Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Humanitarian Affairs Officer /Head of Access Unit will be responsible for the following duties: • Serves as a senior policy officer; advise on overall policy direction on specific issues related to engagement with relevant stakeholders, humanitarian access and protection 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. protection of civilians, displacement, human rights). • Prepares policy position papers on humanitarian access and related issues. • Develops and supports a country wide access and access network to promote principled, coordinated approach to outreach, interactions with key stakeholders, coordinated approaches to access, sharing best practices with partners and stakeholders to ensure tailored and effective humanitarian access strategies across the country. • Monitors, analyzes and reports on conflict trends, humanitarian access challenges and opportunities, as well as humanitarian developments, disaster relief/management programmes or emergency situations in assigned country/area. • Encourages and facilitates the development of frameworks of engagement of humanitarian actors with relevant stakeholders on humanitarian access and other engagement issues (e.g. joint operating standards), including for advocacy purposes. • Leads and/or participates in large, complex projects, to include disaster assessment, humanitarian access negotiations or other missions; coordinates international humanitarian/emergency assistance for complex emergency/disaster situations; ensures necessary support (e.g. staff, funding, specialized equipment, supplies, etc.); prepares situation reports. • Assists in the production of appeals for international assistance; ensures the proper use and spending of donor contributions channeled through OCHA.

• Advises the country office leadership on overall direction on humanitarian access and other engagement related issues, including facilitating the Humanitarian Access Working Group. • Analyzes and assists in introducing new mechanisms for analyzing humanitarian access in line with the OCHA Access Monitoring Framework. • Assists or leads, as appropriate, in the preparation of OCHA reports, studies, background papers, policy guidelines, correspondence, presentations, background papers, policy guidelines. • 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 relevant stakeholders, 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 related to humanitarian access; 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. • Organizes and participates in work groups, meetings, conferences, consultations with other agencies and partners humanitarian and emergency relief-related matters. Organizes workshops on humanitarian access, with relevant stakeholders. • May participate in planning and preparation of unit budget and work program. • Provides leadership and work direction to the Access Unit, including mentoring and supervising the work of new/junior officers. • Performs other duties as requested by the OCHA Head of Office and the Deputy Head of Office, as applicable.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to particular sector, functional area or other specialized fields. Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Ability to conduct data collection using various methods. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources. Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities. 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. • 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. • 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. • 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; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

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 seven (7) 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 field experience (actual setting where a mission or project is being implemented) in aid operations (complex emergency or natural disaster) is required. Experience negotiating humanitarian access in a complex emergency setting is required. At least three (3) years of humanitarian experience at the international level is desirable. Experience in a humanitarian context within the UN Common System or other comparable international organization is desirable. Experience in the Southeast Asia region is desirable.

Languages

English and French 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.