JOB DESCRIPTION

D

Non Family with Residential Location

Non Family with Residential Location

Bangkok, Thailand

PR3

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2025-07-23

August 8, 2025

Programme Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Programme Officer may be based in HQ, field/regional bureau, typically reporting to and be guided by the Senior Program officer and may supervise a small team of local and international staff. He/she 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 Programme Officer will provide programmatic guidance and support with regard to the implementation of protection and solutions strategies within available resources. S/he will coordinate 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 forcibly displaced and stateless persons, 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.

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
– Support in assessing and analysing the needs of forcibly displaced and stateless persons 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.
– Support the planning process in compliance with planning parameters outlined in the Programme Manual and the planning instructions.
– Review and analyse plans, mid-year and year-end reports of UNHCR office(s), ensuring quality assurance and compliance with established policies, guidelines, procedures and standards.
– Support in the provision of overall direction to broaden partnerships with key stakeholders in order to maximize the protection and solutions response for forcibly displaced and stateless persons.
– Provide support to ensure a consistent 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 in line with global standards and polices.
– Actively contribute to UNHCRs programming of community of practice and continuously contributing 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.
– Oversee a timely and effective follow-up of internal and external audits observations and recommendations that relate to programmatic issues.

– 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
Education & Professional Work Experience
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, Business Administration, Social Sciences
or other relevant field.

Essential
Demonstrated experience in programme management including familiarization with the OMC and sound knowledge Results Based-Management. Demonstrated experience in field operations, sound knowledge on the centrality of protection in programming, Joint Needs Assessments and the principles of targeting.

Desirable
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.

Functional Skills
PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards)
PG-Results-Based Management
PG-UNHCR’s Programmes
(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.

The candidate will bring substantial experience in leading all aspects of programme management in complex humanitarian settings, with a strong focus on protection-centered responses. This includes expertise in resource planning, needs and gap analysis, and strategic prioritization in both emergency and protracted displacement contexts.

Experience in designing and implementing area-based humanitarian and development programmes is essential, particularly in fragile or conflict-affected environments like Myanmar. The candidate should have a demonstrated ability to manage a diverse portfolio of partners, including UNHCR-funded, operational, and government counterparts. Familiarity with UN joint programming processes, such as those under the UNSDCF / TCF, and experience ensuring protection-driven, inclusive responses for IDPs, returnees, and stateless populations is highly valued.

The candidate must be proficient in setting up and managing robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks that assess programme performance in terms of responsiveness, relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability, in accordance with UNHCR’s programme standards.
Key competencies and experience should include:
• Proven ability to lead, manage, and inspire diverse, multicultural teams, including in volatile and high-risk settings.
• Strong coordination and partnership-building skills, with demonstrated success working with government counterparts, UN agencies, INGOs, national NGOs, CBOs, and private sector actors, particularly in conflict-affected areas.
• In-depth knowledge and experience with UNHCR’s programme cycle management and Results-Based Management (RBM) approaches, including application of relevant rules, regulations, and procedures.
• Demonstrated capacity in managing and overseeing partnerships, including the implementation and monitoring of Partner Project Agreements (PPAs).
• Experience designing context-specific programmes that address operational needs such as social cohesion, peaceful co-existence, and resilience-building in displacement-affected communities.
• Strong financial and performance monitoring skills, including budget oversight, verification, and risk mitigation.
• Advanced analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to prioritize in dynamic and politically sensitive environments.
• Proficiency in UNHCR’s corporate programme tools, including COMPASS, Cloud ERP.
• Experience in inter-agency coordination structures (e.g., clusters, sectors, working groups) is highly desirable, especially within the Myanmar context.

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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 Programme Officer reports directly to the Deputy Representative and plays a critical role in supporting the strategic planning, implementation, and monitoring of UNHCR’s protection and solutions programming in Myanmar. This position operates within one of UNHCR’s most complex and volatile operational contexts, characterized by active armed conflict, mass displacement, statelessness, and restricted humanitarian access. As of June 2025, there are 3.5m IDPs in Myanmar. UNHCR leads two key clusters, the Protection Cluster and the combined Shelter/NFI/CCCM Cluster, requiring the Programme Officer understanding of cluster structure to supporting implementation.

UNHCR works with more than 20 implementing and operational partners, including both international and national NGOs, and engages closely with local government counterparts, UN agencies, community-based organizations, and development actors. The Programme Officer is responsible for ensuring that programme interventions are are-based, protection-focused, and aligned with the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), the UN Transitional Cooperation Framework (TCF), and UNHCR’s broader strategies for protection, resilience, and solutions, MYS (2025 – 2027).

