Background

• Advocate for access to basic services, especially water, sanitation, education and health for vulnerable communities, including collection, analysis and dissemination of information and negotiation of access;
• Support the government efforts and humanitarian organizations in IDPs relocation 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.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Analyse humanitarian situation;
• Develop and implement proper strategies which will be suitable with local contexts;
• Develop and maintain coordination and cooperation mechanisms among stakeholders;

Analyse 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.
 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;
• Contribute to the development of appropriate strategies to improve the application of humanitarian principles and develop ground rules for humanitarian interventions;
• Contribute to the development of strengthened protection strategies in the relevant area of operation, in particular for women, children, and minorities and displaced communities.
 Develop and maintain coordination and cooperation mechanisms among stakeholders:
• Support existing coordination mechanisms and assist in the establishment of new field coordination for a wherever required;
• Liaise closely with the Office of the UNDSS, UN agencies, NGO’s and other partners to ensure a safe and effective operating environment;
• Facilitate and support 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;
• In collaboration with UN agencies, NGOs and other local partners, support the development and monitoring of the implementation of the Common Humanitarian Action Plan in the relevant area of operation;
• Seek ways to improve the participation of local actors in the relevant area of operation, including authorities, beneficiaries, and civil society, in the planning and implementation of aid activities.
 Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Identification of sources of information related to coordination. Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learnt directly linked to country policy goals;
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
Functions / Key Results Expected
 
Play a strategic role in identifying humanitarian and access issues and problems to be addressed in the Region of responsibility.    Develop innovative suggestions and approaches to deal with technical issues. Timely delivery of outputs, in accordance with overall objectives and policies. Serve as an effective spokesperson and form strong partnerships with relevant parties to help meet OCHA’s objectives with respect to overall policy initiatives and coordination of humanitarian and emergency assistance.

Competencies

Advocacy/advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda
• 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.
 Results-Based Programme Development and Management
• Researches linkages across programme activities to identify critical points of integration;
• Monitors specific stages of projects/programme implementation;
• Analyzes country situation to identify opportunities for project development;
• Participates in the formulation of project proposals and ensures substantive rigor in the design and application of proven successful approaches and drafts proposals accordingly.
 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 guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments;
• Familiarity with UN policies, rules and procedures, particularly in relation to humanitarian response and coordination, and knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines pertaining to humanitarian assistance, especially the humanitarian reform agenda;
• Ability to research, analyzes, evaluate and synthesize information.
 Global Leadership and Advocacy for UNDP’s Goals
• Identifies and communicates relevant information for advocacy for UN’s goals for a variety of audiences;
• Maintains a functioning network of contacts in the media and civil society, to promote a better understanding of UN’s priorities and to support advocacy efforts.
 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.

Required Skills and Experience

Education: 
• Master’s Degree or equivalent in political science, sociology, law or international relations or related field.
• A first level university degree with a combination of 4 years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience:
• 2 years of relevant experience at the national or international level or relevant professional experience, preferably in complex emergency and inter-agency contexts, dealing with relief and transitional issues;
• 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 oral and written English. Knowledge of Somali is a requirement;
• Knowledge of Arabic is desirable.