Associate Environmental Officer at United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

UNHCR was created in 1950, during the aftermath of the Second World War, to help millions of Europeans who had fled or lost their homes. We had three years to complete our work and then disband. Today, over 65 years later, our organization is still hard at work, protecting and assisting refugees around the world. 

Summary

The Associate Environment Officer will work closely with colleagues responsible for protection, site planning, water and sanitation, shelter, nutrition, education, health, community services and livelihoods. The incumbent will support the UNHCR Office on all issues related to environment and climate change, including mainstreaming into all sectors and aspects of the country operation. Regular and frequent discussions between the incumbent and the supervisor(s) are necessary to ensure that the latest best practices and procedures are shared and applied consistently on issues related to environment. The incumbent will undertake missions to the camps and liaise with (sub-) offices on the implementation of environment programmes. In addition, the staff member will maintain regular contact with UN technical agencies, development partners, line ministries and agencies, implementing and operational partners as needed.

Duties

• Ensure environmental considerations are systematically included when assessing the needs of PoCs.
• Based on assessments, and in consultation with relevant stakeholders, recommend sustainable solutions to address the basic needs of PoCs while mitigating the environmental impact of the interventions.
• Work with site planners on mainstreaming environmental considerations throughout the settlement design process with due consideration for the environmental conditions in surrounding host areas.
• Work in close coordination with all relevant sectors and clusters in UNHCR, including Protection, WASH, Health, Shelter and Settlements, Livelihoods, Energy, Camp Coordination & Camp Management to ensure environmental concerns and impact mitigation measures are included in operational responses.
• Collect, analyse and update data and information concerning the environmental status of settlements and broader hosting areas.
• Contribute to internal and external reporting commitments, including proposal writing for environment and energy while ensuring new projects are coherent and visibly complement planned interventions at (sub) office level.
• Ensure all responses work toward environmental sustainability for both PoCs and host communities.
• Support Programme in the technical oversight of UNHCR implementing partners to ensure environmental considerations are adequately integrated in technical interventions.
• Support quality monitoring of interventions, track and record relevant indicators in UNHCR¿s corporate tools.
• When applicable, represent UNHCR and support coordination meetings
• Stay abreast of new technologies and relevant partnerships related to environment and climate change to more efficiently respond to the needs of PoCs, in line with the Global Compact on Refugees.
• Assist training and capacity building activities to address the identified skills and knowledge gaps
• Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience

• 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 

• Environmental Studies;
• Management of Natural Resources;
• Agriculture;
• Forestry;

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

• Minimum 1 year of experience in environmental assessment, planning, monitoring and evaluation of integrated environmental programmes/projects in displacement and stable situations. Awareness of and practical experience with refugee-related environmental problems. Familiarity with emerging environmentally sustainable and appropriate technologies, and renewable energy.
• Familiarity with community-based and participatory approaches.

Desirable

• Budgeting, planning experience, ability to work with various (relevant) computer software. Broad understanding of climate change narrative and initiatives geared towards mitigation of impacts.