Stellenbeschreibung

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East – UNRWA

JUNIOR PROFESSIONAL OFFICER PROGRAM (JPO) Chiffre Nr. 2025-2-35

TERMS OF REFERENCE

I. General Information

Title: JPO Associate Coordination and Engagement Officer

Sector of Assignment: Executive Office

Agency: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)

Country and Duty Station: Amman, Jordan

Duration of assignment: 2 years with possibility of extension for another year. The extension of appointment is subject to yearly review concerning priorities, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

Please note that for participants of the JPO programme two years work experience are mandatory! Relevant work experience can be counted. In order to assess the eligibility of the candidates, we review the relevant experience acquired after obtaining the first university degree (usually bachelor’s degree)

II. Supervision

Title of Supervisor:

Coordination and Engagement Officer

Content and methodology of supervision:

Daily interaction on specific tasks and weekly meetings to follow up on general tasks and topics as needed.

III. Duties, Responsibilities and Output Expectations:

Under the overall supervision of the Coordination and Engagement Officer, the Associate Coordination and Engagement Officer will work to ensure sufficient and close coordination with member states on the implementation of the Colonna Report and the recommendations in the High-Level Action Plan. S/he will contribute to the vital work of engaging member states in the implementation process, keeping them informed and securing political and financial support for the Action Plan. Moreover, S/he will contribute to External Relations and Communications Department’s (ERCD) work by providing guidance and relevant information to ensure the proper implementation of an Agency-wide portfolio of projects funded by various donor countries linked to the Colonna Report. Finally, S/he will work on other issues falling within the responsibilities of the Executive Office:

Engagement with member states and other donors

• Assist in developing engagement initiatives for member states, including options for funding the implementation process.
• Contribute to the communication and information sharing with member states, both as a group and individually as required.
• Facilitate meetings etc. with member states and prepare background notes, ensure follow-up.

Coordination management

• Contribute to identifying actions and projects within the Agency that can be presented to member states as potential funding ideas.
• Provide advice and facilitate coordination for the External Relations and Communications Department (ERCD), other departments, and field offices in implementing their respective actions.
• Collaborate constructively with ERCD and other departments within the Agency to ensure a comprehensive approach toward member states and other donors.
• Work with all departments to gather information on progress and challenges to maintain an overall view of implementation.
• Contribute to maintaining an updated Action Plan, tracking funding levels, identifying gaps, and preparing information for senior management and member states on progress.
• In coordination with implementing departments, analyze project proposals and progress reports received from UNRWA departments and field offices to ensure they meet donor requirements.
• Ensure proactive coordination with concerned Departments, Field Offices, and Representative Offices on contributions, donor-funded projects, and external relations activities linked to the Colonna Report, ensuring timely follow-up.

IV. Qualifications and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree from an accredited educational institution in political science, international relations, business or public administration, law, economics, development or humanitarian studies or a related discipline.

Work experience:

Two years of relevant experience, including in foreign affairs, political analysis, international cooperation or humanitarian affairs in the context of the UN, international non/governmental organizations or governments.

Experience with working in UNRWA or other UN bodies is desired but not required. Knowledge of the political situation in the Middle East and the issues related to the role of UNRWA is appreciated, but not essential.

Key Competencies of the assignment:

• Interest in the reform work, transformation processes and the link between the political strategic direction of the Agency and the specific implementation needs.
• Ability to work effectively and professionally with colleagues in the Agency as well as interlocutors from other UN bodies and member states.
• A team player at heart, but also comfortable on dealing with tasks alone.
• Ability to plan and prioritize work and be comfortable with deadlines that may be short.
• Ability to handle large amounts of information and be able to comprise it and highlight important aspects.
• Get to know the political aspects of the work and be able to present ways of working with difficult tasks.
• Excellent computer skills.

Language:

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Arabic or another UN official language is an advantage.

V. Learning Expectations

By arrival at the duty station, the incumbent will receive a package of background information to ensure that s/he will be fully updated on the task ranging from the allegations against UNRWA in January 2024 to the current status of the implementation of the Action Plan. Meetings and briefings with the team and key partners in the Agency will also contribute to understanding the political framework of the work of the team.

The JPO will also be set in touch with other JPO’s in the Agency as well as the HR Department to ensure a safe and positive onboarding.

After six months, the JPO will have first-hand experience with engaging with members states as well as the internal coordination. Also, the JPO will have good understanding of the issues related ensuring progress of the implementation.

S/he will gain experience in coordinating and reporting on complex issues and contribute to active communication. S/he will also learn how decision-making at the highest level is formulated, decided and implemented.

Upon completion of the assignment, the JPO will be able to show experience working with a highly political issue amid the Gaza war. S/he will have worked on a variety of tasks with the focus on engagement with member states and ensuring progress in the implementation of the Action Plan. These skills will be crucial in the incumbent’s next endeavours brining experience with coordination and engagement on a topic of great importance and political focus.

VI. Background Information

UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is mandated to provide assistance and protection to a population of some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full potential in human development, pending a just solution to their plight.

The Executive Office (EO) is headed by the Chief of Staff who has a direct reporting line to the Commissioner-General. The Executive Office’s main objective is to coordinate and consolidate decisions and high-level issues for the Agency.

Within the EO, the Implementation Support Team (IST) was newly established in April 2024 to oversee the follow-up on the Colonna report. The IST’s main objective is to ensure that the recommendations from the report are implemented throughout the Agency. This is done through an Action Plan that outlines all the necessary actions for the departments and field offices across the Agency to carry out. Additionally, the IST provides information to the leadership of UNRWA, the UN leadership, member states, and host nations to keep all parties engaged and committed to the process. Furthermore, the IST offers advice and guidance to senior management.

VII. Information about Living Conditions at the Duty Station

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is strategically located in the Middle East covering a diversity of landscapes. Jordan is bound by Syria to the north, Iraq to the northeast, Saudi Arabia to the east and south, the Red Sea to the south and Israel and the Palestinian National Authority to the west. The weather in Jordan is not too extreme. Summer is dry, with temperatures regularly reaching 35°C. The winter is colder with temperatures often dropping slightly below freezing.

Amman, the capital, is a peaceful city with over four million residents. People are friendly to visitors. Services in terms of banking, transportation, health and communications are easily available. Though Arabic is the official language, English is widely spoken among the majority of the population, especially in Amman. Road network is good both in terms of spread and quality of the roads. Public transportation in Amman is limited. Taxis are relatively cheap and easily available. There are several shopping malls, restaurants, gyms, and cinemas. A large variety of accommodation options can be found; however, internationals tend to live in certain neighbourhoods in which services and amenities are often found. It is worth noting that prices in Amman have generally increased in the past few years. There are no specific security threats. Amman is a very easy city in which to live; large, many amenities, very modern and serviced by Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) with direct flights to most capital cities. According to the assessment of the UN Department of Safety & Security (UNDSS) Jordan is a family duty station (category A hardship). Amman has wonderful sites such as Roman Amphitheatre, The Citadel, Royal Automobile Museum, Old Downtown, Rainbow Street.

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