HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS OFFICER
New York, NY
Application Deadline: 03/07/2015
UNITED NATIONS
http://www.un.org
Date Posted: 01/15/2015
Job Type: LAW RELATED POSITIONS
Schedule Type: Full Time
Practice Areas: Government/Regulatory Affairs, Human Rights
Job Description
This position is located in the United Nations Operations and Crisis Center (UNOCC) in New York, as seconded by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. This role involves shift work. The UNOCC operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Humanitarian Affairs Officer will participate in a 24/7 shift system, whereas he/she will be expected to work 12 hour shifts (on a rotational basis) with compensatory time off. The Humanitarian Affairs Officer reports to the Head of the Research and Liaison Unit of the UNOCC. The functional responsibility for this profile rests with OCHA.
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 on a global basis, in support of developments pertinent to UNOCC senior clientele and with a specific focus on Special Political Missions (SPMs) and non-mission settings; identifies, collects and collates priority information requirements as reflected in a myriad of UN correspondence, including formal Code Cables, e-mail traffic and verbal communications with the field as well as via UNOCC stakeholder offices’ Reporting Focal Points (RFPs).
• 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.
• Participates in large, complex projects, to include disaster assessment or other missions; assists in the coordination of international humanitarian/emergency assistance for complex emergency/disaster situations and in ensuring the necessary support (e.g. staff, funding, specialized equipment, supplies, etc.); drafts situation reports to the UN senior management and international community, apprising of situation to date and specifying unmet requirements of stricken countries.
• Partners with other departments, offices, humanitarian and development 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.
• 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 coordination mechanisms.
• Prepares or contributes to the preparation of various written reports, documents and communications, e.g. political and operational updates substantiated by current information obtained from RFP inputs, SPM reports and/or online resources, as well as by regular communication with field Missions and other UN entities, including RC/HCs; written and/or verbal updates, UNOCC Alerts and UNOCC Alert Updates , UNOCC Crisis Reports, drafts sections of studies, background papers, policy guidelines, briefings, case studies, presentations, correspondence, 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.
• Reviews and provides advice on policy issues related to safeguarding humanitarian principles and ensuring the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance.
• Organizes and participates in work groups, meetings, conferences, consultations with other agencies and partners on humanitarian and emergency relief-related matters. Provides 24/7 executive communications services – including during weekends and silent hours – between UN senior management and the field, in accordance with the UNOCC “Directive on Executive
Communication
• Provides guidance to, and may supervise, new/junior staff.
• Performs other duties as required.
Qualifications
Competencies
• Professionalism: Knowledge of a range of humanitarian assistance, emergency relief and related peacekeeping, political, development and human rights 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 conduct independent research, synthesize information, exercise sound judgment and draft succinctly while working effectively in a stressful environment. 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 situation on a global basis. Knowledge of the institutions of the UN system and of NGOs. Strong computer literacy (Word, Excel, Power Point, databases, the Internet and electronic media applications). 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.
• 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, public administration, international studies, economics, engineering, earth sciences or a related field. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional 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. At least three years of experience at the international level is required. Experience reporting on crisis is required. Field experience working in crisis countries during complex emergencies or natural disaster situations is desirable. Experience in the UN Common System is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required; Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.
Assessment Method
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a 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.
Application Instructions:
Please see the link to
apply.
Application Deadline: 03/07/2015