Reg Cash-Based Intervent Off

Before submitting an application, UNHCR staff members intending to apply to this Job Opening are requested to consult the Recruitment and Assignments Policy (RAP, UNHCR/HCP/2017/2 and the Recruitment and Assignments Administrative Instruction (RAAI), UNHCR/AI/2017/7 OF 15 August 2017.

Regional Cash-Based Interventions Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT:

The Regional Cash-Based Interventions (CBIs) Officer is responsible, within the stated functional area, for the countries under area of responsibility (AoR).  S/he will establish, coordinate and provide technical support to a regional network of country-level CBIs focal points, consultants and/or officers. The incumbent will ensure that cash and vouchers are routinely considered as a response option in both emergency and protracted situations across the region, are complementary of other types of assistance and are planned, implemented and monitored in line with best practice and organizational guidance. The incumbent plays a role in programme coordination, planning, monitoring and evaluation as well as promoting capacity-building of UNHCR personnel and partners, and advocacy, information and communication on cash and voucher-related issues.
S/he will liaise with UNCHR country offices, DPSM/Cash-Based Interventions Section, and the Regional Bureau/Desk. S/he supports and provides guidance to the growing network of UNHCR CBIs focal points and officers as well as to Implementing and Operational Partners, National Governments, line ministries and UN agencies, particularly WFP.

S/he will provide policy and guidance on CBIs, provide information on specific technical guidelines, briefings, trainings, provide input on evaluation documents, carry out assessments, facilitate contact with WFP, other partners and financial institutions, advise on local agreements, review reports, consult on technical protocols and standard operating procedures, advise on specific cash-based interventions, develop a strategic plan for countries/the region, contribute to advocacy and support fundraising.

S/he will coordinate approaches and strengthen/develop strategic partnerships with other regional UN agencies including WFP, NGOs as well as private sector partners involved in CBIs, to share information, experiences, carry out joint assessments and feasibility studies, produce joint guidelines, implement joint projects where appropriate, seek new opportunities for collaboration, seek financial and technical support, conduct joint trainings and operational research.

The incumbent holds a professional position responsible for provision of technical support and advice as well as advice on strategic planning and policy making on activities within the area of CBIs as an integral part of UNHCR programmes.

The Regional CBIs Officer will receive overall guidance and direction from the Regional Representative and report to the Assistant Regional Representative (Programme). S/he will maintain close links with the CBI Section in UNHCR HQ.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

Accountability:
- CBIs are consistently considered as a response option across the region. CBIs are feasible, appropriate, technically-sound, cost-effective, innovative, sustainable and complimentary to other forms of assistance. Where applicable, this is done in close partnership with WFP and/or other partners.
- CBIs are designed and implemented according to UNHCR guidelines and good practice established, with the overall objective of contributing to the well-being of beneficiaries. Strong technical expertise and support on all aspects is provided to the countries.
- A regional CBIs action plan is in place which identifies opportunities and a concrete and realistic way forward for a) starting new CBIs as well as b) scaling up existing CBIs over time.

Responsibility:

- Strengthen the organization's role as the regional reference agency for CBIs in displacement settings by developing and implementing a practicable strategy to institutionalise and scale up the use of CBIs throughout UNHCR operations throughout the region.
- Support the development and dissemination of policies, operational guidance, instructions, tools and analytical frameworks aimed at ensuring the technical integrity of cash-based programmes, building on existing guidance and tools wherever possible.
- Liaise with technical sectors (shelter, public health, livelihoods, energy, registration, data management, etc.) and protection colleagues in the Regional Bureau to integrate CBIs into existing approaches, tools and strategies.
- Work with Regional Office and Country Office management to define and promote an integrated vision of providing assistance which incorporates in-kind and cash and voucher modalities to meet UNHCR objectives.
- Maintain regular contact with the Cash-Based Interventions Section at HQ to ensure appropriate backstopping, the application and dissemination of best practice and the collection of lessons learned.
- Sustain and expand a network of strategic and operational partners (incl. UN agencies, INGOs, research institutions, private entities) to ensure complementarity and efficiency and share lessons learned.
- Where appropriate, encourage the development of a common platform for provision of assistance (food and/or non-food) between UNHCR and other agencies/partners.
- Coordinate internally; incl. with technical sectors at country and regional level, DPSM technical sections, DIP, Bureaux and DER.
- Respond directly to field operations' requirements for technical support in emergencies and ongoing displacement situations through technical assistance and advice on all aspects related to CBIs, including assessments, planning and budgeting, technical choices, legal and regulatory aspects, implementation modalities and coordination.
- Review and provide technical inputs on reports and programme proposals.
- Undertake technical support missions across the region and be available for rapid deployment if needed.
- Ensure designation of country focal points and CBIs programme managers and facilitate their training and capacity building.
- Support the establishment and engage with multi-functional teams implementing CBIs; facilitate capacity strengthening of programme, protection, ICT, finance/admin, supply/procurement personnel on various aspects of CBIs.
- Identify skill and knowledge gaps and help country offices address these through training, recruitment, etc.
- Advocate within UNHCR for adequate resourcing of CBIs, including the deployment of qualified technical specialist staff.
- Advocate with government, donors, etc. on all issues relating to CBIs in the region and contribute to UNHCR's resource mobilization efforts for the region.

