Shelter Officer

Shelter Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
Gambella Region of Ethiopia is located in the south-western part of the country and also has a long history of hosting refugees from South Sudan. As a result of violence that erupted on 15 December 2013 between the Government of South Sudan and opposition groups, 323,905 refugees have since arrived in Gambella region. The Ethiopian Government has reported a continued influx of new arrivals into the Gambella region since September 2016. Refugees are hosted in Jewi, Kule Terkidi, Pugnido I&II, Okugo and the newly established Nguenyiel camp. UNHCR covers these camps from Sub-office in Gambella, Field Office in Pugnido, and a field unit in Okugo. 
Shelter services in the refugee camps are implemented by four partners (DRC, NRC, ANE and IOM). The partners cover not only shelter activities, but also site development and infrastructure construction like roads and essential buildings. There exist a Shelter Working Group which includes the Government counterpart ARRA that addresses shelter related issues and challenges and ensures that the shelter interventions are undertaken in a common approach. 

The Shelter Officer will support UNHCR in ensuring that shelter is provided to affected populations of concern as per UNHCR and international standards. Under the direct supervision of the Senior Field Coordinator, the Shelter Officer will support all activities in this sector, maintain close contacts with other functional units, UN agencies, implementing partners and government authorities.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT
Accountability
- Shelter programs are implemented based on updated needs assessments and through competent implementing partners.
- Selection of settlements is based on approved technical guidelines considering relevant factors such as land availability, accessibility, security, water resources and absorption capacity.
- Shelter activities are oriented to address priority needs.

Responsibility
- Ensure comprehensive sectorial needs assessments are undertaken while liaising with other relevant sectors such as protection, programme, community services, PH/HIV (WASH), administration and supply. When identifying beneficiaries, consider that the needs of the most vulnerable in the population of concern are addressed.
- Provide clear guidance on standards for shelter and settlement, including minimum emergency standards to meet basic and essential needs.
- Promote the Gambella Shelter & Settlement Strategy. Ensure its implementation as well as periodically reviewing and updating the document to reflect the evolving situation in the country as the situation evolves from emergency to the transitional phase.
- Coordinate UNHCR¿s shelter & settlement activities.
- Engage and develop the Gambella Shelter Working Group acting as UNHCR¿s focal person ensuring adequate coordination and communication between all concerned stakeholders.
- Liaise with and support the Government in understanding POC shelter requirements and addressing shelter needs.
- Together with UNHCR¿s implementing partner (IP¿s), compile, analyse and map available information on emergency shelter options in Gambella taking into account the policies adopted by the Government to address the issue of shelter for refugees.
- Provide sound technical shelter and settlement advice to UNHCR¿s Implementing Partners while ensuring compliance with strategies and guidance provided.
- Establish clear guidance and detailed standards for shelter assessment, specific to the local context within the framework the Shelter Strategy including minimum emergency and long term standards to meet basic and essential needs as well as guidance for reintegration shelter support.
- Ensure that the technical component reflects UNHCR minimum standards for the provision of emergency and other types of shelter assistance and is within the budgetary requirements. Standards for other sectors such as water and sanitation should be taken into consideration also.
- Ensure that specifications, bills of quantities and drawings are produced and establish monitoring and evaluation tools to ensure that the works implemented are according to the plans and completed within the designated timeframe.
- Ensure that local communities have been consulted on all activities so as not to create unnecessary tension between the displaced and host populations.
- Perform other related activities as deemed relevant by the operations coordinator, representative or head of UNHCR offices in the field.

Authority
- Promote the sustainability of the technical interventions through local capacity building and self-help in collaboration with local partners.
- Intervene with implementing partners on shelter issues.
- Enforce compliance with, and integrity of, all shelter standard operating procedures.
- Advice on selection of implementing partners.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- University degree in Architecture or Civil Engineering.
- Minimum 8 years relevant experience (6 years with advanced university degree).
- Prior experience of implementing shelter and settlement projects in humanitarian context and large scale emergencies coordinating with operational partners governmental technical departments.
- Prior experience in designing and implementing a shelter strategy, including refugee situations, collective shelter and camp settings, in emergency while considering the transition to more sustainable solutions.
- Project formulation, planning, supervision and management skills.
- Proficiency in basic computer software¿s, including engineering (AutoCAD) and site planning design tools (GPS).
- Previous involvement in implementation processes (including development of bill of quantities, analysis of local capacity and local markets, cost estimations etc.).
- Prior experience in settlement site planning including layout of shelter plots, roads, communal infrastructures and basic services.
- Experience of construction management (including site supervision, monitoring, quality control, evaluation etc.) including application of participatory approaches to facilitate active participation of communities into the project cycle and into the construction process.
- Experience in developing shelter and settlement need assessments and undertaking gap analysis for development of shelter programs.
- Experience in building on existing local capacity and transfer knowledge as appropriate.
- Excellent working knowledge of English.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES
- Capacity to work with multi sectorial teams.
- Cultural sensitivity to the specific needs of the persons of concern.
- Willingness and an ability to work in hardship environments.
- Knowledge of another UN language.