Associate Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer

Please note that this vacancy is only open to eligible staff members who have been individually notified of their eligibility to apply for positions advertised in the Accelerated Posting Compendium.

July 20, 2026

C

Family

PR2

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2026-07-02

Associate Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Associate Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer will be key in operationalizing the strategic vision to align livelihoods and economic inclusion efforts with the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), which underscores the need to mobilize additional actors and to adopt a whole-of-society approach to strengthen refugee self-reliance and help ease pressure on host countries. Promoting economic inclusion of refugees is a key development area that will enable the achievement of these objectives and contribute to the 2030 Agenda's Sustainable Development Goals.

Leveraging the growing global momentum, UNHCR is working to translate the objectives of the GCR into impactful results for forcibly displaced and stateless persons. Contributing to this global roll-out of the GCR, the Associate Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer, with support from the relevant Unit(s) in the Sustainable Responses Service (SRS), works towards the following objectives:
1) improve the enabling environment for refugees to work through advocacy on the right to/at work, access to economic opportunities and service;
2) seek new and strengthen existing partnerships including with the private sector, development actors, government institutions and specialized agencies to advance economic inclusion of refugees; and
3) enhance ongoing livelihoods and economic inclusion programming through evidence-based and market-driven approaches to improve economic inclusion outcomes.

The Associate Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer should be proactive, always looking for new opportunities and persuasive in mobilizing donors and new partners around new models of economic and social integration.
The incumbent will interact with the government counterparts and other stakeholders with specific mandate in livelihood activities as well as with the refugee communities. Within UNHCR, the Associate Livelihood and Economic Inclusion Officer will work under the supervision of the head of livelihoods and closely with multi-functional teams on matters including but not limited to protection, education, cash, partnerships, research and analytics, GBV, solutions, complementary pathways and more. S/he will support the office's involvement with livelihoods and economic inclusion, working with relevant external stakeholders from government line ministries, development actors, private sector, UN agencies, international organisations, NGOs, research institutions and universities.

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
- Maintain close contact and cooperation with partners to facilitate the economic inclusion of refugees, such as line ministries, private sector and development actors in accordance with UNHCR Global and Country level policies, priorities, and strategies, in particular the Global Compact on Refugees. This includes advocating with public and private sector services providers to include UNHCR forcibly displaced and stateless persons in supporting services (business development, micro-finance, training, saving accounts, poverty alleviation and social protection, etc.).
- Work with the multi-functional team, more specifically with the Protection Unit, to assess the legal framework for the right to work and rights at work and recommend/implement advocacy initiatives and policy reforms to improve UNHCR forcibly displaced and stateless persons economic inclusion, rights and access to work.
- Build on UNHCR databases to support regular information sharing and coordination among different humanitarian, developmental and governmental stakeholders. This includes supporting the implementation of socioeconomic and wealth ranking surveys utilising community-based strategies to inform targeting, monitoring and facilitation of development programmes.
- Conduct necessary assessments in collaboration with relevant private and public stakeholders, including impact assessments on local economies and surveys that help to identify investment and funding opportunities that enhance the economic inclusion of UNHCR forcibly displaced and stateless persons.
- In case UNHCR is implementing specific livelihoods activities, strengthen, guide and monitor the livelihoods interventions to help ensure they are market-based, and that the role of UNHCR has been strategically determined in consideration of its comparative advantage vis-à-vis other partners.

- 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

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
Business Management;
Socio-Economics Development;
Economics/International Economics;
Rural Development;
Financial Management;
or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified.

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Technical competencies in sub-sectors relevant to livelihoods programming e.g. financial inclusion, employment, entrepreneurship, private sector development, local economic development, poverty reduction, agriculture, livestock, vocational and technical education, and training, etc. Experience in facilitating the economic inclusion of vulnerable and marginalized groups in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, ideally in varied field contexts. Experience in working with and developing partnerships with private sector, NGOs, UN organisations, development actors, and government authorities in sub-sectors relevant to livelihood programming e.g. financial inclusion, employment, entrepreneurship, private sector development, local economic development, poverty reduction, agriculture, livestock, vocational and technical education and training, etc.

Desirable
Knowledge about latest development in the livelihoods sector, including broader UN processes on the SDGs and the Global Compact on Refugees.

Functional Skills
LV-Strategic Planning and Advocacy for Refugee Socioeconomic Rights
MG-Project Management
SO-Networking
CO-Drafting and Documentation
(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.

Essential:
• Solid and diversified international UN experience in different operational contexts in proposal writing, project management, including post-distribution monitoring, partnership development, grant administration.
• proven expertise in devising livelihood strategies, and proven capability in advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and strategic networking with diverse actors including external partners, private and/or public sector and international financial institutions.
• Demonstrated strong knowledge of protection policies and effective collaboration with protection units is crucial.
• Demonstrated experience with the Route-based approach is crucial.
• Demonstrated capacity in developing phasing out strategy, with benchmarks, and hold demonstrated abilities to achieve effective inclusion of refugees in national systems.
• Demonstrated ability to device mechanisms seeking to ensure effective government accountability is crucial.

Desirable:
A sound knowledge of the context of the Eastern Southern African region with respect to refugees’ and asylum seekers’ economic inclusion via concrete examples on the way forward for Djibouti.
The desired candidate should demonstrate strong written and oral communication, with Arabic language skills being a plus.

