Application Guide

How to Apply for Health Information System Officer (home-based)

at UN High Commissioner for Refugees

🏢 About UN High Commissioner for Refugees

UNHCR is the UN agency dedicated to protecting refugees, forcibly displaced people, and stateless individuals worldwide, operating in over 130 countries. What makes UNHCR unique is its humanitarian mandate focused on saving lives and protecting rights during crises, offering meaningful work that directly impacts vulnerable populations. Working here means contributing to global humanitarian efforts with a respected international organization that values diversity and field experience.

About This Role

This Health Information System Officer role involves maintaining and enhancing UNHCR's health information systems to ensure accurate data collection for refugee health monitoring across country, regional, and global levels. You'll coordinate with field colleagues and partners to improve data quality and provide technical support for public health decision-making. The position is impactful because it directly enables evidence-based health interventions for displaced populations in challenging environments.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve reviewing data quality reports from multiple country operations, coordinating with field colleagues in different time zones to address system issues, and developing guidance documents for health data collection. You'd likely participate in virtual meetings with regional bureaus to discuss data challenges, analyze health indicators for decision-making, and collaborate with technical partners on system enhancements while ensuring all work aligns with UNHCR's protection mandate.

🚀 Application Tools

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who UN High Commissioner for Refugees Is Looking For

  • A public health professional with 4-6 years of experience (depending on degree level) in health information systems, epidemiology, or medical statistics
  • Someone with both clinical background AND field experience working in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in humanitarian or refugee contexts
  • A technical expert who can bridge data management with public health decision-making, capable of supporting diverse country operations remotely
  • A collaborative professional experienced in coordinating with multiple stakeholders including field staff, subject matter experts, and external partners

📝 Tips for Applying to UN High Commissioner for Refugees

1

Explicitly quantify your experience with health information systems in humanitarian settings - mention specific systems you've worked with and populations served

2

Highlight any experience with UNHCR's specific health programs or similar refugee health initiatives, even if as a partner organization

3

Demonstrate your understanding of data challenges in low-resource settings by describing specific solutions you've implemented for data quality

4

Include examples of remote technical support you've provided to field operations, emphasizing cross-cultural communication skills

5

Tailor your CV to show progression in both technical health data skills AND field experience in relevant countries

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your direct experience with health information systems in humanitarian or refugee contexts, specifying tools and platforms used', 'Examples of improving data quality and integrity in challenging field conditions, particularly in low- and middle-income countries', 'Your ability to provide remote technical support across different cultural and operational contexts', "Understanding of UNHCR's specific mandate and how health data supports refugee protection and assistance"]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → UNHCR's Public Health Strategy 2021-2025 and how health data supports its objectives
  • → UNHCR's Health Information System (HIS) and any public documentation about its current tools and platforms
  • → Recent UNHCR operational reports for countries with major refugee health challenges
  • → UNHCR's partnerships with WHO and other health agencies in humanitarian response
Visit UN High Commissioner for Refugees's Website →

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Describe your experience maintaining health information systems in resource-limited humanitarian settings
2 How would you ensure data quality when working remotely with field staff in multiple countries?
3 What approaches have you used to build capacity of non-technical staff in data management?
4 How have you used health data to influence public health decisions in refugee or displaced populations?
5 Describe a time you coordinated with multiple partners (UN agencies, NGOs, governments) on health data systems
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Applying with only theoretical or high-income country experience without demonstrating work in low-resource humanitarian settings
  • Focusing solely on technical data skills without showing understanding of public health applications in refugee contexts
  • Failing to demonstrate remote collaboration experience or assuming this home-based role means working independently without field coordination

📅 Application Timeline

⏰ Deadline: March 6, 2026

We recommend applying at least a few days early to avoid last-minute technical issues.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to UN High Commissioner for Refugees!

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