JOB DESCRIPTION

H (no hardship)

Family

Family

PR4

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2025-10-01

August 8, 2025

Senior Durable Solutions Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Senior Durable Solutions Officer is the designated focal point for solutions in a regional office or country office. S/he reports to the Head of Bureau Protection, or Deputy Director in the Bureau, or to the Senior Durable Solutions Coordinator, or to the Representative/ Deputy Representative in a country operation.

The incumbent acts as an advisor to the senior management in the regional Bureau and to Country operations on all durable solutions topics. These include: voluntary repatriation (refugees) or return (IDPs) and sustainable reintegration; local integration and other local solutions; relocation, resettlement and complementary pathways for admission to third countries; Global Compact on Refugees commitments and opportunities; housing, land and property; statelessness (in line with the campaign to End Statelessness by 2024); age, gender, diversity (AGD) and accountability to affected populations (AAP) through community-based protection. Fostering an environment to enhance partnerships is a critical element of the work, as are activities designed to strengthen the involvement of refugee communities and their hosts in the design and implementation of solutions strategies. If in a regional office, s/he also coordinates durable solutions activities between and among country offices in the region ensuring consistency with relevant Global Strategic Priorities and Policies.

The incumbent may have direct supervisory responsibility for Durable Solutions staff. S/he maintains close working relations with senior protection staff in all countries in the region as well as regionally based UN sister entities, other intergovernmental organizations, and non-governmental organisations on durable solutions matters. In the Bureau, s/he works closely with protection, registration, information management, education, development, programme and technical staff including cash, livelihoods and shelter, and promotes operational standards, policy and practices in comprehensive solutions delivery.

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
– Develop multiyear comprehensive protection, resilience and solutions strategies as relevant, together with UNHCR¿s stakeholders in Bureau and country operations, governments and other partners.
– Monitor the implementation of the protection and solutions strategy/ies, identify challenges and report on achievements.
– Serve as focal point for durable solutions, including chairing Durable Solutions Working Group(s) and achieving a schematic overview of country/regional Durable Solution Working Groups or other solutions coordination mechanisms.
– Participate in consultative processes within UNHCR and with a broad range of external partners to promote all durable solutions.
– Ensure close linkages with staff that oversee data and information production to deliver fact based advocacy and support for durable solutions.
– Act as focal point for the internal UNHCR processes related to voluntary repatriation and returns, including data management, the preparation of Exchange of Letters, Tripartite Agreements, standard operating procedures and other agreements as required.
– Support country operations in the development and implementation of the local integration and other local solutions aspects of solutions strategies, ensuring inclusion of forcibly displaced and stateless persons in national systems and services, and in national and local development processes.
– In the absence of dedicated resettlement and complementary pathways staff, and in close collaboration with multi-functional teams: ensure UNHCR’s resettlement and complementary pathways for admission standards are correctly and coherently applied; efficient, fair and transparent procedures are in place across the AOR, targets are met and fraud prevention mechanisms are in place; operations are supported to develop advocacy strategies and operational responses to pursue the identification, development, promotion and facilitation of access to complementary pathways for admissions to third countries; ensure that country operations plans reflect the strategy on RST/CP and that the necessary resources are allocated to address gaps across the AOR.
– Represent UNHCR’s Resettlement and Complementary Pathways positions with Resettlement and other third countries, host government and at regional level.
– Building on the commitments made in the Global Compact on Refugees, develop and maintain strategic partnerships with UN and other development agencies, civil society, peacebuilding actors, and the private sector, engaging on areas including resilience, rule of law and governance, and housing land and property.
– Ensure that UNHCR’s analysis of the risks and obstacles to solutions, including sustainable reintegration and integration, is instrumental in development actors’ priority areas of engagement.
– Provide planning and foresight to advance progress for protracted refugee situations, and/or to prevent new situations from becoming protracted.
– Develop and maintain close liaison with senior managers and colleagues for the purpose of identifying and prioritizing durable solutions needs and ensuring adequate and timely interventions.
– Support Communication staff in developing a communication plan to support the durable solutions strategy, including media.
– Serve as focal point on durable Solutions-related issues for communities to ensure good communication.
– Advise on forcibly displaced and stateless persons’ appropriate engagement for the identification of the most appropriate solutions, including through enhanced two-way communication, participatory assessments, intentions and perceptions surveys, and other forms of community based assessments.
– Promote the strengthened involvement of forcibly displaced and stateless persons in the design and implementation of solutions strategies, transition projects, peace-building and development initiatives.

In addition to the main duties listed above, for positions located in regional bureaux:
– Develop multiyear regional situational comprehensive protection, resilience and solutions strategies as relevant, together with UNHCR’s stakeholders in Bureau and country operations, governments and other partners.

