Senior Deputy Director of UNRWA Operations (Organizational Support)

Vacancy Announcement

Senior Deputy Director of UNRWA Operations (Organizational Support), D-1

Gaza

Deadline for Applications

13 March 2018

(6 March 2018 for internal applicants)

Duration

2 years, with the possibility of further extension

Vacancy Announcement Number

18-FO-GA-08

UNRWA is committed to achieving gender parity at all levels of staffing under the current UN-wide gender agenda and strongly encourages applications from qualified women.

UNRWA welcomes applications from qualified candidates with disabilities.

UNRWA, the largest United Nations operation in the Middle East with over 30,000 staff working across five areas of operation, is looking for highly committed professionals wishing to make a change.

Palestine refugees in Gaza

The Gaza Strip is home to a population of approximately 1.3 million Palestine refugees out of a population of around 1.9 million people. It has one of the highest population densities in the world. Recurrent conflict, restrictions on the movement of people and goods, political uncertainty, and dilapidated public infrastructure constitute the backdrop of a steadily declining socioeconomic situation. Gaza has been the subject of not only the occupation but also the blockade over the last ten years further reducing the possibilities for coping.  UNRWA is the international organization responsible for the Palestine refugees and delivers education, health and mental health care, relief and social services, livelihood, microcredit and emergency assistance. UNRWA’s responsibilities and role in Gaza are unique representing with over 12.500 staff in some 300 facilities involved in supporting all aspects of the life of the refugees.   

Do you want to make a lasting difference? 

If you are passionate about making a difference in all aspects of one of the most vulnerable communities in the world, in this role, you will have the opportunity to contribute to the Field’s strategic and operational plans and budgets, guide and direct specialist staff, respond to emerging needs, manage staff performance and ensure optimal use of resources. The role also entails liaising with external interlocutors including UN country teams, host government representatives, the refugee community and others.

UNRWA Field Offices generally have two Deputy Directors reporting directly to the Field Director. The Deputies each manage a substantive portfolio of programme or organizational support responsibilities. A programme portfolio will typically involve management and oversight of the Agency’s education, health, relief & social services and microfinance programmes at Field level.

The organizational support portfolio requires leadership management and oversight of access, administration, finance, human resources, information technology, legal, procurement and logistics and security. Field Directors may assign further portfolios to meet operational needs. Additional portfolios currently allocated to this post include: Chiefs (Area Office), Emergency Preparedness, Infrastructure and Camp Improvement, Gaza Gateway, Job Creation. Planning, Projects and Partnerships and Microfinance.

The main responsibilities include:

•        Performing leadership, management and co-ordination tasks relating to the Field’s services – entailing 13,000 staff and a budget of around 500 Million USD – 45% of the Agency’s total expenditure ensuring optimal use of resources, streamlined processes, taking into account staff and beneficiary needs and responding to emerging circumstances;

•        Guiding and providing oversight as well as performance management, in accordance with the Agency’s regulatory framework, to the heads of key support services including: access, administration, finance, human resources, information technology, legal,  procurement and logistics and security and acting as the principal adviser to the Field Director on these functions; performing the same leadership and management duties for the following programmatic areas: Chiefs (Area Office), Emergency Preparedness, Infrastructure and Camp Improvement, Gaza Gateway, Job Creation, Planning, Projects and Partnerships Office and Microfinance;

•        Translating the Medium Term Programme Strategy into operational reality by developing and fine-tuning, in consultation with senior managers, the Field Implementation Plan and Biennium Budget; leading the implementation of pertinent reform initiatives in his/her organizational cluster; coordinating the work of cross-functional teams to achieve Field-wide outcomes in conjunction with HQ Directors ensuring an integrated approach to the management of programmes and exercising decision-making authority over areas under her/his responsibility;

•        Providing guidance and support to senior programme and/or administrative staff in his/her own area and in the continuous improvement of services; mentoring and evaluating for training purposes, as necessary;

•        Liaising with government and local authorities to ensure their cooperation in facilitating the Agency’s operations; assisting the Field Director in managing and promoting inter-agency and donor relations; coordinating with the Area Staff Union chairperson and Education, General Services and Manual Workers sector chairpersons to resolve issues and disputes between staff, the staff union and Field management;

•        As assigned, acting for the Field Director during his/her absence, with full responsibility for the Field operation, and reporting to the Commissioner-General (USG) and/or Deputy Commissioner-General, (ASG);

•        Where applicable, acting as the Field security focal point and liaising with the Agency’s Chief Security Adviser and the Department of Security and Risk Management at HQA and in the Field;

•        Undertaking relieving assignments and performing other related duties as may be required by the Field Director.

Conditions of service 

UNRWA offers an attractive and competitive compensation package including annual salary starting for $97,805 net tax free, plus post adjustment of 55.2% (subject to change without notice). Other benefits, subject to eligibility, include:

•  Dependency allowances

•  Rental subsidy

•  Education grant for children

•  Home leave travel

•  6 weeks (30 working days) annual leave

•  Pension fund entitlements under the

    UN Joint Staff Pension Fund

•  International health insurance; optional

    life insurance

•  Disability protection

Additional benefits available to staff working in Gaza:

• Hardship allowance

• Non-family service allowance

• R&R leave (currently every 8 weeks)

• Family visit travel

• Support for settling-in of staff

   members’ families in nearby locations*

* While Gaza is a non-family duty station, eligible staff members may set up a second household in a nearby location to have their family nearby. However, Gaza remains the official duty station with any travel outside the duty station being subject to management approval and in accordance to office practices to ensure international staff presence in Gaza at all times.

Additional information

The incumbent will be required to travel frequently throughout the Agency’s area of operations in the Middle East.

To qualify for this position, you will need:

Education

An advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) from an accredited educational institution in social sciences, public administration, or economics, supplemented by studies in management where applicable; a first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree;

Work

experience

At least 15 years of relevant professional experience, including at least eight years at managerial level in organizational support/operations in a large governmental, international or commercial organization, outside one’s home country;  Senior level experience in emergency planning and response and/or humanitarian operations;

Language(s)

Excellent command of written and spoken English.

You will also need to demonstrate the following competencies:

•        Leading and Supervising;

•        Planning and Organizing;

•        Relating and Networking;

•        Analyzing.

For guidance on how to prepare for competency-based interviews:

          https://careers.un.org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=AYI

How to apply

To start the application process, applicants are required to register at http://jobs.unrwa.org by creating a personal profile and completing UNRWA Personal History Form. Only applications received through http://jobs.unrwa.org will be considered. Due to the large number of applications received for UNRWA vacancies, only applicants short-listed for interview will be contacted. The United Nations does not charge fees at any stage of the recruitment process. The United Nations does not concern itself with information related to bank accounts.

General information

UNRWA staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity, neutrality and impartiality at all times. This includes respect for and commitment to human rights, diversity, and non-violent means of dealing with all kinds of conflict. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for UNRWA jobs. UNRWA is a non-smoking work environment.

The retirement age for staff entering or re-entering service in the UN Common System after 1 January 1990 is 62 and 65 after 1 January 2014. For external applicants, only those who are expected to complete a term of appointment will normally be considered.

The Agency reserves the right not to make an appointment, to make an appointment at a lower grade, or to make an appointment with a modified job description.

Date of issue: 21 February 2018/ NH