Job Vacancy at The United Nations

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.

Special Notice

Please note that this is a temporary job opening, open to internal as well as external candidates. The position is intended to fill functions of short-term duration. This position is available for six months, with possibility of extension, and the selected candidate is expected to start as soon as possible. All posts are subject to availability of funds. 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.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.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: http://www.un.org/hr_handbook/English

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Abuja, Nigeria. The Information Management Officer reports to the Deputy Head of Office.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Information Management Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

COORDINATION:
- Establish and maintain an information management network in accordance with IASC guidance to facilitate humanitarian information exchange and the promotion of data and information standards.
- Engage with counterparts in government to ensure that information activities are coordinated and consistent with national standards and practices.
- Provide training and expertise on the use and development of information management tools and platforms to OCHA staff and humanitarian partners.
- Advocate for the use of data standards and common platforms, and for the open exchange of information.
- Identify in-country activities that could benefit from remote information management capacity.
- Coordinate remote IM support provided by other OCHA offices and non-UN actors.

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT UNIT AND INTEGRATED TEAM MANAGEMENT:
- Advise the OCHA Head of Office on operational information management, including strategic and immediate priorities.
- Support the development and implementation of a strategic approach to managing information around the humanitarian programme cycle, including supporting common information processes such as preparedness, needs assessment, strategic planning, resource mobilization, implementation and monitoring.
- Provide strategic and day-to-day management of the information management unit (IMU) and related staff, including deployment of surge and other short-term staffing.
- Take overall responsibility for the management of information and the production and dissemination of high-quality information products, tools and services.
- Liaise with external actors, including senior staff in humanitarian and development agencies, government and the military.
- Advise the Head of Office on strategic use of communications and information.
- Provide leadership and vision to the integrated information team. Enable a collaborative approach between different areas of expertise within the team, foster innovation, stimulate early adoption of tools and technologies, and support team building and capacity development through continuous coaching and training of team members.
- Oversee the drafting, stylistic design, editorial coherence and production of all information and reporting materials intended for external use, such as maps, infographics, reports, press releases, bulletins and situation reports.
- Recruit staff, taking due account of geographical balance; manages, guides, develops, trains and fosters teamwork and communication among staff under his/her supervision.
- Carry out programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the section, including preparation of budgets, assigning and monitoring of performance parameters, reporting on budget/programme performance and evaluation of staff performance.
- Perform other related duties, as required.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to the management of information in complex emergencies, disaster preparedness, disaster response and early recovery; Ability to identify issues, analyse humanitarian trends and participate in the resolution of issues/problems; Ability to conduct data collection using various methods; Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, including electronic sources on the internet, intranet and other databases; Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities; 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.

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.

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.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in information management, information systems, social science or 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

A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in information management, information systems, disaster management, humanitarian affairs, or other related area. Experience in managing information in disaster response or complex emergencies is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required.

Assessment Method

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

United Nations Considerations

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.

The United Nations shall place 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. (Charter of the United Nations - Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

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.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at midnight (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.