Background

OCHA coordinates principled humanitarian response in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies, advocates the rights of people in need, supports emergency preparedness and response and facilitates sustainable solutions for venerable people adversely affected by natural disaster and conflict. OoP supports humanitarian operational readiness and response in 14 Pacific countries and territories by providing frontline surge, in-country expert support and remote support. This position is located in Suva, Fiji, within OoP’s Coordination Section.

This position is located in Suva Fiji, in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA for the Pacific). The Head of Coordination and Information management typically reports to the Head of Office. Plays a lead role in identifying significant issues and problems to be addressed. Develop well-reasoned, innovative suggestions and approaches to deal with complex policy/technical issues. Effectively leaders and manages major projects and work teams and delivers in a timely manner outputs, in accordance with overall objectives and policies.  Serves as an effective spokesperson internally and externally and forms strong partnerships with relevant parties to help meet organization’s objectives with respect to overall policy initiatives and coordination of humanitarian and emergency assistance.

Duties and Responsibilities

Policy analysis and direction

• Serves as a senior policy officer; advises on overall policy direction on specific issues; and, more generally, reviews and provides advice on a diverse range of policy issues related to safeguarding humanitarian principles and ensuring the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance and the linkages with other related areas (e.g. human rights).
• Prepares policy position papers for review. Monitors, analyzes and reports on humanitarian developments, disaster relief/management programmes or emergency situations in assigned country/area (14 Pacific Island countries); develops and maintains a “watch list” of countries with potential for humanitarian crisis.
• Serves as the primary focal point on specific topics or policy-related issues; keeps abreast of latest developments, liaises with other humanitarian organizations, donors, etc., ensures appropriate monitoring and reporting mechanisms; provides information and advice on a range of related issues.

Humanitarian Leadership (Preparedness and Response)

• Leads and/or participates in large, complex projects, to include disaster assessment or other missions; coordinates international humanitarian/emergency assistance for complex emergency/disaster situations; ensures necessary support (e.g. staff, funding, specialized equipment, supplies, etc.); prepares situation reports to the international community, apprising of situation to date and specifying unmet requirements of stricken countries.
• Initiates and coordinates activities related to technical cooperation and technical assistance projects in disaster response and disaster response preparedness; formulates project proposals and relevant project documents; provides technical support to field work; reviews and clears project reports for submission to governments.
• Analyzes and assists in introducing new technologies for disaster warning/management

Humanitarian Financing

• Assists in the production of appeals for international assistance; ensures the proper use and spending of donor contributions channeled through OCHA.
• Assists National Government counter parts in capacity-building for handling emergency situations; develops country-specific indicators for countries of concern in collaboration with area experts and ensures the subsequent monitoring of these indicators; recommends actions based on the analysis of pertinent information.
• Support Regional pooled fund and anticipatory action efforts.

Research, Monitoring, Learning & Reporting

• Organizes and prepares studies on humanitarian, emergency relief and related issues; organizes follows-up work, including interagency technical review meetings to support policy development work and decision-making on important issues; and ensures the implementation of recommendations emanating from relevant studies. Organizes and participates in work groups, meetings, conferences, consultations with other agencies and partners humanitarian and emergency relief-related matters. 
• Partners with other humanitarian agencies to plan and evaluate complex humanitarian and emergency assistance programmes; helps ensure that latest findings, lessons learned, policy guidelines, etc. are incorporated into these activities, including gender-related considerations.
• Assists or leads, as appropriate, in the preparation of OCHA reports, studies, background papers, policy guidelines, correspondence, presentations, background papers, policy guidelines, parliamentary documents, etc.; with respect to the latter, takes the lead in providing support and information to relevant councils or other entities on specific issues.

External Relationships

• Establishes and maintains contacts with government officials, other UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, diplomatic missions, media, etc.; ensures appropriate mechanisms to facilitate collaboration and exchange of information both in and outside the UN system, including on early warning and contingency planning, etc.
• Frequently travels to support OCHA engagement with Pacific Island countries.

Management

• Provides leadership and work direction to assigned work team, and/or mentors and supervises the work of new/junior officers.
• May participate in planning and preparation of unit budget and work program.
• Performs other duties as required.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 4: Prioritize team workflow, mobilize resources, drive scalable results/strategic impact
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 4: Easily navigate complexity, encourage/enable radical innovation, has foresight
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 4: Create systems and processes that enable learning and development for all
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 4: Proactively initiate/lead organizational change, champion new systems/processes
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 4: Able to make difficult decisions in challenging situations, inspire confidence
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 4: Construct strategic multi-partner alliances in high stake situations, foster co-creation 
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 4: Create ethical culture, identify/address barriers to inclusion 

People Management (Insert below standard sentence if the position has direct reports.)

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

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies: 

Business direction & strategy – Strategic Thinking

• Develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNOCHA’s mission and objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, opportunities and potential risks.
• Link the general vision to reality on the ground to create tangible targeted solutions.
• Learn from a variety of sources to anticipate and effectively respond to both current and future trends.
• Demonstrate foresight.

Policy and Programme - Crisis Management/Country Management support

• Crisis coordination.
• Strategic Operations for Crisis Response in Emergencies.
• Resource mobilization for crisis response.

Policy and Programme – Crisis and Fragility Policy and Engagement 

• Humanitarian inter-agency coordination.
• Humanitarian assessment capacity.
• Risk, Early Warning and Anticipation.

Business direction & strategy – Effective Decision Making / Effectiveness

• 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.
• Aid Coordination Structures & Mechanisms.

Business Management – Operations Management

• Ability to effectively plan, organize and oversee different parts of corporate operations, simultaneously and in an integrated way, in order to convert the organization’s assets into the best results in the most efficient way.
• Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanisms.

Communications – Advocacy strategy and implementation

• Ability to create and implement advocacy strategies which lead to impactful change.

Business Management – Digital Awareness and Literacy

• Ability to monitor new and emerging technologies, as well as understand their usage, potential, limitations, impact, and added value.
• Ability to rapidly and readily adopt and use new technologies in professional activities, and to empower others to use them as needed.
• Knowledge of the usage of digital technologies and emerging trends.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Political Science, Social Science, Public Administration, International Studies, Economics, Engineering, Earth Sciences, or a related field is required.
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in combination with 2 additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics, or data science programs is an advantage.

Experience:

• A Master’s degree with a minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible relevant professional experience OR Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of nine (9) years of progressively responsible relevant professional experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, rehabilitation, development, or other related areas. 2 years or more of experience in data analytics or related areas is required.
• Experience in leading and coordinating humanitarian operations in an emergency is desirable.
• Experience in strategic planning and policy guidance is desirable.
• Humanitarian field experience in a complex emergency/Natural disaster is desirable.
• Relevant managerial experience i.e. experiences leading and providing leadership and work direction to assigned work team, and/or mentors and supervises the work of new/junior officers is desirable.
• Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages is required.

Language:

• Fluency in English is a required; fluency in Itaukei and/or Fiji Hindi is required.
• Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNOCHA 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. 

UNOCHA 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

UNOCHA 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 UNOCHA fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNOCHA 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

UNOCHA 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 UNOCHA at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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