Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located in the Operations and Advocacy Division, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which is part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response efforts. OCHA’s mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions. This position-specific job opening is being advertised for the position of Humanitarian Affairs Officer/Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning (MEAL), in Nairobi, Kenya with the Humanitarian Financing and Partnership Section of OCHA Sudan. The position will be relocated to Sudan when the situation allows. Under the overall supervision of the Head of Office, OCHA Sudan, the incumbent reports to the Head of the Humanitarian Financing and Partnership section, OCHA Sudan.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Humanitarian Affairs Officer/Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning (MEAL) will be responsible for the following duties: I. Fund Management and Coordination: • Advise the Head of the Financing and Partnership Section on the targeting, implementation and impact of the Country-based Pooled Fund (CBPF) operations vis-à-vis the humanitarian context (i.e. priorities and needs); • Liaise with NGOs, UN partners as well as clusters and OCHA field offices to follow-up on project progress and overall Fund progress; • Provide analysis of the Fund’s programmes and liaise as necessary with counterparts (cluster or sector leads, humanitarian organizations and OCHA). • Support and implement standardized policy in line with HQ guidance and decisions. • Liaise with and provide necessary support to recipient organizations of the Fund throughout the life-cycle of the projects, promoting coherence between humanitarian needs and response; • Advise the Head of Unit, recipient organizations and stakeholders on measures to mitigate and manage foreseeable operational risks; • In case of absence of the senior Humanitarian Affairs Officers/Head of the Financing and Partnership Section, represent the Fund management unit before stakeholders (NGO, UN Agencies, donors) and external actors as required; II. Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation: • Manage fund monitoring and evaluation processes, including third-party monitoring contracts, ensuring necessary coordination with relevant counterparts in line with the Terms of Reference and/or allocation guidelines (i.e. review and/or Advisory Boards, cluster or sector leads, humanitarian organizations, and OCHA); • Conduct periodic field visits to promote knowledge and support the appropriate use of the Fund in line with its Terms of Reference. Field visits should focus on key actors (i.e. OCHA field colleagues, recipient organizations, local governments, communities); • Ensure compliance with monitoring and reporting requirements in place for the Fund; • Organize donor visits, on site and remote, to the fund’s projects; • Support the timely project reporting cycle, including the annual report of the Fund; • Systematically provide information on project status to the Head of Unit; • Support the preparation of evaluations, reviews and studies as requested by the HC and governing bodies, ensuring due consultation with relevant HQ sections; III. Analysis, communications, and public information: • Research, analyze and present humanitarian financing information, in particular the fund’s achievements vis-à-vis its objectives, gathered from diverse sources; • Assist in policy development, including the review and analysis of humanitarian issues and funding trends at the country level; • In collaboration with other OCHA units and field offices, as well as with support from relevant OCHA HQ sections, document and disseminate results, best practices and results of the Fund across internal and broader audiences through information and communication products/pieces (i.e. bulletins, feature stories, photographs/videos, websites, etc.); • Liaise with OCHA field offices and recipient organizations in order to disseminate full information on Fund activities; • Perform other duties as assigned by the senior Humanitarian Affairs Officers/Pooled Fund Manager
Competencies
PROFESSIONALISM: Sound knowledge of and exposure to a range of humanitarian assistance, emergency relief and related humanitarian issues. Understanding of Pooled Funds. Knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines pertaining to humanitarian assistance. Strong analytical capacity, in particular the ability to analyze and articulate the humanitarian and protection dimension of issues which require a coordinated UN response. Good knowledge of the UN common system and humanitarian NGOs. Ability to identify issues and to use sound judgment in applying technical expertise to resolve a wide range of problems. Strong research skills, including ability to evaluate and integrate information from a variety of sources and assess impact on the humanitarian rights and protection 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. Excellent drafting skills and strong computer literacy (MS Word and Excel). 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. CREATIVITY: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.
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 is required. A first-level university degree in combination with an additional two (2) years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Job – Specific Qualification
Not available.
Work Experience
A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, project management, budget management, or related area is required. Experience in project administration/management, monitoring and evaluation is required. Humanitarian experience in the field (actual setting where a mission and/or project is being implemented) in emergency situations (complex emergency or natural disaster) is desirable. Experience in a humanitarian context within the UN Common System or other comparable international organization is desirable. Experience of working in humanitarian financing, (e.g. grant management, fundraising, or donor relations for humanitarian programmes), is desirable. Experience working in the Eastern and Southern Africa region is desirable.
Languages
French and English are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.
Assessment
The evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.
Special Notice
This position is funded for a finite period of one year. Extension of the appointment is subject to extension of the mandate and the availability of the funds. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-general and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential.
United Nations Considerations
According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places 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. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
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