OCHA Humanitarian Affairs Officer Jobs in Kenya

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is part of the Emergency Response Section (ERS) of the Response Support Branch (RSB), within the Coordination Division (CD) of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and is physically based in the OCHA Regional Office for Southern and Eastern Africa (ROSEA) in Nairobi.

This position will require regular surge deployments within and potentially outside the Southern and Eastern Africa. Candidates are expected to be available and willing to surge for up to three months at a time.

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 for the Southern and Eastern Africa Regions, in close coordination with the OCHA Regional Offices for Southern and Eastern Africa (ROSEA).

•Acts as the regional focal point for the Southern and Eastern Africa for the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) and the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) system.

•Manages INSARAG and UNDAC related activities, including organizing and delivery of regional emergency response exercises and training events, oversees and supports the management of UNDAC teams in the region, facilitates strategic partnerships with Member States to maintain the UNDAC and INSARAG networks in the region, and ensures effective information sharing within the respective networks. Supports capacity building and partnerships of and between national disaster management agencies and regional mechanisms involved in disaster preparedness and response.

•Deploys on humanitarian surge and support missions for UNDAC and OCHA, as requested, including to facilitate: UNDAC missions; humanitarian operational coordination (e.g. chairing inter-cluster meetings); humanitarian financing proposals (e.g. CERF applications); implementation of preparedness actions (e.g. contingency plans); development of humanitarian needs overviews and appeals; and humanitarian needs assessments.

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.), especially during UNDAC and OCHA surge deployments; drafts situation reports to the international community, apprising of situation to date and specifying unmet requirements of stricken countries, upon request.

•Partners 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.

•Builds and maintains regional operational partnerships, especially with respect to UNDAC and INSARAG, in close coordination with ROSEA, to bolster OCHA’s emergency coordination activities and enable the work of humanitarian responders.

•Assists in the production of appeals for international assistance; ensures the proper use and spending of donor contributions channelled through OCHA.

•Establishes and maintains contacts with government officials, other UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, diplomatic missions, media, etc, including to raise awareness and understanding of UNDAC and INSARAG, in close coordination with ROSEA.

•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. drafts sections of studies, background papers, policy guidelines, parliamentary documents, briefings, case studies, presentations, correspondence, etc.

•Serves as the primary focal point on other RSB lead topics or policy or policy-related issues, as requested, including Environmental Emergency management, RSB Information platforms, Civil Military Coordination and activities framed under the Leading Edge Programme. As part of these activities, 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 guidance to, and may supervise, new/junior staff.

•Performs other duties as required.

Competencies

Professionalism

Knowledge of a range of humanitarian assistance, emergency relief and related humanitarian 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 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 rights situation in assigned country/area.

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.

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.

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 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, 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 of deploying with the INSARAG and UNDAC systems and of participating in the INSARAG and UNDAC methodology, development and training is desirable.

Experience with a national disaster management agency is desirable.

Recent experience in emergency response, especially large-scale natural disaster response, in Southern or Eastern Africa is desirable.

Languages

French and English are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

For the position advertised, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required. Knowledge of Portuguese and/or French is desirable.

How to Apply

For more information and job application details, see; OCHA Humanitarian Affairs Officer Jobs in Kenya

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