ASSOCIATE HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS OFFICER / POOLED FUND

Organizational Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Crisis Response Division (CRD), Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which is 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 efforts. OCHA's mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions. This position-specific job opening is being advertised for the position of Associate Humanitarian Affairs Officer / Pooled Fund and is located in the Humanitarian Financing Unit of the Regional Humanitarian Pooled Fund, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP), Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) located in Suva, Fiji in the OCHA Office of the Pacific Islands. Under the overall supervision of the Head of Office (HoO), Office of the Pacific Islands, the incumbent reports to the Humanitarian Affairs Officer / Pooled Fund Manager.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Associate Humanitarian Affairs Officer / Pooled Fund will be responsible for the following duties:

• Support all stages of the fund allocation process, particularly the priority-setting phase, and plan and conduct strategic and technical reviews, monitoring and reporting.
• Support eligibility process, including preliminary screening, registration, due diligence review, capacity assessment in-situ, and follow-up on recommendations provided to successful and non-successful organizations.
• In consultation with a senior Humanitarian Affairs Officer, assists in the design and preparation of studies on humanitarian, disaster, emergency relief and related issues and in various follow-up activities.
• Researches, analyzes and presents information gathered from diverse sources on assigned topics/issues.
• Contributes to the preparation of various written documents, e.g. drafts sections of studies, background papers, policy guidelines, parliamentary documents etc.
• Develops and maintains reference/resource information on specific topics or policy-related issues; responds to various inquiries and information requests internally and externally.
• Assists in the production of appeals for international assistance; ensures the proper use and spending of donor contributions channeled through OCHA.
• Assists in the organization of meetings, seminars, conferences, work shops, etc. with other agencies and partners to facilitate exchanges of professional expertise and views on specific humanitarian-related subjects/issues;
• Maintains awareness of current humanitarian affairs, humanitarian financing and related issues, to include relevant political, policy, gender considerations or other developments in specific subject area, country or region concerned.
• Assists with advocacy products, writing, editing, researching, translating.
• Participates in technical assistance, disaster assessment or other missions.
• Participates in project/programme formulation and mobilization of relevant resources.
• Performs other duties as required.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Knowledge and understanding of humanitarian, emergency relief assistance and related human rights issues. Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Ability to develop sources for data collection. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, including electronic sources on the internet, intranet and other databases. Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, work under pressure, on occasion in a highly stressful environment (e.g. civil strife, natural disasters and human misery). 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. Able to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management.
• Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
• • Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

  Education

  An 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, is required. A first-level university degree in combination with an additional two (2) years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. A first-level university degree in political science, social science, international studies, public administration, economics, engineering, earth sciences or a related field. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is an advantage. (Candidates for this position must have passed the United Nations National Competitive Recruitment Examination (NCRE) or the G to P Examination). 

Job - Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, rehabilitation, development, is required, or the successful completion of the Young Professionals Programme Examination (YPP)/United Nations National Competitive Recruitment Examination (NCRE) or the General Service to Professional Examination (G to P). Experience in humanitarian financing, e.g. grant management, project management, fundraising, and donor relations for humanitarian programmes, is required. Humanitarian experience in the field (actual setting where a mission and/or project is being implemented) in emergency situations (complex emergency or natural disaster) is required. Experience in a humanitarian context within the UN common system or in a comparable international organization is desirable.

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. Either Arabic or Chinese (Mandarin) or Spanish or Russian or French is desirable. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).