Global Compact on Refugees Advisor Full Time NEW

• GCR Advisor “Global Compact on Refugees Advisor”
• GIZ- Internal/External Vacancy Announcement ‘# vacancy number 053/2025’
  “Refugee Inclusion Accelerator” (RISE) global project”
• Duration of contract: Until March 31, 2027
• Application deadline: June 5, 2025
• Required Candidates: 1
• Place of Work: Addis Ababa
• Please note that the GCR Advisor “Global Compact on Refugees Advisor” title will be changed to Advisor during the recruitment process.

Brief and attractive description of the project/ unit

In 2018, the United Nations General Assembly affirmed the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) as a framework for more equitable responsibility-sharing between governments, international organisations, and other stakeholders in the face of rising global numbers of refugees. It aims, among others, to increase development assistance for the benefit of refugees and host communities, improve national coordination arrangements, and enhance refugee self-reliance by granting refugees free movement, access to education, and legal access to work in the host country.
At the 2023 Global Refugee Forum, 168 countries renewed their commitment to the GCR and made new pledges to its implementation. Ethiopia pledged in a variety of sectors ranging from climate change adaptation to education, livelihood and social services with a strong focus on the inclusion of refugees into national systems throughout. The Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS) is mandated to coordinate the implementation of Ethiopia’s pledges. Jointly with UNHCR and supported by GIZ, the socio-economic inclusion initiative Makatet was developed as the framework for the implementation of the pledges and the inclusion of refugees in Ethiopia.

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has commissioned the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) to implement the project “Refugee Inclusion Accelerator” (RISE) global project. RISE aims to identify and share innovative solutions to support the inclusion of refugees into national systems enabling their social and economic participation. The project does so by empowering relevant partner structures in host countries to develop innovative approaches and feed successful solutions into global agenda setting processes and discourse on the application of the Humanitarian Development Peace (HDP)-Nexus in forced displacement settings.

As part of Germany’s commitment to GCR implementation in Ethiopia, GIZ through the RISE programme is seconding a national GCR advisor embedded in RRS/the Makatet Secretariat – the inter-agency coordination body for the Maketat Roadmap led by RRS. The national GCR Advisor will work in tandem with the GIZ international GCR Advisor leveraging strengths and position of each advisor to provide strategic advice on refugee inclusion. The GCR advisor shall work under the supervision of RRS, as the lead of the Makatet Secretariat, but report on disciplinary matters to GIZ. He/She will coordinate directly with all actors engaged in the implementation of the GCR (the Roadmap and the Pledges), including UN agencies and Government stakeholders at regional and federal level, as well as refugee and host communities in the targeted areas.

Responsibilities and Duties

• As part of the established Makatet Secretariat, and in tandem with the international GCR Advisor, support the implementation of the Road Map and the Operations Plan of the GRF pledges
• Within the secretariat, support the policy analyses and strategic planning, as well as the collaboration with ministries and bureaus for the inclusion of refugees into national and development plans and the formalizing of the cooperation
• As part of the Secretariat and in collaboration with RRS and UNHCR, support the preparation the annual/biannual Steering Committee and Advisory Group meetings
• In collaboration with the international GCR Advisor, provide strategic advice on GCR implementation in the country, with a focus on developing inclusive policies for refugees and host communities across the HDP nexus in selected regions, based on original analysis and assessments
• Support the advance of the regulatory framework for Refugee Lead Organizations (RLOs) in Ethiopia, support their capacity development and access to funding and implementation opportunities; facilitate refugee (focus on female) community participation in the steering and coordination structures ensuring their representation in decision making processes.
• In tandem with the international GCR Advisor, support the work of the Makatet steering and coordination structures within government at federal, regional and local level (potentially focus on one specific region), including meaningful refugee representation and engagement, the private sector and civil society, as well as with the country’s international partners within the HDP nexus (such as the EU and its ambitious Nexus agenda)
• Promote sustainable approaches from the onset of emergency situation in line with the GCR
• Assist the secretariat in resource Mobilisation for Makatet and work towards a sustainable set-up of the secretariat structure in liaison with the international GCR Advisor.
• Support co-creation processes with relevant stakeholders in order to tackle policy and/ or implementation gaps on federal, regional and local levels (Innovation Lab);
• Contribute to the knowledge management of the project by highlighting good practices and lessons learned to inform global GCR related processes and discourses on sustainable solutions; actively participate in learning formats and participating in the RISE GCR Advisor network.
• Contribute to the reporting of the RISE project.
• Liaising with the international Advisor on further GIZ portfolio related synergies and opportunities for cooperation, including the situation of IDPs

• Qualifications: Master’s degree in law, Social Science, Political Sciences, Public Policy and Management, or related relevant fields

Professional experience

• Minimum 5 years professional work experience, with extensive experience in refugee/displacement related interventions in Ethiopia
• In-depth knowledge of key concepts, challenges and opportunities related to the transition towards sustainable solutions and government inclusion in the context of the HDP-Nexus
• Sound understanding of the political context and the challenges and opportunities related to the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees in Ethiopia and the Makatet Roadmap
• In depth knowledge of the refugee legislation and legal environment related to refugees in Ethiopia and globally
• Experience in working for GIZ and/or UNHCR is an advantage
• Excellent communication and networking skills and proven experience in building strong networks of cooperation in complex policy fields
• Ability to facilitate solutions and mutual understandings in a complex setting of various actors and interests
• Ability to work independently and find solutions for complex problems; strong problem-solving skills
• Outstanding writing skills, including on drafting legal documents in English and Amharic
• Experience to work in challenging environments and willingness to travel within Ethiopia, including in remote areas

Other knowledge, additional competencies

• Excellent (C1/C2 Level) skills in English (writing, speaking, listening)
• Excellent skills in Amharic (writing, speaking, listening)
•  Knowledge of German is an additional asset
•  Excellent skills in using Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook); experience in using MS Teams is an advantage
• Outstanding writing skills, including for legal and policy documents
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work in an intercultural team and very good skills to communicate with actors on different levels and different organisations
•  Flexibility and preparedness to perform a changing array of duties according to the needs of the programme
• Preparedness to work with a high amount of time and output pressure