Programme Coordinator

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

A (least hardship)

Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

Family

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

UNOPS LICA10

Target Start Date

2025-01-19

Deadline for Applications

January 27, 2025

Terms of Reference

General Background
UNHCR has been operational in Egypt since 1954 after the Government of Egypt and UNHCR signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Since then, UNCHR provides protection services including all aspects of registration, documentation, refugee status determination and resettlement to those who are forcibly displaced. UNHCR works through ten partners in Greater Cairo, North Coast, Aswan and North Sinai.
As of the end of July 2024, Egypt hosts 725,827 registered refugees and asylum-seekers from 61 countries – with Sudanese being the largest group registered with UNHCR. Egypt which is currently surrounded by regional conflicts, is both a transit and destination country for refugees and asylum-seekers. In recent years, difficult economic conditions and soaring inflation have pushed greater number of them and host communities into poverty. With many refugees and asylum-seekers lacking a stable source of income and with restricted access to the labour market, most are unable to meet their basic needs and, as a result, rely on humanitarian assistance. The COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of Sudan and Gaza conflicts, and the global economic fragility, have further aggravated the socioeconomic situation of forcibly displaced people in the country. Moreover, the large influx of asylum-seekers die to recent conflicts has exacerbated backlogs, which culminated in unprecedent pressures on UNHCR’s registration activities, resulting in a delay in the issuing of asylum-based residence documents by the authorities. This in turn, has exposed people to protection risks, including arrest on immigration-related grounds.
The number of registered refugees and asylum-seekers in Egypt have nearly doubled within one year. Since the onset of the conflict in Sudan in April 2023, UNHCR has observed a fivefold increase in Sudanese individuals registering as refugees, mainly women and children. Most refugees live in urban areas of Cairo and the North Coast. UNHCR helps the Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) to deliver much-needed humanitarian aid to Gaza and supports medical evacuees in Egypt through the Ministry of Health. On 30 October 2023, Sudanese surpassed Syrians as the largest registered population group and presently represent over half of the entire refugee population. This population explosion translates into exponentially increased needs, especially for case processing such registration and assistance such as cash.
In the objective of bridging the nexus to development, UNHCR supported the Government of Egypt with its pledges for the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) and led the formulation of respective joint UN Country Team (UNCT) commitments. The GRF took place in December 2023 in Geneva and provided the opportunity to build on the progress made towards the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), and of pledges and initiatives announced since the first GRF in 2019. Core parts of Egypt’s 2023 pledges pertained to inclusion of refugees into the national health and education systems, an area where progress has been made. In line with global international protection standards, Egypt has maintained an out-of-camp policy, with most refugees and asylum seekers living in urban settings, alongside host communities.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is mandated to lead and coordinate international action to protect and assist forcibly displaced persons. While UNHCR's primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees, our ultimate goal is to help find durable solutions that will allow them to rebuild their lives in dignity. Humanitarian support alone is insufficient to lift displaced populations out of poverty, and such aid-focused strategies fail to facilitate long-term solutions or to help populations realize their development potential. It is anticipated that development responses to forced displacement will grow in significance in future years due to the greater importance attached to reducing poverty in fragile and conflict-affected settings and addressing protracted displacement situations in a more sustainable manner.
This is particularly relevant in Egypt, generously hosting refugees and participated in the bilateral UNHCR-Country Government discussions on the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) and is already employing a number of the key principles enshrined in the GCR, such as an out-of-camp policy across the board and a burden sharing approach on the issue of asylum. Egypt is also a champion country of the Global Compact for Migration (GCM), committed to cooperating on the Objectives for safe, orderly and regular migration, adopting an inclusive approach despite the limited resources available to the government, by granting access to most migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers to education and health services, including on an equal footing with Egyptians in many instances. Rights and entitlements provided to migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers are predominantly based on nationality and not on status, and hence not always available to all. In addition, the implementation of existing laws and regulations is not always uniform across the education and health sectors. Indeed, the legal/regular status of migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees is key to ensuring adequate access to health services, as well as to protection in general.
Against this background and building on a dialogue between the GoE and the UN in Egypt in 2021, a shared understanding between the GoE and the UN emerged that a structured, regular and substantive workstream on migrants and refugees could add value. Accordingly, the Joint Platform for Migrants and Refugees (JPMR) in Egypt was launched by the Government of Egypt and the United Nations in Egypt in November 2021. Bringing together Government, UN, development partners, donors, civil society and other stakeholders the Joint Platform seeks to enhance coordination, ensure better delivery and mobilize additional resources to realize long term, sustainable development gains for migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and their host communities, enhancing social inclusion and cohesion. The platform provides an opportunity to analyse the needs of refugees, migrants and their host communities, looking at the policy context, the operational and legal framework and mobilize more resources with the objective of ensuring the sustainability and long-term impact of humanitarian efforts and support the Egyptian Government’s efforts to enhance access to public services.
   
2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment
With limited delegated authority, and under the guidance of the Assistant Representative, the Programme Coordinator (PC) will be responsible for performing the following duties:
• Support the implementation of the Joint Programme (JP) on Migrants and Refugees, and set conditions for further project development, in line with the triple nexus approach and capacity building of relevant national entities.
• Monitor, analyse, and report on trends on migrants and refugees, and ensure linkages with evaluation, risk management and audit processes.
• Undertake evidence-based gap analysis resulting in programmatic developments and/or adjustments, as appropriate.
• Prepare reports and external communication/advocacy material related to the JP and JPMR.
• Performs any other assigned duties.
3. Monitoring and Progress Controls
The Programme Coordinator will report directly to the Assistant Representative on all aspects of the Joint UN Programme. This will include progress and challenges on the area of implementation, regularly update on the internal coordination of the Joint UN Programme, ensure regular reporting by all agencies, provide gap analysis and evidence-based program development.
4. Qualifications and Experience
a. Education (Level and area of required and/or preferred education)
University Degree in the below fields. An MA would be considered an asset.
  
Field(s) of Education
Operations Management;
Refugees and Migrant studies
Socio-Economic Development;
Political Science;
Project Management;
Organizational Development;
Other relevant field.
 
b. Work Experience
Minimum of 8 years of relevant experience working on migrant and refugee issues.
Relevant Job Experience
Essential:
Strong demonstrated experience in building partnerships within the UN and/or with government entities.
Experience in implementation and coordinating strategic planning processes in a results-oriented and consultative approach. Experience working on mixed-movement issues. Ability to translate operational changes, strategies and policies into programmatic deliverables. Experience in designing and monitoring strategies translating them into programmes. Knowledge of results-based management (RBM) concepts and tools as well as programming policies and approaches, including planning, implementation and monitoring. Prior programme management experience, and experience with government/international entities is desirable.
Desirable:
Demonstrated experience in effective coordination, partnership management and multi-stakeholder coordination in humanitarian or development contexts. Experience in coordinating consultative processes. Experience with organisational change processes. Experience with UN programming and national development planning processes. Experience working with Egyptian government authorities.
Language Requirements
Knowledge of Arabic and English essential. Excellent written skills in both languages are desirable.
  
c. Key Competencies
Functional Skills
Programme Management (project formulation, programme cycles and reporting standards)
Programme Analysis
Results-Based Management
Experience with coordinating with Implementing Partners (Government/INGO/NGO/Corporate)
Project Analysis/Development/Implementation/Management/Coordination
Negotiation
Organisational Development/Management
Training/Coaching/Facilitation
Strategic Communication
Drafting, Documentation, Data PresentationStandard Job DescriptionRequired Languages

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Desired Languages

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Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

Certifications

Work Experience

Other information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance

Home-Based

No