French

,

,

Arabic

,

,

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:

Djibouti is a small, strategically located country in the Horn of Africa that has maintained relative political stability despite protracted crises in neighbouring Somalia, Yemen and parts of Ethiopia. Its economy is heavily dependent on port and maritime services along the Bab el Mandeb Strait and on serving as Ethiopia’s de facto outlet to global markets. At the same time, socio-economic indicators remain weak: poverty is widespread, human development is low and the country is highly dependent on food imports and exposed to climate shocks. The Government’s “Vision Djibouti 2035” and the National Development Plan (2025–2030), aligned with the UNSDCF (2025–2030), seek to reduce poverty and expand access to social services, including through a national social protection strategy and an expanded social registry. Refugees are explicitly included in these frameworks, but implementation is constrained by limited fiscal space and the recent suspension of major donor funding, which has sharply reduced humanitarian resources.

Djibouti has a long tradition of hosting refugees and maintains an open-door policy. As of April 2026, the country hosts some 35,001 refugees and asylum-seekers—around 3.17% of the national population—with projections of up to 50,000 by 2030. The majority originate from Somalia, Yemen, Ethiopia and Eritrea. Around 80% live in the refugee villages of Ali Addeh, Holl Holl and Markazi, while approximately 20% reside in urban areas and rely largely on their own means. Children make up more than 40% of the displaced population. Djibouti is also a major transit hub on the Eastern Route: in 2025, an estimated 200,000 migrants—mostly Ethiopians—transited the country towards the Arabian Peninsula, many facing trafficking, forced labour and sexual exploitation. The Government estimates that roughly 200,000 protracted migrants live in precarious conditions, and some are likely to have protection needs. Refugees and migrants have been included in national statistics through the fully digital third General Population and Housing Census (RGPH‑3) and the EDAM‑IS 5 household survey, improving the evidence base for inclusive planning.

In the socio-economic domain, the 2017 law recognises refugees’ right to work and treats their IDs as valid work permits, yet practical barriers persist. Many employers are unaware of refugees’ rights; formal job opportunities are scarce; and refugees face high operating costs, restricted access to finance and limited inclusion in national employment and enterprise support programmes. Refugees are formally included in the national social protection system and have been piloted in schemes such as the National Programme of Family Solidarity, but coverage is intermittent and heavily constrained by funding. Compared to hosts, refugees therefore face both higher baseline vulnerability and weaker access to safety nets.

The position is under direct supervision of the Representative, and it is located in the Representation of the UNHCR in Djibouti.

The Associate Livelihood & Economic Inclusion Officer will be responsible for daily management of the livelihood activities in Djibouti. The Associate Livelihood and inclusion Officer will be responsible to advocate for refugees’ economic inclusion, in cooperation with the different stakeholders and partners including governmental partners such, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of National Education and Professional Training, Ministry of Health etc.

The incumbent will work with protection colleagues, to ensure protection policies and principles are embedded in all project proposals. The incumbent will support partners and when required at national level on technical aspects of livelihood, both strategic and operational. The Associate Officer will be also responsible for the oversight of partnerships agreements and implementation of livelihood projects in complementarity with development activities.

Living and Working Conditions:

Djibouti is a multi-ethnic nation with a population of over 1,066,809 inhabitants (the smallest in mainland Africa). French and Arabic are the country's two official languages. About 94% of residents adhere to Islam which is the official religion and has been predominant in the region for more than a thousand years.

Life in Djibouti is generally expensive including food and accommodation. The climate in Djibouti country is hot and dry all year round, especially during summers.  The average temperature varies from 23º to 29º in January and from 31º to 41º in July.  Annual rainfall ranges from 127 mm in the capital to 380 mm in the mountains. There are local banking facilities only in Djibouti-Town and it is recommended to open a bank account.  Credit cards are not widely accepted in Djibouti.  There are few automatic teller machines (ATMs) in Djibouti city. These ATMs only accept Visa cards and are frequently out of service, and travelers should not depend on them as the sole means for obtaining currency. French. Afar, Somali and Arab are spoken by the local population and by the authorities. Availability of flight is as follows: Two weekly flight AIR France from Djibouti to Paris, Two daily flights with ETHIOPIAN Airlines from Djibouti to Addis Ababa. Twice a week, flight with Turkish Airlines from Djibouti to Istanbul, twice a week flight with Qatar Airways from Djibouti to Doha, around 7 flights with Emirates from Djibouti to Dubai.

Djibouti is strategically located near some of the world's busiest shipping lanes, controlling access to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. It serves as a key refueling and transshipment center, and is the principal maritime port for imports from and exports to neighboring Ethiopia. A burgeoning commercial hub, the nation is the site of various foreign military bases, including Camp Lemonnier.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) regional body also has its headquarters in Djibouti City. There is moderate risk from crime in Djibouti. Most reported incidents are crimes of opportunity (e.g., pickpocketing, petty theft) for immediate gain. Panhandlers and street children target foreigners for petty theft by creating distractions. Unreported crimes also commonly occur within the local community. Exercised caution in congested areas such as the central market, city center, and downtown neighborhoods (known locally as quartiers), especially after dark. Avoid isolated areas, particularly along the urban coastline.

 
 

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Bachelor of Arts: Business Administration/Management, Bachelor of Arts: Economics, Bachelor of Arts: Financial Management, Bachelor of Arts: International Economics, Bachelor of Arts: Rural Development, Bachelor of Arts: Socio-Economic Development

Certifications

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration

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

Compendium

Addendum to the Accelerated Posting Compendium 2026

Additional Information

This position requires Functional Clearance