Authority:

- Provide technical support and guidance on overall strategy, design, implementation and reporting on CBIs in the region.
- Make judgments on the quality of project proposals coming from implementing partners, on the quality of CVs screened for field deployments and on the quality of material/outputs submitted by consultants.
- Represent UNHCR in relevant regional meetings related to CBIs.


ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

- Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master's) in Economics, Social Sciences or a related field plus minimum 6 years of previous work experience relevant to the function. Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master¿s) plus 5 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 4 years of previous relevant work experience may also be accepted..
- Experience in working effectively with NGOs, UN organisations, or government authorities at national level.
- Excellent networking skills with private and public sector institutions.
- Excellent computer skills.
- Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES:

- Experience in conducting AGDM and multi-functional assessments.
- Good knowledge of UNHCR programmes and UNHCR programming.
- Training and capacity building of refugees, government and implementing partners.
- Ability to come up with innovative and creative solutions to operational challenges.
- Ability to collaborate and coordinate with several country operations with colleagues on various levels and various functions.
- Knowledge of additional UN languages.


This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR Regional Cash-Based Interventions Officer positions. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates. 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
M005L3 - Leadership Level 3
M004L3 - Strategic Planning and Vision Level 3
M002L3 - Managing Performance Level 3
M003L3 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 3
X005L3 - Planning and Organizing Level 3
X003L3 - Technological Awareness Level 3
X008L3 - Stakeholder Management Level 3 <p>The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.</p>
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See below for this postion's Operational Context
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For those people applying for High Risk Duty Stations, we strongly encourage them – before deciding to apply- to read the country specific security and welfare country profiles which can be found on the Intranet under Support Services - Duty of Care (https://intranet.unhcr.org/en/support-services/duty-of-care.html). Ensuring staff are better informed is part of the increased attention UNHCR is paying to Duty of Care.

 

Staff after having applied to High Risk Duty Stations will have access to country specific information webinars with Field Safety Section (FSS) and Staff Welfare Section (SWS) colleagues and provided with a tool to test their psychological preparedness for serving in High Risk Duty Stations. Applicants who applied for a position in a High Risk country will receive, after the deadline for applications has expired, a joint invitation from the Staff Welfare Section (SWS) and the Field Safety Section (FSS) to participate in these webinars. During the Webinars, latest updates on security and well-being will be provided, and FSS and SWS will address questions raised by participants. Applicants are highly encouraged to benefit, when applicable, from all measures as they provide most up-to-date security and well-being information helpful to assess staff’s readiness to serve in a High Risk Duty Station. A Staff Welfare Officer will also be available, if and when required, to discuss with interested applicants the results of the psychological preparedness tool as well as readiness for assignment in High Risk Duty Stations.

 

The candidate must have experience in conducting AGDM and multi-functional assessments.  S/he must have a good knowledge of UNHCR programmes and UNHCR programming.

S/he must possess proven training skills to build the capacity of UNHCR staff, people of concern, government and implementing partners.  S/he therefore also needs to have experience in working effectively with NGOs, UN organisations, or government authorities at national level.  S/he must also possess excellent networking skills with private and public sector institutions. 

