Job Offers at United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Purpose and Scope of Assignment:

• The overall objective of this consultancy is to provide technical support in the design, implementation, and monitoring of large-scale agriculture projects including irrigation systems, and to strengthen agribusiness development to ensure sustainability, market linkages, and improved livelihoods of target communities. The role involves conducting technical assessments, preparing project designs, supervising installations, and providing technical support to ensure efficient and sustainable use of water resources. The consultant will also collaborate with UNHCR Programme Unit, technical colleagues in the field and stakeholders to achieve project objectives while ensuring compliance with environmental and regulatory standards.

Responsibilities

Irrigation related tasks:

• Conduct field assessments to evaluate soil, crops, and water conditions.
• Support in the design and review of irrigation systems (drip, sprinkler, surface, solar pumping, etc.) ensuring cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability.
• Prepare technical drawings, specifications, and cost estimates for irrigation projects.
• Develop and implement strategies for water conservation and efficient usage.
• Together with UNHCR technical team, provide technical oversight during installation/rehabilitation of irrigation systems, including quality assurance and contractor supervision.
• Build capacity of project staff and farmers on operation, maintenance, and water management practices.
• Support in developing Bills of Quantities (BoQs), technical specifications, and tender documents for irrigation infrastructure.

Agribusiness-related tasks:

• Conduct market assessments to identify profitable crops and value chains aligned with irrigation potential.
• Develop agribusiness models linking smallholders to markets, cooperatives, and private sector actors.
• Support farmer groups/cooperatives with business planning, financial literacy, and market linkages.
• Provide technical advice on crop diversification, climate-smart practices, and post-harvest handling.
• Facilitate partnerships with input suppliers, off-takers, and financial institutions.
• Coordinate implementation of field activities under the agriculture component (e.g., training sessions on sustainable practices, demonstration plots), ensuring synergies with other project components such as livestock, fisheries, and livelihoods support.

Technical and Capacity Building:

• Conduct capacity-building sessions on water resource management and irrigation best practices.
• Develop user manuals and guidelines for irrigation systems and equipment in humanitarian settings.

Environmental and Regulatory Compliance:

• Ensure irrigation projects comply with environmental standards and regulatory requirements in Nigeria.
• Conduct environmental impact assessments and develop mitigation strategies for irrigation projects.
• Promote sustainable water management practices to minimize environmental degradation.

Stakeholder Engagement and Coordination:

• Coordinate and oversee the day-to-day implementation of the project’s agriculture and irrigation components, proposing timely corrective actions when needed.
• Identify Government priorities in agriculture for the refugee hosting areas.
• Identity private actors in agriculture value chain in Nigeria.
• Explore opportunities for refugee inclusion in agriculture investments and policies.
• Explore business opportunities such as contract farming, buying of agriculture products, input supplies and provision of financial services.
• Create links/partnerships to relevant Government and other stakeholder’s programs and initiatives.

Research and Development:

• Conduct research on innovative low-cost irrigation technologies and practices.
• Evaluate and recommend modern irrigation techniques to enhance project outcomes.

Other Responsibilities:

• Perform any other duties commensurate with the position as assigned by management.
• Prepare technical reports, monitoring, guidelines, and knowledge products as required.
• Provide recommendations for scaling up and sustainability of irrigation-agriculture-business linkages.

Required qualifications, language(s) and work experience:

• University Degree in Agriculture, Agronomy, Sustainable Agriculture, Crop Science, Water Resources Engineering, or a related field. Master degree in any of these areas above will be considered as an asset.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in agriculture and food security interventions, irrigation system design and implementation.
• Proven experience in managing agricultural/irrigation projects, particularly in rural or semi-arid areas.
• Familiarity with non-profit or donor-funded project environments is an added advantage. Work experience at the United Nations is a plus

Technical Skills:

• Proficiency in irrigation system design software (e.g., AutoCAD, GIS).
• Strong knowledge of irrigation technologies, including drip, sprinkler, and surface irrigation systems.
• Understanding of soil science, hydrology, and water resource management.
• Experience in conducting environmental impact assessments.
• Competence in data analysis and technical report writing.

