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Senior External Relations Associate (EU)

Pretoria

  • Organization: UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
  • Location: Pretoria
  • Grade: Administrative support - GS-7, General Service - No need for Higher Education - Locally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • External Relations, Partnerships and Resource mobilization
  • Closing Date: Closed

This position is advertised open to internal and external applicants. ¿As reflected in paragraph 21 of the Policy and Procedures on Assignments of Locally recruited staff (PPAL), the following Job Opening is open to internal staff members based in South-Africa at all grade levels and external applicants. ¿ Senior External Relations Associate (EU)

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

Over the last years, the EU has increased its support for UNHCR's non-humanitarian activities, including migration and asylum, capacity building contracts, and transitional and development-related activities. However, this important pillar of the partnership has so far been characterized by ad-hoc and non-systematic cooperation, which in many cases depended on initiatives of individual UNHCR or EU staff in the field.

The position requires frequent contacts at various levels with colleagues within UNHCR (Headquarters, field and within RR Brussels) to obtain and provide information related to political and humanitarian priorities in the geographical areas assigned and with respect to EC funding possibilities and procedures.

Externally, the position requires frequent and substantive contacts at various levels with counterparts in the European Institutions (EEAS, Parliament, Commission and Council) in order to provide information related to UNHCR's priorities and activities in the field and to obtain information on EU priorities, actions and funding possibilities and procedures.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

Accountability

- UNHCR has the most relevant and update information on ECHO developments under his/her geographic and thematic area of responsibility.
- UNHCR is aware of funding opportunities in ECHO.
- UNHCR enjoys broad political support in ECHO and elsewhere in European Institutions  for  its activities
- Ensure that UNHCR desks and Field operations have up to date and relevant knowledge of funding opportunities and are able to access them.

Responsibility

- Serve and function as contract manager for UNHCR projects funded by European Commission in specific geographic and/or thematic areas.
- Monitor EC and particularly ECHO developments (political, operational and funding-related) relevant to his/her assigned area of responsibility, and be generally knowledgeable about the countries and thematic areas he/she covers in order to ensure that UNHCR's actions are timely and relevant.
- Maintain contacts at an appropriate level with counterparts in ECHO and elsewhere in the European Institutions to identify funding opportunities and to solicit and ensure political support for UNHCR's activities.
- Provide technical advice to the field on how to access specific EC funding sources, prepare materials for training of UNHCR staff in EC funding and participate in training delivery as requested by supervisor.
- Attend conferences, parliamentary hearings and meetings as requested by supervisor and prepare well-drafted, analytical notes to inform BE Brussels and other UNHCR offices.
- Assist in drafting aide memoires and information documents for external audiences, as required.
- Any other responsibilities deemed necessary or as delegated by the Head of the Unit or the Supervisor in order to meet the level of the service in the organization.

Authority

- Negotiate whenever possible to increase funding levels for the areas under his/her responsibility by lobbying for UNHCR operations with EC counterparts and other European stake-holders.
- Provide technical advice to the field on how to access specific EC funding sources.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED.

- Completion of Secondary School or its equivalent in a  technical or commercial school with course work/training in International Relations, European affairs, economics or related field.
- At least 11 years of relevant work experience, with focus on external or donor relations.
- Good knowledge of European institutions.
- Experience in developing and managing contracts with EU Institutions is a must.
- Excellent computer skills and knowledge in MS office applications.
- Excellent knowledge (written /oral/comprehension) of English and French. Highly developed drafting ability in English is required
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES

- Knowledge of UNHCR programming framework.
- Knowledge of asylum and migration policies and issues.
- Experience in an international field setting and with project management in the area of humanitarian operations.
- Knowledge/proficiency in other European languages other than French/English.
- Exposure to UNHCR specific learning/training activities. Competencies as defined in Job Profile Please also note that English is essential for this Job Opening. The closing date for submission of applications is 30 August 2019.
This vacancy is now closed.
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