JOB DESCRIPTION

Deadline for Applications

November 26, 2025

Hardship Level

A (least hardship)

Family Type

Family

Family Type

Family

Residential location (if applicable)

Grade

NOA

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

National Professional Officer

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

Target Start Date

2026-01-01

Standard Job Description

Assistant Government Liaison Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Assistant Government Liaison Officer is usually located in country operations. S/he plays a crucial support role in ensuring UNHCR”s approach to the Government is consistent, strategic and coherent. UNHCR assists the Government on coordination, response delivery and protection issues. Typically, this involves joint coordination arrangements, partnership with various government departments in service delivery, and regular dialogue at all levels on refugee protection issues. The main aim is to assist senior management to ensure that UNHCR can fulfil its role to support the Government to lead the refugee response ensuring the protection of refugees and – in line with the GCR – promote the inclusion of refugees into national systems by coordinating with other actors – including development actors at the early stages of a refugee response and in mixed situations supporting the Government to prevent, respond to and resolve internal displacement while complementing and reinforcing national response efforts. This should be done in line with UNHCR”s Mandate, the Global Compact for Refugees, the IDP policy, and agreed inter-agency commitments. More specifically, s/he advises the senior management on issues and processes concerning the relationship with the Government and related positioning, coordination, advocacy, information, resource allocation, fundraising, reporting, and communication with other UN agencies, NGOs, civil society actors, private sector, media and other relevant actors through strong engagement in humanitarian inter-agency processes, but also with a focus on development processes as they impact on UNHCR. The overall goal of the position is to support the effectiveness of UNHCR”s leadership roles and responses to situations affecting people of concern to UNHCR (refugees, asylum-seekers, IDPs, stateless persons, returnees, host communities) through an open and transparent partnership approach with the Government.

The Assistant Government Liaison Officer ensures that support is provided for strategic planning, assessment, monitoring and analysis concerning the relationship with the Government. The Assistant Government Liaison Officer will support all planning and reporting activities. The incumbent will support the supervisor in maintaining a constant dialogue with the Government on the overall protection context. A key tool in this regard will be the facilitation and support of periodic meetings with the Government, as well as to support the broadening of mutual information through meeting reports, situation updates and newsletters.

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 the establishment of close working relations with Government Officials and/or other external parties.
– Provide suggestions for promoting UNHCR”s policies and liaising with Government authorities on issues related to latest humanitarian and development processes.
– Support coordination meetings as required, including by preparing meetings and background information, drafting minutes and follow-up documentation.
– Manage the flow of information to/from the supervisor and other senior staff; identifies priority matters that need to be urgently addressed by the supervisor.
– Draft correspondence, documents and reports, and prepares tables and ensures follow-up.
– Assist in ensuring appropriate links with the Government through establishment/maintenance of appropriate coordination and information exchange.
– Act on behalf of the supervisor to convey, clarify and explain UNHCR”s positions to Government or other external parties as applicable.
– Inform the supervisor on a continuing basis of relevant information on the outcome of discussions with external parties.
– Act as interpreter during meetings held by the supervisor with senior officials or other external parties.
– Accompany the supervisor and Headquarters visitors to camps, border missions and provincial cities.
– May be required to coordinate the work of lower level staff.

– 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 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/International Law;
Political Science;
Social Science;
Business Administration;
or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified.

Relevant Job Experience
Essential:
Not specified.
Desirable:
Not specified.

Functional Skills
CO-Drafting and Documentation
CL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community
SO-Networking
(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.

Desired Candidate Profile

The role requires a strong understanding of asylum systems and refugee protection frameworks, as well as statelessness. The desired candidate will have strong policy analysis, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement skills, as well as excellent communication and negotiation skills. S/he will have a proven ability to engage with senior government officials, navigate complex inter-agency and governmental processes, and manage sensitive policy discussions. S/he will have experience in project implementation and reporting, particularly in donor-funded initiatives. The incumbent will also be expected to contribute to strategic planning, reporting, and dialogue platforms, ensuring that UNHCR’s protection and inclusion objectives are effectively communicated and supported at the national level, hence experience in these areas is also desired.

Fluency in English and Malay is required.

Additional Information:

Candidates must be Malaysian nationals.

The minimum educational requirement for NPO positions is a completed university degree. UNHCR only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/.

Only short-listed candidates will be notified. The recruitment process might include a written test and/or oral interview for this job opening. No late applications will be accepted.

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

Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):

Malay

,

,

Desired languages

,

,

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:

Malaysia is neither party to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, nor the 1967 Protocol, and lacks an established legislative and policy framework for refugees. UNHCR therefore remains the primary provider of protection and assistance to more than 200,000 registered refugees and asylum-seekers in the country. Malaysia is also not party to either the 1954 or 1961 Statelessness Conventions. The Government of Malaysia has taken steps to address the situation of forcibly displaced and stateless people, has made commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals framework, and is supportive of the Global Compact on Refugees. It is anticipated that the Government of Malaysia will continue to work towards development and implementation of a comprehensive national refugee protection framework, including to regularize the temporary stay of refugees in Malaysia and afford them access to legal work.

The Assistant Government Liaison Officer is part of the Policy and Advocacy Unit in UNHCR’s Country Office in Kuala Lumpur. The position is central to advancing UNHCR’s strategic engagement with the Government of Malaysia, particularly in support of efforts to establish a comprehensive national refugee protection framework. The incumbent will lead coordination with central government entities, including the Ministry of Home Affairs, to promote legal and policy reforms, strengthen asylum frameworks, and address statelessness. A key responsibility includes supporting the implementation of an EU-funded project focused on institutional capacity-building and inclusion of forcibly displaced and stateless people in national systems.

Living and Working Conditions:

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

Bachelor of Arts: Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts: Law, Bachelor of Arts: Political Science, Bachelor of Arts: Social Science

Certifications

Work Experience

Competencies

Accountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration

UNHCR Salary Calculator

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

Compendium

Additional Information

Functional clearance

This position doesn”t require a functional clearance