Vacancies

Advance Your Humanitarian Career: UN Humanitarian Affairs Officer/Cash Coordination Role! 2024

humanitarian

June 14, 2024

8 minutes read

Advance Your Humanitarian Career: UN Humanitarian Affairs Officer/Cash Coordination Role! 2024

Position Description: Multiple Openings for Humanitarian Affairs Officer/Cash Coordination

Job Opening

Job Opening ID: 236806
Job Network: Political, Peace, and Humanitarian
Job Family: Humanitarian Affairs
Category and Level: Professional and Higher Categories, P-3
Duty Station: KABUL
Department/Office: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Date Posted: Jun 14, 2024
Deadline: Jun 20, 2024

Org. Setting and Reporting

The positions are located in the Operations and Advocacy Division (OAD), Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). OCHA is 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 to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention; and facilitate sustainable solutions.

These temporary job openings are being advertised for multiple positions of Humanitarian Affairs Officer/Cash Coordination based in Kabul, Afghanistan. Under the overall supervision of the Deputy Head of Office, OCHA Afghanistan, the incumbents report to the Head of Strategy and Coordination Unit.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Humanitarian Affairs Officers/Cash Coordination will be responsible for the following duties:

Monitor, Analyze, and Report: Monitor, analyze, and report on humanitarian cash response and developments, and cash disaster relief/management programmes or emergency situations in the country.
Lead Projects: Lead and/or participate in large, complex projects, including cash-related assessment or other missions; coordinate international humanitarian/emergency assistance for complex emergency/disaster situations; ensure necessary support (e.g., staff, funding, specialized equipment, supplies, etc.); prepare situation reports to the international community, apprising them of the situation to date and specifying gaps and unmet requirements.
Produce Appeals: Assist in the production of appeals for international assistance, particularly on cash-related programming; ensure the proper use and spending of donor contributions channeled through OCHA.
Capacity-Building: Assist stakeholders in capacity-building for handling emergency situations; develop country-specific indicators in collaboration with area experts and ensure the subsequent monitoring of these indicators; recommend actions based on the analysis of pertinent information related to cash programming.
Technical Cooperation: Initiate and coordinate activities related to technical cooperation and technical assistance projects in disaster cash response and disaster response preparedness; formulate project proposals and relevant project documents related to cash coordination and cash programming; provide technical support to fieldwork on humanitarian cash-related matters; review and clear project reports for submission to donors.
Innovative Approaches: Analyze and assist in introducing new technologies and approaches for cash modalities, especially as they pertain to humanitarian programming.
Studies and Policy Development: Organize and prepare studies on humanitarian, emergency relief, and cash-related issues; organize follow-up work, including inter-agency technical review meetings to support policy development work and decision-making on important cash-related issues; ensure the implementation of recommendations from relevant studies on humanitarian cash programming.
Report Preparation: Assist or lead in the preparation of OCHA reports, studies, background papers, policy guidelines, correspondence, presentations, parliamentary documents, etc.
Partner Coordination: Partner with other humanitarian agencies to plan and evaluate complex humanitarian and emergency assistance programs, notably vis-à-vis cash programming; ensure that the latest findings, lessons learned, policy guidelines, etc., are incorporated into these activities, including gender-related considerations.
Networking: Establish and maintain contacts with other UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, diplomatic missions, etc., on issues related to humanitarian cash, including through the Cash Working Group, amongst other forums; ensure appropriate mechanisms to facilitate collaboration and exchange of information on humanitarian cash-related matters both within and outside the UN system, including on early warning and contingency planning.
Focal Point for Cash-Related Issues: Serve as the primary focal point on cash-related issues, including in relation to safeguarding humanitarian principles, humanitarian access, and ensuring the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance; keep abreast of latest developments, liaise with other humanitarian organizations, donors, etc., ensure appropriate monitoring and reporting mechanisms; provide information and advice on a range of related issues.
Organize and Chair Meetings: Organize and chair the Cash Working Group; participate in meetings, conferences, consultations with other agencies and partners on humanitarian and emergency cash-related matters.
Additional Duties: Perform other duties as required, including support for other broader work of the Inter-Cluster Coordination Group.

Competencies

Professionalism

Knowledge of Humanitarian Issues: Knowledge of a range of humanitarian assistance, emergency relief, and related humanitarian issues, including specific knowledge of cash-based programming and cash coordination.
Analytical Capacity: Ability to analyze and articulate the humanitarian dimension of issues which require a coordinated UN response. Ability to identify issues and apply technical expertise to resolve a wide range of problems.
Research Skills: Ability to conduct research, evaluate, and integrate information from a variety of sources, and assess the impact on the humanitarian rights situation in the assigned country/area.
Stress Management: Ability to work under extreme pressure in highly stressful environments (e.g., civil strife, natural disasters, and human misery); provide guidance to new/junior staff.
Commitment to Gender Equality: Incorporate gender perspectives and ensure the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Teamwork

Collaboration: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; willing to learn from others.
Team Orientation: 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.
Credit Sharing: Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Planning & Organizing

Goal Setting: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required.
Time Management: 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.

Education

Advanced University Degree: 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 qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

Required Experience: A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, rehabilitation, development, or other related field.
Field Experience: Humanitarian experience in the field (actual setting where a mission and/or project is being implemented) in emergency situations (complex emergency or natural disaster).
Cash Coordination: Experience in leading cash coordination structures or sub-structures as part of humanitarian relief operations in complex emergency situations.
Desirable Experience: Experience in working with cluster mechanisms and management of cash-based programs.

Languages

Working Languages: French and English are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.
Fluency in English: Fluency in spoken and written English is required.
Additional Languages: Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

Duration: These positions are funded for a period of 6 months and may be subject to extension. Extension of the appointment is subject to the extension of the mandate and/or the availability of the funds.
Eligibility: Current staff members holding a fixed-term, permanent, or continuing appointment may apply for temporary positions no more than one level above their current grade. However, current staff members at the G-6 or G-7 level may 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.
Temporary Appointment: 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.
General Service Staff: In its resolution 66/234, the General Assembly 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.
Re-Employment Restrictions: 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.
Retirees: Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as “retirement.” Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions, and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members.
Temporary Assignment: This temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, but 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.
General System Organizations: Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Staff members are not eligible to apply for the current temporary job opening if they are unable to serve the specified duration of temporary need before reaching the mandatory age of separation.
Gender Balance: The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for these positions. An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential.
Internal Candidates: 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.
Screening Standards: 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 offenses and/or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
Application Instructions: Applicants are urged to follow 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 Applicants, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyperlink on the upper right side of the Inspira account holder homepage.
Screening and Evaluation: Applications are pre-screened by the system according to the published requirements of the job opening based on 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. Initial screening and evaluation of applications will be conducted based on 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.