Good opportunity to work in helping refugees - Anonymous employee UNHCR Employee Review

3.0
10 Aug 2011
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The mandate of the organization is clear and aims to protect refugees and promote their rights in the countries where they are hosted. It is satisfying to know that a difference can be made.

Cons

Very bureaucratic, top-down structure, where decisions from headquarters are sometimes not appropriate for field-based situations. This can get frustrating for people on the ground. Requires to spend time in dangerous areas before moving to more comfortable places.

Explore other reviews about UNHCR

5.0
17 Mar 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

multicultural work experience open to telework from home some days better benefits for international positions and more opportunities for career growth

Cons

not easy to always have work balance, depending on the position not many opportunities for career growth for local positions

3.0
7 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good benefits, you really do help people

Cons

Human Resources takes a highly specialized approach to talent management. In that you cannot really change functions easily in UNHCR. You have to hyper-specialize in one area. So if you are a protection staff, you tend to burn out from trauma without an internal mechanism to alleviate the burnout. The higher you go in UNHCR, the crazier you become.

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