Background

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) aims to help ensure that emergency response saves lives and protects people in crisis. OCHA also seeks to enhance the connectivity and coherence between humanitarian and development work, based on the comparative advantage of diverse actors and in support of national and local capacity, towards collective outcomes that reduce risks, needs and vulnerability. OCHA Colombia works to ensure that evidence-based and collective situational awareness informs decisions on humanitarian action, seeking to ensure that streamlined data and analysis is provided to inform a rapid, effective, and principled response. OCHA Colombia works to facilitate sufficient, timely, substantial, predictable, and flexible financing that meets the needs of the most vulnerable people. In accordance with its mandate, OCHA undertakes advocacy on behalf of the most vulnerable people to ensure effective and principled humanitarian action. This advocacy contributes to action that also enhances the protection of affected people.

This position is located in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Quibdó, Colombia. The Sub-office Coordinator will ensure the management of the OCHA Sub-office in the field; support humanitarian coordination efforts in the region through the leadership of the Local Coordination Team and facilitate situation monitoring and response efforts to emergencies in collaboration with local authorities and partners. The Sub-office Coordinator reports directly to the Humanitarian Affairs Officer. 

Position Purpose

Support operations of the Field Office in Quibdo, ensure adequate monitoring and analysis tools; support the strengthening of local capacities of the Field Office for emergency preparedness, contingency planning, and response.

Duties and Responsibilities

Analysis:

• Monitor, analyze, assess and report on developments related to the humanitarian situation, including emergency situations and ensure analysis of critical needs.
• Ensure context monitoring and humanitarian needs in the area and mobilize response efforts to respond to humanitarian emergencies that take place.
• Compile and analyze information according to OCHA methodology and formats.
• Identify strategies to provide programmatic support and capacity building to local partners, as appropriate.
• In conjunction with the Coordination Unit, identify, analyze and monitor regional/local developments and emerging issues. Assess implications and make recommendations to partners and the Coordination Unit on possible strategies, policies and other measures to address issues of concern, in line with UN mandate, objectives, principles and values; Evaluate and report on results.

Coordination: 

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the Field Office, including scheduling and administration.
• Lead the Local Coordination Team; develop effective relationship with NGO and humanitarian partners and national counterparts, with respect to planning, monitoring and implementation of initiatives.
• Participate in and facilitate inter-agency coordination and support the humanitarian work of UN Agencies and international organizations in the area, including inter-agency and inter-agency meetings.
• Support the strengthening of local capacities for emergency preparedness, contingency planning, and response.

Other: 

• Prepare a weekly report on the humanitarian situation in areas under his/her responsibility, within the area covered by the Field Office.
• Prepare, lead, support and organize workshops as required.
• Promote gender mainstreaming in all activities. Together with counterparts, work on strategic issues and approaches relevant to humanitarian work (gender-based violence, confinement, recruitment, humanitarian access, among others).

Competencies

Core:

Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work.

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking.

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning.

Adapt With Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process

Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making 

People Management:

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Management:

• Resource Management: 
  • Allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with business needs and priorities and principles of accountability and integrity
• Communication: 
  • Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.
• Operations Management: 
  • Ability to effectively plan, organise and oversee different parts of corporate operations, simultaneously and in an integrated way, in order to convert the organisation’s assets into the best results in the most efficient way. Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanisms.

Business Direction and Strategy: 

• Systems Thinking: 
  • Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
• Effective Decision Making:
  • Take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one's authority, area of expertise and resources and take into consideration potential wider implications. 

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master´s degree or equivalent in Political Science, Political Science, Law, Social Science, Public Administration, International Relations, Economics, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field.
• A first-level university degree in Political Science, Law, Social Science, Public Administration, International Relations, Economics, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field in combination with two years of qualifying and progressively experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, rehabilitation, development, or other related may be accepted in lieu of the advanced Master’s degree.

Experience:

• For candidates with Master´s degree experience is not required.
• For candidates with a first-level university degree, two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, rehabilitation, development, or other related area is required.
• Experience in a complex emergency environment and knowledge of the UN System and Colombia is highly desirable. 
• Experience working in humanitarian operations and in humanitarian coordination is desirable. 
• Strong analytical and negotiation skills. 
• Experience working with an international or national organization, and familiarity with the UN system is desirable.
• Knowledge of humanitarian principles; good communication skills and inter-personal skills to facilitate coordination and dialogue with a variety of stakeholders; good leadership skills to facilitate inter-agency coordination efforts. 

Languages: 

• Fluency in Spanish and working knowledge English (both oral and written) are required.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Probation

For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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