Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located in the Humanitarian Financing and Resource Mobilization Division(HFRMD), the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), New York, which is the part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA is the 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.
The Chief of Pooled Fund Management Branch (PFMB) will work under the overall strategic guidance of the Under-Secretary-General /Emergency Relief Coordinator and the direct supervision of the Director of the Humanitarian Financing and Resource Mobilization Division.
Responsibilities
Within the delegated authority, the Chief of Branch provides leadership and strategic advice on the management and use of OCHA’s pooled funds, i.e. the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the Country Based Pooled Funds (CBPFs) S/he formulates and implements the substantive work programme of the Branch to ensure maximum efficiency and effectiveness in the use of the pooled funds, in-line with the needs of the humanitarian ecosystem. Oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Branch, ensures that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion and co-ordinates work in the different areas both within the Branc,, and with other organizations of the United Nations System, as appropriate. Specifically, the Chief of Branch will be responsible for the following:
• Leads, supervises and carries out the work programme of the Branch and more specifically, advises the USG/ERC and ASG/DERC on key decisions and allocations of OCHA’s pooled funds at the emergency and project levels. Provides strategic analysis and identifies trends, challenges, and opportunities to maximize the combined use of CERF/CBPF’s funding.
• Oversees operations and programmes in the Branch to ensure maximum efficiency, coherence and effectiveness in the management of the pooled funds. Co-ordinates the work carried out by different work units under the Branch, providing programmatic/substantive reviews to ensure compliance with existing policy instructions and oversight mechanisms.
• Develops common policies, concepts, strategies and recommendations to highlighting the added values of a common framework for the pooled funds’ reporting, as well as their contributions toward funding of the Humanitarian Response Plans (HRPs).
• Provides strategic and thought leadership across OCHA on pooled fund management to improve the effectiveness of principled and coordinated humanitarian action. Positions CERF and CBPFs by reaffirming their key role in the humanitarian financing architecture and by setting out clear path for achievement of their expanded funding targets.
• In close collaboration with the Partnerships and Resource Mobilization Branch in HFRMD, organizes the development of strategic messaging to ensure a coherent resource mobilization for the pooled funds.
• Carries out high-level partner engagement of CERF and CBPFs. Leads and supervises the organization of meetings on key pooled fund management issues, such as the bi-annual CERF Advisory Group and the Pooled Fund Working Group. Manages the substantive preparation and organization of such meetings or seminars.
• Participates in international, regional or national meetings and provides programmatic/substantive expertise on humanitarian financing or holds programmatic/substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions. Facilitates and supports a range of formal and informal inter-governmental processes by building, investing, and maintaining partnerships with Member States.
• Ensures strategic engagement between OCHA-managed pooled funds and other pooled funds, as well as broader system-wide humanitarian financing processes.
Leads the development and implementation of organization-wide approach to pooled funding, develops strategic policy instructions and leads the implementation of innovative financing processes (e.g. forecast-based financing, cash based funding). Co-ordinates and oversees the preparation of reports for presentation to intergovernmental bodies such as the, including the General Assembly, and other policy-making organs, as appropriate. Develops and provides advice at the global, regiona and country levels on humanitarian financing to ensure coherent and predictable humanitarian action at all levels.Oversees the reporting to intergovernmental bodies on budget/programme performance or on programmatic/ substantive issues, as appropriate, particularly those presented in biannual and/or annual reports.
• Ensures that the outputs produced by the Branch maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensures that all outputs produced by the Branch meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates. Operationalizes policies and strategies across OCHA and in close collaboration with partners and networks.
• Develops and prepares the strategy and the work programme of the Branch, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery. Ensures the Branch’s work programme meets objectives laid out in the OCHA Strategic Plan, and the Results Framework. Contributes to the formulation of OCHA’s overall strategies and policies by participating in various committees, preparing documents on pooled fund management issues; contributes to the overall management of the Division’s activities and operations.
• Undertakes or oversees the programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Branch, including preparation of budgets, reporting on budget/programme performance, evaluation of staff performance (PAS), interviews of candidates for job openings, evaluation of candidates and preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting.
• Recruits staff, taking due account of geographical balance, gender balance and other institutional values.
• Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under his/her supervision. Provides leadership to the development of innovative and/or change management programmes.
