Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Senior Humanitarian Affairs Officer (Deputy Head of Office) Jobs in Kenya

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Senior Humanitarian Affairs Officer (Deputy Head of Office) Jobs in Kenya

Org. Setting and Reporting

The position is located in the Office of the United Nations Famine Prevention and Response Coordinator, within the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). OCHA is the part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies.

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.

The United Nations Famine Prevention and Response Coordinator, appointed by the Secretary-General, is responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to famine prevention and response globally.

This position-specific job opening is being advertised for the position of Senior Humanitarian Affairs Officer/Deputy Head of Office in Nairobi, Kenya. The incumbent reports to the Head of Office (HoO) / United Nations Famine Prevention and Response Coordinator.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Senior Humanitarian Affairs Officer/Deputy Head of Office will be responsible for the following duties:

• Provides senior level strategic, policy and operational advice and support to the UN Famine Prevention and Response Coordinator and manages his/her office, overseeing work planning and implementation.

• Serves as a senior policy officer; advise on overall policy direction on specific issues; and, more generally, reviews and provides advice on a diverse range of policy issues related to safeguarding humanitarian principles and ensuring the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance and the linkages with other related areas (e.g. human rights).

• Monitors, analyzes and reports on humanitarian developments, disaster relief/management programmes or emergency situations in assigned country/area; develops and maintains a “watch list” of countries with potential for famine.

• Takes the lead in the planning, development and implementation of large, complex communications campaigns (e.g. global advocacy initiatives, regional public information programmes) and joint communications strategies, leading common media and communications efforts, including common messaging. Identifies sources and seeks funding and other assistance for major campaigns.

• Initiates and coordinates activities related to technical cooperation and technical assistance projects in disaster response and disaster response preparedness; formulates project proposals and relevant project documents; provides technical support to field work; reviews and clears project reports for submission to governments.

• Organizes and prepares studies on humanitarian, emergency relief and related issues; organizes follows-up work, including interagency technical review meetings to support policy development work and decision-making on important issues; and ensures the implementation of recommendations emanating from relevant studies.

• Assists or leads, as appropriate, in the preparation of OCHA reports, studies, background papers, policy guidelines, correspondence, presentations, background papers, policy guidelines, parliamentary documents, etc.; with respect to the latter, takes the lead in providing support and information to relevant councils or other entities on specific issues.

• Partners with other humanitarian agencies to plan and evaluate complex humanitarian and emergency assistance programmes; helps 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.; ensures appropriate mechanisms to facilitate collaboration and exchange of information both in and outside the UN system, including on early warning and contingency planning, 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 including primarily humanitarian action in Africa. Organizes and participates in work groups, meetings, conferences, consultations with other agencies and partners humanitarian and emergency relief-related matters.

• May participate in planning and preparation of unit budget and work program.

• Provides leadership and work direction to assigned work team, and/or mentors and supervises the work of new/junior officers.

• Performs other duties as required.

Competencies

Professionalism:

Knowledge and understanding of humanitarian, emergency relief assistance and related humanitarian issues. Strong analytical and communication skills (written and oral). Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems.

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.

Planning and 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.

Leadership:

Serves as a role model that other people want to follow: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements.

Judgement/decision-making:

Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information.

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.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, rehabilitation, development, or other related area is required.

At least four (4) years of humanitarian experience in the field (actual setting where a mission and/or project is being implemented) in aid operations (complex emergency or natural disaster) is desirable.

A minimum of four (4) of relevant experience at the international level is desirable.

Experience at the management level is desirable.

Experience in a humanitarian context within the UN Common System or other comparable international organization is desirable.

Languages

French and English are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.

How to Apply

For more information and job application details, see; Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Senior Humanitarian Affairs Officer (Deputy Head of Office) Jobs in Kenya

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