Assistant Programme CBI Officer

April 14, 2026

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

D

FamilyUNOPS LICA8

2026-05-01Nature of the Position:

Lebanon hosts close to one million refugees from Syria and other nationalities, many of whom live in conditions of severe vulnerability. The 2025 Vulnerability Assessment of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon (VASyR) indicates that 60 per cent of refugees are unable to meet their survival needs without assistance. Recurrent shocks, large scale displacement, and persistent funding constraints continue to require rapid, flexible, protection sensitive, and well coordinated responses. In this context, UNHCR Lebanon, in line with its corporate Cash Based Interventions (CBI) Policy, prioritizes the delivery of efficient, agile, and accountable cash assistance to address urgent needs while supporting access to longer term solutions.

The position is based in Beirut within UNHCR’s Cash Based Interventions (CBI) Unit and reports to the Senior Programme CBI Officer. The incumbent will support the oversight, coordination, and implementation of UNHCR’s cash assistance programming, including inter agency cash coordination, partner performance monitoring, planning and budgeting, reporting, donor engagement, and cash related risk and compliance management.

The incumbent will work closely with UNHCR teams, including Programme, Protection, Data Management, and Field offices, as well as with funded partners, government counterparts, NGOs, and other UN agencies, to ensure the timely, coordinated, and accountable delivery of cash assistance.

Desired Candidate Profile:

Essential Attributes:
• Experience in humanitarian programming or social protection, with involvement in programme management or coordination.
• Demonstrated experience in cash based assistance, including multipurpose cash and/or sectoral cash design, implementation, or monitoring.
• Experience in programme oversight, including partner performance monitoring, basic risk mitigation and compliance, and application of policies and SOPs.
• Proven experience in engaging with large datasets conducting data analysis, visualization, and drafting reports.
• Experience delivering emergency responses in rapidly evolving operational contexts.
• Strong communication, analytical and drafting skills, with experience contributing to operational reporting, donor updates, and data driven monitoring outputs; ability to communicate clearly with diverse stakeholders.

Desirable Attributes:
• Exposure to inter agency cash coordination mechanisms is a strong asset.
• Familiarity with targeting approaches, partner implementation modalities, payment processes, and post distribution monitoring.
• Demonstrated capacity to work effectively with multi-functional teams contributing constructively to coordination forums and joint initiatives.

Standard Job Description

Assistant Programme CBI Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Assistant Programme CBI Officer is an active member of the bureau/field operation/division and is normally supervised by a professional member who manages and oversees the UNHCR cash assistance programmes. The incumbent supports to ensure that operations are compliant with the technical guidance and administrative instructions on CBI, and adequately monitored.
S/he normally receives guidance and direction from the Senior Programme CBI Officer or Programme CBI Officer or Programme Officer or other more senior staff. S/he may maintain close links with CBI staff in UNHCR HQ.
Internally the Assistant Programme CBI Officer will also liaise with UNCHR field offices and country offices. Externally s/he will liaise with Implementing and Operational Partners, National Governments, line ministries and UN agencies.

The incumbent is expected to work in line with the multi-functional team (MFT) approach as defined within the Program Manual, ensuring the participation of relevant stakeholders in all phases of the Program Management Cycle.

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 the strategic and coherent use of CBI's in the operations, assisting to ensure that CBI is maximised in assistance and service provision, strongly linking it to CRRF, MYMP and development, including linkages with Social Protection and Financial Inclusion.
- Support the review of and assist in coordinating the final clearance with DFAM of the CBI Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the operations, with support from more senior staff.
- Support the development of cash assistance programmes and support the senior management to ensure that CBI is fully, effectively integrated into the country operations plan for protection and solutions and Annual Program Planning and COP.
- Assist in ensuring compliance to HALEP and that CBI is included in the preparedness and response planning and be a first responder to new emergencies/ and returns situations to ensure operations are using CBI as a modality, in collaboration with more senior staff.
- Support the effective and coordinated procurement and contracting of Financial Service Providers by procurement/supply and finance.
- Provide technical support on planning and assist in policy making on activities within the area of CBIs as an integral part of UNHCR programmes including assessments, planning and budgeting, technical choices, legal and regulatory aspects, implementation modalities and coordination.
- Support and collaborate with sectors to increase the use of CBI in education, shelter, livelihoods and where applicable in health and WASH programmes.
- Support the adequate inter-agency coordination mechanisms on CBIs and assist in building and maintaining strong relations with partners, regional entities and represent UNHCR in CBI coordination, with support from more senior staff.
- Support the establishment of a sound monitoring process for cash assistance, with proper collection, use and monitoring of baselines, standards and indicators needed to measure and analyse CBI's performance. Assist the supervisor in analysing trends and target interventions including CBI expenditure, upstream and downstream activities.
- Assist the supervisor in assessing the technical soundness of the operations and generate data for evidence-based decisions.
- Assist the supervisor in fulfilling CBI related reporting requirements.
- Support the use of UNHCR corporate tools and systems.

- 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 P1/NOA - 1 year relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or no experience with Graduate degree; or no experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Economics;
Social or Political Science;
Business Administration;
Social Economics;
or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified.

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Experience in cash based assistance programmes, humanitarian programming or other relevant work experience. Knowledge and technical skills in set up, design, implementation and monitoring of CBIs.

Desirable
Not specified.

Functional Skills
PG-UNHCR's Programmes
CB-Cash-based Programming/Managing/Planning
(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.

Required Languages

,

,

Desired Languages

,

,

Additional Qualifications

Skills

CB-Cash-based Programming/Managing/Planning, PG-UNHCR's Programmes

Education

Bachelor of Arts: Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts: Economics, Bachelor of Arts: Political Science, Bachelor of Arts: Social Economics, Bachelor of Arts: Social Science

Certifications

Other information

This position requires Functional Clearance

Remote

No