JOB DESCRIPTION

A (least hardship)

Family

Family

PR2

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2025-10-01

August 8, 2025

Associate Donor Relations Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Associate Donor Relations Officer is part of a team that maintains proactive dialogue with governmental donors or UN agencies and organizations, as well as with the regional and local donors aiming at building relationships, raise awareness and mobilize political and financial support for UNHCR’s work and priorities.
The incumbent’s primary role is pursuing opportunities for donor engagement, strengthening partnerships, sustaining support and fundraising opportunities. Due to the specific nature of these responsibilities, Donor Relations Officer posts are based only in Geneva Headquarters, major donor capitals or Regional Bureaux, s/he with also provide support to counterparts in Field Operations.
S/he is supervised by the Senior Donor Relations Officer and receives guidance from Public Partnerships and Financing Service (PPFS) Chief of Sections and from the Head of Service. S/he may receive indirect guidance from other units within PPFS, Divisions in Headquarters or Regional Bureaux.

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 maintaining close dialogue with, and providing information to, donor governments on UNHCR operations and financial requirements, including in response to donor governments’ ad hoc requests for information.
– Keep abreast of UNHCR’s operations worldwide, with a specific focus on high-profile and emergency situations, to be able to serve donors’ information needs on all aspects of UNHCR’s work.
– Assist in identifying and accessing new donors and funding sources as per PPFS strategy.
– Assist in drafting internal and external correspondence, including briefing notes for HC, Head of PPFS to support them in negotiations and follow up of contributions with donors.
– Assist in implementing and reviewing actions and strategies, and maintaining donor profiles and plans.
– Monitor recording and track engagement of contributions and take necessary actions to satisfy donor requirements.
– Help prepare submissions – in collaboration with respective Bureau, Divisions and UNHCR Offices – for specific funding from donors or provide other information donors may require in determining their financial/political support to UNHCR.
– As needed, help Bureaux/Regional Offices/Country Operations with input for their fundraising strategies, in line with DER/PPFS strategic directions.
– Arrange meetings for donors and, where applicable, organize annual bilateral consultations with donor governments.
– Prepare reports using UNHCR information management systems (COMPASS, Cloud ERP, Power BI – Results Data Portal and Wordkay, data portal, funding updates, etc.) as necessary in a timely and efficient manner.
– Provide editorial support and facilitate the finalization of fundraising publications produced by PPFS or the Bureaux, including appeals and other reports.
– Provide support and guidance to the Field on engagement in the Refugee Response Plans and Humanitarian Response Plans.
– Provide guidance and advice on UNHCR’s involvement at the IASC on humanitarian financing.
– Perform regional focal point duties as required, including compiling funding-related TPs and background notes on the region for senior management missions and meetings with donors; review funding updates.

– 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 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; Political Science; Social Sciences;
Journalism; Communication; Public Policy;
or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Experience in external engagement with donors, UN agencies, partners, governments. Professional work experience in field operations. Knowledge of UNHCR’s operational arrangements, its relief programmes, the funding needs and priorities.

Desirable
UNHCR fund- raising and programme management experience. Good research, policy and report writing skills. Experience in managing donor relations. Understanding of the workings of major donor perspectives, requirements and standards.

Functional Skills
MG-Resource Mobilization Techniques and Guidelines
ER-Donor Reporting and Related Tracking Systems
ER-Donor Relations – Humanitarian Financing
*CO-Strategic Communication
SO-Networking
*CO-Drafting and Documentation
CO-Reporting skills
(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.

– In this role, the Officer analyzes operational budgets and fundraising space and priorities to help country offices develop high-quality funding proposals, including for thematic initiatives like climate and resilience. The Officer ensures donor requirements are met through timely narrative and financial reporting and maintains visibility efforts critical to strong donor relations.

-Additionally, the Officer works to strengthen engagement with development partners by liaising with HQ teams, such as the Division of Resilience and Solutions (DRS) and the Donor Relations and Resource Mobilization Service (DRRM), to secure pooled funding and other resources. Supporting the Senior Donor Relations Officer, the Officer also takes on additional responsibilities as needed and acts as Officer-in-Charge (OIC) in her absence.

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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:

The Associate Donor Relations Officer, based at the UNHCR Regional Bureau for West and Central Africa (WCA) in Dakar, plays a crucial role in resource mobilization and donor engagement across this diverse region. Working under the supervision of the Senior Donor Relations Officer, the Officer supports operations in 14 countries where UNHCR is present, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, DRC and Nigeria, and coordinates with an additional six countries without a UNHCR presence. This position requires seamless collaboration with regional bodies such as ECOWAS and ECCAS.

The WCA region is home to nearly 21 million persons of concern. Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, DRC and Chad host the largest populations, comprised mainly of individuals displaced by conflict, intercommunal violence, persecution, and other severe human rights violations. While there have been some small-scale returns, displacement trends are expected to persist through 2025.

With a proactive and service-oriented approach, the Associate Donor Relations Officer fosters an inclusive, collaborative work environment and may have to travel to remote, challenging locations to engage directly with field teams and stakeholders, ensuring strong alignment with UNHCR’s mission and priorities.

Living and Working Conditions:

As the capital of Senegal, Dakar is home to a population of over one million people. Dakar has reasonable medical facilities, offering both general and specialist care in accordance with international standards. Dakar is classified by the United Nations as an “A” family duty station, which implies access to all basic services and most recreational activities and facilities. Living conditions are comfortable and services are available.

While the asylum practice in the West Africa are rather generous, it is self-evident that the operational and political environments in the region present unique challenges (in terms of security, governance and socio-economic outlooks) to the UN in general, and UNHCR in particular. The Region houses a variety of political and UN coordination mechanisms that demand a significant amount of time to ensure that UNHCR remains relevant. Notable among these structures are United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, headed by an SRSG, the Regional UNDG, and Regional offices for WFP, UNICEF, OCHA, UNWOMEN, FAO, etc. Donors also have regional platforms in West Africa.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Bachelor of Arts: Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts: Economics, Bachelor of Arts: International Relations, Bachelor of Arts: Management, Bachelor of Arts: Social Science

Certifications

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Managing resource, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Teamwork & collaboration

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

Compendium

Add. 2 to the Bi-Annual 2025 Compendium – Part B

Additional Information

This position doesn”t require a functional clearance