Org. Setting and Reporting
The position is located in the Operations and Advocacy Division (OAD), Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). OCHA 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 position-specific job opening is being advertised for the position of Humanitarian Affairs Officer/Pooled Fund Manager in Damascus, Syria. Under the overall supervision of the Head of Office, OCHA Syria, the incumbent reports to the Deputy Head of Office.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Humanitarian Affairs Officer/Pooled Fund Manager will be responsible for the following duties:
I. Fund Management and Coordination:
• Under the supervision of the Head of Office (HoO), advise the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) on the management of the Syria Humanitarian Fund (SHF);
• 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 Operations and Advocacy Division (OAD), OCHA Funding Coordination Section (FCS), OCHA Administrative Services Branch (ASB) or Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) Office);
• Supervise the fund management team.
• 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;
• Ensure effective and efficient coordination and information exchange with all relevant partners, including NGOs, and take into account their feedback on delivery of humanitarian programs.
• 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 organizations 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 Central Emergency Response Fund (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 organizations, local governments, communities).
II. 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).
III. 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, CHF Annual Report 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 humanitarian issues, to include approaches and techniques to address difficult problems; conceptual and strategic 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; 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. Proven drafting skills. Knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines pertaining humanitarian assistance. Knowledge of the UN common system and NGOs, and commonly used computer applications including MS Word and Excel. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• ACCOUNTABILITY: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours 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.
• 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.
Education
An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in political science, social science, international studies, public administration, economics, engineering, earth sciences or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with an additional 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, project management, budget management, or related area is required.
Humanitarian experience in the field (actual setting where a mission and/or project is being implemented) in emergency situations (complex emergency or natural disaster) is required.
Previous work experience in areas of grant management, monitoring and evaluation, and administration is required.
Experience in the design of policies and guidelines pertaining to humanitarian financing is desirable.
Experience in a humanitarian context in the UN Common System or other comparable international organization is desirable.
Experience in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Arabic is desirable.
Assessment
The evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.
Special Notice
This position is funded for a finite period of one year. Extension of the appointment is subject to extension of the mandate and the availability of the funds. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-general and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.
The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential.
External candidates (including OCHA temporary appointees and OCHA national field staff) who are selected for a position in field duty stations may be strategically placed on a fixed term appointment limited to a specific position or to a specific country office in accordance to the paragraph 2.2 (b) of administrative instruction ST/AI/2013/1 on the administration of fixed-term appointment which provides that an FTA may be granted to individuals who are “(b) Selected but not reviewed by a Secretariat review body for appointments limited to specific entities”.
United Nations Considerations
According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.
Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places 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. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.
By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions.
Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage.
The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (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.
How to apply
Apply here