JOB DESCRIPTION

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

H (no hardship)

Family

CONS Local

2025-08-11

July 31, 2025

Title: Senior User Research Officer
Location: Home-based
Duration: 11 August 2025 – 31 December 2025
Contract Type: Individual Consultant

Purpose of project:

UNHCR is currently undertaking a transformative initiative, the Digital Gateway (DG), designed to significantly enhance the accessibility, accelerate response times, and increase the overall efficiency of our operations. The DG is envisioned as a central digital service delivery platform, enabling remote interaction throughout the entire lifecycle of forcibly displaced and stateless persons, from initial registration to the identification of durable solutions. A cornerstone and guiding principle of this initiative is a commitment to user-centric design. This approach ensures that the digital services developed are intuitive, relevant, and genuinely meet the complex needs of our diverse user base.

General Background of Project or Assignment, Operational Context:

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution. UNHCR teams are in the field in over 130 countries, using their expertise to protect and care for over 94 million people.

The Digital Identity and Registration Section (DIRS) which is located in UNHCR’s Global Data Service (GDS) in Copenhagen. The Global Data Service is responsible for ensuring that UNHCR takes advantage of effective and efficient information and communications solutions that enable and facilitate UNHCR’s execution of its mandate. GDS aims to create an accessible, service-oriented, effective and efficient service organization that is aligned with the core business of UNHCR, meets the digital identity and registration needs of the organization – and leverages industry-standard technology for the organization.

GDS supports UNHCR as it strives to become the global leader in data and information on forcibly displaced persons, ensuring the right solutions are designed, developed and maintained in a cost effective, timely and secure manner.

To expand accessibility, accelerate response, and increase efficiency of UNHCR operations, UNHCR is developing the Digital Gateway (DG) – a central entry point to digital service delivery enabling remote digital interaction throughout the entire lifecycle of forcibly displaced and stateless persons, from initiating registration and documentation through asylum or status determination procedure to identifying and implementing the most appropriate durable solution.

The Digital Gateway will be developed and implemented in a sequential manner. In a first phase, UNHCR will develop a minimum viable product (MVP) focusing on key digital services that will be piloted in 4 locations in Q4 2025. These include registration, appointment scheduling, resettlement case updates, documentation, collection of additional information and submission of requests or complaints. The Digital Gateway will also include a contact center solution that can be deployed together or independently of the self-service portal.

Through digital services, UNHCR will offer forcibly displaced and stateless people (FDSP) a crucially important avenue to their own data and case information (from PRIMES and potentially other platforms), humanitarian services, as well as the ability to communicate with UNHCR in a timely and secure manner. UNHCR needs to invest to provide services in the digital world while ensuring that those who are not yet connected or unwilling to use digital services remain included and are not marginalized.

Purpose and Scope of Assignment:

The purpose of this consultancy is to engage a highly experienced Senior User Research Officer who will be a key contributor to the development and implementation of the UNHCR Digital Gateway (DG). The consultant will ensure that the DG”s design and functionality are rooted in a deep understanding of user needs, behaviors, and contexts, particularly those of forcibly displaced and stateless persons. By applying user-centric design principles, the consultant will help expand accessibility, accelerate response, and increase the efficiency of UNHCR operations, ensuring the DG is a practical and effective tool for both users and UNHCR staff. The consultant will be responsible for conducting and leading a wide range of user research activities, translating insights into actionable design recommendations, and supporting the product development lifecycle, including deployment and beyond.

The Senior User Research Officer will be responsible for a range of activities encompassing the full user experience lifecycle, working closely with the Digital Gateway project team, technical developers, and field operations. The scope of work includes, but is not limited to, the following key activities:

UAT Planning and Testing
• Support the development of user acceptance testing plans, including writing test scenarios and test cases for staff and forcibly displaced end-users
• Conduct internal testing of the UAT environment prior to end-user involvement

End-User Testing Support
• Facilitate usability testing of the UAT environment with forcibly displaced persons by providing remote support to 4 operations and training staff on user research methods and materials
• Collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative data from UAT and user testing, identifying bugs, usability issues, and areas for improvement.

Prototyping and Feedback Integration
• Refine FIGMA prototypes based on user testing insights and collaborate closely with UI/UX designers
• Document and incorporate ongoing feedback from testing into iterative design improvements and ensure design changes reflect user needs

Usability Review and Readiness
• Conduct a comprehensive review of the system’s readiness from a user perspective
• Participate in triaging and prioritizing usability issues identified during testing
• Provide consultation to guide resolution of key usability concerns
Finalization and Knowledge Transfer
• Prepare final usability recommendations based on testing outcomes
• Support knowledge transfer of lessons learned and refined materials to operational teams

Monitoring and Progress Controls:

The quality of work delivered by the Senior User Research Officer (Individual Consultant) will be ensured through bi-weekly progress review meetings and continuous stakeholder feedback.
• Progress Review Meetings: The consultant will participate in bi-weekly meetings with the UNHCR Digital Gateway Project Coordinator to discuss progress, review deliverables, address challenges, and plan upcoming activities. These meetings will serve as a primary mechanism for monitoring performance and ensuring alignment with project goals.
• Key deliverables: The consultant will contribute to the development of UAT plans by supporting the drafting of test scenarios and cases, and will document findings from usability testing with refugees and asylum seekers. They will be responsible for refining prototypes based on user feedback, summarizing usability issues, and contributing to triage discussions and readiness assessments. Additionally, the individual will prepare a consolidated set of usability recommendations and support knowledge transfer by compiling insights and materials to be handed over to UNHCR operational teams.

Required qualifications, language(s) and work experience:
Degree:

Field of expertise, competencies:

Required/mandatory:
• 9 years’ relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 8 years’ relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 7 years’ relevant experience with Doctorate degree
• User Research Expertise: Proficient in designing, conducting, and analyzing diverse qualitative and
• quantitative user research methods.
• Insight Synthesis: Strong ability to analyze complex data, identify key insights, and translate user needs into actionable design recommendations.
• UX/UI Acumen: Deep understanding of UX/UI best practices, accessibility standards, and experience providing feedback on Figma prototypes.
• Testing & Evaluation: Skilled in UAT and user testing planning and execution, moderating sessions, and contributing to defect triage.
• Training & Communication: Capable of developing and delivering training, and clearly communicating research findings to various stakeholders.
• Humanitarian Context Experience: Prior experience working within humanitarian or development sectors, understanding the unique challenges and sensitivities.

Desirable:
• Experience with Digital Identity/Registration Systems: Familiarity with user experience challenges and best practices related to digital identity, registration, or case management systems, particularly in a large-scale organizational context.
• Experience with Remote Research or Low-Connectivity Environments: Demonstrated ability to conduct effective user research and testing in remote settings or environments with limited internet access and technological infrastructure.

Language:
Required: English

Location and Conditions:

This is a home-based Individual Consultancy.

Shortlisted candidates might be required to sit for a written test. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified. No late applications will be accepted.

Please note that UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travelling, processing, training or any other fees).

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.

Standard Job Description

Required Languages

English

,

,

Desired Languages

,

,

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

Bachelor”s: Anthropology (Required), Bachelor”s: Marketing (Required), Bachelor”s: Psychology (Required), Bachelor”s: Sociology (Required)

Certifications

Other information

This position doesn”t require a functional clearance

Remote

Yes