Humanitarian Assistance Officer

Details

Mission and objectives

The UN Resident Coordinator system encompasses all organizations of the United Nations system dealing with operational activities for development, regardless of their formal presence in the country. The RC system aims to bring together the different UN agencies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operational activities at the country level.
The UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) facilitates and coordinates the work towards achieving agreed UN Country Team results. This includes UN inter-agency coordination and performance management under the UN Sustainable Development Partnership Framework and joint programmes and supporting common UN platforms for policy analysis, monitoring and evaluation, knowledge management, communication and advocacy. The RCO also supports UN engagement on the national aid effectiveness agenda and promotes UN system wide collaboration with relevant state, non-state actors, and cooperating partners.

Context

Zambia is a land linked country, prone to natural disasters, which have been intensifying in nature and frequency due to climate change. In February 2023, Zambia faced the worst floods of the last 20 years; one year later, the country is facing severe droughts because of the El Nino global phenomenon. In addition, Zambia is also impacted by recurrent cholera outbreaks, which happen almost every year coinciding with the rainy season. Since October 2023, Zambia has been experiencing a complex humanitarian crisis, driven by climate-change induced extreme weather occurrences, coupled with a persistent and unprecedent cholera outbreak.
Still on the humanitarian front, Zambia is a host country for refugees and other populations of concern. Zambia has three main refugee settlements, hosting approximately 95,000 refugees and continues receiving constant influx of refugees, especially from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
This UNV Humanitarian Assistance Specialist position is in the United Nations Resident Coordination Office (RCO) in Lusaka, Zambia and reports to the RCO Partnerships and Development Coordination Officer. The Humanitarian Assistance Specialist is expected to support the coordination of the humanitarian response during emergencies, including through support to: 1) the Resident Coordinator (RC) and the RCO in coordinating effective and principled humanitarian action, taking into account Human Rights principles and the Leave no One Behind approach; 2) UNCT joint funds mobilization efforts; 3) coordination with key stakeholders and partners; 4) UN efforts to promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the RCO Partnerships and Development Coordination Officer, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
• Support overall humanitarian operational coordination from the RCO.
• Contribute to the preparation of various written documents, such as development of humanitarian financing proposals (e.g. CERF applications); response/contingency plans; needs assessment reports, appeals; and others, as needed.
• Assist in the design and preparation of updates on humanitarian situations, contribute to communication materials and others, as needed.
• Research, analyse and present information gathered from diverse sources on assigned topics or trends that may affect the humanitarian situation, related operations or UN programmes on the ground.
• Contribute and support to meetings, with preparation of presentations, remarks, agen-das, meeting minutes, etc.
• Assist in the organization of meetings, workshops, etc. with other agencies and part-ners to facilitate coordination of the UN humanitarian response.
• Participate in field missions, if needed.
• Perform other duties as required.