Rana El-Houjeiri

Senior Advisor and Head of Policy and Programme Coherence
UNDP Ukraine

Rana El-Houjeiri is an international development leader with over two decades of experience of work across 24 countries. She currently serves as Senior Advisor and Head of Policy and Programme Coherence at UNDP in Ukraine, where she leads efforts to align policy with programming, restructure teams for recovery efforts, and integrate systemic reform into development operations.

Her 22 years of experience with the United Nations and other international development organizations have focused on driving governance, equality, socio-economic transformation, institutional reform, and poverty reduction. El-Houjeiri's expertise covers multi-sectoral programming, strategic financing, social protection, and institution-building, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected regions. Her work consistently bridges humanitarian and development efforts, prioritizing the delivery of inclusive, people-centred solutions. She has led over 98 programmes in areas like governance and institution building, education,  human security, and economic recovery, including MSME support and local governance.

Before joining UNDP in Ukraine, El-Houjeiri held strategic roles across diverse contexts and regions with the Malala Fund, where she served as their Country Representative, and UN Women, where she oversaw regional fund portfolios for the Arab States and Europe & Central Asia. Earlier in her career, at UN ESCWA, she contributed to regional policy reform and supported international cooperation initiatives on public sector recovery and socio-economic development.

El-Houjeiri is recognized for strong political acumen and a proven ability to forge strategic partnerships with governments, civil society, international donors, and the private sector. She holds a master’s degree in International Affairs from the Lebanese American University in Beirut, and a postgraduate qualification in Strategy and Innovation from the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School. Known as a woman achiever and a role model for leadership in challenging environments, she has fostered meaningful and lasting change, embodying values-driven leadership, and demonstrating an unwavering commitment to justice. She navigates complex situations with clarity, purpose, and vision.