Snr Inter-Agency Coord Officer

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.

Senior Inter-Agency Coordination Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

Senior Inter-Agency Coordination Officer is expected to be an important link in encouraging and developing important tools, system, guidance and advocacy to demonstrate the need for and enable other agencies to expand in Peru.  The incumbent is expected to remain abreast with all aspects of the interagency response in Peru working closely with all units in the operation, particularly Protection unit, Programme unit, Field unit and Information Management Unit. S/he is expected to be an experienced coordinator multi-faceted ideally with knowledge both in operations and in protection.

UNHCR Peru which is responding to the influx directly and in support to the government of Peru using the interagency model is co-leading with IOM as well as working with civil society.  This cooperation with IOM has been consolidated within the framework that the Secretary General has defined leading to establishment of a platform in Panama where interagency is anticipated to feature coordinating and providing guidance.

In Lima, UNHCR and other agencies are currently focusing on the entry and exit points of the Venezuelans that is, in Tumbes and in Tacna whilst also responding to protection needs and risks along the route from Tumbes to Lima (Piura and Trujillo) and from Lima to Tacna.  UNHCR has established a presence in Tumbes and is anticipated to open offices in other locations but the bulk of the Venezuelan population remains in urban locations, mostly Lima, where important gaps exist.  The coordination at national level is anticipated to cascade countrywide to all locations.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

Accountability
- UNHCR achieves and maintains an effective and strong leadership role in all areas of the refugee operation.
- Effective coordination mechanisms and tools, including information management, are established and maintained with the Inter-Sector Working Group, government counterparts and donors, ensuring timely and effective needs assessment, appropriate planning, prioritization, implementation, reporting and evaluation.
- Where appropriate, these mechanisms build up and reinforce existing national coordination mechanisms and build capacity.

Responsibility
- Chair and coordinate the work of the Refugee and Migrants Working Group (GTRM), including determining collective priorities, managing work plans and secretariat functions.
- Facilitate the coordination of stakeholders and partners across sectors so that programmes and planning are enhanced, use of resources is optimized and there is active participation of the government, NGOs and UN agencies.
- Ensure efficient and timely circulation of information to stakeholders, regular and effective communication between all stakeholders at country level and with the regional Refugee Migrant and Response Plan (RMRP) platform.
- Build the capacity of sector leads and co-leads, including non-UNHCR staff, to provide effective leadership and coordination.
- Develop and maintain terms of reference for coordination structures and processes.
- Act as focal point for and coordinate the RMRP at the country level, managing an inclusive and structured process that delivers high-quality and timely input.
- Work with UNHCR programme, field and protection staff to ensure that the RMRP is useful as a programming tool, identifying gaps and overlaps in sector programming, address unmet needs, and orienting existing activities to address priority issues.
- Supervise the Information Management team, ensuring the work of the unit reflects the priorities and role of the office as lead agency for the refugee response.
- Promote the sharing of informative and updated data within UNHCR as well as with the government, UN and NGO partners and donor communities to enhance advocacy for refugees and persons of concern to UNHCR.
- Promote applied research and programme evaluation to enable the identification of gaps in programme implementation and standards, and to promote evidence-based activities and guidance.
- Perform other related functions as required.

Authority
- Provide guidance and make recommendations on the overall strategy for inter-agency coordination.
- Represent UNHCR in meetings and other fora related to the functions.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master's) in Law, Political Science, Economics, International Relations, Business Administration, Social Science or related fields plus minimum 8 years of relevant professional experience and at least 6 years in an international context. Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) plus 9 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 7 years of previous relevant work experience may also be accepted.
- Work experience, including in large field operations, that enables credible representation of UNHCR in the inter-agency context and with government partners.
- Thorough understanding of UNHCR's protection mandate and core mission.
- Understanding of recent inter-agency developments
- Demonstrated capacities in monitoring and reporting on Inter-Agency, Operations and Protection.  
- Demonstrated leadership skills and ability to work independently with minimum supervision in a fast-paced environment.
- Demonstrated ability to successfully and effectively work and communicate with people in a multi-cultural environment.
- Demonstrated experience in inter-agency coordination and consensus building, in refugee and/or cluster contexts.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills both in English and Spanish.
- Proficiency in English and Spanish.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES
- Coordination Learning Programme.
- Coordination Skills Training.
- Protection Learning Programme. 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
M002L3 - Managing Performance Level 3
M005L3 - Leadership Level 3
M004L3 - Strategic Planning and Vision Level 3
M003L3 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 3
X004L3 - Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Level 3
X005L3 - Planning and Organizing 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
======================================================================================================== ¿ Excellent command of the Spanish language, both written and spoken, is needed in order to interact with several levels of authorities, civil society and to interact with beneficiaries.  Excellent English skills are also needed to engage with HQ and regionally.
¿ Proven thorough understanding of SGBV prevention and response in displacement including development of standard operating procedures, conducting assessments, establishing and managing protection programs.
¿ Excellent written and oral communication skills both in Spanish and in English.
¿ Demonstrated capacities in monitoring and reporting on Inter-Agency, Operations and Protection.  
¿ Demonstrated leadership skills and ability to work independently with minimum supervision in a fast-paced environment.
¿ Demonstrated ability to successfully and effectively work and communicate with people in a multi-cultural environment.
¿ Demonstrated experience in inter-agency coordination and consensus building, in refugee and/or cluster contexts ¿ At the end of 2015, Peru officially reported 700 asylum seekers in total. They were 4,500 at the end of 2016 and became 36,000 at the end of 2017. The dramatic increase has been determined by the constantly growing influx of VEN nationals. In the beginning of 2018, the influx has continued unabated with an average of 800 new asylum applications per day registered by the Special Commission for Refugees (CEPR). Peru presently has the highest number of asylum seekers (over 150,000) in the entire Venezuela situation, many of whom are arriving in an increasingly vulnerable condition (SGBV, women heads of households, etc.).

