Country: Mozambique
Closing date: 10 Jun 2019
Org. Setting and Reporting
OCHA is the 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 effort. 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 temporary job opening is being advertised for the position of Humanitarian Affairs Officer (Roving) in Maputo, Mozambique. Under the overall guidance of the Head of OCHA’s Regional Office for Southern and Eastern Africa (ROSEA), the Humanitarian Affairs Officer (Roving) directly reports to the Head of OCHA ROSEA’s Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Unit. Work planning is carried out with the Resident Coordinator for Mozambique.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Humanitarian Affairs Officer (Roving) will be responsible for the following duties:
• Supports the Mozambique Humanitarian Country Team and Inter-Cluster Coordination Group to set the strategic and operational direction of the humanitarian response in Mozambique and provides Secretariat services to both bodies, including preparation of relevant agendas, background documentation and minutes.
• Travels, as required, inside Mozambique to provide support to humanitarian operations at sub-national level, including in Beira and Pemba.
• Monitors, analyzes and reports on humanitarian developments, disaster relief/management or emergency situations in Mozambique.
• Organizes and prepares, if requested, papers on humanitarian, emergency relief and related issues in Mozambique.
• Organizes follow-up work, including inter-agency meetings to support policy development work and decision-making on important issues.
• Drafts and prepares regular situation papers/reports highlighting relevant operational factors affecting the humanitarian situation and response efforts.
• Prepares or contributes to the preparation of various written reports, documents and communications, e.g. drafts sections of studies, background papers, policy guidelines, briefings, case studies, presentations, correspondence, etc., including in support of the Inter-Cluster Coordination Group (ICCG) and Humanitarian Country Team (HCT).
• Assists in the preparation, implementation and monitoring of humanitarian appeals, including the Mozambique Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) and Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP).
• 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.
• 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.
• Provides substantial support to sector / cluster working groups and facilitates exchange on cross-cutting issues, including gender, protection, accountability to affected people and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.
• Establishes and maintains contacts with relevant authorities, other UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, diplomatic missions, etc.
• Supports advocacy initiatives on issues impacting humanitarian needs and response efforts through the collection of information, liaison with humanitarian partners, government officials, the media, etc.
• Manages the production of appeals for international assistance; ensures the proper use and spending of donor contributions channeled through OCHA.
• Undertakes and provides support to technical assistance and other field missions, e.g. leads inter-agency coordinated needs assessment missions and participates in field trips to review the humanitarian situation, response and coordination, etc.
• Organizes and participates in working groups, meetings, conferences, consultations with other agencies and partners on humanitarian and emergency relief-related matters.
• Performs other duties as required.
Competencies
PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of a range of humanitarian assistance, emergency relief and related humanitarian issues, including with respect to humanitarian principles and humanitarian coordination. Analytical capacity and in particular the ability to analyze articulate the humanitarian dimension of issues which require a coordinated UN response. Knowledge of humanitarian needs assessments tools and processes. Capacity to lead inter-agency humanitarian field missions in difficult locations. Ability to build strong networks with humanitarian partners. Knowledge and experience of working with humanitarian coordination mechanisms, including Humanitarian Country Teams, Inter-Cluster Coordination Groups and Clusters. Knowledge of humanitarian delivery considerations, including ensuring accountability to affected people and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse. 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.
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 & 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
Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent degree) in political science, social science, public administration, international studies, economics, engineering, earth sciences or a related field is required. 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
Required experience:
- A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, rehabilitation, development, or other related area.
- Three (3) years of relevant experience at the international level.
- Humanitarian experience in the field (actual setting where a mission and/or project is being implemented).
Desirable experience: - Experience in the UN Common System.
- Experience in the country context (Mozambique) is desirable.
Languages
French and English are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English and Portuguese is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include a desk review of the applications, an assessment exercise and/or by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
• This position is temporarily available for six months, and may be extended. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.
• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.
• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.
• This temporary job opening may be limited to "internal candidates," who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.
• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply.Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.
• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.
IMPORTANT: Candidates found suitable and not selected for the announced duty station, may be selected for deployment to other duty stations. The selection will be for similar functions with similar requirements at the same level.
United Nations Considerations
According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.
Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places 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. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.
The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
How to apply: