Emergency Specialist, P4, WCARO, Dakar Senegal #52628

Under the general supervision of the Regional Chief of Emergencies, and in close collaboration with the Regional Director WCARO, initiate and undertake risk analysis in respect of humanitarian emergencies in the Region and support WCAR country offices and WCARO in both preparedness planning and the design and implementation of emergency responses.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, hope

The Sahel is a vast region with enormous potential for young people and future generations. It is however also, characterized by low rates of human development, with widespread poverty and very high rates of various deprivations affecting children, women and wider communities. The multiple, overlapping structural factors that explain low human development undermine the coping mechanisms of its population and the ability of national and local systems to withstand additional shocks and stresses. Against the backdrop of low human development climate change, environmental degradation, increasing insecurity, population growth, low agricultural productivity, rampant urbanization and underemployment, migration and epidemics further exacerbate the vulnerability of populations undermining hard-won development gains. Access to basic social services across the region is weak and services in place barely meet the needs of communities on an average day, let alone when emergencies strike. Inequities, especially in terms of access and utilization of basic social services and resources, are widespread. Livelihoods mainly consist of subsistence farming and highly mobile pastoralist livestock breading, which have since the 1970s increasingly been undermined by unpredictable rainfall, recurrent droughts and desertification and are further compounded by conflict and insecurity.

How can you make a difference?

Purpose for the job:

Under the general supervision of the Regional Chief of Emergencies, and in close collaboration with the Regional Director WCARO, initiate and undertake risk analysis in respect of humanitarian emergencies in the Region and support WCAR country offices and WCARO in both preparedness planning and the design and implementation of emergency responses.

Working Conditions

Office based post with frequent travel within West and Central Africa including to currently unaffected areas and other locations with an element of physical danger and public health risk. Some travel out of the region on emergency related missions. Long working hours and on hour standby during periods of crisis.

Guidelines 

UNICEF Core Commitments for Children (CCCs) in emergencies as defined by the executive board.

UNICEF L2/L3 Simplified Standard Operating Procedures

UNICEF NYHQ executive, operational and programme directives, particularly as relating to emergency operations, and country programming.

Regional Office and EMOPS guidance on procedures and priorities.                         

Relevant research and publications by UNICEF and other organizations involved in the support of women and children in emergency situation.

Convention on the Rights of the Child and relevant international humanitarian and human rights law, policies and procedures.

Regularly interprets guidelines and contributes to the development of new or revised guidelines regional and global policies in this area, based on research and assessment and interpretation of operational and programmatic experiences.

Key function, accountabilities and related duties/tasks

• Assist WCAR Country Offices Representatives, Programme Coordinators and Operations Officers in the incorporation and strengthening of emergency preparedness, prevention, mitigation and rehabilitation programmes, projects, activities and related operational provisions in Country Programmes, including as part of Country Programme strategy notes, Country Programme Recommendations, Annual Management Plans, Annual and Mid-Term Reviews. Monitor the incorporation of preparedness elements, in country Programmes and Management Plans.
• In conjunction with country offices, support preparedness planning including  through Emergency Preparedness Platform (EPP) checklists for operational and programmatic response in the event of emergency in high-risk WCAR countries, taking into account available resources, and including specific recommendations on actions to be taken by both offices and Regional Office. Support country offices in identifying funds to support emergency preparedness and response intervention and develop proposals for regional level funds.
• Develop, coordinate, implement and monitor Regional Office emergency preparedness to enable it to provide timely and priority operational and programmatic support to country offices and countries affected by emergencies, and advise the Regional Director on such procedures. Provides support for staff training and national capacity building (governments, NGOs and other civil society groups) programmes through existing regional networks and interagency fora to strengthen programming skills to familiarize staff and other stakeholders with appropriate programmatic responses to emergency situations, including modes of interagency cooperation.
• Prepare detailed situation and risk analysis of trends and possible emergencies in WCAR, providing advice and recommendations for preparedness and preventive action to the Regional Office, EMOPS and concerned country offices, as well as inputs to Regional Situation Analysis and reports.

Impact of Results

• The staff member’s work will impact on decisions on which priority countries require preparedness planning support due to likely outbreak of emergency conditions, and on operational and programmatic areas which require priority strengthening for emergency preparedness, response and recovery. These decisions will affect the degree of readiness and capacity of UNICEF to respond in an effective manner to emergencies at country and regional levels, and will also have impact on UNICEF Global preparedness to deal with emergencies in WCAR.
• The staff member will make recommendations on priority preparedness measures to be taken by UNICEF Representatives, Regional Director and EMPOS, NYHQ, in case of major outbreaks of conflict, epidemic or drought in WCAR; recommendations on priority response measures to be taken to protect, support and rehabilitate children and women in situations of conflict and other severe emergencies. These recommendations will have direct impact on the quality, timeliness and effectiveness of UNICEF efforts to save the lives and support the physical, social and psychological rehabilitation of children affected by emergencies.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

Education:         

An Advanced University degree in one of the following fields: social sciences, public administration, law, public health, nutrition, international relations, business administration or other related disciplines. Preferably a combination of management, administration, and relevant technical fields.

*An undergraduate university degree with 2 additional years of relevant work experience may be considered in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience:       

A minimum of eight years of professional work experience with progressively greater management and / or advisory responsibilities in social planning, research, emergency and / or rehabilitation programmes at national and international levels.

Relevant and direct field experience in emergency programme planning, management and/or evaluation is required.

Experience in working with relevant UN or International NGOs with significant emphasis on analysis and advice on the needs of children and women affected by conflict is an asset.

Language Requirements:            

Fluency in French and English is required.

Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate fair chance

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The functional competencies required for this post are:

Core Values

• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability

Core competencies

• Communication (II)
• Working with people (II)
• Drive for results (II)        

Functional Competencies:

• Leading and supervising (I)
• Formulating strategies/concepts (II)
• Analyzing (III)
• Relating and networking (II)
• Deciding and initiating action (II)
• Applying Technical Expertise (III)

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.