¿ In the first nine months of 2018 nearly 550,000 Venezuelans entered Peru, and this number is expected to increase in 2019. The main entry point into Peru is now the northern border with Ecuador (Tumbes). About 20% of the VEN nationals arriving in Peru move onwards to reach.

¿ By the end of 2018, it is expected that there will be 720,000 Venezuelans in Peru. In addition to the possibility of applying for refugee status, Peru also offer an alternative migratory solution (Temporary Residence Permit ¿ PTP) through which the migratory status of over 115,000 VEN nationals has been already regularized.

¿ UNHCR established an initial presence in the country with a NOA in September 2017 which has been strengthened with the arrival of an international staff in January 2018. In early April, the L2 Emergency has been declared and an emergency team has been deployed. ¿ UNHCR is responding to the influx directly and in support to the Government of Peru (e.g. to the Special Commission for Refugees to deal with the asylum backlog and strengthen registration procedures) and through an inter-agency effort which UNHCR co-leads together with IOM, and also working closely with the civil society. The cooperation with IOM has been consolidated within the framework indicated by the Secretary General who has stated that the UN response to the VENSIT will be under the joint leadership/coordination of UNHCR and IOM. A joint Platform has been established regionally in Panama for the interagency coordination and direction.

¿ At the time of drafting this operational context, the interagency appeal for the Refugee Migrant and Response Plan is being rolled out (at country level in all Venezuela situation countries). There are over 30 agencies which are members of the Grupo de Trabajo por los Refugiados y Migrantes (GRTM) in Peru, which is the country¿s current platform for the response plan. The concept of an emergency refugee response plan is new to many of the organizations in Peru, which are historically working on development issues and whose humanitarian experience has solely been linked to natural disasters. The national and sub-national coordination are nascent and in need of systematic approaches and guidance ¿ to large and small organizations alike. UNHCR ¿ and namely the incumbent of this position ¿ should take the lead in carrying this out ¿ in close collaboration with the RMRP co-lead, IOM. ¿ The operational humanitarian response is equally scaling-up, for both UNHCR and all partners. It is expected that the Senior IA Coordinator will be an important link in encouraging and developing the necessary tools, system, guidance, and advocacy to demonstrate the need for and enable other agencies¿ expanded response in Peru.

¿ In addition to Lima, UNHCR and other agencies are focusing on the entry and exit points (Tumbes and Tacna) while also attending to protection risks and needs along the routes from Tumbes to Lima (Piura and Trujillo) and from Lima to Tacna. UNHCR has established a presence in Tumbes and Tacna, and will expand presence to other locations. The bulk of the population that stays in Peru remains in urban locations, mostly Lima, and there are important gaps there as well. The coordination at national level should cascade to all these locations (with an operational-focused footprint).

¿ The Senior Interagency Coordinator will be supervised by the UNHCR Representative of Peru. The incumbent must be an experienced coordinator with multi-functional skills ¿ ideally with knowledge/experience in operations and protection. Emotional intelligence is essential in this post which has high pressure and heavy external engagement. ¿ It is expected that the Senior Interagency Coordinator stay abreast of all aspects of the interagency response in Peru.

¿ The Senior IA Coordinator will work closely with all units in the operation, particularly protection, programme, field, and information management. ¿ Lima is a modern city with a great variety of commercial, economic, cultural and industrial activities.

¿ February is the hottest month in Lima with an average temperature of 24°C and the coldest is August at 17°

¿ Possibility of renting private accommodation. This is a category ¿A¿ family duty station.

The Security Level for Lima is LOW.

The most frequent crimes nationwide are violent assaults in the streets, robberies in hotels, restaurants and malls. During the night, criminals attempt to break car windows at traffic stops to snatch whatever valuable; the route to Lima¿s Jorge Chavez International Airport is one of the selected targets.

Peru is a highly seismic country with the possibility of an earthquake at any time.

No vaccinations are required for travel to the country, but it is important to verify endemic areas. Related to the Zika virus, Peru has not presented local cases of the virus, but it is expected to appear in the upcoming months.

Please note that the closing date for all vacancies in this Flash Vacancy is Tuesday 18 December 2018 (midnight Geneva time).