Humanitarian Affairs Officer / Head of Access and Civil Military Coordination Unit (TJO) at United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - UNOCHA

Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Grade: P4
Slot: 20 Humanitarian Affairs-OCHA-134957-J- (X)

Org. Setting and Reporting

• This position is located in the Operations and Advocacy Division (OAD), Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which 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 Head of Unit/Access and Civil Military Coordination and is located in Maiduguri with OCHA Nigeria. The incumbent reports to the Deputy Head of Office OCHA Nigeria.

Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Head of Access and Civil Military Coordination Unit will be responsible for the following duties:

• Serves as a senior policy officer; advise on overall policy direction on specific issues related to civil-military coordination, engagement with armed actors, humanitarian access and protection issues; and, more generally, reviews and provides advice on a diverse range of policy issues related to safeguarding humanitarian principles and ensuring the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance and the linkages with other related areas (e.g. protection of civilians, displacement, human rights).
• Prepares policy position papers on humanitarian access and civil-military coordination related issues.
• Develops and supports a country wide access and CMCoord network to promote principled, coordinated approach to outreach, interactions with key stakeholders, including armed actors, coordinated approaches to access, sharing best practices with partners and stakeholders to ensure tailored and effective humanitarian access strategies across the country.
• Monitors, analyzes and reports on conflict trends, humanitarian access challenges and opportunities, as well as humanitarian developments, disaster relief/management programmes or emergency situations in assigned country/area.
• Encourages and facilitates the development of frameworks of engagement of humanitarian actors with relevant stakeholders on humanitarian access and civil military coordination issues (e.g. Ground Rules for humanitarian actions, interaction with armed groups, use of armed escorts, etc), including for advocacy purposes.
• Leads and/or participates in large, complex projects, to include disaster assessment, engagement with military and armed actors, humanitarian access negotiations or other missions; coordinates international humanitarian/emergency assistance for complex emergency/disaster situations; ensures necessary support (e.g. staff, funding, specialized equipment, supplies, etc.); prepares situation reports.
• Ensures maintenance of a database for humanitarian access incidents and trends, with country-specific indicators in line with OCHA's AMRF, in collaboration with field offices and other key stakeholders, providing timely updates and recommending evidence-based actions.
• Assists in the production of appeals for international assistance; ensures the proper use and spending of donor contributions channeled through OCHA.
• Advises the Head of Office on overall direction on humanitarian access and civil military coordination issues, including planning and facilitating the monthly Civil Military Working Group and Access Task Force.
• Establishes the necessary links and dialogue with Senior Officers in national and international military and security forces, Military Liaison Officers (MLO), and personnel in UN agencies, including any relevant civilian mission staff, and civil-military coordination personnel of appropriate NGOs.
• Analyzes and assists in introducing new technologies for disaster warning/management.
• Organizes and prepares studies on humanitarian, emergency relief and related issues; organizes follows-up work, including interagency technical review meetings to support policy development work and decision-making on important issues; and ensures the implementation of recommendations emanating from relevant studies.
• Assists or leads, as appropriate, in the preparation of OCHA reports, studies, background papers, policy guidelines, correspondence, presentations, background papers, policy guidelines, parliamentary documents, etc.; with respect to the latter, takes the lead in providing support and information to relevant councils or other entities on specific issues.
• Partners with other humanitarian agencies to plan and evaluate complex humanitarian and emergency assistance programmes; helps ensure that latest findings, lessons learned, policy guidelines, etc. are incorporated into these activities, including gender-related considerations.
• Establishes and maintains contacts with government officials, other UN agencies, nongovernmental organizations, diplomatic missions, media, etc.; ensures appropriate mechanisms to facilitate collaboration and exchange of information both in and outside the UN system, including on early warning and contingency planning, etc.
• Serves as the primary focal point on specific topics or policy-related issues related to civil military coordination, engagement with armed actors and security forces and humanitarian access; keeps abreast of latest developments, liaises with other humanitarian organizations, donors, etc., ensures appropriate monitoring and reporting mechanisms; provides information and advice on a range of related issues.
• Organizes and participates in work groups, meetings, conferences, consultations with other agencies and partners’ humanitarian and emergency relief-related matters. Organizes workshops on civil military coordination and humanitarian access, with relevant stakeholders.
• May participate in planning and preparation of unit budget and work program.
• Provides leadership and work direction to Civil-Military Coordination and Access team, including mentoring and supervising the work of new/junior officers.
• Performs other duties as requested by the OCHA Head of Office and the Deputy Head of Office, as applicable.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Knowledge of a range of humanitarian assistance, emergency relief and related human rights issues, including approaches and techniques to address difficult problems. Solid understanding of Civil Military Coordination issues. Knowledge and understanding of the UN Security Management System. Analytical capacity and in particular the ability to analyze and articulate the humanitarian dimension of issues which require a coordinated UN response.
• Ability to identify issues and 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 on the humanitarian rights 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.
• 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.
• Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
• 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.
• 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; tailor's language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

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 (2) 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, or other related area is required.
• Experience in humanitarian affairs or related area at the international level is required.
• Humanitarian experience in the field (actual setting where the response is being implemented) in emergency situations (complex emergency or natural disaster) is required.
• Experience in humanitarian access analysis in support of the Humanitarian Program Cycle is desirable.
• Strong analytical and research background, with experience managing complex and large volumes of data sources and information is desirable.
• Experience managing a diverse team of staff within a complex, humanitarian setting is desirable.
• Experience in the UN Common System or other international organization is desirable.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, GIS Mapping and experience in handling of web-based management systems is desirable.
• Experience in the region (West Africa) is desirable.

Languages:

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in 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 competency-based interview.