S/he must have an excellent working knowledge of French and English, as more and more reports are drafted in the English language. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) hosts 536.271 refugees as of 31 August 2018 countrywide (including 217.766 Rwandan refugees, 176.654 CAR refugees, 46.512 Burundian refugees and 93.995 South Sudanese refugees). 
DRC also hosts more than 4 million IDPs mainly located as follows: 1.4 million in Kasai provinces, 1.1 million in North Kivu province, 545,273 in South Kivu province, 603,000 in Tanganyika province, 210,000 in Ituri province, 147,000 in Maniema province, 96,000 in Haut-Katanga province, 64,000 in Haut-Lomami province and 16,000 in Lualaba province. As lead Protection Cluster, UNHCR continues to play a key role supporting the DRC Government in implementing a durable solutions strategy in order to help end the circle of protracted displacement in the country.  
In April 2018, the United Nations system-wide Level 3 emergency declaration for the Kasai region and the provinces of South Kivu and Tanganyika was de-activated. At the same time, security and humanitarian conditions in the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu have deteriorated sharply.  In Ituri, on-going violence has seen a rise in the number of internally displaced persons to almost 350,000. A further 92,000 have fled to Uganda, creating a refugee emergency for which an internal Level 2 emergency was declared. In North Kivu, 500,000 people have been displaced since the beginning of the year, bringing the total number of IDPs in the province to 1.45 million.
Both situations have witnessed, among others, forced recruitment, sexual and gender based violence and kidnapping. The recent outbreak of an Ebola epidemic has compounded matters. Along with other humanitarian actors, and working pursuant to its coordination roles for protection, CCCM and emergency shelter, UNHCR is distributing emergency relief items, meeting other essential needs through cash transfers and implementing shelter programmes for returning IDPs in both provinces. The Office is undertaking protection activities, strengthening the capacity of local communities and authorities at all stages of the displacement cycle, fostering peaceful co-existence and dialogue and promoting participation of youth and women in decision-making and promoting dialogue all with a view to addressing critical protection risks and advancing solutions.
At the same time of addressing the dictates of responding to the ever-changing demands of the IDP emergencies, UNHCR is called to be present to deliver assistance under its mandate to refugee caseloads scattered in various locations throughout the vast DRC territory.
Political tensions are very high in Kinshasa and it is feared that the Presidential elections, which are now planned in December 2018 after having been postponed several times, will bring a lot of insecurity in the big towns of Kinshasa, Goma, Lubumbashi, Kalemie, etc¿ where UNHCR is present.
The Regional Office in Kinshasa supervises and provides support to 5 sub-offices and 13 field offices/units within the Country. The Regional Office also oversees operations in Gabon, Sao & Principe and the Republic of Congo which provides support to more than 55,000 people of concern.
The Regional CBI Officer will function under direct supervision of the Assistant Regional Representative (Programme).  The incumbent will will ensure that cash and vouchers are routinely considered as a response option in both emergency and protracted situations within the area of responsibility (AoR), are complementary of other types of assistance and are planned, implemented and monitored in line with best practice and organizational guidance. The incumbent plays a role in programme coordination, planning, monitoring and evaluation as well as promoting capacity-building of UNHCR personnel and partners, and advocacy, information and communication on cash and voucher-related issues. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the third largest country in Africa, and as a result is quite diverse.  Living conditions therefore vary between UNHCR duty stations, with all usual amenities present in the capital Kinshasa, but only very basic conditions in remote duty stations in the provinces, where, for instance, there may be no guarantee of public power supply nor running water.  Accommodation is very expensive in Kinshasa. There are several Supermarkets in town but consumer items are generally very expensive (as everything is imported). For food, local markets offer a much cheaper alternative.  Kinshasa is considered family duty station effective 1 January 2015, despite the fact that most facilities and amenities are still basic.

The unit of currency is the Congolese Franc. The US dollar is the other preferred currency. It may be impossible to exchange traveller¿s checks away from the capital city. Credit cards are usually accepted in major hotels only in Kinshasa. In larger towns and cities (e.g. Kinshasa, Goma, Bukavu, Kisangani), it is recommended to open US Dollar bank accounts, while in other places, banks may be absent (including ATMs) and payments will be processed in cash.

In addition to French, there are four major spoken languages in DRC, namely Lingala, Kikongo, Tshiluba and Swahili. Kinshasa is a security level 2 duty station. Security threats in Kinshasa are mainly from crime and potential civil unrest.  UN personnel are not specifically targeted but criminals focus attacks on those perceived to have money and valuaables.  Crimes are primarily committed by street children locally called ¿Shegues¿, more organized gangs and unemployed youth called ¿Kulunas¿ and sometimes uncontrolled elements of the national security forces (police, soldiers, etc.) Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Please note that the closing date for all vacancies in the September 2018 Compendium is Thursday 18 October  2018 (midnight Geneva time).