Background
The position is located in the Crisis Response Division (CRD), Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). OCHA is the part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response efforts. OCHA's mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions.
The post will be located in the Humanitarian Financing Unit (HFU) in Cox’s Bazaar and will be under the supervision of the Head of the Humanitarian Financing Unit, and under the Head of the Office. The Head of the HFU will provide regular guidance and mentoring to perform the assigned duties.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
1-Ensure adequate grant and programme management support to the Humanitarian Financing Unit (HFU), especially in the HFU-related activities.
- Ensure the functioning of grant and programme management activities of the HFU, including quality assurance of narrative proposals and project budgets in compliance with global and in-country guidelines, timely processing of partners’ no-cost extension and re-programming requests as well as disbursements, and providing relevant guidance to partners.
- Contribute to necessary follow-up with relevant OCHA HQ sections, such as the OCHA Country-Based Pooled Fund Section (CBPF) and the Donor Relations Section (DRS), on matters and processes related to humanitarian financing and pooled fund issues.
- Assist the Senior HAO with allocation processes, ensuring adherence to the Humanitarian Coordinator’s decisions in coordination with the Fund Manager, OCHA’s senior management and relevant stakeholders, including the HFU Advisory Board, HFU Review Committees, cluster coordinators, donors, humanitarian organizations, and OCHA CO units and sub-offices, in line with HFC guidelines.
- Ensure the implementation of the HFU’s operational guidelines using proper formats, processes and procedures, including prevention and reporting of fraud, corruption, sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, and other incidents.
- Review and provide feedback on narrative and financial reports submitted by funded partners to ensure accuracy and compliance with HFU guidelines; and facilitate disbursement, refund and project closure processes when needed, in close collaboration with the Senior Humanitarian Financing Officer, the Fund Manager, and CBPF Section at the HQ level.
- Review and provide feedback on the audit reports for funded partners, including communication and liaison between partners and auditors to facilitate audit processes when needed. Reconcile and harmonize HQ-level records with HFU field records (on project performance and financial data/information) to produce reports and updates.
- Support the Senior Humanitarian Financing Officer to ensure partner registration in the online Grant Management System (OneGMS), ensuring proper processing of data and information on the due diligence and capacity assessments of applicant partners.
- Support the Fund Manager in CERF-related processes, including the technical and financial review of project proposals and reprogramming processes, in close collaboration with the applicant UN agencies, cluster coordinators, the Humanitarian Coordinator and the CERF Secretariat.
2-Contribute to the monitoring and reporting processes of funded projects.
- Ensure partners’ compliance with monitoring and reporting processes.
- Develop and update appropriate project monitoring and reporting tools in accordance with the monitoring and reporting framework and related guidelines.
- Ensure continued coordination with all stakeholders regarding the progressive improvement of monitoring and reporting activities.
- Conduct periodic field visits to monitor and assess progress on the implementation of funded projects based on evidence, including conducting periodic financial spot checks to guarantee the principled use of MHF funding.
- Support the drafting of the HFU annual report and CERF final narrative reports.
- Support regular tracking of funding contributions against the HRP and for sudden-onset emergencies.
- Ensure timely and effective financial reporting as required for internal and external use.
3-Liaise with and contribute to the capacity building of partners.
- Regularly liaise with already funded and potential partners, particularly local and national NGOs, promoting coherence between humanitarian needs and response activities, and providing accurate information on funding guidelines and criteria, application procedures, proposal development, project implementation and other related issues.
- Contribute to capacity-building activities for funded partners (e.g., national and international NGOs, UN agencies), which may be extended to other stakeholders, such as the coordinators of clusters, sectors and thematic working groups, other relevant UN staff, multilateral and bilateral donors, and civil society.
- Liaise with and provide necessary support to funded partners throughout the project management cycle.
- Ensure funded partners’ compliance with operational and financial rules applicable to OCHA-managed pooled funds.
- Contribute to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
4-Support analysis, communications and public information activities
- Prepare updates on a regular basis on funded projects and humanitarian issues emerging during project implementation to the Humanitarian Coordinator, the OCHA CO, the HFU Advisory Board, donors and other relevant stakeholders.
- Ensure effective research, analysis and presentation of humanitarian financing data and information, particularly related to funding trends and requirements gathered from diverse sources.
- In collaboration with other OCHA CO units and field offices, as well as with support from relevant OCHA
- HQ sections, document and disseminate achievements, best practices and lessons learned from OCHA-managed pooled funds for both internal and external audiences.
- Promote the principled use of pooled funds as flexible humanitarian funding mechanisms across key stakeholders and disseminate full information on funded activities and processes using a variety of information products and social media.
- Assist in note-taking and the preparation of meeting minutes for the HFU Advisory Board, HFU Review Committees and other meetings organized by the HFU.
5-Perform other duties as assigned by the Head of the Humanitarian Financing Unit (HFU) / Fund Manager.
Competencies:
- PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge and understanding of humanitarian, emergency relief assistance and related humanitarian issues. Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Ability to develop sources for data collection. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, including electronic sources on the internet, intranet and other databases. Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, work under pressure, on occasion in a highly stressful environment (e.g., civil strife, natural disasters, and human misery). Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
- TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
- PLANNING and ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
- ACCOUNTABILITY: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
Education:
- Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in project management, development studies, international relations, public administration, economics, accounting or a related field is required. A relevant first-level university degree in the above fields, in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience, may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree is required.
Experience:
- Minimum two (2) years (with Masters degree) or 4 years (with Bachelor degree) of relevant work experience in areas of grant and/or programme management, humanitarian affairs, humanitarian emergencies, partner relations, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, budget management and/or administration-financing is required.
- Experience in humanitarian programme management is required
- Experience in monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation of projects or programmes is required.
- Experience with a UN agency and/or an international NGO is required.
- Experience in humanitarian assistance, particularly in refugee contexts, is required.
Language:
- For the post advertised, fluency in English and Bengali is required.
- Experience in working with national/local NGOs, including capacity building/training, is desirable
- Experience in working with community-based evaluation or accountability systems is desirable
Applicant information about rosters
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 descriptions, experience, and educational requirements.
Non-discrimination
UNOCHA has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
UNOCHA is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin, or other status.
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