UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY
FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST
UNRWA
UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949
and is mandated to provide assistance and protection to a population of some
5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in
Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full
potential in human development, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWA’s
services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp
infrastructure and improvement, microfinance and emergency assistance.
UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions. UNRWA is the largest
UN operation in the Middle East with more than 30,000 staff. For its international
team, UNRWA is seeking to employ a qualified:
Senior Planning Officer (re-advertised)
Vacancy Announcement Number
Grade
Deadline for Applications
Duty Station
12-HQ-AM-76
P-4
30 January 2013
Amman
Under the general direction of the Coordinator of Programme Support and in
accordance with the established Agency policy and procedures, the Senior
Planning Officer will:
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
 Lead the Agency’s planning efforts through the established cycles of
planning and by coordinating with various field offices and headquarters
departments;
 Develop and enhance tools, techniques, and the capacity for programme
assessment and planning in UNRWA, drawing upon relevant UN and public
sector methodologies and best practices;
 Provide substantive guidance on evidence based planning, linked to
strategic and operational frameworks, which integrates the principles of
results-based budgeting and results-based management;
 Ensure that best practices are applied to integrated, cross-sectoral and crosscutting issues in planning design;
 Develop and oversee timelines for the planning process, ensuring linkages
with internal and external requirements;

Assist in the development of frameworks to undertake situational analyses
and draft reports, studies, briefings, presentations and other documents, as
required.
Professional Knowledge and Experience
 Advanced university degree in public policy, public administration, public
management or other relevant subject;
 At least eight years of professional experience, including at least four years at
an international level, in the area of programme/ project planning;
 Demonstrated experience in leading a large, organisation-wide planning
function;
 Proven experience with planning and planning coordination in different
situational environments and with varied sources of funding;
 Fluency in written and spoken English.
Competencies
 Understanding and proven application of all aspects of programme/ project
cycle management and other tools and mechanisms for the realization of
different development approaches;
 Demonstrated competence in conceptualizing, designing and implementing
plans for participatory assessment processes;
 Strong analytical skills including full proficiency with programme, planning
and budget systems;
 Understanding of human rights, protection and human development issues in
relief and development situations;
 Knowledge of all aspects of programme and project planning and
implementation;
 Excellent writing skills;
 Strong interpersonal and communication skills and proven ability to work in
teams with diverse backgrounds and skills;
 Strong organizational skills; ability to meet deadlines and to manage multiple
tasks effectively and efficiently;
 Ability to be creative and strategic for effective planning, problem solving
and decision making.
Desirable Qualifications
 Fluency in written and spoken Arabic.
Equivalency
When the minimum requirements are not fully met, the Human Resources
Department may substitute part of the unmet requirements under UNRWA’s
equivalency determination guidelines with a combination of relevant academic
qualification, additional professional training and/or progressive relevant work
experience. Note: Work experience alone or formal qualifications with no relevant
work experience are not considered sufficient for an equivalency determination.
Additional Information
The incumbent may be required to travel throughout the Agency’s area of
operations (Jordan, Lebanon, Syrian Arab Republic, West Bank and Gaza Strip).
Conditions of Service
UNRWA offers an attractive compensation package including annual salary
starting at $72,467 net tax free with dependants or $67,483 single, plus post
adjustment of 44.1%. Other benefits, subject to eligibility, include education grant,
dependency allowance, home leave, pension fund, health insurance and 6 weeks
annual leave. All UNRWA duty stations (with the exception of Gaza and Syria) are
family duty stations. Initial contract is for one year, with the possibility of further
extensions subject to the availability of funds and the continuing need for the post.
How to Apply
To start the application process, applicants are required to register at
http://jobs.unrwa.org by creating a personal profile and completing UNRWA
Personal History Form. Please note that UNRWA only accepts degrees from
accredited educational institutions. Only applications received through
http://jobs.unrwa.org will be considered. Due to the large number of applications
received for UNRWA vacancies, only applicants short-listed for interview will be
contacted.
UNRWA does not charge a fee at any stage in the recruitment process.
General Information
UNRWA encourages applications from qualified and experienced women.
UNRWA welcomes applications from qualified candidates with disabilities.
UNRWA is a United Nations organization whose staff are expected to uphold the
highest standards of integrity, neutrality and impartiality. This includes respect for
human rights, for diversity, and for non-violent means of dealing with all kinds of
conflict. UNRWA staff are expected to uphold these values at all times, both at
work and outside. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these
values should consider applying for UNRWA jobs. UNRWA is a non-smoking work
environment.
Date of issue: 24 December 2012/LF