Field Coordination Officer (UNOCHA)

UNOCHA is the part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. UNOCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response effort.
This position is located in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Severodonetsk, Ukraine. The Field Coordination Officer reports to the Humanitarian Affairs Officer.

Summary of Key Functions

• With support and methodological guidance from international staff member (Humanitarian Affairs Officer) incumbent implements and facilitates coordination activities on the ground, focusing on preparedness, support to emergency response and development of national humanitarian coordination networks;
• Provide substantial technical advisory and policy support to the Humanitarian Affairs Officer and Deputy Head of OCHA Office in Ukraine;
• Oversee and coordinate efficient strategic partnerships and advocacy with all relevant stakeholders in the assigned region(s);
• Ensures collection, analysis and interpretation of data in the area of coordination and humanitarian affairs, ensuring proper reporting, information management and information dissemination;
• In close collaboration and liaison with Admin Unit in Kyiv ensures overall operational/administrative management in the assigned field office;
• Oversees capacity building initiatives within delegated area of responsibility and assigned region(s).

With support and methodological guidance from international staff member (Humanitarian Affairs Officer) incumbent implements and facilitates coordination activities on the ground, focusing on preparedness, support to emergency response and development of national humanitarian coordination networks by:

• Ensuring proper planning, organization and execution of UNOCHA general coordination meetings;
• Coordinating among relevant stakeholders as well as among various structures of governmental institutions, NGOs and other actors in the subject area;
• Contributing to the implementation of a regional humanitarian coordination structure, strategy and policy;
• Establishing partnerships with operational stakeholders, especially humanitarian agencies on the ground in order to plan and evaluate assistance programmes activities, including gender-related considerations;
• Coordinating and monitoring the delivery of international humanitarian assistance, participating in need assessments and specifying unmet requirements;
• Maintaining close liaison with respective Civil-Military units on the ground and facilitating resolution of any access-related impediments for international humanitarian assistance;
• Organizing and actively participating in working groups, meetings, conferences, consultations with other agencies and partners on coordination, humanitarian response and emergency relief-related matters.

Provides substantial technical advisory and where applicable policy support to the Humanitarian Affairs Officer and Deputy Head of OCHA Office in Ukraine by:

• Providing substantial technical and policy advice to the Humanitarian Affairs Officer and Deputy Head of OCHA Office in Ukraine;
• Overseeing and monitoring policy-related issues in the designated area of responsibility; keeps abreast of latest developments, provides information and advice to the Humanitarian Affairs Officer on a range of related policy and national legislation issues;
• Contributing to the mobilization of relevant resources where necessary;
• Facilitating and/or participating in technical assistance, disaster assessment or other missions.

Oversees and coordinates efficient strategic partnerships and advocacy with all relevant stakeholders in the assigned region(s):

• Liaise with NGOs, UN partners as well as other OCHA field offices to follow-up on progress in related areas of responsibility;
• Contributes to establishing or strengthening partnerships with respective regional government authorities, humanitarian actors, UN agencies to promote joint or collaborative emergency response and preparedness activities;
• Ensures to establish partnerships with other humanitarian agencies to plan and evaluate humanitarian and emergency assistance programmes in the assigned region(s) and ensures that latest findings, lesson learnt, policy guidelines etc. are incorporated into these activities, including gender-related considerations;
• Supporting advocacy initiatives on humanitarian concerns and issues (protection of civilians, funding gaps, specific vulnerabilities);
• Ensures strengthening of the local level networks to gather information from the field, including from local communities and partners;
• Promoting a client-oriented approach by facilitating interactions with operational humanitarian agencies in the region.

Ensures collection, analysis and interpretation of data in the area of coordination and humanitarian affairs, ensuring proper reporting, information management and information dissemination by:

• Ensure high-quality research, analysis and the presentation of information gathered from diverse sources on assigned topics/issues, including compilation, analysis and reporting of relevant humanitarian, social, economic and political information, statistical data;
• Consolidate and maintains a database of information about relevant stakeholders in the assigned region(s);
• Contribute to the preparation of various written documents and principal UNOCHA products by providing substantive information input;
• Ensure proper monitoring of humanitarian and when applicable security situation in the assigned region(s) and providing analytical assessment of developments in the assigned region(s); conducting verification of information and reporting incidents via established procedures and channels;
• Develop and maintain reference/resource information on specific topics or policy-related issues; responds to various inquiries and information requests internally and externally;
• Contribute with substantial input for the production of appeals for international assistance; ensures the proper use and spending of donor contributions channeled through OCHA.