• Fosters teamwork and communication among staff in the Branch and across organizational boundaries. Prepares the USG/ERC and ASG/DERC for engagements with the key partners, as appropriate. Working across OCHA, consolidates and analyzes best practices and lessons learned from field operations.
• Performs other related duties as requested by the senior management of the Organization.
Competencies
• Professionalism: Knowledge of the substantive field of work in general and of specific areas being supervised. Ability to produce reports and papers on technical issues and to review and edit the work of others. Ability to apply UN rules, regulations, policies and guidelines in work situations. 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.
• 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 audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
• Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
• Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.
• Judgement/Decision-making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and
comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.
Education
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business or public administration, finance, accounting, law, social sciences or related area is required. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Work Experience
A minimum of fifteen years of progressively responsible experience in international relations, diplomacy, development, humanitarian action, or related field is required.
At least four (4) years of relevant international field experience within the last 10 years is required.
At least five (5) years of experience at the international level with the United Nations organization, or other comparable international organization is desirable.
Experience in pooled fund management is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations. Fluency in English (both oral and written) is required; knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.
Assessment
The evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.
Special Notice
• The appointment/assignment is for a duration of six months with the possibility of extension, subject to availability of funds and mandate extension. The selected candidate is expected to start as soon as possible.
• A current staff member who holds a fixed-term, permanent or continuing appointment may apply for temporary positions no more than one level above his or her current grade. However, a current staff member who holds an appointment at the G-6 or G-7 level may also apply to temporary positions in the Professional category up to and including the P-3 level, subject to meeting all eligibility and other requirements for the position. A staff member holding a temporary appointment shall be regarded as an external candidate when applying for other positions, and may apply for other temporary positions at any level, subject to section 5.7 below and staff rule 4.16 (b) (ii). Therefore, a staff member holding a temporary appointment in the General Service or related categories may only apply to positions within those categories. For full information on eligibility requirements, please refer to section 5 of ST/AI/2010/4Rev.1 on Temporary Appointments. In its resolution 66/234, the General Assembly further “stressed that the Secretary-General should not recur to the practice of temporarily filling posts in the Professional and higher categories with General Service staff members who have not passed the General Service to Professional category examination other than on an exceptional basis, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure that temporary occupation of such posts by the General Service staff shall not exceed a period of one year, effective 1 January 2013…” Consequently, eligible candidates in the General Service or related categories for temporary job openings in the Professional category that have not passed the competitive examination may be selected only on an exceptional basis endorsed by the Office of Human Resources Management where no other suitable candidate could be identified.
• Upon separation from service, including, but not limited to, expiration or termination of, or resignation from, a fixed-term, continuing or permanent appointment, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment on the basis of a temporary appointment for a period of 31 days following the separation. In the case of separation from service on retirement, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment for a period of three months following the separation. This equally applies, mutatis mutandis, with respect to a former or current staff member who has held or holds an appointment in another entity applying the United Nations Staff Regulations and Rules and who applies for a temporary position with the Secretariat.
• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as “retirement.” Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.
• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. An external candidate selected for this position is bound by the prevailing condition of the staff selection system under ST/AI/2010/3, as amended, and ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1. A staff member holding a temporary appointment who is recruited in the Professional and above categories on a temporary appointment, and placed on a position authorized for one year or longer may not apply for or be reappointed to his/her current position within six months of the end of his/her current service. This provision does not apply to staff members holding temporary appointments and placed on positions authorized for one year or more in duty stations authorized for peacekeeping operations or special political missions.
• The expression “Internal candidates”, shall mean staff members who have been recruited after a competitive examination under staff rule 4.16 or after the advice of a central review body under staff rule 4.15.
• Please note that candidates will be required to meet the requirements of Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter as well as the requirements of the position. The United Nations is committed to the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity for all its human resources, including but not limited to respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to whether they have committed, or are alleged to have committed criminal offences and/or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
• For information on special post allowance, please refer to ST/AI/1999/17. For more details on the administration of temporary appointments please refer to ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1.
• The Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and administrative issuances governing staff appointments can be viewed at: http://www.un.org/hr_handbook/English
• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply.
• Staff members are not eligible to apply for the current temporary job opening if they are unable to serve the specified duration of temporary need before reaching the mandatory age of separation. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.
United Nations Considerations
According to 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. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.
Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.
The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.