Associate External Relations Officer at United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) – Iran
Recruiter: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
About United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization mandated to protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people, and to assist in their voluntary repatriation, local integration, or resettlement. Founded in 1950, UNHCR operates in over 130 countries, working to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge.
Job Summary
This position at United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) offers a compelling opportunity for an motivated early-career professional to contribute to public information and communications . Based in Iran, you will apply your expertise to advance United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)’s mission and support the United Nations system’s work on critical global priorities. This role offers the opportunity to work in a dynamic, multicultural environment while contributing to meaningful outcomes that benefit communities worldwide. This role provides an excellent pathway for an motivated early-career professional to develop their career within the United Nations system while making a tangible contribution to global peace and security.
Full Job Description
Deadline for Applications
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Standard Job Description
Associate External Relations Officer Organizational Setting and Work Relationships Direct supervision is normally exercised by a (Snr) External Relations Officer or Representative who provides guidance on the applicable procedures. Advice may also be provided by relevant functional units at HQ. External contacts are with a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including inter alia, government, media, embassies, donors, UN agencies, NGOs and other national and international organizations, as well as general public on matters of importance to the Organization. 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 – Stay abreast of the challenges posed by the political context, the UN and humanitarian reform, and institutional developments in the area of forced displacement and humanitarian operations. – Assist the implementation of a communications strategy that generates support for UNHCR’s operations from external partners (e.g. the general public, governments, partners, media, academia, NGOs, private sector and forcibly displaced and stateless persons). – Assist in the dialogue with donors and embassies and provide relevant information on UNHCR operations and financial requirements by organizing regular briefings, bilateral meetings and missions and responding to donors requests for information on ad hoc basis. – Through a consultative process with headquarters, disseminate information on UNHCR’s global funding situation and mobilize additional funds to implement programmes and projects aimed at enhancing the quality of protection for forcibly displaced and stateless persons in the country operation. – Assist in the coordination of the drafting of, situation reports, briefing notes, background material, talking points, fact sheets, press releases and articles. – Draft narrative and financial reports on contributions in compliance with specific donor requirements. – Monitor earmarking level of funding for UNHCR Country operation and ensure appropriate visibility for donor contributions in compliance with UNHCR guidelines and specific donor requirements. – Participate on behalf of the Representative and other supervisors in inter-agency cooperation and communication strategies, initiatives and tools. – Assist in the management of information flows within the country operations by identifying priority matters, securing, analyzing and disseminating documentation and information to support country operations and corporate communication processes and priorities. – Consolidate information on UNHCR’s country operations and identify appropriate messages for campaigns and appeals. – Propose events and initiatives (e.g. commercial, cultural, political and sports) to promote the work of UNHCR and take action as appropriate. – Support the management of media relations by, inter alia, responding to direct queries, publishing press releases, handling interview requests and organizing regular briefings and visits to country operations. – Promote visibility of UNHCR’s work and advocate for support for the forcibly displaced and stateless persons through providing inputs for social media and other web content. – Organize missions to the field and press briefings for external parties as required. – Implement all aspects of a communications strategy. – Represent UNHCR on behalf of senior management in fundraising and communication priorities in inter-agency initiatives and fora.
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 Years of Experience / Degree Level For P2/NOB – 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree Field(s) of Education Political Sciences, Social Sciences, International Relations, Journalism, Communications
or other relevant field. Certificates and/or Licenses Not specified Relevant Job Experience Essential Experience in humanitarian operations in a field environment. Excellent knowledge of local institution, politics and culture. Desirable Fund-raising and programming/programme management experience. Experience of working with social media. Functional Skills CO-Drafting and Documentation PS-Fundraising (incl. operations, programmes) PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards) IT-Computer Literacy IT-Web Content Management (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.
Desired Candidate Profile
Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):
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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 Islamic Republic of Iran has generously hosted forcibly displaced persons for over 40 years. Despite numerous challenges, and in the absence of equitable international responsibility sharing proportionate with the number of people being hosted, the country has upheld refugee-inclusive policies, ensuring continued quality access to essential public services, in particular including healthcare and education. In 2024, some 3.8 million people are recognized as refugees and refugee-like, making Iran the largest refugee-hosting country in the world.
Despite economic challenges, the Government of Iran has maintained its inclusive policies, enabling refugees and undocumented Afghans to access health and education services within the national system. UNHCR supports the Government through the provision of protection and humanitarian assistance for refugees and…
Key Details
- Job Title: Associate External Relations Officer
- Grade: P-2
- Location: Tehran, Iran
- Department: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
- Contract Type: Professional Staff
- Salary Range:$56,046.0 – $74,640.0 USD annually
Qualifications
- Not specified in the official posting
Skills
- Not specified in the official posting
Benefits
- Competitive compensation package
- Professional development opportunities
- Comprehensive health and wellness benefits
- Inclusive and collaborative work environment
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted through the official UN careers portal. Female candidates and candidates from underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.