In close collaboration and liaison with Admin Unit in Kyiv ensure overall operational/administrative management in the assigned field office by:

• Ensuring effective management of the respective office petty cash and procurement processes, performing the functions of a petty cash custodian as requested by supervisor and Admin Unit;
• Supervising general service staff members (Field Assistants, Drivers etc), their performance management, HR requests, professional development and training activities;
• Coordinating travel and vehicle fleet management, exercising proper control of supporting documents for payments;
• Supervising general service staff members in checking and certifying of vehicle daily log and gas consumption, updating and maintaning of vehicle history report;
• Acting as a custodian for management of office stationery supplies including maintenance of stock list of stationery, distribution of stationery as required by staff and keeping a log of distribution;
• Ensuring provision of inputs to OCHA’s administrative business processes mapping and implementation of the internal standard operating procedures (SOPs);
• Ensuring full compliance of administrative activities with UN/UNDP/OCHA rules, regulations, policies and strategies;
• Upon request of the Admin Unit participating in planning and preparation of the budget and work program of an assigned field office;
• Assuring that due security measures are in place with regard to the assigned office.

Oversees capacity building initiatives within delegated area of responsibility and assigned region(s) by:

• Ensures knowledge sharing and raising awareness about humanitarian coordination, emergency response and preparedness among government counterparts in designated areas of geographic responsibility;
• Identifying bottlenecks and gaps and developing proposals to improve response systems and mechanisms in assigned region(s) to include technical assistance in the design of specific coordination and other systems/mechanisms;
• Participating and contributing to the national and international training seminars where applicable.
   

Performs any other duties assigned by the Humanitarian Affairs Officer and Deputy Head of UNOCHA Office in Ukraine.

Impact of Results

The key results have an impact on the efficiency of the coordination effort in the respective field office location and UNOCHA office operations in Ukraine. Key results have impact on success of communication, advocacy and collaboration with relevant stakeholders in the region by the means of efficient coordination and information sharing. Full and appropriate administrative management is provided to ensure fully operational field office. Accurate analysis and presentation of information, thoroughly researched and fully documented strengthens the capacity of the office and facilitates subsequent action by the supervisor. Incumbent’s own initiative is decisive in results of work and timely finalization. Incumbent contributes to meeting organizational objectives and provides sound analytical inputs and advice with respect to coordination of humanitarian action.

Core Competencies:

• Professionalism: Applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical specialty relating to the position; possesses knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks; strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning; demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments;
• Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed;
• Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; 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; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings;
• Demonstrating integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Leadership:  Serves as a role model that other people want to follow: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements;
• Client Orientation: Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Functional Competencies:

• Building Strategic Partnerships: Maintains an established network of contacts for general information sharing and to remain up-to-date on partnership related issues; analyzes and selects materials for strengthening strategic alliances with partners and stakeholders; is able to identify and communicate efficiently relevant advocacy information to all the stakeholders involved;
• Development and Operational Effectiveness: exercises ability to provide analytical inputs to strategic planning, results-based management and reporting; develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; 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 (Master's degree or equivalent) in Political Science, Social Science, International Studies, Public Administration, Economics, Law, or a related field is required. Bachelor degree in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of 2 years of progressively responsible professional experience in coordination, administrative management, capacity building, technical advisory and policy support, humanitarian affairs or related field is required;
• Sound knowledge in the humanitarian and overall social, legal, security and economic context in the assigned region would be a strong asset;
• Relevant experience in the UN Common System or an international organization is desirable;
• Profound field experience in the region is desirable;
• Proven analytical and reporting skills are advantage;
• Computer literacy (Excel, Internet, Word, web-based management systems);
• Ability to work with minimum supervision in remote locations with full efficiency, competence and integrity and with people of different backgrounds. Adherence to core United Nations competencies of professionalism, planning and organizing and teamwork.

Language Requirements:

• Fluent written and spoken English, Ukrainian and Russian.
   

Important applicant information

All posts in the GS categories are subject to local recruitment.

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