UNHCR Myanmar maintains 7 field offices across the country, and the Programme Officer provides support and oversight to field-based programme teams to ensure operational coherence and adaptability to evolving protection needs on the ground; while ensuring  programme planning, partner management, resource allocation, and results-based monitoring.

The incumbent directly supervises 3  staff, fostering a collaborative and results-oriented team culture. This role requires a strategic thinker with strong leadership, coordination, and analytical skills, capable of navigating the intersection of humanitarian action, development engagement, and protection imperatives in a politically sensitive and operationally constrained environment.

Living and Working Conditions:

After the military take-over in February 2021 and the ensuing conflict, almost all locations in Myanmar, including Yangon, were classified as high-risk. As of June 2025,  non-family status has been maintained in all duty stations.  The R&R cycles vary between four to six -weeks, and Danger Pay is applicable in some locations. Martiallaw and curfews are imposed in many parts of the country. The curfew for Yangon is from 01.00 am until 03.00 am. Furthermore, Yangon is currently a Category D duty station.

All staff members who apply to positions in Myanmar are encouraged to attend the duty of care webinars during which security, medical, and staff welfare issues are explained and where they have opportunity to ask questions. The applicants have a possibility to withdraw the application following the duty of care webinar.

The current political turmoil, coupled with sanctions imposed by the USA and several western governments, is impacting supply chains, banking systems and markets. Commodity prices (food, petrol, construction materials) have risen across the country, with significant increases for some basic commodities such as rice and oil. The Banking system is reasonably working in Yangon and larger cities such as Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw but there are limitations in smaller cities due to frequent electricity and internet disruption. Also, there is shortage of hard currency in the country: even if staff open USD accounts, they will not be able to withdraw USD but rather get local currency at an exchange rate lower than the UN Exchange Rate. Staff are, therefore, encouraged to bring enough hard currency before coming to the country and also has the option of getting a portion of their salary locally in USD .

The current situation has also impacted UNHCR partners’ abilities to implement humanitarian activities. Communication and access to information are increasingly challenging, and frequent internet disruptions and electricity cuts continue across the country including Yangon.

The city has some reasonable hospitals but generally the medical services remain patchy, and many expatriates travel to nearby Bangkok for treatment. Availability of health services and access to medical professionals, health facilities and pharmaceuticals has been negatively affected by the current security situation. Incumbent therefore is required to be in good health condition given the general lack of medical facilities in the country.

Cyclones and flooding are a regular occurrence in many parts of Myanmar including Yangon. Myanmar is also prone to earthquake. Other health hazards include injuries from road traffic accidents; food and water-borne diseases (such as typhoid fever, cholera, leptospirosis and hepatitis A, as well as vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever). Yangon has hot and dry weather from October to May and hot and humid weather from June to September.

Getting visa for Myanmar is a challenge. In normal circumstances, the visa process takes 8 weeks to several months due to the changing procedures and requirements of the counterpart ministries and general political climate. In most cases, the incumbent will be required to start his/her assignment under a teleworking arrangement pending the issuance of the visa – either from his/her home leave location or the previous duty station. Staff reassignment entitlements associated with this position will be released to staff only after his/her arrival at the duty station. The salary calculation will be kept at the level of previous duty station or the place of home leave until they reach the duty station. The incumbent requires abilities to effectively manage teams remotely, work independently and in a different time zone, respecting Myanmar’s official working hours. As per the new Policy on Flexible Work, teleworking outside the country of the official duty station could impact salaries/benefits and applicants need to get clear information about the related entitlements prior to applying.

Although the designated Residential Location for staff assigned in Myanmar is Bangkok, it is important to note that the Thai Government does not permit the installation of staff and their eligible family members who are not directly assigned to Thailand. Therefore, UNHCR office is not in the position to facilitate the visa processing for Thailand. If colleagues are interested in settling with their family members in Bangkok, they can privately explore alternative options such as obtaining a student and guardian visas.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards), PG-Results-Based Management, PG-UNHCR”s Programmes

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

Certifications

HCR Learning Program – UNHCR

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Change capability & adaptability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Managing performance, Managing resource, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Teamwork & collaboration

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

Compendium

Add. 2 to the Bi-Annual 2025 Compendium – Part B

Additional Information

This position doesn”t require a functional clearance