Leadership Development at UNHCR

Dear subscribers,

I am *re-uping* this interview with Joel Nielsen, Chief of Leadership Development, at the United Nations agency for Refugees, UNHCR, in Geneva, because it has loads of good insights on the work of the organization. Enjoy!

By Maya Plentz

Geneva, 08 June 2020 -- Created in 1950, in the aftermath of World War II, the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UN Refugee Agency — UNHCR) helped millions of Europeans who had lost their homes and livelihoods. The agency was supposed to close after three years, but in 2020 it still continues to take care of refugees that are displaced by extreme weather events, war, or civil conflict.

UNHCR today has a staff of more than 16,803, working in 134 countries, and as of 4 June 2020, budgetary requirements of USD 9.15 billion. In its 70 years of existence, it has helped over 50 million refugees to either integrate in host countries or return to their places of origin.

But what does it take to develop the professionals that deliver UNHCR aid on the field and run things smoothly at its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland?

I interviewed Joel Nielsen, Chief of Leadership Development at UNHCR, where he conducts training for P level staff and above, “Our leadership training is mostly for the P4 — D2, at the moment, but also for other levels, including national staff. We are intentionally opening up and expanding our offer for lower grades and national staff.” The program aims to further develop UNHCR staff’s innovation mindset, among other competencies.