UNDP Jobs - 54943- Early Recovery Communication Support Junior Consul

Early Recovery Communication Support Junior Consultant

Location :

Geneva, SWITZERLAND

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

07-Apr-2015

Application Deadline :

27-Mar-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

9 months

Languages Required :

English French

Expected Duration of Assignment :

9 months

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

Early Recovery is a key component of humanitarian crisis response. Early Recovery addresses recovery needs during the humanitarian phase, using humanitarian mechanisms in accordance with development principles. It is an integrated, inclusive, and coordinated approach to gradually turn the dividends of humanitarian action into sustainable crisis recovery, resilience building and development opportunities. Emergency relief addresses peoples’ survival and basic well-being. Early Recovery restores people’s capacities and supports communities’ first steps to recover from the crisis. The Global cluster on Early Recovery (GCER) formerly known as CWGER advocates for humanitarian actors to integrate approaches into their humanitarian work, where possible, that will mitigate the impact of a future crisis on a community. Lastly, the Early Recovery approach presents important opportunities to promote gender equality. Failure to include gender perspectives in early decision-making processes can have long-lasting impacts on women, men, boys, and girls particularly in the context of governance structures, policies and practices, which can reinforce existing socio-economic disparities between men and women.

In 2005, in the context of the Humanitarian Reform that adopted the humanitarian cluster system, UNDP was given the lead for early recovery. The IASC Global Cluster on Early Recovery (GCER) consists of representatives from global clusters, OCHA, and non-IASC organisations from both humanitarian and development communities. An inter-agency Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) chaired by UNDP is charged with providing direction, developing and adjusting as necessary the strategic framework, priorities and workplan for the GCER on the basis of in-country needs and priorities, and global trends. In November 2013, the IASC Principals endorsed the recommendations identified by the GCER to strengthen early recovery as an integral part of humanitarian response at global and country levels.

UNDP takes a stronger leadership role in bringing humanitarian and development work to collaborate more harmoniously around emerging issues (solutions for IDP's; resilience) and within the humanitarian programme cycle, through the integration of Early Recovery as one of the seven outcomes of UNDP's Strategic Plan for 2014-2017 (Outcome 6: Early recovery and rapid return to sustainable development pathways are achieved in post-conflict and post-disaster settings).

In support of its mandate/mission the GCER will be developing a new website in 2015 as an online center and to host the global deployment capacity/roster of Early Recovery Advisors and Cluster Coordinators. Additionally, a help desk on Early Recovery is also planned to support and build capacity at both the regional and country level targeting internal staff as well as IASC member originations, Governments, INGOs, Local NGO’s and other international actors.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Team Leader, Crisis Interface, UNDP Crisis Response Unit in Geneva. The consultant will:

Assist and contribute in the development and maintenance of the new website for Early Recovery;
Assist in ensuring data collection is comprehensive, up to date and easy accessible on the website including through liaising with colleagues and partners and identifying obstacles to data submission;
Support the management of the Early Recovery help desk (incl. administrative support to the helpdesk);
Assist in strengthening relations with Early Recovery clusters/partners and work with them to identify information and support needs;
Develop and manage social media for the Global Cluster on Early Recovery;
Prepare ‘information sheets’ for each activated country-level cluster;
Keep record of deployed ERAs, CCs and IMOs;
Proactively gather information from other clusters, organizations, Member States, which may be of use to the GCfER;
Liaise with UNDP colleagues as well as partner agencies colleagues working on Information management / Communication to coordinate the development of relevant information and communication tools for early recovery;
Assist and contribute to communication products related to Early Recovery;
Assist in identifying and drafting good stories on Early Recovery to be shared with various stakeholders upon demand;
Assist in the development and online management of the training management tool;
Contribute and provide support to the integration of new templates to the Early Recovery website;
Investigate alternate sources of information, relevant data, assessment findings, etc that may augment the understanding of key Early Recovery issues and challenges to be addressed;
Review data management practices of other clusters and relevant groups and propose improvements and initiatives that could be realistically undertaken by the Early Recovery Information Management Officer (IMO) to improve services/website;
Ensure that gender aspects and other cross-cutting issues are integrated throughout the online center;
Assist in the delivery of other duties as it pertains to key functions in the support and delivery of early recovery, as required.

Competencies

General skills:

Ability to use new and existing systems for information and training management, information sharing, and website management;
Good understanding of and proficient use of Microsoft Office software applications;
Knowledge of digital film making, audio recording, and editing would be an advantage;
Ability in layout and design to create aesthetically pleasing in-house training publications.

Corporate:

Demonstrates integrity and fairness, by modelling the UN/UNDP’s values and ethical standards;
Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of the UN and UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Development and Operational Effectiveness:

Communication

Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills (English and French);
Excellent interpersonal and networking skills, strong team player.

Client Orientation

Builds strong relationships with clients and external actors;
Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to critical feedback;
Ability to build and sustain effective partnerships with UN Agencies and main constituents, advocate effectively, communicate sensitively across different constituencies.

Planning and Organizing

Ability to assist in strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
Promotes knowledge management and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example to interns and junior staff and consultants;
Sound time management and organizational skills with the ability to handle multiple tasks;
Capacity to work under tight deadlines, manage stress and adapt to rapidly evolving situations.

Summary of Critical Competencies for Immediate Response Situations:

Integrity, results orientated, teamwork, good inter-personal skills, well developed communication skills, sound judgment, analytical skills, flexibility, Proactive engagement, innovation, risk management, gender and culturally sensitive, ability to work under pressure and demonstrates high tolerance for change, complexity and unpredictability.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Degree in Communications, Journalism, International Relations or Languages and post graduate work in International Humanitarian Action, or field(s) related to the specifics of the TOR; or
The equivalent combination of education and extensive relevant professional experience in a related area.

Experience:

2 years of general experience required;
Previous work experience in international development and/or humanitarian assistance would be an asset;
Must have good knowledge of the Transformative Agenda Protocols, inter-agency coordination;
Must be familiar with the Humanitarian Programme Cycle (HPC) guidance and tools, needs assessments, humanitarian policy development, strategy formulation, programme planning and monitoring & evaluation in crisis and post-crisis settings;
Must possess good knowledge of Early Recovery and UNDP key thematic areas and objective as per the current strategic plan structure;
Must demonstrate good knowledge of Cluster Coordination and Gender and other cross-cutting issues.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in written and spoken English and French is required for this post.