Senior External Relations Associate

Operational Context:

Lebanon’s operating environment for forcibly displaced people and humanitarian actors remains highly volatile. Despite cautious optimism linked to potential economic stabilization and political developments, the outlook is deeply uncertain. The resumption of hostilities on 2 March 2026, in a context increasingly intertwined with the broader conflict in the Middle East, has further exacerbated displacement dynamics, protection risks, and humanitarian needs. While the 10-day ceasefire declared on 16 April 2026 between Israel and Hezbollah has been extended, the situation remains extremely fragile, with hundreds of thousands of people still displaced, and hostilities continuing.

Lebanon continues to host the highest number of refugees per capita globally. As of 31 March 2026, there are 940,666 Syrians known to UNHCR (240,701 households), alongside 11,005 registered refugees (6,120 households) from Sudan (3,635 individuals), Iraq (3,500 individuals), Ethiopia (2,138 individuals) and other countries. Registration figures reflect inactivation linked to returns, onward movements, resettlement, and deaths. Between January 2025 and January 2026, over 581,000 Syrians were inactivated from UNHCR records following confirmed or presumed return, the vast majority who returned did so spontaneously. Since the escalation of violence in March 2026, according to Syrian authorities, more than 298,764 individuals crossed from Lebanon into Syria, including 250,961 Syrians and 47,803 Lebanese nationals. Decisions to return remain complex and often constrained by insecurity, lack of shelter, limited livelihood opportunities, and restricted access to services on both sides of the border, raising concerns regarding the safety, voluntariness, and sustainability of returns.

At the same time, Lebanon received new Syrian arrivals fleeing insecurity, targeted violence, and sectarian tensions throughout 2025. By the end of 2025, authorities estimated over 115,000 Syrians had arrived since December 2024. These movements have been fluid and pendular, often involving internal relocation within Lebanon, and only a small portion of post-2024 arrivals reported entering Lebanon regularly. Most post 2024 arrivals face acute barriers to shelter, healthcare, food, and protection services, and are at heightened risk of exploitation, fraud, arbitrary detention, and abuse due to lack of legal status. They self-restricted their movement with impacts to already limited livelihood prospects and access to services.

UNHCR in Lebanon has a workforce of approximately 350 staff across the Country Office (CO) in Beirut and various Field Offices. This includes personnel in Field Office Beirut, Tripoli, and Zahle. As per the temporary ICSC classification of March 2026, Beirut is currently designated as a ‘D’ non family duty station, alongside Zahle and Tripoli.

The overall situation in the region continues to be closely monitored. Applicants are advised to stay informed of developments in the security context, as these may affect the classification of duty stations.

Desired Candidate Profile:

The incumbent staff will join a small external relations team and will manage their own portfolio of donor countries, as well as work on drafting various external products. The role requires a highly organized, proactive self-starter capable of managing multiple priorities and deadlines independently in a fast-paced, politically sensitive environment. Responsibilities will include working on funding proposals, donor reports, and responses to information requests; organizing and coordinating donor missions to the field; supporting visibility activities; and drafting external products to highlight the work of UNHCR. Prior fundraising experience would be an asset, as would previous experience in interacting with and managing donor relationships and engaging with diverse stakeholders. The role requires strong interpersonal and diplomatic skills, sound judgment, and excellent writing and editing skills.

Essential Attributes:

- Proven drafting skills and excellent English writing skills

- Experience interacting with a range of external stakeholders

- Proven ability to work to deadline with strong time management skills

Desirable Attributes:

- Prior fundraising experience

- Prior experience in managing donor relationships

- Experience organizing field missions

Senior External Relations Associate

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Senior External Relations Associate is to be a key external point of contact for the UNHCR office with media and other external organisations. The incumbent will be responsible for creating greater public (Donors, NGOs, Government, Refugees, Civil Society, etc.) awareness and understanding of refugee issues and the work of UNHCR and for amplifying the voice of refugees and other people of concern (PoC). S/he will have a pivotal role in drafting reports, updates, briefing documents, maintenance of the UNHCR local web site and social media channels and providing support to the supervisor.

The Senior External Relations Associate supports activities, events, campaigns and outreach, working with partner organisations to support the protection of PoC. Essential to these efforts are coherent and consistent visual and verbal messaging and linking the substantive media elements (news) to milestone events (World Refugee Day, Nansen Refugee Award, #IBelong Campaign to end Statelessness, HCs Dialogues, and the launch of one off campaigns and events.) The overall aim is to mobilise further financial support, increase awareness and empathy for forcibly displaced people.

The incumbent normally reports to a Representative, Head of Office/Section or a Senior Communication or External Relations Officer, depending on the office setup.

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
- Support UNHCR's media relations and advocacy work in the geographic and thematic area.
- Monitor evolving issues concerning asylum seekers, stateless persons and refugees within the Area of Responsibility (AoR) and suggest stories and topics for media coverage.
- Provide support to Senior Management in dealing with the challenges posed by the political context, the UN and humanitarian reform, and institutional developments.
- Ensure that the office is kept informed of local developments which may have a political or operational impact on its activities.
- Provide background briefings to local and international media.
- Accompany visits of foreign delegations and the media to refugee sites, give appropriate briefings, commentaries and prepare briefing material for visitors.
- Assist in the dialogue with donors and embassies and provide accurate information by organizing regular briefings, bilateral meetings and missions.
- Assist Senior Management in disseminating information on UNHCR's global funding situation and mobilize additional funds to implement special projects aimed at enhancing the quality of protection for PoC.
- Manage budget, when requested, including tracking expenditures and incoming donations. Ensure payments through UNHCR and prepare budget documents for partners and reports on spending.
- Assist in the drafting of situation reports, briefing notes, background material, talking points, fact sheets, press releases and articles.
- Assist in planning and organizing advertisements, exhibitions, training seminars, conferences, meetings, social events, campaigns and other activities to promote a better understanding of UNHCR's activities and accomplishments by the general public and/or organized groups.
- Organize press briefings for external parties as required.
- Reach out proactively to a broad range of external actors, including social media influencers, good will ambassadors and the private sector to build new alliances within the AoR in order to promote the protection of PoC.
- Manage preparation of contracts for artists, production companies, journalist, photographers etc.

- 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

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G7 - 4 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
Political or Social Sciences, International Relations, Journalism, Communication
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential:
Not specified

Desirable:
Experience with event management. Demonstrated ability to work against tight deadlines.

Functional Skills
MS-Advocacy
CO-Journalism (incl. print, broadcast, photography, video )
CO-Multimedia storytelling
ER-External Relations in UNHCR or other humanitarian agencies
EX-Experience in an international, decentralized and/or multinational environment
MG-Project Management
FR-Marketing
MG- Partnership Development
(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.


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.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

Skills

Education

Certifications

Work Experience

This position doesn't require a functional clearance