Fresh Jobs at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA)

Job ID: 13636
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Time Left: 13d 21h 4m
Vacancy Type: FTA Local
Contract Duration: 1 Year with possibility for extension

Background
Given the current crisis in Nigeria, OCHA has to scale up its support to the Humanitarian Coordinator in mobilization and coordination of an effective and principled humanitarian response. OCHA is particularly concerned about vulnerable communities and those at risk due to current conflict. Under the leadership of the Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, OCHA maintains an office in Abuja and a field presence in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states in North East; the primary objectives of OCHA Nigeria include the following:

• Advocate for access to basic services, especially water, sanitation, education and health for vulnerable communities, including collection, analysis and dissemination of information and negotiation of access.
• Coordinate the implementation of humanitarian response in Nigeria with UN agencies and programmes, national and international NGOs and local authorities/communities as appropriate with focus on strengthening the Cluster Approach.
• Enhance a protective environment that respects the human rights of all, including IDPs, returnees and minority clan.

The HAO is expected to have comprehensive knowledge of North East of Nigeria, UNOCHA operations, humanitarian partners, operations of the government and NGOs. As such the HAO provides the elements of institutional memory and local networking essential to the credibility and authority of the statements and documents provided by OCHA and the Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator. They work with little supervision in the field, and are expected to prepare concise reports and analysis and are an integral part of the OCHA Team in Nigeria.
    
Duties and Responsibilities
Summary of key functions:

• Information Collection in support of Humanitarian Analysis and Response,
• Information Sharing
• Development of coordination and cooperation mechanisms among stakeholders
• Monitoring and Reporting

Ensure accurate Information Collection in support of Humanitarian Analysis and Response, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Review incoming field reports, prepare summaries of field activities and flag important issues to senior management
• Actively participate in the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) and Humanitarian Needs Overview process, and HRP/HNO Mid-Year Review and End-year Review processes.
• Gather and verify information on issues affecting the humanitarian situation, emphasizing opportunities for response.
• Supports field analysis and interface with the AIM working group to extract key action points that need follow up from assessments undertaken and the humanitarian Dashboard.

Ensure facilitation of information sharing among partners focusing on achievement of the following:

• Pro-actively share information with OCHA and relevant stakeholders on pertinent issues.
• Identify key pieces of information that will assist with organizational decision-making with a particular focus on improving humanitarian response.

Ensure the development of coordination and cooperation mechanisms among stakeholders focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Support existing coordination mechanisms and assist in the establishment of new field coordination wherever required.
• Establish relationships with key stakeholders, including non-traditional humanitarian actors, in areas of operation to ensure humanitarian information flow from OCHA to partners and vice versa and ensure their participation in operations

Ensure proper monitoring and reporting focusing on achievement of the following:

• Field visits to the Local Government Areas (LGAs) and support the collection of field information to monitor and improve ongoing response, coordination activities and information products.
• Prepare succinct reports on the key humanitarian issues in the districts and workings with state level partners provide analysis on response gaps and advocacy issues

Impact of Results

• The key results have an impact on the overall coordination of humanitarian and emergency assistance.
• The root causes of the humanitarian/emergency situations are appreciated, ensuring that strong and effective responses are mounted.
• This facilitates operational agencies in succeeding in their core objectives, building of strong partnerships with relevant parties and the achievement of OCHA’s objectives.

Competencies
Preparing information for advocacy:

• Identifies and communicates relevant information for a variety of audiences for advocating OCHA’s priorities

Building Strategic Partnerships:

• Maintaining a network of contacts
• Maintains an established network of contacts for general information sharing and to remain up-to-date on partnership related issues
• Analyzes and selects materials for strengthening strategic alliances with partners and stakeholders

Resource Mobilization:

• Providing inputs to resource mobilization strategy
• Collects, researches and analyzes information on resource mobilization and utilization, drafts reports and documents and maintains information/databases on potential and actual donors and donor funded projects

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

• Basic research and analysis
• Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things
• Documents and analyses innovative strategies and new approaches

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

• Fundamental knowledge of own discipline
• Understands and applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical specialty relating to the position
• Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning
• Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments
• Demonstrates in-depth understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments

Global Leadership and Advocacy for OCHA’s Goals:

