Chief of Partnership and Coordination Section

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.

August 5, 2026

H (no hardship)

Family

PR5

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2026-07-29

Chief of Partnership and Coordination Section

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

Global displacement continues to rise in scale, complexity and duration, driven by conflict, persecution, climate-related risks, food insecurity, public health emergencies and geopolitical instability. In this evolving context, partnerships, multilateral coordination and inter-agency engagement have become increasingly strategic to the delivery of protection, humanitarian assistance and durable solutions for refugees, internally displaced persons, stateless persons and other people forced to flee.

The humanitarian system is undergoing significant transformation through ongoing UN reform processes, including the Humanitarian Reset, the UN80 agenda, the Secretary-General’s reform initiatives, financing constraints across the humanitarian sector, and the growing emphasis on collective outcomes across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. These developments require sustained strategic engagement by UNHCR to ensure that its mandate, operational leadership and protection responsibilities are effectively reflected in inter-agency decision-making processes and global policy discussions.

At the same time, UNHCR continues to deepen and diversify partnerships with national and international NGOs, refugee-led and community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, development actors, international financial institutions, UN entities, regional organizations, sport entities, donors and private sector stakeholders. The organization’s commitments to localization, accountability to affected populations, inclusion and equitable partnerships require strengthened institutional approaches to partnership management, coordination and collaborative leadership.

Within this landscape, the Partnership and Coordination Section (PCS) plays a central role in shaping UNHCR’s corporate engagement on inter-agency, humanitarian and development coordination matters. The Section supports coherent organizational positioning and contributes to strengthening UNHCR’s leadership role within global and field coordination mechanisms, including in refugee responses, mixed situations and broader forced displacement contexts.

Reporting to the Director of the Division of External Relations (DER), the Chief of the Partnership and Coordination Section leads UNHCR’s strategic engagement with inter-agency coordination bodies and key humanitarian and development partners. The incumbent works closely with the Executive Office, Regional Bureaux, Divisions, the New York Office and senior management to coordinate institutional positions, advance strategic partnerships and ensure coherence across organizational engagement in multilateral fora.

The Section serves as UNHCR’s focal point for engagement with key inter-agency mechanisms and policy processes, including the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), the UN Development Coordination Office (DCO), the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the UN Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG), individual UN Agencies, and relevant humanitarian, development and peacebuilding coordination platforms.

PCS also provides strategic guidance and support to field operations on coordination models, inter-agency engagement, localization approaches and partnership frameworks, ensuring that UNHCR’s operational responses remain predictable, inclusive, protection-oriented and aligned with globally agreed principles and standards.

The Section promotes a more strategic, coherent and organization-wide approach to partnerships and coordination by strengthening institutional relationships, facilitating internal consultation processes, supporting senior leadership engagement, and fostering collaboration across humanitarian and development stakeholders.

In line with UNHCR’s global engagement on sport for protection, inclusion and solutions, the Partnership and Coordination Section also supports the organization’s strategic partnerships and advocacy initiatives with the sports sector. Sport has become an increasingly important platform for advancing refugee inclusion, social cohesion, education, mental health and psychosocial wellbeing, as well as for amplifying the voices and visibility of forcibly displaced and stateless people.

UNHCR works with a broad range of stakeholders across the sports ecosystem, including international and national sports federations, Olympic and Paralympic movements, sports clubs, foundations, athletes, event organizers and private sector partners, to promote protection outcomes and durable solutions through sport-based initiatives and global advocacy campaigns.

The Section contributes to positioning UNHCR strategically within global sport-related partnerships and inter-agency initiatives, while supporting organizational coherence, external engagement and collaboration around major international sporting events and sport diplomacy opportunities.

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

• Lead and coordinate UNHCR’s corporate positions and policy engagement on humanitarian, development and inter-agency coordination issues in consultation with relevant Divisions, Regional Bureaux, the Executive Office and senior management.

• Provide strategic guidance and support to field operations on inter-agency coordination arrangements, refugee coordination models, mixed situations and humanitarian-development-peace nexus approaches.

• Represent and advocate UNHCR’s positions in global inter-agency fora, including the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), UN Sustainable Development Group (UNDG) DCO, and other multilateral coordination mechanisms.

• Monitor and analyse developments related to UN governance, humanitarian reform, localization, and system-wide coordination reforms, and advise senior management on implications for UNHCR’s strategic priorities and operational modalities.

• Support senior leadership engagement in inter-agency mechanisms through preparation of policy positions, briefing materials, strategic analysis and coordination with partner organizations.

• Lead UNHCR’s engagement with key humanitarian and development stakeholders, including UN entities, NGOs, local organizations including Refugee-led organizations (RLO) and Women-led organizations (WLO), the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, faith-based organizations, Sport entities and other multilateral actors.

