Assistant Field Officer at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency

Damascus, Damascus Governorate, Syria -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

02 May, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

01 Feb, 26

Experience

0 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Field Presence, Coordination Skills, Humanitarian Assistance, NFI Distributions, Beneficiary Targeting, Post-Distribution Monitoring, Interpersonal Skills, Communication Skills, Cultural Sensitivity, Risk Management, Problem Solving, Stakeholder Management, Flexibility, Resilience, Judgement, Trust Building

Industry

International Affairs

Description

Deadline for Applications February 14, 2026 Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based) E (most hardship) Family Type (not applicable for home-based) Non Family Staff Member / Affiliate Type UNOPS LICA8 Target Start Date 2026-04-01 Terms of Reference - The ideal candidate demonstrates strong field presence and coordination skills, with the ability to work effectively in a complex, access-constrained humanitarian environment. They are proactive, detail-oriented, and comfortable engaging with diverse stakeholders, including local authorities, national NGOs, community representatives, and UN partners. - The candidate should have a solid understanding of humanitarian assistance delivery at field level, particularly NFI distributions, beneficiary targeting, and post-distribution monitoring, and be able to translate field observations into clear, timely reports that inform coordination and decision-making. - Strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential, along with cultural sensitivity, discretion, and the ability to build trust with communities and partners. The role requires flexibility, resilience, and sound judgement, including the ability to identify operational risks, flag protection concerns, and escalate issues appropriately. - Experience working in volatile or rapidly changing contexts, combined with a practical, solutions-oriented mindset and commitment to humanitarian principles and accountability to affected populations, is considered a strong asset. Standard Job Description Assistant Field Officer Organizational Setting and Work Relationships The Assistant Field Officer is normally supervised by the Senior Field Coordinator or Field Officer or Head of Sub-Office/Field Office depending on the structure of the Office. S/he may receive indirect guidance from other sections and units relevant to the country/regional programme(s). UNHCR Manual, programme and protection objectives, Operations Plans, UN and UNHCR financial/budgetary rules and regulations will guide the work of the incumbent. The incumbent does not normally have any direct supervisory role. S/he has daily contacts with staff in the various field offices and with the functional units at the Country/Regional Office. S/he also has close liaison with a range of local civilian and military authorities and counterparts in NGOs and UN agencies to discuss matters of common interest. 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 - Assess the needs of persons of concern in the AoR and formulate project submissions in collaboration with district authorities and implementing partners. - Promote and monitor the implementation of assistance projects. - Report regularly on rate of flow of new arrivals and estimate expected influx based on interviews with persons of concern. - In co-ordination with implementing partners, assist with the reception, registration and provision of assistance to persons of concern to UNHCR. - Keep track of cases of detention; register applicants for voluntary repatriation and family reunion. - Assist in the preparation of monthly sectoral reports and submit material for preparation of periodic project monitoring reports and year-end reports. - Submit recommendation for protection interventions to the designated officer. - Negotiate with local authority counterparts, partners and populations of concern. - 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 Education & Professional Work Experience Years of Experience / Degree Level For P1/NOA - 1 year relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or no experience with Graduate degree; or no experience with Doctorate degree Field(s) of Education Law Political Sciences or other relevant field. Certificates and/or Licenses UNHCR Operations Management Learning Programme (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential) Relevant Job Experience Essential Not specified Desirable Field experience. Knowledge of refugee law. Good knowledge of UNHCR's programmes. Functional Skills PG-UNHCR's Programmes PG-Stakeholder management and coordination with Implementing Partners (Gov/NGO/Corporate) PG-Resource planning IT-Computer Literacy BU-PeopleSoft EPM/Budget FI-ERP Financial Management (SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft, Workday and other) PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards) PG-Results-Based Management (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. Required Languages English , , Desired Languages Arabic , , Additional Qualifications Skills Accountability, BU-PeopleSoft EPM/Budget, Communication, Decision Making, FI-ERP Financial Management (SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft, Workday and other), IT-Computer Literacy, MG-Coordination, PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards), PG-Resource planning, PG-Results-Based Management, PG-Stakeholder management and coordination with Implementing Partners (Gov/NGO/Corporate), PG-UNHCR's Programmes, Prioritization, Professional Etiquette, Work Relationships Education Bachelor of Arts: Law, Bachelor of Arts: Political Science Certifications Programme Management (PM) 1 - UNHCR Work Experience Field Operations, Shelter Cluster Other information No late applications will be accepted. Shortlisted candidates may be required to sit for a written test and/or oral interview. UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. UNHCR strongly encourages qualified female applicants.This position doesn't require a functional clearance Remote No Important notice: Please note that UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travelling, processing or training). Read about how to avoid scams and fraudulent job offers. Please note that applications are only accepted via the UNHCR online recruitment platform. CVs and/or application requests sent via email will not be answered, reviewed nor considered. For external applicants: We would like to call your attention on the eligibility of International Professional (P) category: According to our Recruitment and Assignments Policy, P staff members will not normally serve in the country of their nationality, and the first regular appointment in the P category must be outside the staff member's country of nationality. In practical terms this means that you are not eligible to apply for International Professional vacancies advertised in the country where you are national of. In case of technical difficulties when applying, external applicants (not current UNHCR workforce members) can write to recruitmentcase@unhcr.org. For former UNHCR Colleagues: Former UNHCR employees who are on mandatory break-in service or have separated from UNHCR after 1 October 2022 should create an account through this platform. Once you fill in your basic personal information (employee ID, birth date, name, email address), Workday will identify you as prior personnel and merge your employee account with your external applicant account. The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, takes the lead in protecting people forced to flee wars and persecution around the world, providing life-saving aid including shelter, food and water to ensure their basic safety, rights and dignity. With 18,879 women and men working in 137 countries, we work tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of 89.3 million forcibly displaced people worldwide. Our dedicated and professional staff work around the clock in roles including legal protection, community services, public affairs, health and more. Despite the challenges they can face, our staff are proud to work for UNHCR and determined to make a positive impact. Why a career with UNHCR? Our dedicated staff work to protect and assist people fleeing conflict and persecution at a time when global forced displacement is at a record high. Our colleagues bring a wide range of specialized skills, including expertise in legal protection, administration, community services, public affairs, health and other disciplines. Disability inclusion If you are a person with a disability and you expect you may face challenges during the recruitment process, you can indicate it in your application form. There are options to select any health conditions you may have and outline any necessary adjustments related to disabilities during the recruitment phases. Providing this information is optional. It will be treated as strictly confidential and used only for the purpose of finding out how to better assist you during the recruitment process. Adjustments for candidates with disabilities will be provided as best as possible and as needed upon request. All candidates will be assessed based on meeting the requirements for each vacancy in relation to experience, skills, and education.

Responsibilities

The Assistant Field Officer will assess the needs of persons of concern and formulate project submissions in collaboration with local authorities and partners. They will also monitor the implementation of assistance projects and report on the flow of new arrivals.