Executive Assistant

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

C

Family

PR2

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2026-07-29

Executive Assistant

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

Guidance will be given by the supervisor (often Regional Representative, Director of Bureau/Division). The Executive Assistant liaises with colleagues within the same office, at HQ, and in the field, on matters of non-routine significance in order to prepare documents for the supervisor and manage the flow of information.

Regular contacts with external parties, including UN offices, donors and International organizations, are made to provide the supervisor’s contacts with background information on relevant topics prior to meetings, to respond to queries on behalf of the supervisor at his/her discretions and to obtain assistance from others on matters relevant to the office.

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

• Assist in managing the flow of information to the supervisor, in identifying priority matters that need to be urgently addressed by the supervisor and in proposing actions; analyse supporting documentation and summarize most relevant points for the supervisor; contribute to ensuring that appropriate action is taken by responsible Section Heads on matters brought to the attention of the supervisor.

• Assist in following up on policies and instructions presented by the supervisor. Keep the supervisor aware of developments in UNHCR’s major worldwide operations and of policy issues related directly to UNHCR or to humanitarian issues under the broader UN system.

• Assist the supervisor in the preparation of statements that represent UNHCR’s overall policies and highlight specific areas of concern. Propose and draft substantive correspondence for the supervisor.

• Confer with Section Heads to secure timely and authoritative information relevant to matters requiring action, decisions or the signature of the supervisor.

• Ensure that the supervisor is prepared for meetings and missions by drafting talking points, by researching relevant information; and by establishing contacts (within and outside UNHCR) on the subject matters to be discussed.

• Accompany the supervisor to meetings and on missions in order to prepare notes on the discussions, ensure follow-up in matters raised, and support the supervisor with any relevant input.

• Support the supervisor in efforts to raise the profile of UNHCR and the agency’s concerns within the context of the broader United Nations system.

• Contribute to coordinating drafts of position papers and other documents relevant to the activities of the Office.

• Ensure that high-level visitors are appropriately addressed, that they receive background information as necessary, and that protocol is respected.

• Prioritise tasks and organize work independently.

• Select and make pertinent abstracts and search for information.

• Have access to sensitive and confidential information.

• 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

International Relations;                     Law;                                   Political Science;

or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses

Not specified.

(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

3 years of previous work experience relevant to the function. A proven ability to act with discretion and diplomacy is essential for this function.

Desirable

Good knowledge and experience of UNHCR operations.

Functional Skills

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.

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 and Building Trust

Cross-Functional Competencies

Analytical Thinking

Planning and 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.

Essential:
• The candidate should demonstrate strong diplomatic insight, political awareness and intercultural sensitivity, with proven ability to engage effectively and appropriately with senior government officials, ambassadors, donors, UN partners and other high-level stakeholders. Experience in humanitarian operations, refugee protection, emergency response, development cooperation or international relations is highly desirable.
• Excellent organizational, analytical and stakeholder-management skills are essential, as is a proven capacity to operate independently while fostering teamwork and collaboration.
• Demonstrated professional drafting and editing experience in both English and French for senior decision-makers and external audiences. The experience must include the original preparation or substantive quality assurance of several types of executive product, such as briefing notes, talking points, analytical summaries, formal correspondence, meeting records, decision notes or mission files, using complex or incomplete source material and short deadlines.
• Demonstrated end-to-end coordination of high-level meetings, official visits or missions involving multiple internal functions and senior external stakeholders, such as government authorities, United Nations entities, diplomatic missions, donors, international financial institutions or humanitarian partners.
• Demonstrated executive-support experience in an emergency, crisis-affected, rapidly changing or severely resource-constrained operational context.

Desirable:
• Familiarity with refugee operations, emergency preparedness and response, and donor relations would be a strong asset.
• Experience in a Francophone or multilingual operational environment;

French

,

,

,

,

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit/copy this link to the Operational Context: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel. Personnel should also follow the applicable UN medical and security guidance for Burundi, including preventive measures relating to malaria and other communicable diseases. 

Nature of Position:

The position is located in the UNHCR Country Office in Bujumbura and reports directly to the Representative. It serves as the substantive coordination and quality-assurance anchor of the Representative's Front Office across an operation with field presence in Ruyigi, Muyinga and Rutana. The country operation simultaneously manages refugee emergencies, protection and asylum priorities, refugee-site and urban responses, mass repatriation and reintegration, durable solutions, inter-agency coordination, government relations, donor engagement and organizational accountability.  

The position requires a highly motivated, politically astute and service-oriented professional with exceptional drafting, coordination and analytical skills. The incumbent serves as a trusted advisor and strategic facilitator within the Representative's Executive Office, ensuring that executive decision-making is supported by accurate information, timely analysis and well-prepared engagement with internal and external stakeholders.  

Given the sensitivity of the operating environment, the position requires maturity, sound judgement, discretion and the ability to navigate complex institutional and political dynamics. The incumbent is expected to engage confidently and professionally with senior Government officials, diplomatic missions, donors, United Nations entities, development partners, the Regional Bureau and Headquarters, while maintaining strict neutrality and adherence to UNHCR standards.  

The position demands outstanding written and oral communication skills in both English and French. The incumbent is expected to produce and quality-assure high-level executive products, including strategic briefing notes, speeches, talking points, correspondence, donor communications, mission files, concept notes, meeting records and situation updates, often under significant time pressure and with limited information. The position requires strong drafting skills, attention to detail and the ability to synthesize complex operational, protection, political and humanitarian issues into concise executive messaging are essential. 

The role requires proactive anticipation of emerging issues, identification of risks and opportunities, and effective follow-up on strategic decisions and commitments. The role requires sound organizational skills, emotional intelligence, and the ability to maintain productive working relationships across diverse cultures and professional backgrounds are critical. 

Burundi presents a uniquely complex operating environment characterized by refugee emergencies, protracted refugee situations, voluntary repatriation movements, protection and solutions programming, inter-agency coordination, resource mobilization efforts and high-level government engagement. The work environment is a dynamic and rapidly evolving context where priorities shift frequently, and executive support extends beyond administration to substantive coordination, diplomacy, communication and strategic problem-solving. 

During emergencies or fast-moving operational developments, the incumbent contributes to maintaining executive situational awareness through the consolidation of verified information, tracking of decisions and action points, and support to crisis coordination mechanisms. The position regularly requires flexibility, resilience, responsiveness, and availability outside normal working hours to ensure continuity of leadership support during critical operational periods. 

Living and Working Conditions:

Additional Qualifications

Skills

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

Certifications

Annual Budget OL in Operation/Office, Number of Persons of Concern Served, Number of Workforce in Operation/Work Setting, Workforce to Supervise

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Political awareness, 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