Emergency Specialist at UNICEF

Description

• UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.
• Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. And we never give up.

For Every Child, Hope

• Niger is affected by multiple and complex humanitarian crises, both chronic and acute, including food and nutrition, natural disasters, epidemics and displacement of population due to conflicts in neighboring countries (Nigeria, Mali and Burkina Faso) and to consequences of attacks by non-state armed groups. These crises have a significant impact on the vulnerability of populations, which are often affected simultaneously by multiple crises.
• According to the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO), 2.3 million people will need humanitarian assistance in Niger in 2019, out of which 461,323 in Diffa (bordering Nigeria), 408,600 in Tillabery (bordering Mali and Burkina Faso) and 308,425 in Tahoua region (bordering Mali).
• In the Diffa region, the latest government figures of July 2018 report the presence of 120,000 refugees, 104,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) and 26,000 returnees, and over 28,000 people were newly displaced between March and June 2019 due to a new wave of attacks by non-state armed groups.
• In Tillabery and Tahoua regions, at the border with Mali, the cluster protection reported the presence, as of end of March 2019, of over 70,000 displaced populations, with 4 refugee camps present also in the two regions since 2012 and hosting overall almost 55,000 refugees from Mali.
• A new front of insecurity and displacement in 2019 is in Maradi region, where 35,055 refugees (including estimated 18,000 children), were registered by UNHCR and regional authorities following attacks against civilians and insecurity in Sokoto and Zamfara (Nigeria).
• The country is also regularly hit by severe floods which affect every year thousands of people. In 2018, over 208,000 people were touched in all regions, and in 2019 the HNO estimates that 170,000 might be affected.
• UNICEF provides multi-sectoral responses to the crises affecting the Niger and aims at strengthening the link between humanitarian interventions and resilience-building programmes, particularly in the Diffa Region.
• Since 2016 UNICEF has been increasingly supporting the implementation of a Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) in the country. The mechanism provides rapid multisectoral assessment and response in WASH, non-Food Items (NFI), food security and protection, to the acute vulnerabilities of people recently affected by population movements due to sudden chocs.
• Since 2018 the RRM mechanism has been formalized through a joint framework, which included OCHA, UNICEF, WFP, the Ministry of Humanitarian Action and Disaster Relief, and the NGO (ACF, ACTED, DRC and IRC) and UNICEF is responsible for the technical leadership of the mechanism and for the centralization of NFI and WASH procurement.
• UNICEF leads 4 sectors/clusters in the country at the national level, and supports the regional decentralized technical services, including in Diffa, Tahoua and Tillabery, in their leadership role for humanitarian sectoral coordination.

How Can You Make a Difference?

• The Emergency Unit in Niger is reporting to the Deputy Representative and supervises the provision of effective coordination, technical support and advice to the office for the delivery of timely, efficient and high-quality responses to crises in Niger, in line with UNICEF's Core Commitments for Children in Emergencies, the Niger's Humanitarian Response Plan, the Nigeria Refugees Response Plan and the UNICEF' Humanitarian Action for Children.
• The emergency specialist will lead an emergency team in the country composed of 11 national and international emergency officers and coordinate the Multisectoral Emergency Task Force (ETF) over 15 emergency focal points from 6 sections and 3 zonal offices.
• The Emergency Unit is also responsible for the management of 2 major initiatives: The Rapid Response Mechanism project with 4 international NGOs, OCHA and WFP, as well as with the Ministry of Humanitarian Action and Disaster Relief (MHA/GC), for which it is responsible for the procurement of NFIs and for the provision of the overall technical support; and the RapidPro project for the real-time monitoring of humanitarian interventions in education, nutrition and wash in the Diffa region.
• Additionally, the unit provides technical, financial and in-kind support to the MAH / GC to strengthen its capacity to manage and coordinate humanitarian crises and is a key partner of the MAH / GC and of the Civil Defense Department (DGPC) for the preparation and response to floods.
• In terms of Planning, UNICEF is currently fully involved in the preparation of the 2020 Humanitarian Response Plan and Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC). The Emergency Unit is responsible for the overall coordination of the process, in collaboration with OCHA and the clusters under UNICEF' leadership and the RRM.
• The Emergency Specialist is additionally in charge of the drafting of the HAC, in collaboration with the ETF, and based on the results of the HNRP process.
• In terms of preparedness, the unit is in charge of the regular updating of the Emergency Preparedness Platform (EPP), and of all the steps, including the revision of the risk analysis and if required the contingency and preparedness plans to respond to chronic and sudden crises.
• The Emergency unit participates in external coordination platforms such as the Inter Cluster Coordination Group, of a number of sub-groups (IM, access and cash) and is member of 3 task forces set up by the government, the Tripartite Committee for the Nexus Humanitarian Development, the delocalization working group and the crisis group set up during rainy season in case of floods. The unit represents UNICEF in the NFI and Shelter Working Group.

