Senior Roving Cluster Coordinator Global UNHCR

UNHCR, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees continues building its capacity to ensure predictable and consistent cluster coordination at country level. This is being achieved through the deployment of surge capacity from the global level when new clusters are created or when there is a new emergency in an existing cluster. This surge capacity is replaced by longer-term capacity provided by the country level.

The Senior Roving Cluster Coordinators (SRCC) are a key component of the roving capacity. These senior and experienced cluster coordinators are readily available at short notice and for enough time until a long-time senior replacement is deployed to activate and support cluster operations for the top tier emergencies often in security sensitive environments.

NORCAP is looking for a Senior Roving Cluster Coordinator, seconded to the UNHCR Global Shelter Cluster (GSC) Section, for an initial period of 1 year. The selected candidate will report to the Senior Shelter Coordination Officer responsible for country support.

Role and Objectives

The main objective of the deployment of SRCC is to achieve more efficient, predictable and faster shelter responses. A quick, predictable, and highly qualified instant deployment of a senior cluster coordinator can be achieved by having SRCC already identified, trained, experienced, and contracted.

The work will have two components: six months deployment to the field per year and up to six months of remote support to country operations working from home. The deployment to the field will be determined based on needs and requests, most often at short notice. The SRCC will be deployed to emergencies which usually require very long working hours in stressful situations and in difficult and security sensitive environments. The SRCC will be provided with a laptop that will have to be returned at the end of the assignment.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Be deployed for 3 months (with extensions in some cases) to support the establishment of the Shelter Cluster and create the necessary coordination systems and processes under the direct supervision of the person who represents UNHCR at the Humanitarian Country Team with a technical reporting line to the GSC.
• Be deployed for short time in context where the Shelter Clusters are active and provide support for the analysis of the crises and the design of the strategies and other types of support under the direct supervision of the person who represents UNHCR at the Humanitarian Country Team with a technical reporting line to the GSC.
• Provide remote support from home to country-level clusters.
• Participate in GSC initiatives such as trainings, working groups and fora upon request.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• University degree, preferably at a Masters’ level. Preferably in architecture, civil engineering or other comparable academic preparation.

Experience required:

• A minimum of 10 years of experience on a similar position including 5 years humanitarian international experience in senior management positions.
• Knowledge of Cluster mechanisms, UN coordination systems and Humanitarian Reform process.
• Good knowledge and experience of shelter and settlements programmes with particular focus on conflict-related emergencies and contexts.
• Experience with the role of an adviser and of providing remote support to programs managers.
• Very good knowledge of the shelter and settlement sector.
• Experienced and familiar with protection as well as other cross-cutting issues like age, gender, and diversity, disability, HLP, and environment.

Experience desired:

• Good and proven knowledge in UNHCR operations and management.
• Experience in organising training.

Competencies:

• Proven leadership, negotiation, coordination, inter-personal and communication skills.
• Ability to produce strategies, guidelines and instructions at global and country levels.
• Analytical thinking, planning and organisational development skills, political awareness.
• Ability to work independently in a result oriented multi-tasking and multi-cultural environment and manage conflicting priorities.
• Ability to represent the organisation at various levels.
• Excellent knowledge of English (spoken, written), other UN languages would be an asset particularly French, Arabic, and Spanish.

For more information about the role, please read the TOR : TOR – Senior Roving Cluster Coordinator UNHCR.pdf

The main competencies of a NORCAP Expert are: 1) Building working relationships , 2) Planning and organising, 3) Adaptability, 4)Resilience.

What we offer

• Rewarding work for a renowned global organisation
• Access to a network of humanitarian, peace, and development professionals
• Join NORCAP’s team of experts and be considered for future assignments elsewhere
• A dedicated Staff Care Unit