Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Operations and Advocacy Division, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which is part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies.

These positions are located in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Ethiopia with the following duty stations: MEKELLE, SHIRE, ABI ADI, ADIGRAT AND MAYCHEW. The Humanitarian Affairs Officer typically reports to the Head of the relevant Hubs.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Humanitarian Affairs Officer will be responsible for the following duties: (These duties are generic, and may or may not be performed.)

• Monitors, analyzes and reports on humanitarian developments, disaster relief/management or emergency situations in Tigray.

• Organizes and prepares humanitarian responses; organizes follow-up work, including interagency technical review meetings to support policy development work and decision-making on important issues.

• Participates in large, complex projects, to include disaster assessment or other missions; assists in the coordination of international humanitarian/emergency assistance for complex emergency/disaster situations and in ensuring the necessary; drafts situation reports to the international community, apprising of situation to date and specifying unmet requirements of stricken countries.

• Partners with other humanitarian agencies to plan and evaluate humanitarian and emergency assistance programmes and help ensure that latest findings, lessons learned, policy guidelines, etc. are incorporated into these activities, including gender-related considerations.

• May support the production of appeals for international assistance; ensures the proper use and spending of donor contributions channeled through OCHA.

• Establishes and maintains contacts with government officials, other UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, diplomatic missions, media, etc.

• Undertakes and leads field missions, coordinates assessments and response activities.

• Conducts access negotiation, including with armed actors on behalf of the humanitarian community,

• Prepares or contributes to the preparation of various written reports, documents and communications as required.

• Reviews and provides advice on policy issues related to safeguarding humanitarian principles and ensuring the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance.

• Organizes and participates in work groups, meetings, conferences, consultations with other agencies and partners on humanitarian and emergency relief-related matters.

• Provides guidance to, and may supervise, new/junior staff.

• Performs other duties as required.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in political science, social science, public administration, international studies, economics, engineering, earth sciences or a related field.

A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, military, or other related area is required.

Experience from working in a complex emergency is required.

Access or CMCoord experience is required

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required.

Special Notice:

• This temporary job opening (TJO) is published for five positions position in Ethiopia, in MEKELLE, SHIRE, ABI ADI, ADIGRAT AND MAYCHEW respectively.

• The appointment/assignment is for the duration of five months through 31 December 2021 with the possibility of extension, subject to availability of funds and mandate extension. The selected candidate is expected to start as soon as possible.

• Please note that due to the ongoing situation with COVID-19 and the travel restrictions imposed by national authorities, selected candidates may be required to start the assignment/appointment remotely, in agreement with the hiring manager, and until further notice.