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Prog Officer

Maungdaw

  • Organization: UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
  • Location: Maungdaw
  • Grade: Mid level - P-3, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
  • Closing Date: Closed

Before submitting an application, UNHCR staff members intending to apply to this Job Opening are requested to consult the IOM-FOM issued for this Compendium / Fast Track exercise, as well as the  Revised Policy and Procedures on Assignments (UNHCR/HCP/2015/2 refers). Programme Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The incumbent receives guidance from the Senior Programme Officer, the Deputy Representative or the Representative. The incumbent may supervise some professional staff and supervises some support staff. S/he may receive indirect guidance from other sections and units relevant to the country programme(s). UNHCR Manual, programme objectives, Operations Plans, UN and UNHCR financial/budgetary rules and regulations will guide the work of the Programme Officer. S/he is also expected to stay abreast of the challenges posed to the region by the political context, the UN and humanitarian reform and institutional developments.

External contacts are predominantly with persons on subject matters of importance to Organization's programme (e.g. counterparts in other organizations or at working level in national Governments). 

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT.

Accountability

- The needs of persons of concern in the country are assessed and analysed in a participatory manner and using an Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective to form a firm basis for planning.
- IP agreements are established in a timely manner, regularly monitored and reported on in compliance with established guidelines and procedures.
- The organizational fundraising actions are fully supported by maintaining regular contact with donor representatives and by submitting project funding submissions and appeals.

Responsibility
     
- Through a consultative process within the country and field visits, assist in the development of strategies, methodologies, contingency plans that respond to new and emerging operational challenges for the country.
- Ensure that global strategic priorities (GSP) and regional priorities as well as information on projected resource availability guide the planning parameters.
- Assist in developing the country operations plan in compliance with global strategic priorities and regional priorities as well as with annual programming/planning instructions.
- Assist in managing a consultative process to ensure a consistent application of UNHCR's policies/practices related to and where applicable to UN cooperation, integrated missions, "Delivering as One" initiative, Common Humanitarian Action Plans, UNDAF etc.
- Assist in the process to ensure a consistent application of the organization's criteria and policies for the selection of implementing and operational partners.
- Manage the development of a broad network of partners, good coordination practices and the development of partner capacities.
- Guide and train UNHCR as well as implementing partners (IP) staff in UNHCR standard procedures related to the Results Based Programme management.
- Undertake proper collection, use and monitoring of baselines, standards and indicators needed to measure and analyze UNHCR's performance, trends and target interventions.
- Undertake field visits to evaluate and improve the planning, programming, implementation and monitoring of assistance projects.
- Implement the establishment of sound monitoring processes, review final reports and on progress in order to advise on any corrective actions required or the need for additional resources to reach planned target levels.
- Apply UNHCR's corporate tools (e.g. Global Focus, Focus Client) to record data and assess the technical soundness of the operation and generate data for evidence-based decisions at the country-level.
- Assist in managing a transparent, consultative and responsible process for the approval of the country-level budgets and the allocation of resources.
- Assist in monitoring compliance to the organization's resource allocation framework, providing support and taking corrective action where required.
- Ensure compliance in issuance of audit certificates for Implementing Partners.
- Monitor the implementation of IP Risk Management techniques and tools.
- Perform other duties as required.

Authority

- Provide inputs for the country operations plan (including budgets, staffing levels and structures) as well as prepare funding submissions, appeals and reports;
- Negotiate implementing partner agreements;
- Represent UNHCR in UN fora dealing with operations management and programmatic issues;
- Enforce compliance with UNHCR's global strategies, protocols and guidelines;


ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

- University degree or equivalent in Economics, Business Administration, Social Science or related field
- Minimum 8 years of previous job experience relevant to the function (6 years in case of advanced university degree).
- Excellent knowledge of English and working knowledge of another UN language.

(In offices where the working language is not English, excellent knowledge of working language of duty station and working knowledge of English.)

***For National Officer positions, very good knowledge of local language and local institutions is essential.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES

