Humanitarian Affairs Officer (P-3)

Date of issue: 07 March 2012

Post title and Level: Humanitarian Affairs Officer (P-3)

Department/Office: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Duty station/Country: Geneva, Switzerland

Duration: Four months (with possibility of extension)

Entry on Duty: As soon as possible

Vacancy Notice number: OCHA/G/10/2012

Deadline for applications: 14 March 2012

Special Mention: Appointment against this post is linked to the return of the incumbent hence; the duration of the appointment is temporary and limited in time.

United Nations Core Values: INTEGRITY / PROFESSIONALISM / RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY

ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING AND REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS: This Humanitarian Affairs Officer position is located in the Field Coordination Support Section (FCSS), within the Emergency Services Branch (ESB), of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), Geneva.

Within the delegated authority, the incumbent reports to the Chief of FCSS and will be responsible for the following duties:

Monitor, analyse and report on international emergency response, disaster relief/management or sudden on-set emergency situations primarily in the Asia-Pacific region; Participate in large, complex projects, to include disaster assessment and coordination as part of an UNDAC team or other missions; Assist in the coordination of international humanitarian/emergency assistance for disaster situations and in ensuring the necessary support (e.g. staff, funding, specialized equipment, supplies, etc.) in the region; Partner 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; Establish and maintain contacts with government officials, other UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, diplomatic missions, media, etc in the Asia-Pacific region in order to give OCHA the ability to respond effectively to sudden onset emergencies in the region; Participate in or provide support to UNDAC response and response preparedness missions in the region as well as other field missions, e.g. participate in field trips to undertake in-depth reviews of specific country emergency coordination mechanisms; Serve as the primary focal point on sudden onset disaster response, UNDAC, INSARAG and other related issues in the region; keep abreast of latest developments, liaise with other humanitarian organizations, donors, etc., ensure appropriate monitoring and reporting mechanisms; Provide information and advice on related issues; Organize and participate in work groups, meetings, conferences, consultations with other agencies and partners on humanitarian and emergency relief-related matters; Provide guidance to, and may supervise, new/junior staff and; Perform other duties as required or similar duties in other regions of the world as specified.

COMPETENCES

PROFESSIONALISM: Sound knowledge of and exposure to a range of humanitarian assistance, emergency relief to include approaches and techniques to address difficult problems; Strong analytical capacity and in particular the ability to analyse and articulate the humanitarian dimension of disaster response issues which require a coordinated humanitarian system and UN response; Ability to identify issues and to use sound judgment in applying technical expertise to resolve a wide range of problems; Ability to work under extreme pressure, on occasion in a highly stressful environment (e.g. civil strife, natural disasters and human misery); Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; 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 the audience; Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

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.

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.

Qualifications & Experience

EDUCATION: Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) preferably in political or social science, international studies, or in disaster management or other relevant field is required; A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in combination with qualifying relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of advanced university degree.

WORKING EXPERIENCE: A minimum five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in humanitarian affairs (specifically emergency preparedness and crisis/emergency response management), with at least three (3) years of field experience in humanitarian emergency efforts with a UN Agency, is required; Extensive experience of international sudden onset disaster response including working with the UNDAC and INSARAG networks is essential, as is experience in working with national Governments on emergency response.

LANGUAGE: For this position fluency in English (both oral and written) is required; Knowledge of another official UN language is an advantage.

How to apply:

Please note that applications received after the deadline will not be accepted. All posts are subject to availability of funds.

Applicants will be contacted only if they are under serious consideration. This vacancy announcement may be used to fill similar positions at the same level in other field duty stations.

Upon selection candidates will be subject to satisfactory reference checks to be completed by the recruiting department/office which shall include verification of the highest required academic qualification(s) and record with the last employer.

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context all staff members are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

Applications from qualified female candidates and from nationals of non- and under-represented countries are particularly encouraged.

How to apply: Applicants are requested to email submissions to ochavancancies@un.org

Applications should be submitted using the following format as follows: LASTNAME_First name_Type of document

For example: GREEN_Joseph - Cover letter.doc GREEN_Joseph - PHP.doc GREEN_Joseph - Supp.doc GREEN_Joseph - SPIF.doc GREEN_Joseph - PAS.pdf

Please note that an applicants’ eligibility cannot be be fully assessed if the standard Human Resources documents are not attached and / or properly competed (P-11 or PHP and Supplementary, as necessary). Applications received after the above indicated deadline will not be accepted.

All Application Forms can be found by clicking on the following link: http://ocha.unog.ch/OCHAvacancies/

Please state your full name and the OCHA vacancy notice number (OCHA/G/10/2012) as the subject in your e-mail application and send one email application for every vacancy announcement.

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