• Maintain and expand strategic bilateral partnerships with sport entities like IOC, ORF, FIFA, UEFA, and LIV GOLF and engage and liaise with possible new sport partnership to promote refugees protection, solutions and inclusion.

• Strengthen and maintain strategic bilateral partnerships through policy dialogue, joint initiatives, missions, partnership frameworks and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), as relevant. 

• Promote coherent organizational approaches to partnerships, coordination and localization by facilitating internal consultation processes and strengthening cross-divisional collaboration.

• Provide policy guidance on humanitarian coordination architecture, refugee response coordination, Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator systems, and collective inter-agency approaches at country and regional levels.

• Support organizational engagement on localization and equitable partnership commitments, including the promotion and dissemination of UNHCR’s localization policies and guidance.

• Coordinate the planning and organization of UNHCR’s annual consultations and strategic dialogues with NGOs and other partners.

• Facilitate UNHCR’s engagement in inter-agency policy development processes related to humanitarian action, durable solutions, displacement, protection and sustainable development.

• Establish and maintain effective relationships with senior counterparts across the UN system, governments, NGOs and and inter-governmental organizations to advance UNHCR’s strategic objectives and partnerships.

• Lead and manage the Section, including strategic planning, priority-setting, staff supervision and fostering a collaborative and high-performing team environment.

• 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 P5 - 12 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 11 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 10 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education

International Relations;                      Social Sciences;                  Political Sciences                or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses

Not specified.

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

Familiarity with other humanitarian or development entities. Extensive experience in managing field operations, including emergencies. Extensive knowledge in relation to United Nations, its various agencies, their operational structures, their policies and programmes as well as solid experience, engagement with  various multilateral humanitarian agencies/organisations working closely with UNHCR. Articulate, effective communicator with strong inter-personal and negotiation skills.

Desirable

Prior experience in Inter-Agency, UNTC’s and/or Inter-organisational / NGO related functions. Exposure to UNHCR specific learning / training activities.

Functional Skills

CO-Drafting and Documentation

ER-Inter-Agency External Relations

IT-Computer Literacy

MG-Coordination

PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards)

PR-Local/Urban Development

PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework

UN-UN Organizational Regulatory frameworks, policies, processes

(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.

Competency Requirements

All jobs at UNHCR require six core competencies and may also require managerial competencies and/or cross-functional competencies. The six core competencies are listed below.

Core Competencies

Accountability

Communication

Organizational Awareness

Teamwork & Collaboration

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Client & Result Orientation

Managerial Competencies

Empowering & Building Trust

Judgement & Decision Making

Leadership

Managing Performance

Managing Resource

Strategic Planning & Vision

Cross-Functional Competencies

Analytical Thinking

Planning & Organizing

Political Awareness

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 incumbent should have demonstrated strong management skills as well as proven strong conceptual and drafting skills.
S/he should have relevant experience in humanitarian field operations, UNHCR Country Office leadership and coordination experience, and leadership experience working with a UN Country Team (UNCT).

Additional Relevant Skills:
Any other UN language – Essential
UN-Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) – Desirable
Experience with Inter/Non-Governmental Organization (INGO/NGO) – Desirable
Experience with coordinating with Partners (INGO/NGO/Refugee Led Organizations) – Desirable
UN/UNHCR Interagency Policies, Standards, Programmes, Partnerships, Humanitarian Ops – Desirable

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Arabic

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Spanish

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French

Operational context

Nature of Position:

The Chief of the Partnership and Coordination Section reports directly to the Director of DER. This position will interact on daily basis with UN agencies, NGOs and sports organizations. The role requires strong political acumen and significant knowledge of multilateral, inter-agency processes to bring different stakeholders to agree on policy issues. This position will lead UNHCR’s engagement with UN, International and National  NGOs, Refugee Led organizations, oversee the development of new interagency agreements, and represent UNHCR in multilateral fora such as the Inter Agency Standing Committee, and ad-hoc mechanisms set up for new emergencies, in addition, PCS liaises with bureaux and country offices to seek internal consensus on emerging interagency issues to be able to articulate UNHCR’s position externally.

The role will also manage an increasingly complex inter-agency landscape, both at HQs and in field, both on the humanitarian and development side emphasizing UNHCR's refugee leadership role as well as UNHCR’s role for IDPs and stateless populations. It links UNHCR’s work to development and peace approaches and different humanitarian initiatives across a broad spectrum of fora.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

CO-Drafting and Documentation, ER-Inter-Agency External Relations, IT-Computer Literacy, MG-Coordination, PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards), PR-Local/Urban Development, PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework, UN-UN Organizational Regulatory frameworks, policies, processes

Bachelor of Arts: International Relations, Bachelor of Arts: Political Science, Bachelor of Arts: Social and behavioural sciences

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, Political awareness, Strategic planning & visions, Teamwork & collaboration

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

Compendium

Addendum to the Accelerated Posting Compendium 2026

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance