United Nations – OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs)

Junior Professional Officer Program (JPO) Chiffre Nr. 2024-2-44

I. General Information

Title: JPO in Humanitarian Affairs

Sector of Assignment: Humanitarian Affairs

Organization/Office: Year 1: United Nations / OCHA Ethiopia / Access Unit

Year 2: United Nations, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Coordination Division (CD), Response Support Branch (RSB), Office of Chief of the Branch (OCB)

Country and Duty Station: Year 1: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Year 2: Geneva, Switzerland (with possible reassignment to the field duty station for second/third year)

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:

First Year: Head of Access Unit

Second Year: Chief, Response Support Branch

Content and methodology of supervision:

Establishment of a Work Plan: During the first month of the assignment, the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) will work jointly with his/her direct supervisor to finalize an agreed upon work plan. The final work plan will be discussed and mutually agreed to by the JPO and his/her supervisor.

Evaluation: The United Nations Performance Evaluation System (e-performance) will serve as a primary platform to evaluate of the JPO’s performance.

The Associate HAO will have regular meetings with his/her Supervisor(s), including in the weekly team meetings, to review work priorities and also mid-term and end of term performance evaluation which will be documented.

III. Duties, Responsibilities and Output Expectations

During the first year, under the supervision of the Head of Access and Analysis Unit and within the delegated authority, the Junior Professional Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

Coordination

• He/ she supports the office function of co-chairing the Access Working Group (AWG) and fulfills related secretariat functions.
• He/ she assists the Head of the Access Unit in building synergies and facilitating collective understanding and analysis around access impediments among humanitarian partners, especially among NGOs.
• He/ she assists the Head of the Access Unit engagement with relevant actors (e.g. government, armed groups, communities, etc.) on humanitarian access issues, bringing expertise of local culture and dynamics, including traditional conflict-resolution mechanisms.
• He/ she contributes to the development of a network of local contacts among key stakeholders, including authorities and the humanitarian community to identify, monitor and analyze key access constraints in collaboration with OCHA Ethiopia field colleagues.

Monitoring, Analysis & Reporting

• He/she supports analysis of access data and incidents – including bureaucratic impediments, identifying trends and providing context and stakeholders analysis.
• He/ she liaises with humanitarian partners to promote and encourage systematic reporting of access constraints.
• He/she ensures the daily reporting, classification, and documentation of access incidents (data base of access incidents) through the Access and Monitoring and Reporting Framework (AMRF) in coordination with OCHA Ethiopia Information Management Unit (IMU).
• He/she ensures the active verification of access incidents together partners and OCHA Field Coordination Unit (FCU) and Heads of Sub-Offices, following up the quality and consistency of reporting.
• He/she works closely with UNDSS Local Security Advisors in tracking and analyzing security incidents impacting operations.
• He/ she supports the Head of Access Unit in the organization of the OCHA-Ethiopia office weekly Access coordination meetings.
• He/she supports the Head of Access Unit situational analysis on access related issues, including through regular field trips.

Information management

• He/she has strong skills and proven experience on data management on access.
• He/she supports the creation of the Access unit deliverables.
• He/she supports the preparation of Access analysis documents, talking points, presentations, etc..
• He/she works with OCHA Ethiopia Information Management Unit (IMU) to visualize access incidents and trends through regular internal coordination meetings.

Operations & Field support

• He/she supports the Head of Access Unit in access negotiations, including preparations, roll-out, and follow-up.
• He/she undertakes travel to field locations on a regular basis to support OCHA Sub-offices in undertaking access analysis and supporting humanitarian negotiations.
• He /she provides technical support to field offices as relevant and required.
• He/she maintains a contact list of relevant stakeholders and access influencers.

Policy development

• He/she supports the preparation of policy papers, lessons learned, operational good practices related to humanitarian access.
• He/she maintains a record/ institutional knowledge on access issues, past negotiations, etc..

Representation

• Upon request, he/she may represent OCHA on access issues in relevant meetings both internal and external briefing on access trends and dynamics.

During the second year, under the supervision of the Chief of the Response Support Branch and within the delegated authority, the Junior Professional Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

• Assist the Chief of the Response Support Branch (RSB) undertaking  day-to-day substantive management of the Branch, through: Supporting development of a Branch work plan and establishing a list of priority activities; facilitating necessary substantive administrative and financial procedures/actions to support the activities of individual Section/Units; Supporting organization of regular meetings, including retreats, with the Branch’s staff, Supporting information management, work planning, improvement of procedures, development of common standards and team-building.
• Act as the Branch’s training focal point and coordinate various response training and capacity initiatives of the two sections of the Branch, including UNDAC, INSARAG, and CMCS trainings.
• Assist the Chief through ensuring alignment between RSB’s trainings and trainings provided by other Branches/Divisions of OCHA as well as OCHA’s operational partners (e.g. European Union, IFRC, Global clusters, etc.).
• Facilitate Branch’s communication and information management activities, in particular communication through social media and risk communication.
• Assist the Chief, managing partnerships building by providing day-to-day support for liaison, meetings participation and trust-building with response partners.
• Assist the Chief developing RSB communication initiatives and public information products.
• Assist the Chief organizing RSB’s advocacy and partnerships events, such as the Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week.

