Emergency Specialist (Preparedness Support), P-3, LACRO

The UNICEF Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean with the support of The Humanitarian Field Support Section (HFSS) of UNICEF’s Office of Emergency Programmes (EMOPS) is seeking to identify an Emergency Specialist (P3) to support: (a) the kick-off of the implementation of the Preparedness Change Management Strategy and, (b) the development and roll out of the EPP.

 

Contract Type: Temporary Appointment

Proposed Level: P-3

Duration: 364 days

Duty Station: LACRO, Panama City, Panama

Supervisor: Regional Adviser Emergency

 

Background

 

As emergencies become more frequent, the expectations of UNICEF to deliver on the Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action (CCCs) in a timely and effective manner will continue to increase.  Emergency preparedness significantly enhances UNICEF’s ability to meet these expectations and save time and resources in the response.  Our research with WFP and DFID indicates that every $1 spent on preparing is worth more than $2 in the emergency response, and that preparedness interventions accelerate response activities by more than one week. 

 

Many HQ Divisions, all ROs and several COs contributed to the development of Procedure and the associated Guidance Note, including through a wide-ranging reference group over a period of 18 months. As a result, UNICEF’s Preparedness for Emergency Response Procedure and Guidance Note were issued on 31 December 2016. 

 

The Procedure explains what all UNICEF Offices must do to prepare to respond in the event of a humanitarian crisis, starting from a ten-point checklist of Minimum Preparedness Actions and Standards.  The associated Guidance Note describes in detail the preparedness planning process and actions all Offices should undertake, putting UNICEF’s efforts within the bigger picture of interagency preparedness and explaining how we complement our partners’ work in preparedness and response. 

While all Offices are encouraged to implement the Procedure as soon as possible, it will not formally take effect until 30 March 2018, in order to allow Offices time to adopt the new processes and meet the Minimum Preparedness Standards. 

 

A new Emergency Preparedness Platform (EPP) is being developed to support all Offices in planning and monitoring preparedness.  Until the EPP is up and running later in 2017, Country Offices will continue to use the current Early Warning Early Action (EWEA) platform to plan and monitor preparedness.

 

EMOPS has developed change management and roll out plans for the long period (2017-2020) and for the year 2017. The 2017 preparedness plans foresee an intense collaboration with ROs to ensure that:

a. all COs are familiar with the Procedure by March 2018;

b. the EPP is adopted by all COs by March 2018

c. a wide range of users and experts are engaged in the process. 

 

In November, 2016 UNICEF’s Regional Office started a new preparedness cycle hosting a regional multisectorial training reinforcing the capacity of 19 COs to prepare and respond to emergencies when required and to ensure there is an enhanced capacity across the region for emergency response in each sector and operational areas. A selected group of staff was gathered for the training on emergency response, including in depth sector or area specific elements. A brief introduction to the new preparedness framework was presented. In 2017, LACRO sections have been working together to offer Country Offices specific trainings with a multi-sectorial approach. The Regional Office has already identified and received requests from more than 8 country offices to replicate the training between March and December of 2017. LACRO is planning to include, to the best extent possible, a broader preparedness module to be part of those trainings.

 

Additionally, LACRO is continuously working to enhance the capacity of its Regional Response Roster and the new external humanitarian preparedness and response roster (to be implemented during the second semester of 2017). LACRO aims at promoting the availability of human resources that could also be able to understand and provide support on the implementation of preparedness procedures and guidelines at regional and country level.

 

Purpose and Objective

 

Under the leadership of the Emergency Unit, in close coordination with all relevant sections in LACRO and in close collaboration with EMOPS HFSS Emergency Preparedness team, the incumbent will support the Regional Emergency Advisor and the whole regional emergency team in the planning and implementation of the Preparedness Change Management plan, and in the development and roll out of the EPP in the region. The incumbent will provide support in the following areas:

1. Technical assistance and quality control

2. Planning, coordination and support to the roll out of the Preparedness Procedure and Guidance Note

3. Planning, coordination and support to EPP user engagement activities

4. Planning, coordination and support to EPP piloting and roll out

5. Monitoring and reporting

6. Learning/training

7. Knowledge management

 

Key tasks

 

1. Technical Assistance and quality control

• Provide technical assistance to COs in the adoption of the new procedure, in particular in:

o Planning of short term preparedness activities through the risk analysis and the other three steps preparedness planning process (using  the EWEA first and the EPP later),

o Planning of long term activities in their CPDs, in conjunctions with other initiatives and tools GRIP (Guidance for Risk Informed Programming) as applicable.

