ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING AND
REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS:
This position is located in the
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Haiti,
Port-au-Prince. The Humanitarian Affairs Officer/Deputy Head of Office reports
to the Head of Office.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Within delegated authority, the
Humanitarian Affairs Officer/Deputy Head of Office will be responsible for the
followi
ng duties:
• Acts as Deputy Head of Office
and supports the Head of Office in the day-to-day management of the Office,
including in strategic planning, preparation of the annual work plan,
performance framework and cost plan of the Office, as well as in related
monitoring and reporting.
• Manages the development of work
plans of sub-offices and monitors related performance.
• Advises the Head of Office on
overall policy direction on specific issues; more generally, the Deputy Head of
Office will review and provide advice on a diverse range of policy issues
related to safeguarding humanitarian principles and ensuring the effective
delivery of humanitarian assistance and the linkages with other related areas
protection, transition of coordination to national counterparts. Prepares
policy position papers for review.
• Monitors, analyzes and reports
on humanitarian response and developments, disaster relief/management
programmes or emergency situations in the country;
• Leads and/or participates in
large, complex projects, to include disaster assessment or other missions;
coordinates international humanitarian/emergency assistance for complex
emergency/disaster situations; ensures necessary support (e.g. staff, funding,
specialized equipment, supplies, etc.); prepares situation reports to the
international community, apprising of situation to date and specifying gaps and
unmet requirements.
• Assists in the production of
appeals for international assistance; ensures the proper use and spending of
donor contributions channeled through OCHA.
• Assists national government
counterparts in capacity-building for handling emergency situations; develops
country-specific indicators in collaboration with area experts and ensures the
subsequent monitoring of these indicators; recommends actions based on the
analysis of pertinent information.
• Initiates and coordinates
activities related to technical cooperation and technical assistance projects
in disaster response and disaster response preparedness; formulates project
proposals and relevant project documents; provides technical support to field
work; reviews and clears project reports for submission to donors.
• Analyzes and assists in
introducing new technologies and approaches for disaster warning/management.
• Organizes and prepares studies
on humanitarian, emergency relief and related issues; organizes follow-up work,
including interagency technical review meetings to support policy development
work and decision-making on important issues; and ensures the implementation of
recommendations emanating from relevant studies.
• Assists or leads, as appropriate,
in the preparation of OCHA reports, studies, background papers, policy
guidelines, correspondence, presentations, background papers, policy
guidelines, parliamentary documents, etc.;.
• Partners with other
humanitarian agencies to plan and evaluate complex humanitarian and emergency
assistance programmes; helps ensure that latest findings, lessons learned,
policy guidelines, etc. are incorporated into these activities, including
gender-related considerations.
• Establishes and maintains
contacts with government officials, other UN agencies, non-governmental
organizations, diplomatic missions, media, etc.; ensures appropriate mechanisms
to facilitate collaboration and exchange of information both in and outside the
UN system, including on early warning and contingency planning, etc.
• Serves as the primary focal
point on specific topics or policy-related issues, including in relation to
safeguarding humanitarian principles, humanitarian access, and ensuring the
effective delivery of humanitarian assistance; keeps abreast of latest
developments, liaises with other humanitarian organizations, donors, etc.,
ensures appropriate monitoring and reporting mechanisms; provides information
and advice on a range of related issues.
• Organizes and participates in work
groups, meetings, conferences, consultations with other agencies and partners
humanitarian and emergency relief-related matters.
• Provides leadership and work
direction to assigned work team, and/or mentors and supervises the work of
new/junior officers.
• Performs other duties as
required.
COMPETENCIES
PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of a
range of humanitarian assistance, emergency relief and related humanitarian
issues, including approaches and techniques to address difficult problems.
Analytical capacity and in particular the ability to analyze and articulate the
humanitarian dimension of issues which require a coordinated UN response.
Ability to identify issues and judgment in applying technical expertise to
resolve a wide range of problems. Ability to conduct research, including
ability to evaluate and integrate information from a variety of sources and
assess impact on the humanitarian rights situation in assigned country/area.
Ability to work under extreme pressure, on occasion in a highly stressful environment
(e.g. civil strife, natural disasters and human misery); ability to provide
guidance to new/junior staff. Shows pride in work and in achievements;
demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is
conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and
achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns;
shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains
calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender
perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas
of work.
COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes
clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from
others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits
interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and
format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and
keeping people informed.
PLANNING& ORGANIZING:
Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies
priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates
appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks
and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and
actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
EMPOWERING OTHERS: Delegates
responsibility, clarifies expectations, and gives staff autonomy in important
areas of their work; encourages others to set challenging goals; holds others
accountable for achieving results related to their area of responsibility;
genuinely values all staff members’ input and expertise; shows appreciation and
rewards achievement and effort; involves others when making decisions that
affect them.
JUDGEMENT/DECISION-MAKING:
Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the
problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision;
considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes
decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes
a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available
information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed
will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough
decisions when necessary.
QUALIFICATIONS
Experience:A minimum of seven (7) years of
progressively responsible professional experience in humanitarian affairs,
emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, rehabilitation,
development, or other related area is required. Five (5) years of relevant
experience at the international level is required. Humanitarian experience in
the field (actual setting where a mission or project is being implemented) in
emergency situations (complex emergency or natural disaster) is required.
Experience in the UN Common System is desirable. Experience in the region is
desirable.
Education:Advanced university degree (Master’s
degree or equivalent) in political science, social science, international
studies, public administration, economics, engineering, earth sciences or a
related field. A first-level university degree in combination with an
additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced
university degree..
Languages:English and French are the working
languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised,
fluency in English and French is required. Knowledge of another UN official
language is desirable.
The position is intended to fill
functions of short-term duration This temporary position is for an initial
period of six (6) months with a possibility of extension. All posts are subject
to availability of funds.
Please state your full name and
the temporary job opening notice number OCHA/G/11/2015 as the subject in your
e-mail application and send one email application for every temporary job
opening announcement. Documents should be saved as pdf file, with the title
formatted as follows: Doc-t type _Given Name FAMILY NAME.pdf. For example:
PHP_Joe GREY.pdf.
All applicants are requested to
submit a completed personal history profile (PHP) to Manuel Nieves nievesm@un.org
and ochacrdstaffing@un.org with a copy to ochavacancies@un.org . Please
indicate just this code OCHA/G/11/2015
in the Subject of your e-mail.
Note that applications to United
Nations Secretariat positions can be generated in the new Inspira recruitment
system. We encourage you to create an electronic personal history profile and
to apply to these and other positions for which you are interested and
qualified at http://inspira.un.org
Note that applicants’ eligibility
cannot be fully assessed if the personal history profile is not properly
completed. Applications received after the deadline will not be accepted.
Potential candidates under serious consideration will be contacted by hiring
manager directly. All applications will be treated with the strictest
confidence.
The United Nations shall place no
restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity
and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs.
(Charter of the United Nations – Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations
Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
Staff members are subject to the
authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her; in this
context, all staff members are expected to move periodically to new functions
in their careers In accordance with established rules and procedures.
“The United Nations does not
charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview,
meeting, processing, training or any other fees). Also, the United Nations does
not concern itself with information on bank accounts.”
