIA)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
CHIEF OF SECTION (HUMANITARIAN FINANCING AND FUNDING ANALYSIS)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
CHIEF OF SECTION (COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTIONS)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
CHIEF OF SECTION (CHANGE MANAGEMENT AND FIELD SUPPORT)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
CHIEF OF SECTION (APPEALS AND REPORTS)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
CASH-BASED INTERVENTIONS OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
ASSOCIATE SITE PLANNER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
ASSOCIATE RSD OFFICER (REGISTRATION)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
ASSOCIATE CLUSTER SUPPORT OFFICER (CCCM)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
ASSISTANT REPRESENTATIVE (ADMIN)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
ASSC DR OFFICER (HUMANITARIAN FINANCING)
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-10-27
PROFILE HR OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-12-30
PROFILE PROJECT CONTROL OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-12-30
PROFILE CCCM OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-12-30
PROFILE REGISTRATION OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-12-30
PROFILE ADMIN/FINANCE OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-12-30
PROFILE PROTECTION OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-12-30
PROFILE SHELTER OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-12-30
PROFILE FIELD SAFETY ADVISOR
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-12-30
PROFILE PROGRAMME OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-12-30
PROFILE PHYSICAL SITE PLANNER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-12-30
PROFILE SUPPLY OFFICER
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing: 2016-12-30