holds a Bachelor's degree in English Literature from the University of Jordan, a Master's degree in Literature and Drama from the University of Essex, and a Ph.D. in Communication and Development from Indiana University.
In her professional career, Sima Bahous served as Chief of Communications for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Amman and as a Development Advisor for the World Health Organization in Sanaa. She was also the Executive Director of the King Hussein and Queen Noor Foundations, Head of Media and Communications at the Royal Hashemite Court, and an Advisor to King Abdullah.
Since 2012, Sima Bahous has worked as Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). In 2016, she was appointed as Jordan's Ambassador to the United Nations in New York.