Job Description

This position is in the humanitarian coordination section of OCHA’s Office of the Pacific Islands (OoP) in Suva. The Humanitarian Affairs Officer (NOB) reports to the Head of Coordination till the recruitment of a Humanitarian Officer (NOC).

The main task of the incumbent will be to assist – as a member of the coordination unit – in the execution of OCHA’s mandate in the Pacific region which entails the following priorities: a) supporting government-led humanitarian response efforts; b) supporting operational readiness (preparedness) of Pacific Island countries and territories covered by OoP to rapidly respond to emergencies; and c) assist in capitalizing on the complementarity response capabilities of key partners.

Expected Outcomes:

Support the coordination of the Pacific Humanitarian Team.

•  Contribute to an efficient humanitarian response in times of crises.
•  Draft and contribute to reporting needs of the office.

Ensure efficient liaison and cooperation between all humanitarian actors (National / International; UN / NGOs / RC Movement) and other interlocutors.

The Humanitarian Affairs Officer (NOB) is to contribute to the coordination of humanitarian affairs throughout the Area of Responsibility of OCHA’s Office of the Pacific Islands. This support can take various aspects from coordination to information, data collection, production of reports, liaison with interlocutors, drafting mission reports and meeting summaries and deploying to areas affected by disaster in order to support a government-led humanitarian response.

Duties and Responsibilities

The National Humanitarian Affairs Officer – NOB will be responsible for the following duties:

Ensure effective support to coordination of emergency preparedness and relief/recovery responses through adequate liaison with partners in the field. The incumbent will be assigned as OCHA focal point to several Pacific Humanitarian Team (PHT) regional clusters to ensure appropriate follow-up on their activities and readiness to respond, flagging important issues to OCHA leadership.

•  Support the coordination of the Pacific Humanitarian Team in which OCHA functions as the Secretariat. This support will entail assistance in the preparation of agendas and talking points for the PHT Principals and PHT Inter-cluster coordination meetings, dissemination of relevant documents, and taking the minutes. efT4bwB BhPZf8
•  Participate in PHT cluster-coordination meetings, regional cluster meetings of assigned clusters, emergency preparedness and response coordination activities, including elaboration/updating contingency plans, assessment tools and administration and simulation exercises.
•  In case of emergencies (natural or man-made disasters), the staff member is expected to be deployed to the affected country/countries on short notice with OCHA staff or national entities, such as National Disaster Management Offices (NDMOs), and humanitarian partners on the ground in the implementation of a timely, needs-based, and principled humanitarian response. This can include assessments to establish humanitarian needs, implementation of relief activities and various reporting. In times of non-emergency, the staff will carry out regular missions to priority countries in order to ensure an acceptable preparedness level is maintained or to work on specific problems (to be defined) in the absence of a permanent OCHA presence in-country.
•  Follow and monitor the humanitarian situation in the priority countries assigned (countries covered by the UN MCO Fiji); gather and consolidate humanitarian information from different stakeholders (including governments) and analyze it to identify trends, challenges, and solutions. Prepare internal/external reports of the situation and support drafting of updates for senior management.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: N/A.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work

•  Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
•  Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
•  Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
•  Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
•  Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
•  Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making

People Management Competencies:

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found on the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies:

Business Direction & Strategy – System Thinking

Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.

Business Direction & Strategy – Strategic Thinking

Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions.

Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP.

Business Management – Results-based Management

Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results.

Business Management – Monitoring

Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results.

External Relations & Advocacy (General Across the Functions) – Public Relations

Ability to build and maintain an overall positive public image for the organization, its mandate and its brand, while ensuring that individual campaigns and other communications and advocacy initiatives are supported in reaching the public

External Relations & Advocacy (General Across the Functions) – Relationship Management

Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding.

2030 Agenda: Engagement & Effectiveness – Crisis management/ country Management Support

Humanitarian inter-agency coordination.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in humanitarian affairs, international development, international relations, political science, sociology, law, or related field. OR

A combination of relevant academic background (at least a first-level university degree at bachelor’s level or equivalent) and relevant professional experience in a related area may be accepted in lieu of a master’s degree.

Experience:

A Master’s degree a minimum of two years of progressively responsible relevant professional experience; OR

•  Bachelor’s degree a minimum of four years of progressively responsible relevant professional experience.
•  Experience UN Common System, International NGOs, bilateral/multilateral organization would be an asset.
•  Relevant international field experience in natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies would be an asset.
•  Strong analytical skills.
•  Excellent writing and communication skills.
•  Experience with coordination of emergency preparedness and relief/recovery responses or experience as liaison with partners in the field.
•  Ability to set priorities and work toward deadlines.
•  Accuracy in data collection and information gathering.
•  Identify & understand the humanitarian mandate of the organization with the humanitarian mandate of the organization.
•  Empathy toward people in need.
•  Willingness to work in a team – sometimes for long hours and under challenging circumstances

Language:

Fluency in written and spoken English is required.

Knowledge of Itaukei (Fijian) language spoken in the Pacific is an advantage.

Disclaimer

Applicant information about rosters

UNOCHA reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNOCHA at the same grade level and with similar job descriptions, experience, and educational requirements.

Non-discrimination

UNOCHA has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

UNOCHA is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

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