Background

UNDP is the global lead agency for Early Recovery and hosts the Cluster Working Group on Early Recovery (CWGER) in its BCPR Geneva Liaison Office, Switzerland. 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. 

On the morning of 8 November, category 5 Typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda) made a direct hit on the Philippines, a densely populated country of 92 million people, devastating areas in 36 provinces. Haiyan is possibly the most powerful storm ever recorded. The Government estimates that Typhoon Haiyan affected 13 million people in nine regions. Government reports estimate that over 4 million people have been displaced, of whom about 392,500 are living in 1,587 evacuation centers in six regions, mainly in the Western and Eastern Visayas regions.

Duties and Responsibilities

Reporting to the Early Recovery Cluster Coordinator and serving as secretariat support to the government in the hub, establish and maintain an effective cluster coordination mechanism with strong membership and shared responsibilities.

• Facilitate meetings of the cluster;
• Identify other clusters relevant to cross-cluster partnerships, and engage in the OCHA-led inter-cluster platform.
• Develop agreements on an efficient division of labor and assign responsibilities to cluster members to illustrate shared responsibilities.

Ensure that members of the cluster engage with local authorities and relevant government counterparts, where applicable and support existing coordination mechanisms to the extent possible.

Lead the cluster members in numerous inter-agency processes: contingency planning, coordinated assessments, strategy development.

Lead cluster members in capacity mapping and gap identification to maximize the potential that the cluster has good coverage and can fill identified gaps in the response, and build capacity where it is needed.

Support cluster members to participate in coordinated needs assessments, develop a cluster specific needs assessments (if relevant), organize joint field missions with cluster members for follow up and monitoring.

Facilitate the development of the cluster response plan or an overall strategy for the cluster which links well to disaster risk reduction approaches, and recovery and development, referencing planning documents such as the UNDAF and/or national development strategies.

Identify issues of mutual interest across different clusters and identify information that should be proactively shared with other clusters, should be acquired from other clusters to ensure a more effective overall response to a crisis.

Ensure cross-cutting issues are integrated into the work of the cluster response plan in general and the cluster members individually.

Competencies

• Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Highest standards of integrity, discretion and loyalty.

• Strong knowledge of the latest theories and concepts in urban development and sustainable cities in the Philippines and broader region;
• Strong analytical and research skills;
• Fast adaptation and learning skills;
• Excellent coordination, negotiation and advocacy skills;
• Excellent oral and written skills to develop knowledge products and advocacy products; have skills to write independent reports, documents, maintain systems and procedures in administering programs; and ability to communicate with different stakeholders;
• Familiarity with current actors working on urban development challenges in the Philippines.

Required Skills and Experience

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian affairs (coordination and/or programmes) and /or the development arena, including several years of relevant field experience, especially in crisis or post-crisis settings;
• UN/UNDP experience is an asset;
• Experience with training and facilitation is an asset;
• Understanding information management, advocacy, and having the ‘soft-skills’ that influence processes and decision-making would be highly desirable;
• Knowledge of humanitarian and/or development issues;
• Good knowledge of and technologies used in humanitarian response and development work would be an advantage;
• Interest in humanitarian issues and world affairs;
• Familiarity with the location and local condition in the location of the hub will be an advantage.

• Fluency in spoken and written English and Filipino is a must, and proficiency in the local dialect of the hub of deployment expected.

Open to Philippines Nationals only.