– Lead risk assessments and discussions with team(s) to proactively manage risks and seize opportunities impacting objectives. Ensure that risk management principles are integrated in decision-making both at strategic and operational levels. Allocate resources for planned treatments with resource requirements in Strategic Plans. Ensure that risks are managed to acceptable levels and escalate, as needed. If a Risk Owner, designate the Risk Focal Point and certify that the annual risk review is completed and ensure that the risk register is updated during the year, as needed.
– Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P4/NOD – 9 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 8 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 7 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
International Public Law; International Refugee Law;
Political Science; International Human Rights Law;
Refugee and Forced Migration; International Relations;
Law; or other relevant field.
(Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specialised

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Previous experience in solutions contexts. Thorough knowledge of International refugee law and its application.
Desirable
Solid UNHCR experience from both the Field (including Hardship Duty stations) and Headquarters.

Functional Skills
IT-IT Refugee Systems & Applications
PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD)
PR-Developing Strategic Protection Framework
PR-Comprehensive Solutions Framework
(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.

Experience in both operational field and support positions, ideally in leadership role that includes both policy and representational work. The candidate will have a firm grasp of UNHCR’s mandate and wider responsibilities, and of the legal and practical basis of the organization’s solutions work. Experience building and maintaining external partnerships, and of close work with Government at all levels is essential. The candidate will have undertaken advocacy in multiple forms and fora. Strong analytical and drafting skills are necessary as well as the ability to speak clearly about complex issues before small and large audiences. They will be independent but will work well in a team setting and will be able to demonstrate adaptability to changing circumstances and areas of responsibility. The candidate should have experience in the negotiation and drafting of multi-year, multi partner strategies with a protection framework, ideally inclusive of solutions.

Prior experience designing and implementing a comprehensive protection and solutions strategy is desired. Experience with a peace or a development actor in an area related to rule of law or governance would be a plus, as would experience in programming related to housing land and property.

Knowledge of French, Spanish and/or Arabic is desirable as well as the specific field experience the candidate should have. DIP seeks diversity in its workforce and will consider gender and geographic diversity in the composition of its teams. DIP encourages colleagues with disabilities to apply.

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

The position is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and can accommodate the specific needs for qualified candidates.

Nature of Position:

The position is based in DIP, reporting to the Chief of Durable Solutions Section, in the Solutions and Field Protection Support Service of the Division of International Protection and Solutions at UNHCR Headquarters. The Durable Solutions Section is responsible for policy and operational support related to all aspects of solutions. The Section includes a unit responsible for the third country solutions resettlement and complementary pathways, and a team responsible for solutions achieved in countries and locations of origin, asylum, habitual residence, return and settlement. The team will offer policy and operational support on all solutions, working proactively with IDP and Statelessness teams, Bureaux and Country Operations, and other HQ Divisions, on the identification of solutions opportunities and the implementation of multi-year, multi partner strategies that address all aspects of a solution to ensure both protection durability.

In keeping with Article 8(b) of the UNHCR Statute, the solutions team will advance measures to reduce the number of refugees, IDPs, and stateless persons requiring protection, including through application of the cessation clauses of the 1951 Convention and other legal standards applicable to populations within UNHCR’s mandate. Collaboration with others will work to improve law and policy related to displacement and statelessness, using and contributing to the Rights Mapping Tool (RiMAP) and within AGD, Refugee Protection Analysis, and other reporting mechanisms.  The team will build partnerships beyond UNHCR and will represent solutions internally and in external fora, particularly those related to peace, and to the coordination of development work on the rule of law & governance.

The incumbent will engage with policy and standards; with data and analysis; reporting and communications; with strategy and programme design, and with all aspects of partnership and representation.  The team requires a level of flexibility, and the ability to learn about new areas of work and to represent DIPS not only on in-situ solutions tools and voluntary repatriation, but also on third country solutions as they pertain to comprehensive planning and programming. The incumbent will need to contribute to thinking and operational engagement on solutions from the beginning of a response and to support Bureaux and Operations in their multiyear planning.  All team members contribute to DIPS’ coordinated fundraising for the range of protection and solutions goals and activities, and to communications within and outside UNHCR.

Living and Working Conditions:

The position is based in Geneva, Switzerland. The incumbent will be required to travel, sometimes on short notice. Living and working conditions in Switzerland are up to the level of a highly developed country, where easy access to quality schooling, services, medical support, and higher education is available. The position requires residence in Geneva and cannot be undertaken remotely, although some teleworking is possible, after discussions with the manager.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

IT-IT Refugee Systems & Applications, PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD), PR-Comprehensive Solutions Framework, PR-Developing Strategic Protection Framework, PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators

Bachelor of Arts: Economics, Bachelor of Arts: International Law, Bachelor of Arts: International Relations, Bachelor of Arts: Law, Bachelor of Arts: Political Science, Bachelor of Arts: Social Science

Certifications

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Leadership, Managing performance, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Strategic planning & visions, Teamwork & collaboration, Technological awareness

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