Deadline for ApplicationsFebruary 12, 2026
Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)B
Family Type (not applicable for home-based)
Family
Staff Member / Affiliate TypeCONS International
Target Start Date2026-01-05
Terms of ReferenceUNHCR is mandated by the United Nations to lead and coordinate international action for the protection of refugees and the resolution of refugee situations. This includes safeguarding their rights and well-being, seeking lasting solutions to their plight, and ensuring access to asylum, safe refuge, voluntary return, or permanent resettlement.
UNHCR’s engagement in forced displacement is guided by the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement and emphasizes the centrality of protection in humanitarian action and solutions. UNHCR contributes to collective outcomes that enhance protection and promote solutions for internally displaced people (IDPs) and other displacement-affected populations, including host communities.
Aligned with UNHCR’s Strategic Directions (2022–2026), the organization seeks to leverage synergies across its work with refugees, IDPs, returnees, stateless persons, and other populations affected by humanitarian crises. This includes tailored protection and solutions in both new and protracted crises, engagement in the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, and support across sectors such as WASH, health, livelihoods, and education. UNHCR operates through diverse partnerships and modalities, including cash and in-kind assistance.
The Regional Bureau for East and Southern Africa (RBESA), primarily plays a second-line role, providing oversight, technical support, strategic guidance, and risk monitoring to country operations. It also assumes a first-line role in regional-level liaison and coordination. As of October 2025, the Bureau oversees 11 country operations in ESA (Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda), and three multi-country offices (MCOs): Zambia (covering Malawi and Zimbabwe), Mozambique (covering Angola), and Southern Africa (covering Botswana, Comoros, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, Namibia, Seychelles, and South Africa).
In line with UNHCR’s corporate vision for Results-Based Management (RBM), which emphasizes management for results and the proactive use of monitoring and evaluation (M&E), the Regional Bureau supports country offices in strengthening evidence-based operational design and implementation. This includes improving data quality and accessibility, enhancing analysis, and developing robust M&E systems that facilitate learning, accountability, and advocacy.
Currently, few country offices have dedicated M&E staff, yet they are expected to establish and manage effective M&E systems, including assessments, surveys, reviews, and evaluations that inform strategic planning and reporting. To cost-effectively support country operations, UNHCR is establishing a surge capacity of individual M&E expert consultants to assist in developing, managing, and implementing learner-cantered and cost-effective M&E systems.
Assignments may range from short-term (1–3 months) to longer-term (up to 11 months), they may be on premise or as remote working modalities involving tasks like:
Monitoring
• Reviewing country-level M&E approaches
• Identifying gaps in M&E information flows
• Designing and implementing M&E systems, including reporting formats tailored to the needs of various internal stakeholders (e.g., senior management, field staff, programme and protection teams, and donor reporting) and UNHCR’s RBM system COMPASS
Evaluation
• Conducting reviews and various types of project and programme evaluations, desk reviews and learner-centred briefs associated with evaluation.
Longer-term assignments may involve facilitation, staff training, strategy development to build ownership, and drafting recommendations for sustainable M&E systems. Therefore, consultants must possess not only technical M&E expertise but also knowledge of and experience with capacity development and organizational change. Furthermore, candidates should have in-depth knowledge and practical experience in humanitarian interventions, protection, and solutions for forcibly displaced populations.
This implies that candidates can apply either: a) with an RBM technical profile for assignments mainly focusing on monitoring and evaluation systems design and implementation; b) as an evaluation expert to conduct evaluations and reviews – so focusing on evaluations, or c) with a profile that combines a) and b).
Application Requirements
Interested applicants must submit:
1. A 1-page motivation letter outlining:
a) Suitability for the role
b) Area(s) of M&E specialization
c) Whether you are applying as an M&E expert for RBM support, as an evaluation expert for project/programme evaluations or reviews or a combination of the two,
d) If you are applying as an evaluation expert to conduct project/programme evaluations or reviews, you must include 3-5 URLs of evaluation reports published on organizational websites with your name on them.
2. A 2-page CV.
3. A completed questionnaire available through the link below where you clarify your specific areas of M&E expertise:
https://enketo.unhcr.org/x/xLGwpabu
Note: Applicants not aligning with the requirements listed above and exceeding the specified page limits will be disqualified.
In UNHCR’s online application form (Workday), only complete the sections with a red asterisk and for the rest refer to the CV and motivational letter as attached, as there is no need to repeat yourself.
Experience with UNHCR, the UN system, and the regions covered by the Bureau is considered an asset.
If applicants encounter any technical issues accessing the link to the survey, kindly contact: couasnon@unhcr.org
Standard Job Description
Required Languages
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Desired Languages
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Additional Qualifications
Skills
Education
Certifications
Work Experience
Other informationThis position doesn't require a functional clearance
RemoteNo