Senior Humanitarian Affairs Consultant (ECHO), Quito Ecuador (18 months) requisition #573915

The Senior Humanitarian Affairs Consultant will be responsible for supporting the implementation of a coordinated approach to crisis response in Ecuador, ensuring alignment with international standards

Brief background:

OCHA’s Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (ROLAC) supports and assists UN Resident Coordinators, Governments, UN Disaster Management Teams and Humanitarian Country Teams (where they exist) to improve overall preparedness and response mechanisms for either natural disasters or protracted crises.

On a practical level, the office works with partners to:

• Foster existing coordination mechanisms to ensure effective crisis preparedness and response.
• Strengthen disaster management capability; through the implementation of IASC and OCHA guidance on preparedness and response.
• Optimize data collection, analysis, and the production of documents.
• Liaise with donors and facilitate the use of financing mechanisms.
• Work on early warning actions and create advocacy campaigns to benefit affected populations and vulnerable groups.

Job Scope:

The Senior Humanitarian Affairs Consultant will be responsible for supporting the implementation of a coordinated approach to crisis response in Ecuador, ensuring alignment with international standards. During non-emergency phases, the Consultant will work with the United Nations Resident Coordinator on advocacy campaigns, early warning actions, donor liaison, risk monitoring, information gathering and analysis, disaster preparedness, and rapid response.

The Senior Humanitarian Affairs Consultant will operate under the direct supervision of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Ecuador. Additionally, the Consultant will receive close advice from the OCHA Regional Senior Humanitarian Advisor, based at the OCHA’s office in Panama. This arrangement is part of a broader framework to strengthen OCHA’s regional mandate in Ecuador.

The Consultant will collaborate and support the United Nations Resident Coordinator and her/his Team, to coordinate the National Humanitarian Forum, and the Inter-sectoral Working Group to enhance the efficacy of humanitarian response.

Main functions and responsibilities

Within the limits of delegated authority, the Consultant is expected to undertake the following roles and responsibilities:

• Lead efforts to strengthen in-country humanitarian coordination mechanisms, by developing and implementing strategies that enhance collective response and decision-making.
• Facilitate communication and coordination between the UN, government bodies, and key stakeholders; liaise with Ecuadorian government officials under the Resident Coordinator’s supervision to enhance partnerships; and ensure that humanitarian and development responses are framed within the nexus approach and align with national policies and priorities.
• Support the Resident Coordinator Office in strategic planning and in managing the humanitarian program cycle, including overseeing needs assessments, response planning, and the integration of resilience-building measures, ensuring gender perspective is integrated throughout the planning processes and cycle.  
• Continuously monitor and analyze humanitarian developments and emergency situations within Ecuador. Produce comprehensive reports and updates to inform stakeholders and guide the humanitarian community’s response.
• Lead capacity-building initiatives for local staff and partners to ensure effective and sustainable humanitarian practices.
• Create and disseminate situation reports, appeals, and other key information products, ensuring all communications are clear, timely, and facilitate a coordinated response to humanitarian needs.
• Provide guidance on policy issues critical to the safeguarding of humanitarian principles and the effective delivery of aid, incorporating inclusive practices that address the needs of most vulnerable groups.
• Facilitate systematization and knowledge sharing of lessons learned and best practices among UN agencies and regional and humanitarian partners.
• Participate in inter-agency needs assessment missions as required.
• Contribute to preparing situation reports and provide input for other information products.

Expected Outcomes/Evaluation Criteria:

1. Provision of situational awareness and risk analysis related to emerging humanitarian and protection needs in Ecuador. 
2.  Participate in the creation of inter-agency needs assessments related to critical areas to better understand humanitarian impacts and identify access constraints.
3. Regularly monitoring the impact of natural hazards, including the potential impacts related to the development of El Niño/La Niña in the country.
4. Emergency Response Preparedness approach for the Humanitarian Forum and sectors is better promoted by implementing Minimum and Advanced Preparedness Actions at national and subnational levels, including the continuous elaboration of Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs)
5. The evolution of humanitarian access in collaboration with UN agencies, INGOs, and key government entities is better monitored with agreed tools and protocols. 
6. In collaboration with sector leaders, the successful implementation of 3-4-5W and the production of an updated map of actors with their respective sectoral activities.
7. Amplified advocacy efforts to promote effective and targeted responses in collaboration with government entities. 
8. Administrative issues maintained aligned with existing rules and regulations.

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

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in political science, sociology, law, international affairs, or any field related to disaster risk management.
• A minimum of eight (8) years of relevant experience in humanitarian coordination, emergency preparedness, disaster and crisis management/emergency relief, recovery, and development.
• Good level of working knowledge of Spanish and English (spoken and written).
• Previous experience with any UN agency in emergency response is an asset.
• Demonstrated analytical skills and experience in delivering written reports in a timely, accurate, and concisely prepared manner.
• Microsoft Office computer skills
• Ability to work with minimum supervision, effectively, competently and with integrity with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Competencies and values

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to OCHA; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to OCHA procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented;
• Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and OCHA in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority;
• Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues;
• Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment.
• Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities;
• Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups;
• Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary;
• Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards OCHA’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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. 

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts. 

Administrative Details:

Please note that although the consultancy payments and recruitment will be processed through UNICEF systems, the consultant will be based in the Resident Coordinator’s Office and will receive constant technical guidance from OCHA ROLAC. UNICEF will not intervene in the consultant’s performance management or day-to-day activities, which will be supervised by the Resident Coordinator’s Office in coordination with OCHA ROLAC