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 in assigned country/area. • Monitors access constraints faced by the population in need, including gap in assistance, lack of access to humanitarian assistance or basic social services. • Engages National and International NGOs and UN Agencies with the objective of ensuring their effective participation in the different coordination forums. • Provides leadership and support to regional partners through the decentralisation of access and establishing an access working group to support coordination for National and International NGOs and UN Agencies with the objective of ensuring their effective principled humanitarian action. • Negotiates access with the de-facto authorities and various authority bearers on behalf of the humanitarian community when required and/or requested and work towards improved engagement and develops public and private advocacy to support the access agenda. • Provides strategic advice with background information and policy guidance on access dynamics to enable high level decisions-making on access. • Provides key advocacy messaging related to access and international humanitarian and human rights laws in line with advocacy strategy and provides a platform for the articulation of messages including the protection of civilians, humanitarian space and access to basic services. • Mainstreams access agenda throughout the Humanitarian Program Cycle of the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) and Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), as well as contingency planning and operational peer reviews. • Works closely with the de-facto authorities’ counterparts in the areas of preparedness and readiness to enable adequate response to onset emergencies. • Contributes to the development of strategies for the maintenance and expansion of humanitarian space, including through engagement and negotiating access with all stakeholders. • Participates in large, complex projects, to include disaster assessment or other missions; 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.); drafts situation reports to the international community, apprising of situation to date and specifying unmet requirements of stricken countries. • 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. • 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 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. • 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. • 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

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 five (5) 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 negotiating humanitarian access in a complex emergency setting with state and non-state actors is required. Experience in a humanitarian context within the UN common system or in a comparable international organization is desirable. Experience in the Central Asia and/or South Asia region 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.

Assessment