Emergency Specialist at the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfil their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Emergency Specialist, (P-3)

Job Number: 523909
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Work Type: Temporary Appointment

Job Summary
For every child, a chance.

• During 2014 and early 2015, Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad (JAS) and The Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP) commonly known as Boko Haram intensified its attacks on the civilian population in Nigeria, with tactics developing from hit-and-run to take-and-hold attacks in which they managed to establish and maintain control over large swaths of territory. While in late 2015 and 2016 the Nigerian Armed Forces took back most JAS/ISWAP controlled areas, the fighting caused additional mass displacement especially in Borno State. In 2017, focus has been on the scale up of the response and 2018 has been categorized as both response stabilization combined with areas requiring emergency response. A strong focus has been on improving programme quality.
• The purpose of this position is to support programme sections and UNICEF-led sectors in effective coordination and response to the emergency in NE Nigeria, and, to provide technical guidance & monitoring and quality assurance of the response implementation on the ground.
• The post is a core part of the Field Office's Emergency Coordination team.
• The post supports the Emergency Manager and programme sections to be the focal point in the field coordinating UNICEF staff and contractors on the ground, representing UNICEF at coordination fora and with external stakeholders, providing situational analyses, emergency preparedness and response planning, and in humanitarian performance monitoring / reporting. Extensive field travel will be required.

Job Responsibilities
How can you make a difference?

Within the delegated authority and under the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be assigned the primarily, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the following areas of major duties and key end-results:

Support the humanitarian response in key field locations to improve coordination, quality, preparedness and programmatic integration.:

• Support the overall coordination of the emergency program through extensive field visits, contacts with UNICEF field and Borno Field Office (BFO) staff, and I/NGO implementing partners;
• Support the overall strategic framework and oversight to ensure emergency program delivery and quality, and adherence to UNICEF Core Commitments for Children (CCC) in Emergencies;
• Support the development of programmatic monitoring tools and approaches that can be mainstreamed across sections;
• Contribute to the Emergency Unit support to program sections in integrated contingency and response planning exercises;
• Ensure and enhance program quality by providing detailed reports and guidance to support on-the-ground solutions and ensure decisions are taken in a timely manner;
• Support the program sections staff and implementing partners with provision of training on emergency response;
• Support any Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) initiatives; and
• Support UNICEF-led Sectors to improve coordination efforts as required.

Represent UNICEF at all field-based meetings, coordination mechanisms and engagement with key stakeholders:

• Formulate strong relationships with key stakeholders on the ground including military command, local governance structures, UN Agencies and I/NGO partners to advocate for the humanitarian neds on the ground;
• Lead regular UNICEF cross-sectional meetings on updates, challenges and support required from BFO;
• Liaise with the Emergency Team in the BFO on additional support or follow-up required;
• Attend all local UNICEF-led sector meetings and provide feedback and support to the relevant sector coordinators; and
• Represent UNICEF at all field-based inter-sector meetings.

Support the Emergency Manager and programme sections manage the collection, analysis and sharing of information and data to make informed (evidence based) strategic decisions regarding the emergency response.:

• Respond to the BFO needs for information/data related with the emergency;
• Work with Sections to identify information gaps and to perform gaps analysis at field-level and develop appropriate response plans;
• Support the Sections to develop related data collection tools and support the data analysis and dissemination;
• Adopt and promote the use of UNICEF and global standards for emergency settings such as CCCs and Sphere standards.
• In close collaboration with the humanitarian performance monitoring (HPM) teams, support on the ground assessments and produce evidence on UNICEF results as well as alerts on implementation gaps including program quality issues;
• In support to UNICEF sectors led, contribute to the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) and Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) processes, including other needs assessments.

Job Requirements
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have:

• An advanced University degree (Master’s or higher) in Social Science or a technical field relevant to UNICEF work including Health, Nutrition, WASH, Child Protection or Education.
• A minimum of five (5) years of humanitarian work experience with UN and/or INGOs.
• Experience in coordination and program performance monitoring in humanitarian contexts.
• Demonstrated experience integrating gender and inclusion needs into humanitarian programming.
• Assessment, analysis, planning and personnel management skills.
• Effective communication, networking and organizational skills and ability to work well in a team.
• Ability to work well under pressure and in response to rapidly changing needs.
• Ability to work in difficult circumstances.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate:

• UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The competencies required for this post are:
Core competencies:

• Communication (II)
• Working with people (II)
• Drive for results (II)

Functional Competencies:

• Formulating strategies and concepts (II)
• Analysing (III)
• Relating and networking (II)
• Deciding and initiating action (II)

View our competency framework at:http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

Application Closing Date
29th July, 2019 at 23:55:00 GMT+0100 (West Africa Standard Time)

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
• The successful candidate for this emergency recruitment MUST be available to commence work within 31 days of receiving an offer.
• Please note that Maiduguri is a non-family duty station.
• Employment is conditional upon receipt of medical clearance, any clearance required, the grant of a visa, and completion of any other pre-employment criteria that UNICEF may establish. Candidates may not be further considered or offer of employment may be withdrawn if these conditions are unlikely to be met before the date for commencement of service.
• UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.
• UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.