Org. Setting and Reporting

The position is located in the Operations and Advocacy Division (OAD), Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). 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.

This temporary job opening is being advertised for the position of Humanitarian Affairs Officer/Pooled Fund Manager in Dakar, Senegal. Under the overall supervision of the Head of Office (HoO), OCHA Regional Office for West and Central Africa (ROWCA), the incumbent reports to the Head of Regional Humanitarian Financing Unit (RHFU).

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Humanitarian Affairs Officer/Pooled Fund Manager will be responsible for the following duties:

I. Representation and Coordination

Advise the HC on the Fund’s management and CERF processes, in conformity with prevailing policies and guidelines and aligned to the local context;
Liaise as necessary with relevant OCHA Headquarters (HQ) sections including OAD, Country-based Pooled Fund Section (CBPFS), CERF Secretariat, Donor Relation Section (DRS), and External Relations and Partnerships Section (ERPS);
Represent the Fund, coordinating with all stakeholders, such as sectors/clusters, humanitarian partners, donors etc.;
Assist the HC in preparing and facilitating Advisory Board (AB) meetings and other processes;

II. Allocations

Manage and oversee allocation processes, ensuring necessary coordination with relevant counterparts in line prevailing guidelines and best practices;
Monitor the implementation of Fund allocation strategies as endorsed by the HC, in consultation with HoO, promoting coherence between humanitarian needs and response;
Review and analyze humanitarian financing and programming issues at the country level to support CBPF and CERF allocations;

III. Financial Management

Ensure proper financial management, overseeing recipient organizations’ compliance with applicable financial rules and undertaking verification activities in accordance with the CBPF Operational Manual;
Develop audit plans of NGOs, oversee their timely implementation, and analyze findings to ensure proper follow-up and compliance with financial rules and regulations;

IV. Compliance and Risk Management

Advise the HCs and the HoOs on compliance and risk management;
Ensure the implementation of and the compliance with global policies and guidelines;
Develop the CBPF Operational Manual in line with the CBPF Global Guidelines;
Ensure proper communication with, and support to, Fund recipients and other stakeholders throughout projects’ life cycles, promoting compliance with applicable rules and governance documents;
Oversee the development, update, and implementation of the CBPF risk management framework;
Ensure that grant agreements and supporting documents are accurate and in conformity with Global Guidelines and the CBPF Operational Manual;
Conduct due diligence reviews, capacity assessments and performance assessments to establish eligibility of, and assign risk levels to NGO partners;
Implement OCHA’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on Suspected Fraud and Misuse of Funds, and on Response to Concerns of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, involving partners;
Support the review of the Fund by the UN oversight bodies including the Board of Auditors (BoA) and Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS);

V. Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation:

Develop monitoring plans in line with CERF and CBPF guidance;
Oversee the monitoring of projects to ensure the appropriate use of resources provided and promote learning and best practices;
Systematically provide information on project status to the HC, the HoO, donors, and relevant advisory bodies;
Establish reporting schedules for projects and review and clear project reports;
Support evaluations, reviews and studies as requested by the HC and governing bodies, ensuring due consultation with HQ;

VI. Information Management, Analysis and Communications:

Ensure the appropriate use of the Grant Management System (GMS), maintaining all relevant information and data in a timely and accurate manner and performing data analyses as required;
Conduct and update periodic analyses of humanitarian financing information, funding trends and requirements, gathering data from all relevant sources;
Prepare and disseminate information, reports, and other communication products to different stakeholders about the Fund and its processes, including allocations and achievements (i.e., dashboards, feature stories, photographs/videos, websites, CBPF Annual Report etc.);

VII. Donor Relations

Strengthen relationships with contributing donors through consistent and proper communication, ensuring timely reporting on the Fund’s activities and funding requirements;
Develop key strategic partnerships with new donors to achieve a broader donor base for the CBPF;
Coordinate with other donors, as necessary, to promote coordinated and complementary use of funding;
In collaboration with DRS, support the HC and the HoO in developing and implementing Resource Mobilisation Action Plans;

VIII. Management of HFU

Plan staffing and operational requirements and corresponding budget for approval by the HC and the HoO;
Ensure timely recruitment, induction, training, and performance management in line with corporate frameworks;
Promote a positive and respectful working environment, upholding OCHA’s duty of care relating to security, health, safety and well-being;
Perform other duties as assigned by the HoO.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Sound knowledge of and exposure to a range of humanitarian assistance, emergency relief and related humanitarian issues, to include approaches and techniques to address difficult problems; conceptual and strategic analytical capacity and in particular the ability to analyse and articulate the humanitarian and protection dimension of issues which require a coordinated UN response; ability to identify issues and to use sound judgment in applying technical expertise to resolve a wide range of problems; ability to evaluate and integrate information from a variety of sources and assess impact on the humanitarian rights and protection situation in assigned country/area; 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; take responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. Proven drafting skills. Knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines pertaining humanitarian assistance. Knowledge of the UN common system and NGOs, and commonly used computer applications including MS Word and Excel.

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.

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.

Education

An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in humanitarian or development affairs, social sciences, public administration, international studies, economics or a related field, is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, rehabilitation, development, project management, budget management, or related area is required;

Experience in program/project management, including monitoring and evaluation is required.

Experience managing field teams in humanitarian operations is required.

At least three (3) years in the past seven (7) years of international field experience (actual setting where a mission or project is being implemented) in aid operations (complex emergency or natural disaster) is desirable;

Experience in humanitarian financing (e.g. grant management, risk management, fundraising, and donor relations for humanitarian programmes) is desirable;

Experience in the design of policies and guidelines pertaining to humanitarian assistance is desirable.

Experience within the UN Common System or other international organization is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English and French is required. 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

This position is funded for a period 364 days and may be subject to extension. Extension of the appointment is subject to extension of the mandate and/or the availability of the funds. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.

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.

Subject to the funding source of the position, this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.

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.

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.

The United Nations is Secretariat and is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for these positions. An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential.

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: https://hr.un.org/handbook.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, Inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the At-a-Glance on “The Application Process” and the Instructional Manual for the Applicants, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of Inspira account holder homepage.

Applications are pre-screened by the system according to the published requirements of the job opening on the basis of the information provided in the application. In relation to the requirements of the job opening, applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their qualifications, including their education, work experience, and language skills. Each applicant must bear in mind that submission of incomplete or inaccurate applications may render that applicant ineligible for consideration for the job opening. Initial screening and evaluation of applications will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted. Applications cannot be amended following submission. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to a reference-checking process to verify the information provided in the application.

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.

Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.

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.