Head of Secretariat and Protocol Unit

Hardship Level

H (no hardship)

Family Type

Family

Family Type

Family

Residential location (if applicable)

Grade

PR4

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

Target Start Date

2025-10-01

Deadline for Applications

August 8, 2025

Standard Job Description

Head of Secretariat and Protocol Unit

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

Supervised and guided by the Secretary of the Executive Committee and the Chief of Governance Section, the Head of Secretariat and Protocol Unit plays a role in shaping and developing the Office's relations and strategy with its governing bodies, as well as supporting the effective functioning of the Executive and Standing Committees. Internally, this requires close collaboration with the Executive Office, the divisions, and bureaux. Externally, the incumbent represents UNHCR in intergovernmental consultations and negotiations on ExCom decisions and conclusions, including the adoption of the budget, as well as in the development of the draft text and support for the annual negotiations of the General Assembly resolution on the work of the Office. The incumbent may be called upon to act as Secretary in the latter's absence.

The incumbent manages the Secretariat in support of the work of the Executive Committee and its Standing Committees and provides guidance and support to the Secretary of the Executive Committee in his/her functions with the Executive Committee Bureau and Member States. In this context, the incumbent works closely with regional bureaux and divisions at HQ, in particular the Division of International Protection and Solutions (DIPS) and the Division of Resource Management (DRM), to ensure the quality of governance documentation, which must meet the needs of the Committee and be produced in compliance with the Committee's and General Assembly's rules and deadlines. The Head of Secretariat and Protocol Unit ensures that all decisions are reached after careful political consideration of their potential impact on the governing body and the Office.

The incumbent supervises the work of the Executive Committee Secretariat. In addition to ensuring quality control and adherence to UN editorial standards for governance-related documentation, the Secretariat is also responsible for reviewing and editing the High Commissioner’s correspondence in English, French, and Spanish.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job descriptions. 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

Stakeholder management

• Support the Secretary of the Executive Committee in maintaining and strengthening engagement with the Executive Committee Bureau, Executive Committee Member States, and other UN Member States.

• Provide guidance and support to the Executive Committee Rapporteur in the negotiations of decisions and conclusions.

• Support the Member State Coordinator in the annual negotiations on the General Assembly resolution on the work of UNHCR (omnibus), acting as a resource person and helping to ensure, to the extent possible, that the text of the resolution is accurate and reflects the interests of the Office.

• Ensure that any concerns and requests from Member States are followed up swiftly and appropriately.

• Act as a resource person in ExCom informal meetings on conclusions and decisions.

• Promote communication and understanding of the interests and concerns of Member States among UNHCR staff.

• Support the Secretary of the Executive Committee and senior management with scenario planning, in close coordination with the Legal Affairs Service and the Senior Liaison Officers for Regional Bureaux.

Meeting and Document Management

• Ensure the Secretary of the Executive Committee is fully supported in the smooth organization and conduct of all governance-related meetings.

• Oversee the organization of formal and informal meetings of the Executive Committee and its Standing Committees, including the planning, control, and finalization of documentation, and the formulation of reports and draft decisions.

• Help ensure that official documentation is consistent with the Office's policies and priorities, provides content that satisfies the needs of Member States, and conforms to the highest editorial standards and UN rules and regulations.

• Make decisions related to the organization of meetings of the Executive Committee and its Standing Committees.

• Act as Secretary during meetings, as and when requested by the Secretary.

• Coordinate with relevant divisions and bureaux on the planning and execution of the programme of work of the Standing Committee.

• In close coordination with the Legal Affairs Service, support the ExCom Secretary in the application of relevant rules of procedure.

Management of the Secretariat

• Supervise the preparation of reports to the General Assembly mandated by GA resolutions (including the High Commissioner’s annual report and the Secretary General’s report on refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and returnees in Africa).

• Draft and revise high-level documentation, as needed.

• Supervise preparations for international conferences and meetings convened by the Office.

• Oversee the diplomatic protocol functions performed by the English Editor & Protocol Specialist.

• Supervise the editing and quality control of the High Commissioner’s correspondence.

• Supervise liaison with UNOG and DGACM on an array of matters related to UNHCR's official documentation, the scheduling of UNHCR meetings, the hiring of interpreters, and compliance with UN regulations.

