Org. Setting and Reporting
These three positions are located in the Monitoring and Tools Section, Assessment, Planning & Monitoring Branch, Coordination Division, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Istanbul, Turkey.
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 for the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions.
The Humanitarian Affairs Officers report directly to the Financial Tracking Service (FTS) Manager.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Humanitarian Affairs Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
- Monitors, analyzes and reports on humanitarian developments, disaster relief/management or emergency situations in assigned country/area.
- Organizes and prepares studies on humanitarian, emergency relief and related issues, including localization; organizes follow-up work, including interagency technical review meetings to support policy development work and decision-making on important issues, including financial tracking.
- Participates in large, complex projects, to include disaster assessment or other missions; assists in the coordination of international humanitarian/emergency assistance for complex emergency/disaster situations and in ensuring the necessary support (e.g., staff, funding, specialized equipment, supplies, etc.); drafts situation reports for the international community informing on the situation to date and specifying unmet requirements of stricken countries.
- Partners with other humanitarian actors- national and international 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.
- Manages the publication of humanitarian response plans (HRPs)/appeals and Flash Appeals (FAs), assists in their production and manages the FTS workflow for the publication of plans/appeals on the website. This includes obtaining contribution information relating to HRPs and FAs, establishing/maintaining reporting relationships with relevant stakeholders, overseeing financial aspects of new appeal document publication and related follow up.
- Undertakes and provides support to technical assistance and other field missions, e.g., participates in field trips to undertake in-depth reviews of specific country coordination mechanisms, support appeal development or upstream training.
- Contributes to technical development of FTS database and website, including review of user feedback, business analysis, and specification of new features for its future transformation including compatibility with the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) and with machine learning and artificial intelligence.
- Prepares or contributes to the preparation of various written reports, documents and communications, e.g., drafts sections of studies, background papers, policy guidelines, financial narrative analyses and reports, briefings, case studies, presentations, correspondence, etc.
- Serves as the primary focal point to obtain information on all humanitarian funding and maintain regular reporting arrangements with FTS, directly and regularly contacting OCHA field offices, NGOs, donors and UN agencies. Maintains/develops contacts with and obtains contribution information from regular reporting contacts and other humanitarian donors or recipients that do not regularly report to FTS to ensure appropriate monitoring and reporting mechanisms; and provides information and advice on a range of related issues.
- Reviews and provides advice on policy issues related to safeguarding humanitarian principles and ensuring the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance. Collaborates with managers (at HQ or field offices) of OCHA-managed country specific pooled funds to accurately depict on FTS funding movements in and out of the pooled funds, and to support pooled fund grant management and visibility.
- Organizes and participates in work groups, meetings, conferences, consultations with other agencies and humanitarian and emergency relief-related matters partners. Provides FTS user support and training, including on FTS technical platforms and tools; conducts training and presentations as needed; trains OCHA field staff using FTS for humanitarian programme cycle management.
- Provides guidance to, and may supervise, new/junior staff.
- Performs other duties as required.
Competencies
- Professionalism: Sound knowledge of and exposure to a range of humanitarian assistance issues. In-depth knowledge of humanitarian financial tracking and of the interagency appeal system; proficiency in quantitative analysis and in database operation and development; proven conceptual, strategic, analytical, advocacy and communication capacity; ability to identify issues and use sound judgment in applying technical expertise to resolve a wide range of problems; ability to conduct research, including ability to evaluate and integrate information from a variety of sources and assess impact. Ability to work under extreme pressure, on occasion in a highly stressful environment (e.g. Civil strife, natural disasters and human misery); ability to provide guidance to new/junior staff. 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
- 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.
Education
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in political science, social science, public administration, international studies, economics, engineering, earth sciences or a related field 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 five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, rehabilitation, development, or other related area is required
A minimum of three (3) years of direct experience in a country operation with humanitarian financial tracking or pooled funds mechanisms, humanitarian response plans or humanitarian appeals within the UN Common System or International Organization or donor agency is required.
Two years of recent international field experience in a development or humanitarian context is required.
Recent experience developing strategies around humanitarian financing is desirable.
A minimum of one (1) year of experience in database development and management is desirable.
Languages
French and English are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English is required.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
These positions are funded for a finite period of one year. Extension of the appointment is subject to extension of the mandate and the availability of the funds.
The positions are based in Istanbul.
Please NOTE that the selected candidates may be requested to work remotely (due to Covid- 19 restrictions) for an initial period upon onboarding.
Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-general and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.
The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.
An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential.
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.