The Assistant Programme Officer may be based in HQ, field/regional bureau, and would normally receive guidance from more senior programme staff in the operation/bureau/division and may supervise a small team of local staff. The incumbent may refer to UNHCR’s Programme Manual (Chapter IV), UNHCR’s corporate and regional strategic priorities, operation plans and other relevant institutional rules and regulations for further guidance. 

The Assistant Programme Officer will support the provision of programmatic guidance and support with regard to the implementation of protection and solutions strategies within available resources. The incumbent will play a role in coordinating with the other sections/units to ensure harmonized programmatic approaches at all levels and throughout the UNHCR Operations Management Cycle. S/he will work in line with the overall UNHCR directions which crucially require working with partners, including with persons of concern, governmental institutions and the private sector, ensuring that programme management is approached as per UNHCR’s Strategic Directions, Global Strategic Priorities (GSPs), Global Compact for Refugees (GCR), corporate positions on SDGs.

The incumbent is expected to work in line with the multi-functional team (MFT) approach as defined within the Program Manual, ensuring the participation of relevant stakeholders in all phases of the Program Management Cycle.

• Support in assessing and analysing the needs of persons of concern in a participatory manner, using an Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective as basis for planning.
• Provide support on programmatic aspects of developing multi-year protection and solutions strategies and annual plans with corresponding priorities taking into account corporate priorities.
• Support Results Based Management and programme capacity in light of evolving requirements, programming approaches and gaps.
• Assist the planning process in compliance with planning parameters outlined in the Programme Manual and the planning instructions.
• Contribute to the review and analyse of plans, mid-year and year-end reports of UNHCR offices in the region, ensuring quality assurance and compliance with established policies, guidelines, procedures and standards.
• Assist with the provision of overall direction to broaden partnerships with key stakeholders in order to maximize the protection and solutions response for   persons of concern.
• Contribute to the successful application of the framework for implementing with partners, including the effective implementation of the policy on selection and retention of partners, management of partnership agreements, risk-based project performance monitoring, and risk-based project audits, among others.
• Contribute to ensure consistent and coherent monitoring approaches, tools and systems within the Area of Responsibility (AoR), in line with global standards and polices.
• Actively contribute to UNHCRs programming of community of practice and continuously contribute to improvements of programming tools and processes.
• Identify potential gaps and problems and in cooperation with other relevant sections recommend appropriate solutions to ensure the efficient implementation of programme activities.
• Assist in a timely and effective follow-up of internal and external audits observations and recommendations that relate to programmatic issues.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Managerial Competencies

• Judgement and Decision Making
• Empowering and Building Trust
• Managing Performance

 Cross-Functional Competencies

• Analytical Thinking
• Change Capability and Adaptability
• Negotiation and Conflict Resolution

• Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) in Economics Business Administration, Social Sciences or relevant field is required. 
• Minimum 1 year of demonstrated experience in programme management including familiarization with the OMC and sound knowledge Results Based-Management is required.
• Demonstrated experience in field operations, sound knowledge on the centrality of protection in programming, Joint Needs Assessments and the principles of targeting is required.
• Excellent knowledge of English (written / oral / comprehension) is required.

• Demonstrated experience in coordination within an inter-agency context and other actors, in a refugee or humanitarian context. Sound experience in program management training and capacity building activities is desirable.

The desired candidate to fill the position of Assistant Programme Officer, will be working closely with Implementing Partners and MFT in PoCs needs assessment; Projects design; Planning, Budgeting, Implementation Monitoring; Reporting; follow on audit recommendations; Support Partners to understand UNHCR policies, rules and regulations and requirement for compliance; Working very closely with Government Counterpart (OPM) and District Local Governments, in all the phases of Programme Management; representing UNHCR at his/her level at Programmatic foras.  The preferred candidate should have knowledge and usage of UNHCR corporate tools (Results Based Management; Focus; MSRP); very good Analytical skills; Networking skills; Teamwork, collaboration and coordination skills.  He/she should have knowledge from UNHCR internal trainings in Programme Management.