• Manage the staff of the Secretariat, providing feedback and supporting professional development.

• Manage postings and recruitment processes for vacancies within the Section.

• Plan and track the utilization of resources (human and financial) necessary for the effective implementation of the Committee's programme of work.

• Assist the Chief of Governance Section in ensuring that risk assessments are duly carried out, that risk management principles are integrated in decision-making both at strategic and operational levels, and that the annual risk review is completed and the risk register is updated, as needed.

• Lead risk assessments and discussions with team(s) to proactively manage risks and seize opportunities impacting objectives. Ensure that risk management principles are integrated in decision-making both at strategic and operational levels. Allocate resources for planned treatments with resource requirements in Strategic Plans. Ensure that risks are managed to acceptable levels and escalate, as needed. If a Risk Owner, designate the Risk Focal Point and certify that the annual risk review is completed and ensure that the risk register is updated during the year, as needed.

• Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level

For P4 - 9 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 8 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 7 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education

International Law;                              International Relations;                      Law;

Political Science;                                or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses

Not specified.

(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

Relevant work experience in an international capacity, preferably in the UN. Experience in inter-governmental negotiations. General understanding of diplomatic protocol.

Desirable

Comprehensive knowledge of UNHCR, its protection mandate and place in the United Nations system, and the functioning of the General Assembly. Experience with UNHCR management programmes.

Functional Skills

*CO-Drafting and Documentation;

*ER-Inter-Agency External Relations;

*MG-Diplomacy;

*MG-Political Decision Making;

*MG-UN/UNHCR Management Practices/Standards and Processes;

PS-Public Relations;

*UN-UN Organizational Regulatory frameworks, policies, processes;

(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

Judgement and Decision Making

Leadership

Managing Performance

Managing Resources

Strategic Planning and Vision

Cross-Functional Competencies

Analytical Thinking

Planning and Organizing

Political Awareness

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.

Desired Candidate Profile

The Head of the Secretariat and Protocol Unit should have in-depth knowledge of UNHCR’s governing structures and experience in managing governance matters. S/he should equally have diplomatic skills, as well as sound political judgment, and be able to help facilitate the work of the governing bureaux in its deliberations and negotiations. The incumbent should have experience in managing all aspects of meetings of Member States, including understanding of voting procedures. Knowledge of the rules of the UNHCR’s governing bodies is a must.

The incumbent must have sufficient management experience, attention to detail, and organizational skills. S/he must be able to lead the team, ensuring that all statutory deadlines are met, that preparations for high-level conferences are in place, ensuring the success of these events, and that all concerns and questions from Member States are addressed and in an appropriate and politically sensitive way. In particular, the incumbent should have extensive experience with UN protocol and leading VIP arrangements for high-level events.

The candidate must be a strong drafter and have the capacity to conduct political analysis and strategies. S/he must have extensive knowledge of UN editorial guidelines and UN rules and regulations regarding documents management. Ideally, the candidate should have an excellent command of English as well as the capacity to work in multiple UN languages, particularly French and Spanish, which are the working languages.

The incumbent should have a minimum of 10 years of experience working in an international capacity. Comprehensive knowledge of UNHCR, and its place in the United Nations system.

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

,

,

Desired languages

French

,

,

Operational context

Nature of Position:

Background

The Governance Section (also referred to as the Executive Committee Secretariat) is responsible for facilitating the work of its governing body (the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme and its Standing Committee) and overseeing statutory reporting, including to the United Nations General Assembly.

The team is composed of the Chief of Governance Section and Secretary of the Executive Committee (P5), Head of Secretariat and Protocol Unit (P4), English Editor and Protocol Specialist (P3), Associate External Relations Officer (P2), Associate Reporting Officer (P2), a Junior Professional Officer (P2), two Conference Services Associates (G6), and a Senior Translation and Conference Services Assistant (G5).

Staff members work closely as a team to ensure that the objectives of the Secretariat are met.  All positions require attention to detail, organizational skills, and a general awareness of political sensitivities and protocol. Tact and discretion are key, as staff members have frequent contact with members of diplomatic missions and are privy to confidential documents and help prepare the High Commissioner’s correspondence.  A constructive, problem-solving outlook, ability to remain calm in the face of stress and flexibility are essential.

