Humanitarian – Development – Peace Collaboration Advisor (Nexus), a Swiss Secondment to OCHA, Chad  

Operational environment

• Chad is facing persistent humanitarian, development and peace challenges related to insecurity in some parts of the country, as well as socio-economic, health, and climatic challenges in a context of political transition. The effects of climate change and in a context of underdevelopment, humanitarian needs are acute and the need to strengthen the protection and assistance of vulnerable groups in Chad is a key priority. 
• In 2023, food insecurity will affect more than 5.3 million people of whom 2.1 million are in the severe phase of food insecurity. Malnutrition affects 15 of the 23 provinces in Chad which have exceeded the 10% alert thresholds for global acute malnutrition. More than one million people are displaced, including 577,237 refugees and 4,925 asylum seekers, 215,000 internally displaced persons, 119,121 Chadian returnees, and 22,112 formerly displaced returnees. Since fighting broke out in Sudan on 15 April Chad has also faced a crisis in the east of the country with more than 450,000 refugees and returnees having arrived in the country already. In recent months, there has also been increased insecurity in the south of the country with an upsurge in inter-communal violence and also the threat of armed group activity of Chadian rebel groups from neighbouring Central African Republic (CAR). In addition, 1.3 million people were affected by floods during the 2022 rainy season. The country also has recurrent cases of diseases such as malaria, measles, meningitis, yellow fever, and remains exposed to cholera, which affects nearly 1.7 million people. These people face problems of access to sanitation facilities, primary health care, and effective social protection throughout the country. 

Brief surge need justification

• The humanitarian, development and peace challenges in Chad are multidimensional and interlinked, requiring an integrated approach of planning, coordination, programming and funding through the application of the nexus approach to be addressed. Chad has been made a priority country for the application of the nexus approach since 2016 with the development of collective outcomes, the prioritization of zones and development of a road-map. There has been significant investments in the nexus approach by the UNCT and HCT working closely with the Government of Chad, although there still remains much to do to put the concept into effect. OCHA has been working with RCO to collectively advance the nexus approach with increased interest from the Government in the issue. Although it is part of the OCHA annual work-plan the country office does not have any dedicated expert capacity on the issue, while the RCO also only has a national staff dedicated to the issue. Given the important stage of advancing on the issue, the OCHA office and RCO are keen to increase the strategic and expert capacity on the issue.

Main tasks and duties to be executed

Coordination

• Strengthen coordination and collaboration with a broad range of humanitarian, development and, where appropriate, peacebuilding stakeholders (e.g. government, UN, NGOs, IFIs, private sector, local actors, Civil Society Organizations, etc).
• Support the RC/HC, RCO and OCHA in various coordination mechanisms to ensure synergies between humanitarian, development and peacebuilding approaches.

Needs Assessments/Analysis and Planning

• Identify opportunities to utilize impartial and objective needs assessments and analysis to inform humanitarian and development planning.
• Support efforts to promote complementary planning processes to reduce needs, risks and vulnerabilities and ensure that partners’ programming and implementation modalities are context specific and needs-based.  
• In support of the UNCT and HCT align strategic planning and programming frameworks (HRP and UNSDCF) to ensure greater complementarity and coherence between humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts. 
• Based on importance of boundary setting identify potential programmes/activities that may be better situated outside of the HRPs and captured in more development-oriented frameworks. 
• Provide support to inter-agency technical structures to develop relevant joint programmes to reduce and mitigate risks and address the drivers of needs.

Funding/Financing

• Support a mapping of humanitarian, development and peace financing flows and programming.
• Advise on coherent funding and financing opportunities (both bilateral and multilateral), potential new partnerships and mechanisms to support humanitarian, development and peacebuilding efforts.
• Advise on donor engagement and resource mobilization for sustainable development activities targeted at the most vulnerable people in line with the SDGs.
• Identify opportunities to attract development and peace funding for local non-governmental and communitybased organizations, including women-led organizations.

Advocacy/Communications

• Strengthen communications and facilitate collaboration among the UN, national actors, International Financial Institutions and Multilateral Development Banks, and major donors on managing risks, enhancing resilience, and reducing needs. 
• Support the RCO and OCHA with bilateral, national, and international advocacy efforts and missions.
• Partnerships/Capacity Building
• Leverage the capacity of local and national actors to build a common understanding of integrated programming approaches, with focus on multi-dimensional risk management, including prevention and resilience for advancing the SDGs in complex settings.
• Contribute actively to relevant communities of practice and compile lessons learned and best practices on Humanitarian Development collaboration to inform global level policy and tools development. 

Expected outcome of the deployment

1. Increased support to the Government of Chad on the implementation of its nexus approach.
2. Finalization and implementation of a road-map/compact on humanitarian-development-peace collaboration in Chad that sets out a common approach to crisis response.
3. Greater alignment and coherence with the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Farmwork (USDCF).
4. Established and clear coordination mechanisms related to humanitarian-development-peace collaboration.
5. Increased integrated assessment and analysis related to humanitarian-development-peace issues as reflected in the Common Country Analysis (CCA) and other documents.
6. More complementary approaches to humanitarian-development-peace funding mechanisms.
7. A developed accountability framework for the common reporting on collective outcomes for humanitariandevelopment-peace activities. 

Specific required skills

• Master’s degree or higher in development studies, social sciences, public policy, or other relevant fields.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in positions of increasing responsibility working with a variety of humanitarian, peacebuilding and development actors in developing recovery and peacebuilding plans or strategies, and humanitarian coordination including in crisis-affected contexts is required.
• Specific knowledge in the field of humanitarian assistance in complex situations, emergency preparedness, early recovery, capacity building, disaster prevention is desirable.
• Knowledge of the Humanitarian Response Plan cycle, the UN Cooperation Framework process and other UN or non-UN planning instruments would be an asset.
• Knowledge and/or experience in multi-stakeholder coordination and planning mechanisms (e.g., UNCT, HCT, UN Mission, Government planning, etc.) and of strategic planning theory and practice is desirable.
• In-depth knowledge of the complex relationship between humanitarian assistance and development issues, as well as peace and prevention. 
• Experience as a UN Strategic Planner and/or UN coordination officer would be a strong asset.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct in-depth studies and formulate clear and practical recommendations. 
• Knowledge of UN rules, policies, procedures and practices, as well as the programming mechanisms of the United Nations and its partners, particularly in crisis and post-conflict situations, as well as a functional understanding of the international development architecture.
• Proven track record of integrating gender perspectives and ensuring equal participation of women and men in all areas of work, and accountability to affected populations.
• Excellent communication and analytical skills (written, verbal, interpersonal and intercultural).
• For this position, fluency in French and English is required. 

 Please note: only applications from Swiss or Lichtenstein nationals, or holders of a C permit in Switzerland, will be considered.

• Duty Station: N’Djamena, Chad, with approx.. 25 per cent spent on duty travel.
• R&R cycle: Every 8 weeks.
• Security: Security level medium.  
• Duration: asap  for 12 months

For additional information, you may contact Simon Junker ([email protected]), Programme Manager Desk Chad, 058 463  3217

Thank you to send your application by 29.3.24  the earliest by email to<.

Isabelle Mellana ([email protected])

058 462 35 29

Published: 16.02.24/MZI