Senior Adviser Emergency, P5 – FT, MENARO, Amman, Jordan (PN: 83676)

The Office for the Whole of Syria based within the UNICEF Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is looking to hire a devoted Snr Adviser Emergency to be based in Amman, Jordan.

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, Hope

Job organizational context

The complex crises in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and other countries in transitions require highly visible humanitarian response equally supported by subtle, quiet advocacy. The choices of UNICEF are subject to far greater scrutiny and debate than normal, more importantly in the Syrian crisis context.

Thirteen years of humanitarian crisis and hostilities has left children in Syria facing one of the most complex emergencies in the world with 15.3 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, including 7 million children. Around 90 per cent of families in the country live in poverty. Of the country’s 6.8 million internally displaced people, 5.3 million require humanitarian support. Children are particularly vulnerable to rights grave violations, with recruitment into armed groups, exploitation and abuse, including forced early marriage and child labor of particular concern. There are more than 5.1 million Syrians registered as refugees in the neighboring countries of whom 2.5 million are children. Non-State Entities (NSE’s) are controlling parts of the Syrian Arab Republic territory which triggered the UNSC resolutions 2165 in 2014 to allow cross border (XB) operations to access and scale up assistance to children in need of assistance. 

UNICEF cross border programming and the UN Whole of Syria (WoS) operational working framework requires a full dedicated coordinated approach with multiple actors, the Syria Country Office (SCO), and the several UNICEF hubs across neighboring countries in order to deliver critical humanitarian assistance against CCCs in an efficient, effective, and timely way. This allows a rational use of resources and improved coordination capacity.

The XB implementation includes a coordination team based in Amman supported to date by field hubs based in Gaziantep and Amman. This WoS team is led by a P-5 with strong humanitarian, diplomatic skills, managerial experience, and sound understanding of the regional context reports to the Regional Director, ensuring the overseeing of the sub regional Syria humanitarian response working in close coordination with the Syria CO (SCO) Representative.

Purpose for the job

Under the guidance of the MENA Regional Director, the Senior Adviser Emergency P5 is accountable for managing UNICEF’s response to the humanitarian operations in Northwest Syria and coordinating closely with all stakeholders involved to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency in humanitarian operations and any post crisis recovery efforts. As such, the Senior Adviser Emergency collaborates with the Regional Advisors and Syria country office staff to support ensuring strategic planning, positioning of UNICEF in this crisis and provide policy guidance in relation to humanitarian support, complex emergencies, risk reduction, post crisis-situations and recovery in this context. He/She ensures that strategic partnerships are developed and sustained in the area of coordination of humanitarian response in this complex emergency and post crisis/conflict situation.

How can you make a difference? 

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks

1. Leadership, Strategic Planning, Policy guidance and Representation.

Ensures that UNICEF’s role in the WoS complex emergency and post crisis-agenda is fulfilled by contributing to strategic planning and decision making of the Organization. Advises the MENA Regional Director Regional Office Management Team (ROMT)on strategic analysis and positioning of UNICEF in this specific context, linking political, humanitarian and security agendas. More specifically:

• Prepare political analysis/scenarios outlining risks and mitigation measures to ensure programme continuity.
• Provides leadership in developing and maintaining inter-agency partnerships in the areas of cross border humanitarian response, post-disaster/post conflict agenda in Syria, proactively ensuring a strategic approach to advocacy with HQ and high-level external fora, including donors and NGOs.
• Organize quarterly joint planning/review meetings to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of crossline and cross-border operations.
• Provide policy advice on emergencies and programme as well as guidance related to implementation of emergency preparedness measures.
• Provide strategic support to ensure that needs assessment is effectively conducted to determine priorities and an appropriate intervention by UNICEF based on the local emergency situation affecting children and their families and communities.
• Ensure that regional office management is kept informed of humanitarian developments in relevant policies, situation developments, potential threats, and opportunities/issues in the country.
• Support the work of Regional Director’s Office with briefing notes and talking points, representation, and advice.

2. Management and Coordination

Promotes the effective and efficient management and coordination around the Whole of Syria operations including:

• Coordinate with all the stakeholders in UNICEF concerned with Syria and update the Regional Director on progress or issues.
• Collaborate with UNICEF Syria country office on fundraising, coherent programme under HAC.
• Understand the challenges in the different locations from which work is done for Syria’s children and promote a culture of flexibility to enable them to do their work.
• Promote a risk management approach to the operations in Northwest Syria as per UNICEF’s policy.
• Review HNA, HRP analysis and present briefing notes to the Regional Director.
• Provide support on critical access negotiation/challenges that cannot be addressed from one location alone.
• Coordinate and manage emergency preparedness and response for the hubs and ensure a consistent flow of information on the humanitarian situation is effectively maintained within the office.
• Provide all necessary assistance to the Regional Director in emergency operations oversight and programme management with clear accountabilities.
• Ensure that emergency appeals and project proposals are prepared, and concrete efforts are put forward to mobilize donor response and recovery/rehabilitation-related funding.

3. Support and oversight of the Gaziantep outpost

• Ensure that programme workplans are in place for the UNICEF MENARO outpost in Gaziantep and that their implementation is properly supervised with at least one annual review being held.
• Ensure a robust monitoring system is in place for programme monitoring and reporting, including HPM.
• Monitor the overall allocation and disbursement of program funds, making sure that the funds are properly coordinated monitored and liquidated.
• Undertake field visits and ensure that staff in MENARO outpost in Gaziantep conduct field visits to monitor and assess programme implementation.
• Meeting periodically with the non-state actors and negotiate programme action.
• Prepare and submit viable recommendation to the Regional Director on programme implementation, alternative approaches and optimal utilization of resources hat contribute effectively to the fulfillment of the rights of children and women, and recommendations on programme, new initiatives, and managements issues to ensure achievement of objectives.
• Participates and represent the Regional Director in critical meetings held with partners at the level of the MENARO outpost in Gaziantep.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

The following minimum requirements:

• Education: Advance university degree in Social Sciences, Economics, Public Administration, International Relations, Management or other related fields.
• Work Experience: A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible senior managerial experience essentially in emergency programme operation, public relations, and management of human, financial and institutional resources at national and international levels. Prior UNICEF field experience is highly desirable. Working in transition context is an asset.
• Skills:
  • Thorough knowledge about current theories, practices in specialized field(s) of profession related to UNICEF work in emergencies.
  • Demonstrated ability for leadership, negotiation, advocacy, and social mobilization.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage diverse functional groups and supervise groups of senior level professional and technical staff.
  • Demonstrated ability to innovate and communicate ideas effectively.
  • Demonstrated ability to conceive, plan and implement programmes.
  • Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relations inside and outside the organization.
  • Knowledge of computer literacy and applications.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English and another UN working language required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian of Spanish) is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is a role with direct contact with children, works directly with children, or is a safeguarding response role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) apply.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes[KR5] , and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required [LK6] to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.