Emergency Specialist Volunteer

Details

Mission and objectives

Update

Context

El Salvador is highly vulnerable to emergencies and natural disasters due to its geographical location and socioeconomic conditions. Situated in a seismically active zone with a dense network of volcanoes, the country constantly faces threats from earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Additionally, its mountainous topography and intense rainy season increase the risk of landslides and floods. This vulnerability is exacerbated by factors such as poverty, uncontrolled urbanization, and deforestation, which weaken communities’ ability to respond to and recover from disasters. The lack of adequate infrastructure and limited institutional capacity to manage risks also contribute to the country’s high exposure to emergencies, endangering both the population and its economic and social development.
UNICEF plays a crucial role in emergencies, especially in countries like El Salvador, where natural disaster vulnerability is high. Through its Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action (CCCs), UNICEF ensures the protection and well-being of children and their families during crises. These commitments guide the provision of immediate relief, including clean water, sanitation, nutrition, healthcare, and education.
In El Salvador, UNICEF’s country offices collaborate with the government, local communities, and international organizations to enhance disaster preparedness and response. They implement programs to build community resilience, focusing on risk reduction and strengthening child protection systems.
The recruitment of this UN Volunteer (UNV) will further support UNICEF in fulfilling its mandate in emergency preparedness and response, as well as enhancing the capacities of its partners. This addition will enable more effective coordination, implementation, and monitoring of emergency programs, ensuring that both UNICEF and its partners can provide timely and efficient assistance to vulnerable populations.

Task description

During the assignment the Emergency Specialist UNV is expected to implement and perform according to the following responsibilities and tasks:
•Provides technical assistance in risk analysis to identify emergency-prone conditions and contribute to early warning and timely emergency preparedness.
•Assists in the formulation of plans of action in preparation and response to emergencies in line with the Core Commitment for Children in Humanitarian Action, and monitors compliance of all sectors with emergency plans of action.
•Identifies formal and informal sources of information and routinely collects, interprets and analyses all available data on the evolving situation (e.g. flood, cyclone and drought forecasting, etc.) and its implications to the emergency operation.
•In the event of an emergency/disaster, assists in implementation of the initial operational tasks relating to emergency response and supports collection of reliable information to verify the nature and extend of the emergency with field staff, government partners, other UN agencies or local organizations and media.
•Assists with humanitarian performance monitoring, documenting and donor reporting. Supports follows up with programme and operations sections on the timely procurement of supplies and delivery of assistance. Identifies problems and constraints in delivery of humanitarian response and assists the emergency team in addressing them.
•Supports preparation of humanitarian reports (situation updates and reports, donor reports, etc.) in close collaboration with relevant programme and communication sections and field offices. Undertakes preliminary screening and verification of inputs, supports editing of the reports.
•Contributes to staff capacity building on emergencies preparedness through technical assistance to training and knowledge sharing sessions. Provides briefing, as required.
•Providing IM support for the preparation of the HNO and HRP.
•Supporting the development and analysis of needs assessment and monitoring programmes.
•Identifying key humanitarian IM products, supporting the sectors in producing consolidated IM products.
•Establishing and maintaining information databases that consolidate, analyze and report/disseminate information critical to sector decision making; Updating the database and reporting tools structure as needed, aligning with revisions of the Flash Appeals, Humanitarian Response Plan and other sector specific plans.
•Support multi-sectoral field assessments and other activities as delegated and coordinated with the country office program area.
•Support in logistical and operational actions related to UNICEF’s direct humanitarian response (inventory management of supplies, monitoring of availability, support to procurement processes of supplies or services, storage, deliveries and others).