United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Job Vacancy for Humanitarian Affairs Officers
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) is the 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 effort.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Humanitarian Affairs Officer (TJO), P3
Job Opening number: 15-HRA-OCHA-48232-J-MULTIPLE D/S
Locations: Damaturu and Gombe
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Humanitarian Affairs Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
- Monitors, analyzes and reports on humanitarian developments,
disaster relief/management or emergency situations in assigned area.
- 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.
- Drafts and prepares regular situation papers/reports
highlighting relevant operational factors affecting the humanitarian
situation and response efforts.
- Support advocacy initiatives on issues impacting humanitarian
needs and response efforts through the collection of information,
liaison with humanitarian partners, government officials, the media,
etc.
- Manages the production of appeals for international assistance;
ensures the proper use and spending of donor contributions channeled
through OCHA.
- Undertakes and provides support to technical assistance and
other field missions, e.g. participates in field trips to undertake
in-depth reviews of specific country work mechanisms.
- Organizes and participates in working groups, meetings,
conferences, consultations with other agencies and partners on
humanitarian and emergency relief-related matters.
- Prepares or contributes to the preparation of various written
reports, documents and communications, e.g. humanitarian bulletins,
situation reports, key messages, briefing notes/kits, press releases,
background papers, policy guidelines, parliamentary documents,
briefings, case studies, presentations, correspondence, etc.
- Assists in the preparation, implementation and monitoring of the
Office’s humanitarian work plan, usually expressed in the Humanitarian
Response Plan (HPR) process.
- Ensures appropriate monitoring and reporting mechanisms; provides information and advice on a range of related issues.
- Reviews and provides advice on policy issues related to
safeguarding humanitarian principles and ensuring the effective delivery
of humanitarian assistance.
- Partners with other humanitarian agencies to plan and evaluate
humanitarian and emergency assistance programmes and help 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
Teamwork:
- Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational
goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise;
is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal
agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even
when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit
for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team
shortcomings.
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.
Work Experience:
- A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience
in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief
management, rehabilitation, development, or other related area.
Languages:
- English and French 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 Method:
- Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online
Note: This is a temporary job opening for two
positions, open to internal as well as external candidates. The
positions are available until 31 December 2015, with possibility of
extension, and the selected candidates are expected to start as soon as
possible
Application Deadline 24th September, 2015.