Purpose of consultancy:
The number of disasters and people affected have increased globally and we are faced with growing humanitarian needs. Although emergencies are becoming more complex and more frequent, the gap between humanitarian needs and the resources available to meet those needs continues to grow.
This increased demand for UNFPA to respond to humanitarian situations has led to a doubling of the organization’s humanitarian requirements, from $78 million in 2006 to $175 million in 2014 –the largest ever appeal in UNFPA history. This growing trend mirrors the global humanitarian trends. More is expected of UNFPA than ever before to provide life-saving assistance.
In line with the US Government’s Safe from the Start initiative and global Call to Action on Protecting Women and Girls in Emergencies, UNFPA is working with the US State Department’s Bureau for Population, Refugees and Migration (BPRM) to fund a two-year project to scale up our efforts to address GBV in humanitarian contexts. To assist in this effort UNFPA has set up a global Surge roster of personnel to be rapidly deployed to support UNFPA’s humanitarian response in developing countries affected by acute/rapid onset emergencies.
The Surge Manager will work closely with the Division for Human Resources (DHR) to coordinate the provision of HR support to UNFPA’s humanitarian response, ensuring efficiency and quality in the selection, training, deployment and support of Surge participants
Scope of work:
· Foster understanding around Surge systems, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and tools in order to fully embed within UNFPA a culture of rapid response to emergencies
· Manage the internal Surge DHR response including gap analysis of current /required profiles, selection process, monitoring and evaluating assignments and maintenance of a consolidated database of Surge candidates and deployments; liaise with HFCB, requesting Regional Office, roster member and supervisors to identify appropriate candidates, ensuring timely deployment of Surge resources
· Coordinate with external and inter-agency partners on maintaining external Surge rosters; engage with the GBV AoR’s Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) to discuss GBV coordination surge deployments ensuring inter-agency engagement and building a robust Surge talent pipeline
· Enhance capacity building by maintaining the Humanitarian Community website and coordinating with relevant staff in HQ, Regional and Country Offices to provide technical guidance and oversight on emergency procedures and best practices
· Co-lead the design and implementation of comprehensive Humanitarian training and development, ensuring alignment with the GBV AoR’s Capacity Development Strategy, to develop a multi-layered plan for building the capacities of Surge staff
· Evaluate the effectiveness of the Surge DHR response, with a focus on continual improvement of Surge mechanism, systems and processes
· Support senior management in making strategic, data-driven decisions to enable the successful delivery of UNFPA’s Humanitarian Strategy, including monitoring of emergency staffing needs, tracking and analyzing trends within Surge deployments e.g. training outcomes, profiles, retention rates, deployment efficiency (requests, duration, timeframe), deployment outcomes (GBV sub cluster activation, dedicated functions, HNO/HRPs, capacity development or national staff), implementation of SOP for surge deployments, inter-agency deployments, and exit strategies as well as preparing reporting to Steering Committee and external partners as required
· Support Resource Mobilisation efforts for Surge; contributing to preparation for donor meetings and donor proposals e.g. completion of DFID proposal for additional Surge funding
· Act as the Humanitarian Response focal point for inter-divisional / inter-agency activity including acting as the Stand-By Partnership Programme focal point, in order to strengthen strategic partnerships in the humanitarian sector
Duration and working schedule:
11 months full-time contract beginning January 2016
Place where services are to be delivered:
UNFPA HQ, New York
Delivery dates and how work will be delivered:
Work will be delivered in both electronic and hardcopy as required.
Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:
Reporting will be determined as per the Humanitarian Steering Committee requirements
Supervisory arrangements:
Supervised by GBV Capacity Development Specialist and Chief, Talent Management
Expected travel:
Travel for Surge Training and Assessments as required (approximately four times per year and for approximately one week in duration). Additional travel may be required
Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:
The ideal candidate is passionate about UNFPA’s mandate and about helping people during times of crisis. S/he excels at multi-tasking and prioritizing, is able to work well under pressure and is a talented project manager who continuously strives to improve business processes. S/he is also a team player capable of working with colleagues of diverse backgrounds.
Requirements
Education
· An advanced university degree Human Resources Management, MBA, Public Administration, Public Health or related field.
Qualifications and Experience
· Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible work experience in human resources management
· At least 4 years of international work experience in a field related to Emergency
· Experience in project management for humanitarian response desirable
· Competence in the delivery of innovative and cost-effective HR Services in complex, multicultural environments
· Excellent writing and communication skills
· Excellent client service skills
Languages:
Fluency in English. Knowledge of additional UN languages is desirable.
Required Competencies
i) Values:
· Exemplifying integrity
· Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system
· Embracing cultural diversity
· Embracing change
ii) Core Competencies:
· Achieving results and ensuring programme quality and impact
· Being accountable
· Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen
· Thinking analytically and strategically and making decisions
· Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships
· Communicating for impact
iii) Managerial Competencies:
· Providing strategic focus
· Engaging internal/external partners and stakeholders
· Leading, developing and empowering people, creating a culture of performance
· Making decisions and exercising judgment
iv) Required Skillset:
· Providing conceptual innovation to support programme effectiveness
· Understanding humanitarian contexts
· Organizational awareness
· Client orientation
EmoticonEmoticon