Key Functions, Accountabilities and Related Duties / Tasks

Preparedness and Planning:

• Coordinates the revision of the Risk Analysis and the consequent steps in the Emergency Preparedness Platform, in coordination with the zonal offices and the emergency task force (ETF)n;
• Provides guidance, technical support and coordinated the implementation of the HRP processn;
• Drafts the HAC.

Response and Coordination:

• Coordinates and supports the efficient, timely and effective implementation of emergency response to major crises in all sectors, in line with CCCs, the HAC, the HRP, and in collaboration with the emergency unit and the ETF ;
• Supervises the implementation of the RRM and RapidPro, and any other multisectoral emergency project in collaboration with the RRM coordinator, the Chiefs of Field Offices, the emergency unit and the ETF ;
• Supervises the implementation of the partnership with the MAH / GC at national and decentralized level, and with the DGPC in the provision of timely, coordinated and effective response after major chocks due to conflict and / or natural disaster, in tight collaboration with the emergency unit and the ETF ;
• Organizes at least 1 Emergency Management Team Meeting and at least bi-monthly ETF meetings;
• Participates with the RRM coordinator in the ACCESS working group and reports to the management on the main highlights of the meetings.

Monitoring and Reporting:

• Ensures the production and follow up of monthly SitReps, in collaboration with the ETF ad, the emergency team ;
• Contributes to the development of donor reports, field visit background documents and other as required ;
• Supervises the development of innovative and integrated information management (IM) tools for humanitarian analysis and monitoring ;
• Supervises the consultancy for the in-depth review of the RapidPro project and advice on the follow up.

Partnerships:

• Maintains regular discussions with focal points to be alerted on major financial gaps and develops proposals to fill the gaps ; particularly for the new crisis in the Maradi region ;
• Maintains excellent and regular relationships with key humanitarian actors, including donors (particularly ECHO).

Management (If Required):

• Provides emergency unit staff with clear directions and objectives that are based on organizational strategy and policy, and according to the recommendations of the 2019 retreat ;
• Follow up the action plan prepared at the 2019 retreat ;
• Coordinates weekly exchange on priorities with the team in Niamey and in the field ;
• Maintains a healthy, respectful, safe and secure work environment ;
• Follows up the finalization of the ongoing recruitment processes

Qualifications / Experience
To qualify as a champion for every child you will have:

• An Advanced University Degree in Social Sciences, International Humanitarian / Development or Related Technical Field relevant to UNICEF programmes.
• Training in emergency response desirable.
• Experience of at least 10 years with a first university degree is acceptable.
• At least eight years of progressively responsible work experience at the International level in developing countries.
• Knowledge and field experience in UNICEF programmes especially in complex emergency environment. Experience in the Rapid Response Mechanism desirable.
• Fluency in French and English is required.

For Every Child you demonstrate:

• UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

Core Competencies:

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (2)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)
• To view our competency framework, please visit here.