JOB DESCRIPTION

D

Family

Family

PR3

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2025-09-01

August 8, 2025

Head of Liaison Office

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Head of Liaison Office normally reports to the Deputy Director in the Bureau. S/he will plan activities and strategies with and receive day-to-day supervision from the supervisor. S/he will also work in collaboration with offices and Multi Country Offices under the Bureau’s coverage, to ensure they are informed and advised regarding the policies and activities as they affect UNHCR’s work at national and regional level. The Head of Liaison Office undertakes extensive liaison with other organizations. The incumbent works with the different UNHCR Bureaux and Divisions.

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

• Maintain regular liaison and day-to-day coordination with UN agencies, fostering effective working relationships with their personnel at various levels to support UNHCR’s objectives and promote a comprehensive security and protection approach.
• Monitor developments within relevant UN agencies, including changes in structure, staffing, and strategic priorities, and provide timely updates to concerned UNHCR offices and units.
• Collect, analyze, and disseminate information related to the activities and positions of UN agencies, ensuring that relevant UNHCR divisions and field operations are informed of significant developments.
• Provide technical and policy input to Bureaux and country/regional offices on matters related to the UN agencies’ mandates and activities, contributing to inter-agency coordination and advocacy.
• Support efforts to reflect UNHCR’s protection priorities and positions in inter-agency initiatives addressing displacement, statelessness, and human trafficking, leveraging UNHCR’s expertise where appropriate.
• Contribute to the review and promotion of policy frameworks and political commitments related to migration, statelessness, refugees, and internal displacement, in coordination with senior colleagues.
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with counterparts in UN agencies, NGOs, and other institutional partners, supporting UNHCR’s engagement in relevant coordination platforms.
• Represent UNHCR in inter-agency meetings, working groups, and external consultations, as delegated.
• 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 P3/NOC – 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education

Law;                     International Relations;                                   Political Science;               or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses

Not specified.

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

Progressively responsible professional experience in a relevant field, such as international relations, human rights, refugee protection, or related areas. Demonstrated knowledge of, and/or practical experience with, European and international refugee law and/or human rights frameworks, policies, and mechanisms. Proven experience engaging with a range of stakeholders within the international diplomatic and multilateral context, including governments, international organizations, and civil society actors.

Desirable

Experience in liaison functions at a high political level. Experience in UNHCR advocacy, particularly in conflict settings.

Functional Skills

MG-Diplomacy;

SO-Advocacy;

PR-International Humanitarian Law;

MG-Country/Regional Office Representation;

MG-Conflict Resolution;

(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

Managing Resources

Leadership

Managing Performance

choose an item

Cross-Functional Competencies

Analytical Thinking

Political Awareness

Stakeholder Management

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.

• Demonstrated ability to work independently in complex and politically sensitive environments.
• Proven experience in engaging with government counterparts, UN agencies, or peacekeeping missions.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Excellent drafting skills.
• Fluency in English and Arabic is required; knowledge of French is a strong asset.

Arabic

,

,

French

,

,

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:

As part of the strategic realignment of UNHCR’s presence in Western Sahara, the operation in Laayoune is transitioning to a minimal structure with no operational activities or support staff. This streamlined model envisions a single Head of Liaison Office hosted within the MINURSO premises, serving as the focal point for coordination and representation.
The Head of Liaison Office will represent UNHCR in Laayoune and ensure continuous engagement with relevant stakeholders. The post will not have budgetary or operational responsibilities and will rely on MINURSO support for office space, transport, and basic communication services.

The Head of Liaison Office will undertake the following tasks:

Represent UNHCR in official functions, meetings, and coordination forums in Laayoune.

Maintain effective communication and coordination with Moroccan authorities to ensure cooperation and address any administrative or protection-related matters relevant to UNHCR’s mandate.

Act as the main liaison with MINURSO for logistical and administrative support, including office space, transportation, and communication arrangements.

Ensure regular coordination with UNHCR Tindouf Office, including sharing updates, maintaining situational awareness, and participating in strategic discussions.

Support information flow between UNHCR Laayoune and relevant units at Regional Bureau and HQ level, as required.

Provide input to reports, talking points, and briefings when requested.

The Head of Liaison Office will be physically based in the MINURSO compound in Laayoune. Office support (transport, ICT, and basic utilities) will be coordinated with MINURSO. No support staff or operational budget will be provided under this assignment.

Living and Working Conditions:

Western Sahara is a disputed territory located on the northwest coast and in the Mahgreb region of North and West Africa. It is a challenging operations due to different factors but mainly by the living environment. Laayoune is the largest city in Western Sahara and situated 20 km inland from the Atlantic Ocean. As it is quiet isolate, it is difficult to find residential areas separated from business centres although apartments for rent are available on the market. There are limited activities as regards recreation facilities around town. Basic household needs can be found in the local market but price could be elevated due to the town distance from major city. Laayoune has also limited banking facilities. For medical care, there is a medical unit at the UN Mission in Laayoune (MINURSO) to attend to UN staff for out-patient care. There is no public or private hospital that is sufficiently equipped to attend to major or complicated medical needs. There is also no international school in Laayoune. Although Laayoune is rated as a family duty station it faces a number of challenges to the expatriate community like the education system, medical care of complex cases and recreation activities. Therefore, it requires maturity, adaptability, flexibility and excellent team building skills to be station in Laayoune.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

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

Certifications

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Leadership, Managing performance, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Stakeholder management, 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