Senior Programme Assistant

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; Brasília; On-site; BRL 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Brasília is seeking a Senior Programme Assistant to support programme management within the operation. The role provides guidance from senior staff and requires interaction with partners, stakeholders, and internal teams to monitor activities and ensure compliance with UNHCR rules and procedures.

The incumbent will work in a multi-functional team, supporting planning, budgeting, and reporting cycles, and will help maintain records and data

Qualifications

• Years of experience in Programme Management, Operations, and related processes.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative assistance and support in routine services and activities within Programme.
• Assist in organizing and documenting the selection of partners and due diligence for projects.
• Support partnership agreements and monitoring of implementation.
• Contribute to development and monitoring plans for activities in partnerships and direct implementation.
• Review operations plans and reports; maintain records of performance progress and expenditures.
• Assist in issuing audit certificates for partners per policy.
• Utilize UNHCR ERP for planning, budgeting, implementation and reporting.
• Contribute to improvements of programming tools and processes.
• Identify and manage risks and communicate issues to supervisor.

Skills

IT-Computer Literacy

Programme Management

Results-Based Management

Database Management

Programme Analysis

Education

High School Diploma

Bachelor or equivalent

Tools

MS Office

Advanced Excel

Job description

Deadline for Applications

November 19, 2026

Hardship Level

A (least hardship)

Family Type

Family

Grade

GS5

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

Target Start Date

2027-02-01

Standard Job Description

Senior Programme Assistant

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Senior Programme Assistant would normally receive guidance from more senior programme staff in the operation/bureau/division. The incumbent may receive indirect guidance from other sections and units relevant to the country/region programme(s). UNHCR Manual, Operations Plans, UN and UNHCR financial/budgetary rules and regulations will guide the work of the Senior Program Assistant.

S/he is expected to have contacts within the organization and outside the duty station, as well as with partners and other stakeholders to collect information, monitor programme activities and implement administrative requirements. The incumbent is expected to work in line with the multi-functional team (MFT) approach as defined within the Program Manual, ensuring the participation of relevant stakeholders in all phases of the Program Management Cycle.

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

• Provide administrative assistance and support in routine services and activities within Programme thus better able to meet the needs of persons of concern.
• Assist in organizing and documenting the selection of partners in accordance with the policy on selection and retention of partners, ensuring due diligence to meet the requirements of projects.
• Provide support to ensure partnership agreements are established in a timely manner, regularly monitored and reported on, in compliance with established guidelines and procedures included in the framework for implementing with partners.
• Guided by the MFT approach, support the development and implementation of monitoring plans for activities implemented through partnerships and those under direct implementation in line with Programme Manual and programming instructions.
• Contribute to the review and analysis of operations plans, mid-year and year-end reports, ensuring quality assurance and compliance with established policies, guidelines, procedures and standards. Generate and maintain records of implementation rate (performance progress and expenditures) on a regular basis.
• Assist in ensuring compliance with issuance of audit certificates for partners in line with the Policy on Risk-Based Project Audits.
• Use UNHCR's ERP system for core activities related to planning, budgeting, implementation and reporting, generating data for evidence-based programmatic decisions and analysis.
• Actively contribute to UNHCRs programming of community of practice and continuously contributing to improvements of programming tools and processes.
• 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

Education & Professional Work Experience

Years of Experience / Degree Level

G5 - 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education

Not applicable

Certificates and/or Licenses

Not specified

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

Demonstrated experience in Programme Management, Operation Management Cycle and related processes.

Knowledge of Results Based-Management.

Computer skills (in MS office) including advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, data management, etc)

Desirable

Completion of UNHCR Learning Programmes or specific training relevant to function of the position including Programme Management Level 1. E-tutoring of PM1, Framework for Implementing with Partners Learning Programme.

Experience in programme management training and capacity building activities.

Functional Skills

• IT-Computer Literacy
• PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards)
• PG-Results-Based Management
• DM-Database Management
• PG-Programme Analysis

(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements

For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of Engl