• Preparing information for global advocacy
• Identifies and communicates relevant information for advocacy for OCHA’s goals for a variety of audiences
• Maintains a functioning network of contacts in the media and civil society, to promote a better understanding of OCHA’s priorities and to support advocacy efforts

Client Orientation:

• Establishing effective client relationships
• Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct and appropriate fashion
• Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines
• Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships within the work unit and with internal and external clients

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity 
• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
• Self-development, initiative-taking
• Acting as a team player and facilitating team work
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
• Creating synergies through self-control
• Managing conflict
• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing are the responsibility of each staff member.
• Informed and transparent decision making

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• Master's Degree or equivalent in Political Science, Sociology, Law, International Relations or other related fields with up to 2 years of relevant experience at the national or international level.

Experience:

• Up to 2 years of relevant professional experience, preferably in complex emergency and inter-agency contexts particularly the North East of Nigeria, dealing with relief and transitional issues.
• Familiarity with UN policies, rules and procedures, particularly in relation to humanitarian response and coordination, and knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines pertaining to humanitarian assistance, especially the humanitarian reform agenda.
• Ability to research, analyze, evaluate and synthesize information.
• Ability to express clearly and concisely, ideas and concepts in written and oral form.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and experience in handling of web based management systems.

Language requirements:

• Professional fluency in oral and written English, Hausa and Kanori is required.  Candidates will be tested on their linguistic ability.

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Job ID: 13640
Grade: G6
Vacancy Type: FTA Local
Contract Duration: 1 Year with possibility for extension

Background
Under the overall supervision of the OCHA Head of Office, the Manager of the Information Management Unit and direct supervision of the Information Management Assistant Officer (IMAO), the Information Management Data Assistant will be responsible for the following:

Duties and Responsibilities
Summary of Key Functions:

• Manage content on relevant web platforms such as www.unocha.org/nigeria, www.humanitarianresponse.info/operations/nigeria, and provide overall quality control for the platform and ensure content is current, comprehensive and follows relevant metadata standards
• Support coordination by managing core information tools and services including contact management, event scheduling and document management
• Provide client support to web focal point in partner organizations, including training
• Work with counterparts on related web platforms such as agency and cluster websites and ReliefWeb to facilitate cross-site search and interoperability
• Collaborate with counterparts worldwide on the development, improvement and adoption of new modules and features
• Analyze statistical websites monthly, reporting on trends and developments
• Assist in the administration of user profiles and access rights of web platforms and provide the necessary technical assistance
• Developing networks and partnerships to support the sharing of information
• Ensure the collection and integration of data from different web sites managed by the national office.
• Provide support of information management in the preparation of background papers, briefing kits, Power Point presentations, working documents, matrices, etc.
• Work closely with the Public Information Unit to ensure consistency in the dissemination of humanitarian information and advocacy
• Ensure the update of humanitarian kiosk
• Maintain Mailchimp regularly to share information
• Perform any other duties required by the IMU Manager in connection to the information management or as requested by the OCHA Head of Office.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• The Key results will have an impact on the OCHA’s Field Information Management Strategy, the provision of support to Field Offices in the adoption and use of information management applications and procedures, such as the Who does What Where/Contact Directory and the field document management system, and on the development and improvement of information management tools and standard at the local and regional levels to ensure that information management in the field functions efficiently.

Competencies
Functional Competencies:

• 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; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
• Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.
• 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.
• Technological Awareness: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity.
• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
• Self-development, initiative-taking
• Acting as a team player and facilitating team work
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
• Creating synergies through self-control
• Managing conflict
• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member.
• Informed and transparent decision making

Required Skills and Experience
Education: 

• Secondary education with relevant certifications in Arts, Statistics, Disaster Management, Emergency Management, Geographic Information Systems, Information Management, Information Systems, Professional Studies, Social Sciences.

Experience:

• A minimum of six (06) years of relevant professional experience in the fields of activity concerned (collection and data processing, database management, data analysis, etc.)
• Very good knowledge of Drupal content management systems and DNN
• Very good knowledge of computer languages : Javascript, HTML, XHTML , XML, CSS , PHP, MySQL
• Experience in conducting training sessions
• Ability to communicate with technical and non- technical staff
• Curiosity vis-à- vis the latest technological developments, and commitment to continuous learning
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks