With its partners, OCHA contributes to principled and effective humanitarian response through coordination, advocacy, policy, information management and humanitarian financing tools and services. OCHA’s country and regional offices are responsible for delivering the core functions in the field by leveraging functional expertise throughout the organization.

This UNV assignment is part of OCHA Emergency Response Section (ERS) support to OCHA Regional Office for West and Central Africa (ROWCA). OCHA ERS provides a suite of integrated operational readiness and response services to prepare for and respond to sudden-onset disasters and rapid deteriorations in existing emergencies. OCHA ERS works towards capacity building efforts with national emergency management agencies and regional organizations. Every effort is made to support localization of crisis management capabilities. The team works to ensure that operational readiness and response tools and services are optimally integrated. This project particularly aims to support the development of United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) system which deploy emergency response teams following a sudden-onset disaster, as well as the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) presence in West and Central Africa. This position is expected to support the OCHA Emergency Response Section (ERS) before, during, and after emergencies in the region. The incumbent reports to the Head of the Coordination, Emergency Response, and Preparedness Unit of OCHA Regional Office for West and Central Africa (ROWCA).

Within the delegated authority, the National Specialist UN Volunteer will:

• Support the RFP to strengthen the UNDAC system and the INSARAG network in West and Central Africa.
• Support the RFP on monitoring, analysis and alert on humanitarian developments, disaster relief/management or emergency situations in the region, in close coordination with the ROWCA.
• Assist the RFP in coordination with ROWCA following consultations on policy or policy-related issues as requested, including environmental emergency management, information platforms, and other activities.
• Support the RFP through delegated administrative, information management and coordination activities prior, during and after emergency response operations in the region.
• Support the RFP organizing After-Action Reviews, which are conducted following emergency deployments, which are designed to improve the efficiency of relief teams' deployment.
• Support the RFP with the development of remote and in-person conferences and training modules, taking into consideration potential budget-related restrictions.
• Help build and maintain regional operational partnerships, especially with respect to UNDAC and INSARAG, and in close coordination with ROWCA, to bolster OCHA's emergency coordination activities.
• Contribute to the preparation of delegated reports and communications.
• Support the establishment of clear information channels and that program delivery is designed to ensure outlined goals can be reached.
• Assist in the management of relevant emergency response web coordination systems (Virtual On-Site Operations Coordination Center, ReliefWeb, designated MS Teams channels, etc.) in coordination with the different disaster management agencies in an emergency response.
• Support data consolidation and visualization using Power BI.
• Perform any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.


Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day).
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country.
• Provide annual and end of assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers.
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

13. Results/expected outputs:

As a member of the ROWCA team, the National Specialist UN Volunteer provides efficient, timely, responsive, client‑oriented, and high‑quality support to the Emergency Response Section (ERS) and its beneficiaries in carrying out his/her functions, including:

· Ensuring that swift and efficient support is provided to the Emergency Response Section in the mobilization of emergency response teams in a sudden-onset emergency in the West and Central Africa region.
· Help mapping and following up on key findings and lessons learned from emergency mission After Action reviews.
· Contributing to the preparation and delivery of concept notes, course training plans, session plans and all materials relevant to the virtual exercise tool.
· Providing a comprehensive analysis of the data extracted from ERS units’ repositories (and particularly INSARAG and UNDAC) relevant to the region.
• Contributing to systematic integration of Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective in all activities throughout the assignment
• A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed.