Livelihoods Associate

Job Description

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based): U (unclassified)

Family Type (not applicable for home-based): No designation

Staff Member / Affiliate Type: National Expert UN Volunteer

Target Start Date: 2025-09-01

Deadline for Applications: August 21, 2025

Terms of Reference

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR APPLICATION WILL ONLY BE CONSIDERED VALID IF YOU INCLUDE, AS ATTACHMENT, A MOTIVATION LETTER CLEARLY OUTLINING YOUR RACIAL SELF-DECLARATION AND PERSONAL INTEREST AND MOTIVATION FOR THE POSITION. This document is essential for the proper evaluation of the application and must be submitted within the designated application period.

Description of assignment title: Livelihoods Associate

Mission and objectives: UNHCR works to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge, having fled violence, persecution, war or disaster at home.  Since 1950, UNHCR has provided support in the face of multiple crises globally, and provided vital assistance to refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced and stateless people, many of whom have nobody left to turn to.  UNHCR helps save lives and build better futures for millions forced from their homes. 

Assignment context: In general, refugees, particularly Venezuelans, have been able to access the labor market in Brazil. However, this integration has primarily been in low-wage jobs with precarious working conditions, impacting their social and economic integration in the country. UNHCR’s, as defined in the 2023-2025 livelihoods strategy, continues to play a coordinating role to ensure that refugees and other forcibly displaced people are included in the country`s public policies. In addition, it seeks to engage other organizations in the socioeconomic inclusion process of these populations, being civil society organizations, private sector, development actors, UN agencies, universities, among others. UNHCR works in complement to the established public policies and the actions being implemented by other partner organizations. The actions always take into account the connections between humanitarian and development actions, aiming the rapid self-sufficiency of the population ensuring a sustainable programming process. The Livelihoods Unit planning for 2025 focuses on projects and programs that encourage higher-quality local integration, complementing existing public policies, considering the specificities of each profile and the peculiarities of each state/region of the country. The high-quality programming aims to achieve increased engagement with the private sector, through expanding the Companies with refugee Forum by setting up local hubs of companies engaged with the employability of the refugees and forcibly displaced people, as well as the creation of local employability networks, facilitating job placement, vocational trainings focusing on women, Portuguese classes and entrepreneurship trainings.

Task description: Within the framework of delegated authority and under the supervision of the Head of Office Field Office and/or their designated representative, the UN Volunteer will carry out the following tasks:

• Explore partnerships with relevant stakeholders to enhance economic inclusion of refugees and other persons in need of international protection. This includes working with development agencies to adapt their programmes to become inclusive of refugees and other persons in need of international protection, working with the private sector to enhance inclusion of refugees and other persons in need of international protection in their labour force and supply chains, working with financial service providers to enhance financial inclusion, working with public and private sector service providers to include refugees and other persons in need of international protection in supporting services (business development, micro-finance, training, saving accounts, poverty alleviation and social protection, etc.), and working with Civil Society organizations that work with vulnerable populations to enhance possibilities in including refugees in job opportunities captured by these organizations and including in other services available.
• Support the design and implementation of the HUB Paraná of the Companies with Refugees Forum together with relevant private sector stakeholders in Paraná.
• Work with Refugee-led organizations in designing and implementing livelihoods programs.
• Support the implementation of socioeconomic and wealth surveys to inform targeting, monitoring and facilitation of the engagement of development programmes.
• Support private sector sensitization sections and engage with local companies aiming its adherence to the local HUB and the expansion of job opportunities, particularly the ones matching with refugee’s skills and education.
• Sensitize private sector and other organizations that offer vocational trainings to expand trainings opportunities for refugees.
• Provide overall support to the supervisor including assistance in the organization of meetings, workshops and working sessions.
• Organize and participate in workshops, training programmes, monitoring visits and working groups with regards to livelihood programming.
• In coordination with implementing partners, support and promote the implementation of initiatives aiming to promote self-reliance and integration of forcibly displaced persons.
• Support monitoring of refugees and other persons in need of international protection socioeconomic integration of refugees in the territory contributing to enhance their wellbeing and levels of integration.
• Perform other related duties as required.

In addition to the above, UN Volunteers are encouraged to join the mandate of UNV within the framework of its assignment and promote voluntary action through integration into communities in the development of your work. As such, UN Volunteers must dedicate part of your work time to one of the following activities recommended:

• Strengthen your knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteering by reading relevant publications from both the UNV program and external, as well as playing an active role in the UNV activities (e.g. at UNV events, commemoration of International Volunteer Day);
• Know and develop traditional and/or local forms of volunteering in the host country;
• Provide annual and assignment self-assessment reports on UNV actions, results and opportunities;
• Contribute articles/reviews of your experiences in the field and submit them to headquarters for inclusion on the website, publications, pamphlets/newsletters, press releases, etc. of UNV;
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of the Volunteering service in UNV line or promote the use of the service to individuals and relevant local organizations where technically possible.

Required education: Bachelor degree or equivalent

Area(s) of specialization (education): Social Assistance, Psychology, Business Administration, Political Science, International Relations, Laws.

Required experience: Minimum 07 years of relevant professional experience

Required skills and experience:

Essential

• Experience related to the promotion of self-reliance and employability of vulnerable groups.
• Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development.
• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel.
• Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment.
• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines.

Desirable

• Good knowledge of UNHCR`s internal rules.
• Previous experience with engagement of private sector.

Area(s) of expertise: Development programmes, Economics and finance, Manual labour and skilled trades

Living conditions and other remarks: The assignment will be in Curitiba, the capital of Parana state. Curitiba is a family duty station and classified A (hardship). The living conditions in Curitiba are good as well as the access to health services. The accommodation facilities are in general good, and the choice is wide. As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging their own housing and other living essentials.. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan. Brazil is security level 3 (moderate). United Nations Department of Safety and Security UNDSS Brazil advises to exercise a high degree of caution in Brazil due to high levels of serious and violent crime, particularly in major cities. Violent crime as muggings, armed robbery, kidnappings, and sexual assault, are very high. Avoid shanty towns (favelas) in the big cities and if you are attacked or robbed, do not resist. Demonstrations can occur at any time and may turn violent with little or no warning. All United Nations personnel must scrupulously comply with UNDSS procedures and recommendations during their assignment in Brazil. For missions in rural areas or indigenous reservations, special procedures may apply; UN personnel should consult with the local DSS office in advance.

Inclusivity statement: United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin, or other status.

Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements: Selected candidates for certain occupational groups may be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) in line with the applicable host entity’s policy.

Required Languages: English, Portuguese

Other information: This position doesn’t require a functional clearance.

Remote: No.

Deadline for Applications: August 21, 2025

“While we try our best to keep our information updated, the closing date of the actual job source may be changed by the recruiter without prior notice. With this, please make sure to check the official job link when submitting your application. Thank you.”