- Completion of the UNHCR Learning programmes or specific training relevant to functions of the position
- Good knowledge of UNHCR financial rules, procedures and processes
- Knowledge of another relevant UN language
- Knowledge of UNHCR specific programmes (MSRP, Focus, etc.)
- Computer skills (in MS office) C001L3 - Accountability Level 3
C002L3 - Teamwork & Collaboration Level 3
C003L3 - Communication Level 3
C004L3 - Commitment to Continuous Learning Level 3
C005L3 - Client & Result Orientation Level 3
C006L3 - Organizational Awareness Level 3
M001L3 - Empowering and Building Trust Level 3
M006L3 - Managing Resources Level 3
M003L3 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 3
M002L3 - Managing Performance Level 3
X001L3 - Analytical Thinking Level 3
X007L3 - Political Awareness Level 3
X008L3 - Stakeholder Management Level 3 Field based experience in project designing, implementation and monitoring, as well as capacity to design projects according to the operational needs in Rakhine such as peaceful co-existence programme (vocational training, livelihoods, education, etc). Experience in securing efficient and effective field coordination among different stakeholders/entities (incl. joint assessments, inter-agency coordination, partner consultations, etc), and negotiating with government and non-government organizations. Demonstrated experience in stakeholder and partnership management, including capacity building. Experience in programme/project and result-based management tools.
Excellent drafting ability and communication skills in English.
Experience working in multi-cultural environment.
Demonstrated ability to work in a remote and security-sensitive environment. UNHCR made a strategic decision in 2015 to re-formulate its engagement in Rakhine State especially on the issue of statelessness, to focus more concertedly on the targeted protection monitoring and analysis of civil documentation (i.e., birth registration, ID card, access to citizenship) and hand-over humanitarian assistance activities (e.g., support for health and education) to other actors with relevant expertise. This step was also taken in a bid to bring humanitarian and development actors to the northern townships to work more comprehensively with all communities and opening space for finding solutions to the serious human rights issues at hand. Following significant deterioration in the protection environment of the stateless population in late 2016, and in order to maintain UNHCR as a reference organization on citizenship, documentation and protection monitoring of stateless population; it has become critical to strengthen UNHCR¿s operational footprint in Rakhine State. To expand protection space, combat misperceptions and contribute to confidence-building measures, UNHCR will increase peaceful coexistence initiatives benefiting all communities from 2017 onwards, starting in northern Rakhine and expanding to non-displaced stateless communities in central Rakhine. In northern Rakhine, under the overall leadership of the UN Senior Adviser on Rakhine, UNHCR leads the response and is assigned as the coordination focal point for agencies operating in the area on humanitarian aspects of the situation. In central Rakhine, the inter-agency humanitarian architecture and cluster system apply to coordinate the humanitarian response. UNHCR leads the protection sector and the combined shelter, NFI and camp coordination and camp management cluster. UNHCR¿s operations in Rakhine State focus on:
(i) Protection monitoring and evidence-based advocacy to secure the highest level of protection for the stateless population regardless of documentation status ¿ including freedom of movement, access to lifesaving and basic services, humanitarian assistance, livelihoods and access to justice, documentation and citizenship rights
(ii) Peaceful coexistence initiatives benefiting all communities to expand protection space and contribute to confidence building measures
(iii) Leadership and coordination responsibilities in northern Rakhine
(iv) Leadership responsibilities within the inter-agency humanitarian response ¿ coordination and balanced level of operational delivery  in UNHCR¿s core areas of responsibility ¿protection, shelter, NFI and camp coordination and camp management ¿ in central Rakhine
(v) Advocacy and engagement with the Government on dignified solutions to displacement and reduction of statelessness The Programme Officer is based in Maungdaw (northern Rakhine) and is expected to undertake regular missions to Sittwe (central Rakhine). He/she is expected to oversee and implement the alignment of programmatic priorities between the Sittwe and Maungdaw Offices, and the integration of the two offices into a whole-of-Rakhine strategy. The primary population of concern to UNHCR in Rakhine State is an estimated 1.1 million stateless (75% of them in northern Rakhine), including some 120,000 in situation of displacement (99% in IDP camps in central Rakhine). Attacks by armed individuals against border posts in northern Rakhine in October 2016 triggered a security operation that resulted in some 20,000 displaced within Maungdaw district and 74,000 refugees in Bangladesh among the stateless Muslim population. The vast majority of those internally displaced have now returned. The Programme Officer will manage relationships with implementing partners in both northern and central Rakhine, keeping in mind these partners are also key actors in the inter-agency architecture (cluster-based under OCHA¿s overarching coordination in central Rakhine and sector-based under UNHCR¿s overarching coordination in northern Rakhine). The Programme Officer will support the Office in managing the relationship with operational partners and facilitate inter-agency multi-sector exercises (assessment, monitoring, coordination, preparedness, etc). The Programme Officer is therefore required to develop a strategic vision of operational priorities as a whole in order to ensure the Programme, Cluster/Sector and Inter-agency priorities and financial envelopes are fully aligned and harmonized. UNHCR¿s OPS Operating Level in Rakhine (Maungdaw and Sittwe AOR) currently stands at USD 6 million for 2017 and is expected to be USD 5 million in 2018 (indicative). Characterized by physical and social isolation, Maungdaw is a category E, non-family duty station where there is little entertainment available.  8-week cycle of R&R is currently put in place.  International staff members live in the office compound in Maungdaw where the minimum standards of UNHCR-provided accommodation are met (hot water, 24/7 electricity, wi-fi).  Daily curfew is in force by the government between 23:00-04:00.  Crime rate is low in Maungdaw.  Incidents targeting foreigners are very rare. The Security Level of Maungdaw at the time of preparing this Operational Context is 3 (moderate). In Rakhine, the historical and ethno-political tensions between the Muslim and Rakhine ethnic groups and anti-UN/INGO sentiment among the Rakhine Buddhist community persist. It is widely recognized among the humanitarian actors including UNHCR that they are an element of the tension in Rakhine, and many national staff, both from Rakhine State and from outside, continue to face pressure from the authorities and the local communities.  Demonstrations against the UN, usually peaceful, occasionally take place on the street.  The travel authorizations are constrained to make field visits sometimes difficult. The Programme Officer in Maungdaw will supervise national programme staff in Maungdaw and provide functional support and guidance to programme associate in Sittwe. He/she will also coordinate with the Senior Programme Officer at Yangon level who will provide the overall planning guidance and other technical support as per the need. The Programme Officer in Maungdaw at the P3 level will support the Head of Field Office, Maungdaw (P4) and Head of Sub Office (P5), Sittwe with the overall programmatic planning and monitoring process in the two offices in the region The Programme Officer provides support to FO Maungdaw and SO Sittwe Programme unit and oversees the alignment and integration of the central and northern Rakhine operations.

Please note that the closing date for all vacancies in the Add. 3 to March 2017 Compendium is Thursday, 3 August 2017 (midnight Geneva time).

This vacancy is now closed.
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