Posting Title: Humanitarian Affairs Officer (2 posts), P4

Job Code Title: HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS OFFICER

Department/ Office: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Duty Station: GENEVA

Posting Period: 14 November 2014-13 January 2015

Job Opening number: 14-HRA-OCHA-38576-R-GENEVA (X)

United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

Special Notice

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. Extension of the appointment is subject to Extension of the mandate and/or the availability of the funds.

Organizational Setting and Reporting

This Job Opening is intended to fill two positions that are located in the Emergency Services Branch (ESB) of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Geneva. The Humanitarian Affairs Officers will report directly to the Chief of the Field Coordination Support Section (FCSS), OCHA Emergency Services Branch.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Humanitarian Affairs Officers will be responsible for the following duties:

• Ensures the operational capacity of OCHA to respond timely and effectively in sudden unset emergencies requiring immediate support of OCHA to affected Governments and UN in country UN offices.
• Serves as a senior policy officer; advise on overall policy direction on specific issues; and, more generally, reviews and provides 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 (e.g. human rights).
• Prepares policy position papers for review.
• Monitors, analyzes and reports on humanitarian developments, disaster relief/management programmes or emergency situations in assigned country/area; develops and maintains a 'watch list' of countries with potential for humanitarian crisis.
• 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 unmet requirements of stricken countries.
• Assists in the production of appeals for international assistance; ensures the proper use and spending of donor contributions channeled through OCHA.
• Assists member states in capacity-building for handling emergency situations; develops country-specific indicators for countries of concern 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 governments.
• Analyzes and assists in introducing new technologies for disaster warning/management.
• Organizes and prepares studies on humanitarian, emergency relief and related issues; organizes follows-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 training programs, reports, studies, background papers, policy guidelines, correspondence, presentations, parliamentary documents, etc.; with respect to the latter, takes the lead in providing support and information to relevant councils or other entities on specific issues.
• 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; 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 training programs, work groups, meetings, conferences, consultations with other agencies and partners humanitarian and emergency relief-related matters.
• May participate in planning and preparation of unit budget and work program.
• 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 wide range of humanitarian assistance, emergency relief and related human rights issues.
• Knowledge or expertise of OCHA's international emergency response tools.
• Conceptual and strategic analytical capacity, to include ability to analyze and articulate the humanitarian dimension of complex issues that require a coordinated UN response. Demonstrated problem-solving skills and judgment in applying technical expertise to resolve a wide range of complex issues/problems.
• Knowledge of region or country of assignment, including the political, economic and social dimensions.
• Ability to negotiate and to influence others to reach agreement.
• Ability to work under extreme pressure, on occasion in a highly stressful environment (e.g. civil strife, natural disasters and human misery).
• Knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines pertaining to humanitarian affairs and knowledge of the institutions of the UN system.
• Demonstrated ability to complete in-depth studies and to formulate conclusions/recommendations.
• Ability to relate humanitarian affairs issues and perspectives, including gender issues, to political, economic, social and human rights programmes in affected country/region.
• 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.

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.

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.

JUDGMENT & 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 that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision.
• Makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in political science, social science, public administration, international studies, law, economics, engineering, earth sciences or a related field.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

• A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible professional experience, in the areas of humanitarian affairs, emergency response preparedness, or crisis/emergency relief management preferably within in the United Nationsis required.
• Field experience in a natural disaster or complex emergency and experience in organising training programs is required.
• Practical knowledge or expertise of OCHA's international emergency response tools and services within both headquarters and field level is desirable.

Languages

• Fluency in English (both oral and written) is required; knowledge of French is desirable.

Assessment Method

• Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which will be followed by competency-based interview.

United Nations Considerations

Job openings posted on the Careers Portal are taken off at midnight (New York time) on the deadline date.

Applications are automatically pre-screened according to the published evaluation criteria of the job opening on the basis of the information provided by applicants. Applications cannot be amended following submission and incomplete applications shall not be considered. The selected candidate will be subject to a reference checking process to verify the information provided in the application.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the At-a-Glance on 'The Application Process' and the Instructional Manual for the Applicants, which can be accessed by clicking on 'Manuals' on the upper right side of the browser on Inspira.

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.

Candidates will be required to meet the requirements of Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter as well as the requirements of the position. The United Nations is committed to the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity for all its human resources, including but not limited to respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to whether they have committed, or are alleged to have committed criminal offences and/or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.