Professional Competencies:

• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills to work with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• High level of attention to detail and accuracy.

Additional Requirements:

• Commitment to UNHCR’s mission and values.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.

Working Conditions:

• Frequent travel to project locations,
• The service will involve working in remote or rural areas with limited resources.
• Requires flexibility to adapt to changing project needs and priorities.

Minimum years of work experience (NOTE: candidates with less years of experience cannot be short-listed or recommended):
Language: Required: English Desirable: Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo

EVALUATION, MONITORING, SUPERVISION

Monitoring and Progress Controls

The consultancy will be monitored through regular progress reviews and verification of deliverables over the six-month period. The following milestones are expected:

• During the first month: Define the consultancy objectives, confirm the scope of work, collect baseline information, and develop a detailed work plan and timeline with milestones.
• Continuously: Progress monitoring through field visits, surveys, consultations, and review of technical documents to ensure that activities are on track and aligned with the agreed plan.
• Monthly: Conduct progress review, challenges, and next steps. Prepare concise monthly progress reports highlighting achievements, constraints, and corrective measures taken. Adjust plans based on findings.
• As required: Undertake technical assessments, document lessons learned and provide advice or recommendations to improve irrigation projects implementation quality and efficiency.
• During the final month: Conduct a final review and assessment of the consultancy outcomes, summarize key findings and lessons, and prepare a final report with recommendations for follow-up or scale-up.

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Job Description

Registration Associate

• Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
• The Registration Associate is a member of the Registration team and is normally supervised by the Registration Officer. The Registration Associate is responsible for supporting all activities related to registration, and with ensuring that registration is effectively used for the identification of specific protection needs, for the management of operations, and for the achievement of durable solutions.
• Depending on the size and structure of the Office, the Registration Associate may provide day-to-day supervision, direction and support to UNHCR staff engaged in registration and related activities (including Reception, Filing and Data Management staff), and monitors the efficiency and quality of registration processes, identity and entitlement documentation activities and population data management. The Registration Associate collaborates closely with Protection, Programme, Operational Data Management and Information Management colleagues as well as with Government authorities and partners on the provision of quality population data for the delivery of registration activities.
• 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

• Assist in the implementation of registration strategies and methodologies for populations of concern.
• Assist in the supervision and daily running of registration team activities, where required.
• Conduct registration interviews when required in accordance with registration standards and guidance.
• Provide counselling to, and responds to queries from, asylum seekers and refugees regarding UNHCR's registration procedures and their rights and entitlements.
• Maintain accurate and up-to date records and data related to all registration cases.
• Identify persons with specific needs and ensure timely referral to protection follow-up as required.
• Collaborate with protection staff and/or partners in the delivery of assistance and programming, including provision of identity and entitlement documentation.
• Draft correspondence and reports relating to registration activities in the operation, when required
• Provide statistics and draft reports related to registration data, as requested.
• In consultation with the supervisor, make decisions related to the day-to-day operations of the registration unit and devise registration procedures which are efficient and effective.
• Draft and submit reports and statistics related to registration.
• 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

• For G6 - 3 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher
• Field(s) of Education
• Not applicable.
• Certificates and/or Licenses
• Social sciences;
• Statistics;
• Mathematics;
• Information technology;
• (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

• Good computer skills, particularly in data management.
• Desirable
• Training in basic principles of international protection. Experience in working with UNHCR proGres software.

Functional Skills

• IT-Computer Literacy
• IT-IT Refugee Systems & Applications
• DM-Data Collection and Analysis
• *DM-Data Management
• CL-Programme/Project Mgmt (formulation, implementation, programme cycles and reporting)
• TR-Training - Virtual and face to face
• RG-Registration SoPs Design/Implementation
• (Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)