• Provide quality control to the preparedness plans and preparedness products that COs produce (on paper first and in the EPP later)

2. Planning, coordination and support to the roll out of the Preparedness Procedure and Guidance Note

• Plan and coordinate the implementation roll out activities both at CO and RO level

• Plan and organize meetings and follow up on action items both at CO and RO level.

• Other work in support of DRR, GRIP and the risk and resilience agenda as required

3. Planning, coordination and support to EPP user engagement activities

• Communicate with users

• Support planning and organizing meetings and webinars

• Track attendance

• Support information exchange with the user group

• Support gathering feedback

• Track progress

 

4. Planning, coordination and support to EPP piloting and roll out

• Develop and coordinate the implementation of plans for the piloting and roll out of the EPP in the region (in COs and in the RO)

• Gather learning and take corrective actions

• Support the onboarding of offices and monitor progress

 

5. Monitoring and reporting

• Monitor COs’ compliance with the Preparedness Procedure’s requirements & produce reports

• Monitor COs’ use of the EWEA

• Monitor use of the EPP and offices’ progress in meeting the Minimum Preparedness Standards

• Produce statistics and reports on preparedness (on compliance in EWEA and EPP, and on progress in the implementation DFID and thematic funds)

• Provide follow up with RO colleagues and COs as needed

 

6. Humanitarian Learning

• Plan and support the facilitation of preparedness Learning/training activities in the region including the regional response roster related activities.

• Contribute to the development of learning materials on Preparedness and EPP by EMOPS (face-to-face, webinars, eLearning, tutorials, videos)

• Provide support to actual CO response operations in a way that the incumbent has a close contact and is able to identify key actual response bottlenecks and provides timely feedback into the preparedness process.

 

7. Knowledge Management


• Develop a preparedness KM plan for 2017 (including use of the EPP)

• Support the set up and facilitation of KM mechanisms/activities in the region.

• Gather and disseminate relevant information

• Analyze bottlenecks and produce recommendations

 

Desired knowledge and experience

 

Education:

 

Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in political science, anthropology, sociology, social sciences, international relations, engineering or related fields. First level university degree with relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

 

Work Experience:

• Five years progressively responsible professional experience mainly in humanitarian action. Complementary experience in disaster risk reduction is also an advantage.
• Experience working at regional and/or HQ level in addition to national in an emergency context, is an advantage
• Specialized training/experience in emergency preparedness/response management highly desirable
• Experience working with UNICEF is a plus

 

Languages:

• Fluency in Spanish and English is required; French and Portuguese would be a strong asset.

 

Technical knowledge:

• Proven understanding of programmatic and operational challenges in emergency settings
• Experience in preparedness and/or DRR
• Familiarity with risk analysis
• Experience in emergency response
• Familiarity with UN humanitarian coordination and with IASC transformative agenda and preparedness approach
• Proven ability to conceptualize, plan and execute complex processes in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders
• Advanced ability to express clearly and concisely ideas and concepts.
• Demonstrated ability to establish harmonious and effective working relationships with several stakeholders
• Experience in developing and implementing trainings.

 

Values & Competencies

 

i. Core Values

• Commitment

• Diversity and Inclusion

• Integrity

 ii. Core Competencies

• Communication (L2)

• Working with People (L2)

• Drive for Results (L2)

iii. Functional Competencies

• Analyzing (L2)

• Deciding and Initiating Action (L3)

• Persuading and Influencing (L3)

• Applying Technical Expertise (L3)

• Planning and Organizing (L2)

• Adapting and Responding Change (L3)

• Coping with Pressure and Setbacks (L3)

• Leading and Supervising (L2)

 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply.