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

Junior Professional Officer Program (JPO) Chiffre Nr. 2025-1-02

I. General Information

Title: 1st year: JPO in Humanitarian Affairs (donor relations), 2nd year: JPO in Humanitarian Affairs (Access and Civil Military Coordination)

Sector of Assignment: Humanitarian Affairs

Organization/Office: 1st year: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)/ Humanitarian Financing and Resource Mobilization Division (HFRMD)/ Partnerships and Resource Mobilization Branch (PRMB) / Donor Relations Section

2nd year: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Country Office Central African Republic, Humanitarian Access and Civil-Military Coordination Section

Country and Duty Station: 1st year: Geneva, Switzerland

2nd year: Bangui, Central African Republic [Non-Family Duty Station]

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:

1st year: Head of Desk, Donor Relations Section

2nd year:  Humanitarian Access and Civil-Military Coordination/Head of Section a.i

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.

III. Duties, Responsibilities and Output Expectations

1^st year:

Under the overall guidance of the Head of Desk, the JPO will support the management of the OCHA Donor Support Group (ODSG) during Germany’s chairship (July 2025-June 2026) and the relationship management with a set of Government donors.

The main duties and responsibilities are:

• Support the OCHA Donor Support Group (ODSG) secretariat function within the Donor Relations Section during Germany’s chairship. In this regard, support the development of the annual work plan and schedule of meetings.
• Assist in the timely preparation of ODSG meetings under the supervision of the Head of desk, including preparing all required background and briefing material for OCHA senior management and ODSG donors. Keep track of outstanding ODSG donor issues and action points and follow up as required.
• Assist with overseeing the planning and organization of the annual ODSG field trip and High-Level Meeting, in consultation with the ODSG Chair and concerned OCHA branches and OCHA Country Office.
• Act as the primary focal point for a set of Government donors under the supervision of the Head of Desk to maximize funding opportunities for OCHA’s Programme, CERF and CBPFs. Support DRS in its day-to-day responsibilities towards donors and Permanent Missions with regard to relationship management and fundraising.
• Ensure a continuous exchange of information on OCHA’s priorities and achievements with the assigned Government donors and provide timely updates on their priority areas.
• Prepare for various donor missions or strategic donor consultations led by senior management and participate in visits to donor capitals.

2^nd year:

Within delegated authority, the JPO will be responsible for the following duties:

Humanitarian affairs monitoring and reporting:

• Monitors, analyses and reports on humanitarian access developments, disaster relief/management or emergency situations in assigned area. Review and provide advice on humanitarian access, safeguarding humanitarian principles and ensuring the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance; organizes and supports follow up work, including interagency technical review meetings to support access work and decision-making on important issues.
• Support the drafting and preparation of regular access papers/reports/snapshots highlighting relevant policy and operational factors affecting access and civil-military coordination, the humanitarian situation and response efforts.

Implementation of Office’s work plan:

• Assists in the preparation, implementation and monitoring of the Office’s humanitarian work plan. Ensures appropriate monitoring and reporting mechanisms; provides information and advice on a range of related issues.

Humanitarian affairs coordination & access:

• Partners with other humanitarian agencies to plan and evaluate humanitarian and emergency assistance programmes and help ensure that latest findings, lessons learned, policy guidelines, etc. are incorporated into these activities, including gender-related considerations. Provide support to OCHA sub-offices and antennas and sector/cluster working groups as required and facilitate exchange on humanitarian access as a cross cutting issue.

Liaison and advocacy:

• Support access advocacy initiatives on issues impacting humanitarian needs and response efforts through the collection of information, liaison with humanitarian partners, MINUSCA, government officials, the media, etc.

Access and Civil-military coordination:

• Provides support and technical assistance for the dissemination of CAR CMCOORD guidelines and for organizing trainings, sensitization sessions with MINUSCA, humanitarian partners and other key stakeholders in Bangui and throughout the country. Assist in preparing CMCOORD cells meetings and in liaising with key partners.
• Supports stakeholder and conflict analysis and supports access negotiations.