IV. Qualifications and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in political science, social science, international studies, public administration, economics, engineering, earth sciences, development studies, humanitarian affairs, human rights, disaster management or a related field.

Work experience:

A minimum of two (2) years of relevant work experience in humanitarian affairs, crisis/emergency relief management, protection/ human rights, humanitarian action or disaster management.

Languages:

Fluency in one of the working languages of the UN Secretariat, English or French, (both oral and written) is required; knowledge of the other is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language and of Amharic (Ethiopia) is desirable.

UN competencies:

PROFESSIONALISM: Shows pride in work and in achievements; Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; Remains calm in stressful situations; Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; Asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience; Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; Places team agenda before personal agenda; Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

PLANNING & ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; Identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; Uses time efficiently.

TECHNOLOGICAL AWARENESS: Keeps abreast of available technology; Understands applicability and limitations of technology to the work of the office; Actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; Shows willingness to learn new technology.

Workforce Diversity

The United Nations believes that an inclusive culture attracts the best talent and encourages all qualified applicants, regardless of gender, disability, sexual orientation, cultural or religious backgrounds, to apply.

V. Learning Elements

On completion of the assignment, the JPO will able to:

• Have a thorough knowledge of the humanitarian community’s work to address emergencies.
• Develop basic administrative and programme management skills, including development of workplan, costplan, programme proposal, and reporting.
• Have full working knowledge of the inter-governmental workings of the UN.
• Conduct analysis, consolidate reports and provide good report summaries.
• Make sense of humanitarian issues from complex reports and updates.
• Contribute to improved humanitarian space and operational environment.
• Build communications and interpersonal skills through effectively and in a timely manner, liaising and interacting with colleagues and concerned parties internally and externally. Gain knowledge on current humanitarian landscape, including the trends and emerging challenges as well as surrounding humanitarian coordination.
• Gain knowledge on OCHA’s emergency response capacities, services, and procedures.
• Develop Skills to organize meetings, workshops and trainings on humanitarian response.
• Acquire a set of skillsets to launch communication initiatives and to develop public information products.
• Manage and maintain close relationship with a wide range of response partners and networks around the world.

VI. Background Information

OCHA is part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response efforts. 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.

OCHA Ethiopia’s core functions are coordination, information management, advocacy, and humanitarian financing. Coordination, advocacy and policy core functions will have to be scaled up significantly for OCHA to remain fit for the current context. The operating context is a complex emergency characterized mainly by conflict, clashes, displacement, drought, floods, and epidemics. The context has evolved in recent years with increasing violence, conflict and instability leading to insecurity and access challenges. Identification of protection risks and advocacy and policy work around Protection of Civilians and International Humanitarian Law is essential. The change in context demands an active leadership role from OCHA on areas of coordination, policy development and negotiation, on top of other already identified areas of access negotiation and civil-military coordination.

Affected communities, Government of Ethiopia, UN agencies, INGOs, NNGOs and Donors are the main partners/stakeholders of the position.

OCHA-Ethiopia has a total of 97 staff members out of which 68 are national, 19 international, 3 UNVs, 6 Stand-By Partners and 1 JPO.

The Response Support Branch (RSB) of OCHA’s Coordination Division in Geneva is responsible for strengthening national and international disaster response and response preparedness capacities; facilitating initial disaster assessment and coordination through the timely deployment of appropriate staff resources and expertise; supporting effective international response efforts through the provision of civil–military coordination, logistical support, information technology expertise and emergency relief stocks; managing rosters and networks to ensure the availability of humanitarian specialists, environmental experts, and technical modules to support field operations; and working with partners to ensure appropriate international standards for response are constantly developed and updated, including in international urban search and rescue (INSARAG) activities, civil– military coordination, environmental emergencies response.

The JPO will work in a small team of OCB, which is the Front Office of the Branch. OCB’s main function is to support the Chief of the Branch managing the Branch’s daily and operational activities.

Bitte senden Sie Ihre JPO-Bewerbung direkt an das Büro Führungskräfte zu Internationalen Organisationen (BFIO) unter Angabe der Chiffre Nr. 2024-2-44 auf dem Bewerbungsbogen.

Alle Informationen finden Sie unter www.bfio.de