Humanitarian Affairs Officer/Pooled Fund Manager, P4 (TJO) at United Nations

Job Opening Number: 18-Humanitarian Affairs-OCHA-106802-J- (X)
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Job Code Title: Humanitarian Affairs Officer
Job type: Temporary Job Opening
Department/Office: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

Org. Setting and Reporting

• This position is located in the Operations and Advocacy Division, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which is 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 published for the position of Humanitarian Affairs Officer, Pooled Fund Manager in Maiduguri, Nigeria. The Humanitarian Affairs Officer, Pooled Fund Manager reports to the Deputy Head of Office/Head of Office, OCHA Nigeria.

Responsibilities
Under the overall guidance of the OCHA HoO and oversight of the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator (HC), the Humanitarian Affairs Officer, Pooled Fund Manager will be responsible for the following duties:

Fund Management and Coordination:

• Under the supervision of the HoO, advise the HC on the management of the Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF) or the Emergency Response Fund (ERF) ;
• Manage and oversee fund allocation processes ensuring necessary coordination with relevant counterparts in line with the Terms of Reference and/or allocation guidelines (i.e. Review and/or Advisory Boards, cluster or sector leads; humanitarian organizations; and OCHA);
• Manage the overall administration of the Fund and liaise as necessary with relevant OCHA HQ sections (i.e. OCHA Coordination and Response Division (CRD), OCHA Funding Coordination Section (FCS), OCHA Administrative Services Branch (ASB) or Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) Office);
• Supervise the fund management team (when applicable) ;
• Monitor the implementation of Fund strategies as endorsed by the HC, in consultation with OCHA HoO, promoting coherence between humanitarian needs and response;
• Lead in policy development, including the review and analysis of humanitarian issues at the country level, ensuring proper coordination with FCS;
• Advise the HC and the HoO on risk management and risk mitigation;
• Ensure implementation and compliance with policies and standard guidelines in accordance with HC decisions and HQ guidance;
• Oversee recipient organizations' compliance with financial rules applicable to the Fund;
• Ensure proper communication and support during the allocation process to all stakeholders;
• Support recipient organisations throughout project life-cycle promoting compliance with applicable rules;
• Liaise with contributing donors in and outside the country as necessary; Ensure coordination and information exchange with other donors aiming to promote coordinated and complementary use of funds (including CERF when appropriate);
• Represent the Fund management unit before stakeholders (NGO, UN Agencies, donors) and external actors as required;
• Undertake periodic field visits to promote the knowledge and appropriate use of the Fund in line with its Terms of Reference; field visits should focus on key actors (i.e. OCHA field colleagues, recipient organisations, local governments, communities).

Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation:

• Ensure compliance with monitoring and reporting requirements in place for the Fund;
• Oversee and ensure timely project reporting cycle, including the annual report of the Fund;
• Systematically provide information on project status to the HC, the HoO, donors and relevant governing bodies of the Fund;
• Support the preparation of evaluations, reviews and studies as requested by the HC and governing bodies ensuring due consultation with relevant HQ sections (FCS, EGS).

Analysis, communications and public information:

• Conduct and update periodic analyses of humanitarian financing information, funding trends and requirements, gathering data from all relevant sources;
• Liaise with OCHA field offices aiming at the largest dissemination of information about the scope, the access and the allocation process of the Fund;
• In collaboration with relevant OCHA, field offices and OCHA HQ sections ensure appropriate dissemination of information about the Fund through different communication products (i.e. bulletins, feature stories, photographs/videos, websites, etc.);
• Perform other duties as assigned by the OCHA Head of Office.

Competencies
Professionalism:

• Sound knowledge of and exposure to a range of humanitarian assistance, emergency relief and related human rights issues, to include approaches and techniques to address difficult problems;
• Strong 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;
• Strong research skills, including 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.

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 the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

Accountability:

• Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honors 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

• 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.
• 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

• Minimum of Seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, project management and budget/financial management is required.
• Experience in humanitarian emergencies in the field and direct project management or project supervision experience is desirable.
• Previous work experience in areas of project management, monitoring and evaluation, and administration is desirable.
• Knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines pertaining to humanitarian assistance is desirable. Knowledge of the institutions of the UN system and of NGOs is desirable.

Languages:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.

Assessment:

• Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.