Associate Humanitarian Affairs Officer

Details

Mission and objectives

About OCHA Pacific
The Pacific is one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world. Small, vulnerable island states are isolated by vast expanses of ocean. They experience frequent and intense disasters with disproportionately high economic, social and environmental consequences.
In 1999, OCHA established an office for the Pacific (OP) to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors.
Emergency Preparedness & Response
The first responders in any emergency are disaster-affected people and their governments. OCHA’s key objective is to support national efforts to protect the lives, livelihoods and dignity of people in need. International assistance can only be mobilized when a request is made by the affected government.
OCHA maintains a surge support capacity that allows the international humanitarian system to establish quick links with affected countries. It does this through the response capacity of its staff in the Pacific, the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) system, OCHA global staff, standby partners, and through the coordination of Pacific Humanitarian Team clusters and member organizations. This flexible approach allows OCHA to find different and appropriate solutions for assistance requests across the Pacific.
OCHA OP personnel can provide support in information management, reporting, mapping, media and communications, assessments, humanitarian financing and inter-cluster coordination. OCHA can deploy UNDAC teams at short notice to assist in the coordination of incoming international relief at the earliest stages of an emergency.

Context

This position is located in the OCHA Office of the Pacific Islands (OoP) in Suva, Fiji. The Assoc. Humanitarian Affairs Officer reports to the Humanitarian Affairs Officer (NOC).
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 OCHA Office of the Pacific Islands covers the following countries and territories: Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tuvalu, Tokelau, Cook Islands, Niue, FSM, RMI, Palau, Nauru, and FSM.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the HAO/NOC, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks, within limits of delegated authority:
• Monitor, analyze and report on humanitarian responses and issues, disaster relief/management programmes or emergency situations in the region;
• Establish and maintain contacts with other UN agencies, non-governmental organizations and government officials to ensure the effective exchange and dissemination of current information.
• Support collaboration and exchange of information both in and outside the UN system.
• Act as reporting and public information focal point; including management of the office social media accounts and website regular update.
• Collaborate with all relevant actors, including the PHT clusters, UN regional and field offices, the UN Communication Group to help identify and create communication opportunities and assist in preparing communication campaigns on specific topics.
• Assist in organizing and participating in working groups, meetings, conferences and consultations with other agencies and partners on humanitarian matters.
• Contribute to the development of a suite of reporting and information products, including the OoP Weekly, the OCHA OoP Annual Report, Humanitarian Situation Updates, Humanitarian Bulletins, Humanitarian Snapshots etc.
• Assist in the preparation of OCHA reports, studies, background papers, policy guidelines, correspondence, presentations, etc.
• Ability to travel throughout the area of responsibility (14 Pacific countries and territories); including deployment during emergencies.
• Performs other duties as required.
Work implies frequent interaction with the following:
• Colleagues in the humanitarian field; including UN agencies, international and national NGOs, and donors. the UN, and in
• Counterparts and mid-level officials in governments, businesses, academia and other areas of civil society.
Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to:
Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark IVD);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
• Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities;
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.