Before you Apply
Staffing principles
UNRWA invites applications from candidates who fully meet the requirements of the post stated in the vacancy announcement. Employment opportunities at UNRWA are available for international and area posts.
A. International posts
Professional and Higher Categories
Staff members in the Professional and higher categories are recruited internationally and are paid on the basis of salary scales applied worldwide, and established by the General Assembly of the United Nations on the recommendation of ICSC. A common job classification system developed by ICSC provides the structure for this salary scale.
Click for more details on post classification and salary conditions for international civil servants.
General Service
UNRWA offers a limited number of international posts in the general service category.
Click for more details on general service staff post classification and salary conditions.
All international staff are subject to international staff regulations and rules (PDFs).
B. Area posts
Area staff (local) posts can range from labourers to field programme department heads. Priority consideration for area staff posts is given to applications from registered Palestine refugees.
All area staff are subject to the area staff regulations (Arabic version) and area staff rules (Arabic version) [PDFs].
For each field of operation UNRWA has different salary scales for area staff as indicated in the table below. Click on each link below to view the salary scales:
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Jordan |
Lebanon |
Syria |
West Bank/ Gaza |
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In addition to base salaries, UNRWA pays a different set of allowances that may be related to each field and/or to context, occupation, post and other variables. Allowances may range from e.g. US$ 10 per month to 90% of base salaries.
Recruitment procedures
Job Openings are advertised through INSPIRA. Job Openings are also circulated in the UN system of organisations and among UNRWA's major donors and placed on the different social media, such as facebook, LinkedIn and others.
Occasionally, job openings for higher level international posts are advertised in international press. Job openings for area/local posts are also advertised in the local press for the respective duty station location.
After the closing date for applications, a shortlist of qualified candidates is established.
International posts
Shortlisted candidates for international posts normally proceed to a written test, Candidates under close consideration proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process which is a personal interview, normally through video-call.
Area posts
Shortlisted candidates for area posts are normally required to sit for a test. The next stage of candidates under close consideration are invited for a personal interview.
Process
The recruitment process includes the following steps:
- Publication of job opening
- Screening and shortlisting of applicants
- Written test
- Interviews, panel recommendation
- Review and confirmation of the selection
- Appointment
The selection process normally takes around 120 days for international posts and 90 days for area/local posts.
Employment policy
Initial appointments for international fixed-term posts are normally for one year which is also a probation period. Depending on the performance of the incumbent and the continuing need for the post, the contract may be extended.
Initial appointments for area staff are normally for three years, with the first year being the probation period. Depending on the performance of the incumbent and the continuing need for the post, the contract may be extended.
UNRWA is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications equally from men and women.
It is Agency policy to give full consideration to candidates with disabilities whose disability does not militate against the effective performance of the duties of the post.
UNRWA is a member of the UN Dual Career and Staff Mobility and the UN Cares programmes.
Retirement
The retirement age for international staff entering or re-entering service in the UN Common System after 1 January 1990 is 62 and 65 after 1 January 2014.
The retirement age for area staff is 60 years of age.