Organizational Context
The situation in Somalia remains fragile with continued political instability, climatic variability, and lack of basic social services. OCHA’s role is to coordinate effective and principled inter-agency humanitarian response and ensure that relief assistance reaches the people who need it in a timely manner. In line with OCHA’s global mission, OCHA Somalia continues to:
- Advocate for access to basic services, especially water, sanitation, education and health for vulnerable communities, including the collection, analysis and dissemination of information to humanitarian partners, and negotiation of access.
- Support the government efforts and humanitarian organizations in relocation of internally displaced and return.
- Coordinate the implementation of humanitarian response in Somalia with UN agencies and programmes, national and international NGOs and local authorities/communities as appropriate, with focus on strengthening the cluster approach.
- Enhance a protective environment that respects the human rights of all, including IDPs, returnees and minority clans.
Key Functions:
Under the overall guidance of the Head of Strategic Planning & Coordination Unit / Deputy Head of Office, the HAA is expected to have comprehensive knowledge on the issues in South Central and Somalia as a whole; she/he is expected to play key role in ensuring the primary objectives of OCHA Somalia are met. This can be done by contributing to the following functions:
Summary of Key Functions:
• Analyse humanitarian situation
• Develop and implement proper strategies which will be suitable with local contexts
• Develop and maintain coordination and cooperation mechanisms among stakeholders
• Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and management
1) Analyze humanitarian situation
• Gather information on issues affecting the humanitarian situation, including political, security, social and economic developments, with a special emphasis on their impact on vulnerability, displacement and protection.
• Provide analysis of the operating environment, with the aim of assisting in the establishment of accepted frameworks for engagement and disengagement in areas of conflict.
2) Develop and implement proper strategies which will be suitable with local contexts
• Facilitate the development and implementation of strategies aimed at building the capacity of local authorities and communities to better respond to humanitarian crisis.
• Develop appropriate strategies to improve the application of humanitarian principles and develop ground rules for humanitarian interventions.
• Strengthen protection strategies in the relevant area of operation, in particular for women, children, and minorities and displaced communities.
3) Develop and maintain coordination and cooperation mechanisms among stakeholders
• Reinforce existing coordination mechanisms and assist in the establishment of new field coordination fora wherever required.
• Liaise closely with the Office of the UNDSS, UNSOM, UN agencies, NGO’s and other partners to ensure a safe and effective operating environment.
• Facilitate the coordination of humanitarian interventions through developing routine information and idea exchange with local and international aid actors, and participating in and facilitating joint field assessments, evaluations and routine monitoring mechanisms
• Support, in collaboration with UN agencies, NGOs and other local partners, the development and monitoring of the implementation of the Strategic Response Plan in the relevant area of operation.
• Improve participation of local actors in the relevant area of operation, including authorities, beneficiaries, and civil society, in the planning and implementation of aid activities.
4) Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Identify sources of information related to coordination. Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learnt directly linked to country policy goals.
• Provision of referral services for agencies without field representation to access national institutions and processes and for national partners to access the expertise of agencies without field representation.
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Organize trainings to UN staff on coordination issues.
• Performs other duties as required.
Functions / Key Results Expected
The key results will have an impact on the humanitarian situation in South Central and on OCHA core mandates which are:
Alleviate human suffering in complex emergencies.
Promote preparedness and prevention efforts to reduce future vulnerability.
Facilitate sustainable solutions by addressing root causes and advocate for the rights of people in need.
Competencies
Functional Competencies:
Advocacy
- Identifies and communicates relevant information for a variety of audiences for advocating UN’s priorities
- Maintains a functioning network of contacts with a variety of stakeholders to promote a better understanding of OCHA’s development agenda and to support advocacy efforts
Building Strategic Partnerships
- Maintains an established network of contacts for general information sharing and to remain up-to-date on partnership related issues
- Analyzes and selects materials for strengthening strategic alliances with partners and stakeholders
Innovation and Marketing New Approaches
- Generates new ideas and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things
- Documents and analyses innovative strategies/best practices/new approaches
Resource Mobilization
- Collects, researches and analyzes information on resource mobilization and utilization, drafts reports and documents and maintains information/databases on potential and actual donors and donor funded projects
- Provides data and information needed for preparation of fund raising activities and resource mobilization documents ensuring needs of donors are met
Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing
- Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things
- Documents and analyses innovative strategies and new approaches
Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise
- Understands and applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical specialty relating to the position
- Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks
- Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning
- Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments
- Demonstrates in-depth understanding and knowledge of the current
Client Orientation
- Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct and appropriate fashion
- Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines
- Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships within the work unit and with internal and external clients
Core Competencies
- Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity
- Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
- Self-development, initiative-taking
- Acting as a team player and facilitating team work
- Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
- Creating synergies through self-control
- Managing conflict
- Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member.
- Informed and transparent decision making
Recruitment Qualifications
Education:
- Master’s Degree or equivalent in political science, sociology, law or international relations or related field with 2 years for experience
- A first level university degree with a combination of relevant academic qualifications and experience or other related field may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree with 4 years of experience
Experience:
- Relevant professional experience, in Humanitarian affairs emergency crisis or preparedness, emergency relief management, rehabilitation, development, project Management or other related area is required.
- Experience in horn of Africa is required
- Experience in the field is required
- Knowledge/working experience in UNOCHA is desirable.
- Computer proficiency, including working knowledge of e-mail and MS Office products (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.)
Language requirements:
- Fluency in English and Somali is a requirement
- Knowledge of Arabic is desirable
HOW TO APPLY:
Interested and qualified candidates should submit their application by visiting: http://jobs.undp.org/ orhttps://jobs.partneragencies.net/erecruitjobs.html?JobOpeningId=4892