Performs other duties as required

IV. Qualifications and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in international relations, political science, social science, public administration, international studies, economics, management or a related field.

Work experience:

A minimum of 2 years of relevant work experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, rehabilitation, development, or other related area is required. Experience involving fundraising is desirable. Humanitarian experience in the field (actual setting where a mission and/or project is being implemented) in emergency situations (complex emergency or natural disaster) is desirable.

Languages:

English and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat. For this position, fluency in French and English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable 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; Knowledge and understanding of humanitarian, emergency relief assistance and related humanitarian issues. Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Ability to develop sources for data collection. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with the use of various research sources, including electronic sources on the internet, intranet and other databases. Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, work under pressure, on occasion in a highly stressful environment (e.g. civil strife, natural disasters and human misery). 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.

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.

CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; Identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

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 have/ be able to

• Gained substantive knowledge of key humanitarian issues related to global humanitarian funding.
• Demonstrate understanding of donor funding structures and requirements; OCHA’s Programme budget and OCHA managed pooled funding mechanisms.
• Prepare appropriate, high quality information and analytical products to inform OCHA’s fundraising.
• Fully understand the OCHA mandate and areas of comparative advantage within the international humanitarian community.
• Monitor, analyze and report on humanitarian access developments, disaster relief/management or emergency situations in assigned area.
• Write access papers/reports/snapshots on access and civil-military coordination.
• Implement an Office’s humanitarian work plan.
• Plan and evaluate humanitarian and emergency assistance program.
• Support access advocacy.
• Provide support and technical assistance for the dissemination of CMCOORD guidelines.

VI. Background Information

1st year;

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has its headquarters in New York and Geneva. OCHA was created in late 1997 as a result of the Reform of the United Nations and as of 1 January 1998 replaced the Department for Humanitarian Affairs (DHA) which in turn was created as a result of General Assembly resolution 46/182. It is expected that OCHA will continue to exist in its current format, with the overwhelming majority of its expenditures covered from extra-budgetary resources.

The Donor Relations Section is part of the Partnerships and Resource Mobilization Branch based in Geneva. DRS has approximately 20 staff and is divided into four Desks, the Donor Visibility Unit and the Grant Management Unit. The Section is responsible for the activities related to donor relations at large and resource mobilization for OCHA and the pooled funds (the Central Emergency Response Fund and Country-based Pooled Funds).

2nd year;

The security situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) in 2024 remains volatile. The armed conflict remains violent, causing the displacement of thousands of people. The war in Sudan, new tensions in southern Chad and little investments from development actors are contributing factors to the volatility which keeps the risk and exposure for the country to future shocks and unmet needs elevated. Population Movements and armed actors across the two borders exposed the fragility and interdependence of the central African state and its neighbours, increasing vulnerabilities and the overall humanitarian caseload in these areas. While an increased use of explosive devices is causing more victims than ever and a reduced space for freedom of expression is being observed, the unaddressed drivers of the crisis continue to be the source for protection concerns and humanitarian assistance.

2.8 million people currently face humanitarian and protection needs and humanitarian assistance is still needed for 1.9 million people, approximately half the population. Attacks against civilians, clashes between armed groups, military operations against armed elements and intercommunal violence persist, including along transhumance corridors. Due to the war in Sudan, some of the transhumance herders cannot return with their cattle, increasing tensions in CAR where the resources are already very limited due to broken supply chains from Sudan and prices which have quadrupled for some items. Human rights abuse and violations of international humanitarian law, exactions against civilians, IDPs’ forced evictions and threats, stigmatization of communities along ethnic and religious lines, reprisals against the civilian population and the use explosive devices continue to create humanitarian and protection needs. In this context, the risks for the protection and survival of people are still high.

Bitte senden Sie Ihre JPO-Bewerbung direkt an das Büro Führungskräfte zu Internationalen Organisationen (BFIO) unter Angabe der Chiffre Nr. 2025-1-02 auf dem Bewerbungsbogen.

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