The Secretariat’s work is structured around the annual calendar of meetings of UNHCR’s governance bodies and includes supporting special high-level events, including in the framework of the Global Compact on Refugees and occasional regional conferences and ministerial meetings.

The Secretariat supports the Executive Committee Bureau in the planning and execution of its programme of work; organizes all formal and informal meetings and briefings; oversees quality control of official documentation and translation; and provides substantive and procedural support for the negotiation of decisions and conclusions of the Executive Committee and the annual “omnibus resolution” adopted by the General Assembly.

Changing political landscape

Since its establishment in 1958, the Executive Committee has largely carried out its work in the spirit of consensus. Although this does not mean that the Committee has been immune from politicization, it has effectively fulfilled its critical advisory role and reviewed and approved UNHCR’s budget, in line with the mandate entrusted to it by the General Assembly. The Committee has also served as an important platform for dialogue, exchange and cooperation in favour of refugees.

However, despite the non-political nature of UNHCR’s work, global instability and insecurity have clouded the humanitarian discourse and threatened to undermine core protection principles. Increased tensions among and between Member States have led to increasing polarization in the context of governance meetings, as witnessed in recent Executive Committee meetings.

The increasingly complex geo-political landscape has impacted governance processes across the UN system, rendering negotiations and the adoption of key decisions and resolutions more challenging. Difficult negotiations on UNHCR’s annual omnibus resolution further highlight the emerging challenges. UNHCR is not alone in this regard. Political posturing by Member States on sensitive issues has had a spillover effect in parallel governance meetings of other UN agencies.

Meanwhile, the growing membership of the Executive Committee, which now stands at 110 Member States (up from 87 a decade ago), has brought a more diverse range of views and political agendas to the fore, compounding the situation and adding another layer of complexity to the work of the Secretariat.

As a result of these new dynamics, the nature of the work of the Secretariat is evolving – requiring a more proactive approach and strengthened outreach to key stakeholders, both externally and internally. The Secretariat aims to enhance its engagement with the Committee, as a group but also with individual stakeholders, in a more strategic and proactive manner. Internally, it will strengthen coordination with the regional bureaux and senior liaison advisors, while continuing to work closely with the Legal Affairs Service on scenario planning – keeping senior management closely informed and escalating issues as appropriate. The Secretariat will also seek to act as a convenor of internal and as appropriate external stakeholders around emerging issues and ahead of key governance meetings.

Post-specific considerations

The Head of Secretariat and Protocol Unit guides and oversees the work of the Secretariat team and supports the Chief of Governance Section in planning and implementing the Executive Committee’s programme of work.  With the changing political landscape, as described above, the incumbent will be instrumental in steering proactive engagement with key stakeholders, managing sensitive negotiations, and ensuring the integrity and effectiveness of UNHCR’s governance processes.

This specialist position requires extensive relevant experience, including in negotiations and multi-stakeholder engagement, a thorough understanding of governance matters, firsthand involvement in negotiations and proven leadership. The position requires political awareness, sensitivity to regional concerns, diplomacy and tact, demonstrating a capacity to navigate politically sensitive discussions and advance institutional priorities even in challenging geopolitical environments. It also requires in-depth knowledge of conference management processes and protocol, with the ability to lead, mentor, and coordinate the team in managing major high-level events and handling a broad portfolio of governance-related activities.

Given the increasingly complex governance environment, the incumbent will be expected to take a proactive role in internal coordination, working closely with Regional Bureaux, Senior Liaison Advisors, and legal experts to anticipate and mitigate challenges. They should also be adept at scenario planning, crisis response, and strategic engagement with the Executive Committee and senior UNHCR leadership.

In addition to these qualifications, the Head of Secretariat and Protocol Unit position requires exceptional analytical, drafting, and editorial skills, with a demonstrated ability to produce and refine high-level governance documentation under tight deadlines.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

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

Certifications

Work Experience

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Leadership, Managing performance, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Political awareness, Strategic planning & visions, Teamwork & collaboration

UNHCR Salary Calculator

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

Compendium

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

Additional Information

Functional clearance

This position doesn't require a functional clearance