I. Overview
Through USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA), the United States sponsors qualified U.S. citizens for employment in the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Program.
These fully funded JPO positions strengthen the humanitarian coordination capacity of UNOCHA. They further encourage U.S. citizens to become active members of the international community. After completing their JPO assignments, a number of JPOs successfully compete for positions at UNOCHA, and in other international and non-governmental organizations.
II. General Information
Title: Associate Expert in Humanitarian Affairs Officer
Sector of Assignment: Humanitarian Affairs
Organization/Office: UNOCHA/PDSB/IGPS
Duty Station: New York City, NY, USA
Date Required: As soon as possible
Duration: 1 year (with possible extension for another year)
III. Background Information
Organizational Structure:
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has its headquarters in New York and Geneva. UNOCHA was created in late 1997 as a result of the Reform of the United Nations and as of 1 January 1998 replaced the Department for Humanitarian Affairs (DHA) which in turn was created as a result of General Assembly resolution 46/182. It is expected that UNOCHA will continue to exist in its current format, with the overwhelming majority of its expenditures covered from extra-budgetary resources.
The Policy Development and Studies Branch (PDSB) is part of the Corporate Programmes Division of OCHA. PDSB includes three sections: a section dealing with intergovernmental matters; a section dealing with analysis and innovation; and the policy advice and planning section, for which the associate expert will work.
Within PDSB, the Intergovernmental Policy Section (IGPS) will continue to strengthen partnerships with Member States through inclusive dialogue on humanitarian priority issues and by supporting Member States on humanitarian issues in UN intergovernmental forums. This aims to foster Member State engagement and strengthen the normative framework for humanitarian action. Key outputs will continue to include:
• Annual reports of the Secretary-General on Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations and International cooperation on humanitarian assistance in the field of natural disasters, from relief to development, as well as on specific humanitarian emergencies;
• Mandated report of the Secretary-General on the World Humanitarian Summit outcomes;
• Support to Member States in humanitarian resolution negotiations, including resolutions from the General Assembly, ECOSOC, High Level Political Forum, Second Committee and Third Committee, as well as for specific humanitarian initiatives, such as the Dialogue on Humanitarian Partnership;
• Reference Guide on normative developments in humanitarian resolutions of the General Assembly and ECOSOC
The Section includes one Chief of Section (P5), one Deputy Chief of Section (P4), two Humanitarian Affairs Officers (P3), one Associate Humanitarian Affairs Officer (P2 TJO (Temporary Job Opening)), and one Team Assistant.
UN competencies:
· Professionalism: Ability to identify issues and judgment in resolving problems. Ability to conduct research, including evaluation and integration of information from a variety of sources. Ability to work under pressure, on occasion in a stressful environment. 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.
· Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
· 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 & 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.
· Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.
IV. Eligibility
Education: Graduate or law degree in fields including but not limited to humanitarian affairs, international relations, human rights, disaster management, public policy or a related field.
Experience: Five or more years of progressively responsible professional experience working in in humanitarian affairs, emergency management, rehabilitation and development, international policy or advocacy, or other related areas is required. Prior working experience in developing and drafting intergovernmental policy strategies, documents or reports is required. Experience in working with Member States, external partnerships and relationship building with Member States and/or regional organizations is required. Experience in intergovernmental negotiations is desirable. Prior operational humanitarian experience in the field is an asset.
Other skills: Knowledge of the institutions of the UN system, familiarity with humanitarian principles and practice and relevant experience at UN headquarters and in field operations is desirable. Proven aptitude and demonstrated experience with representation, advocacy and liaison on a range of international policy issues is an advantage.
Languages: Proficiency in at least one U.N. working language in addition to English is preferred. English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Excellent command of oral and written English is essential for this position.
Work Location: New York City, USA
V. Duties
Under the supervision of the Chief of Section and in coordination with other members of the team, the Associate Expert will plan, organize and coordinate the ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment and to assist in providing advice and support to other ECOSOC, General Assembly and UN Committee intergovernmental processes relevant to the humanitarian agenda, including in preparation and negotiations of a range of resolutions in ECOSOC, General Assembly, Second Committee and Third Committee, High Level Political Forum, and other member State and President of the General Assembly initiatives. The expert will follow closely and report on developments in intergovernmental forums related to the follow-up and implementation of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development as it pertains to the humanitarian agenda and the humanitarian-development nexus, including in respect of forced displacement (IDPs and refugees) and complex humanitarian settings. The expert will also follow and report on developments in intergovernmental forums related to the follow-up on the World Humanitarian Summit. He/she will draft notes and analysis and will put together or contribute to putting together various documents and studies and reports, and will attend meetings related to the work of the Section. In particular, the Associate Expert will be tasked with:
· Planning, organizing and coordinating, in consultation with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee and concerned UN departments and agencies, the ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment, including the selection, preparation, implementation and follow-up of official high-level panel discussions, including draft concept notes outline of key points, contribute to briefings, talking points and speeches for the USG and other Senior Management Team members as necessary, as well as the coordination of the overall Segment’s agenda, including side-events, the general debates and the humanitarian trade fair;
· Liaising with government officials, diplomatic missions, UN agencies, non-governmental organizations and OCHA branches on specific issues and intergovernmental processes, and providing substantive support to intergovernmental negotiations on resolutions related to humanitarian assistance, in particular the resolutions on Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations both in the ECOSOC and the General Assembly as well as General Assembly resolutions on International cooperation on humanitarian assistance in the field of natural disasters, from relief to development and Safety and security of humanitarian personnel and protection of United Nations personnel, and supporting the analysis of Member State engagement in the negotiations;
· Analyzing and reporting on Member States’ statements and positions on humanitarian issues at high-level events and official meetings of the General Assembly and ECOSOC, such as the general debate of the General Assembly, the adoption of humanitarian resolutions in the General Assembly, the upcoming High-Level Meeting of the General Assembly on Migrants and Refugees as well as meetings in follow-up to the World Humanitarian Summit;
· Providing policy support, analysis, inputs and advice to Member States and OCHA senior management as part of engaging in inter-agency and Member State processes in support of the ECOSOC Operational Activities for Development Segment, ECOSOC dialogue on the longer-term positioning of the United Nations development system in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the subsequent negotiations on the next Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR), as well as analyzing and reporting on the outcomes of these and related meetings and processes;
· Contributing to the preparation of written reports (particularly the report of the Secretary-General on the outcome of the World Humanitarian Summit, the annual report of the Secretary-General on Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations, and the summary report on the outcomes of the ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment) , studies, documents and communications on issues such as the above for OCHA, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee and intergovernmental legislative bodies, such as the General Assembly, the Security Council and ECOSOC;
· Organizing and participating in work groups, meetings, consultations with other agencies and partners on humanitarian and emergency relief-related matters to support policy development work, agenda setting and decision-making on important issues, and support or manage inter-agency policy consultations with the IASC;
· Performing other duties as required.
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