Background

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) aims to help ensure that emergency response saves lives and protects people in crisis. OCHA also seeks to enhance the connectivity and coherence between humanitarian and development work, based on the comparative advantage of diverse actors and in support of national and local capacity, towards collective outcomes that reduce risks, needs and vulnerability.

OCHA Colombia works to ensure that evidence-based and collective situational awareness informs decisions on humanitarian action, seeking to ensure that streamlined data and analysis is provided to inform a rapid, effective and principled response. OCHA Colombia works to facilitate enough, timely, substantial, predictable and flexible financing that meets the needs of the most vulnerable people. In accordance with its mandate, OCHA undertakes advocacy on behalf of the most vulnerable people to ensure effective and principled humanitarian action. This advocacy contributes to action that also enhances the protection of affected people.

This position is located in different capitals of Colombia. The Field Information Manager works in places with the presence of Local Coordination Teams (LCTs), with direct line and report on information issues to the Situational Awareness Unit of OCHA Colombia. The Field Information Manager works under the supervision and close collaboration of the LCT leaders and OCHA and maintains regular contact with relevant counterparts in local institutions, UN agencies, funds and programmes, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and donors, among others at the local level to access information. Ensure that the functions respond to all processes for information management and handling set out in the Joint Information Strategy of the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT).

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the CT leaders and direct line and report on information issues to the Situational Awareness Unit of OCHA Colombia, the National UN Youth Volunteer will:

• Support with the management, feeding and updating of the systems, platforms, tools and websites (Monitor, 345W, salahumanitaria.co, among others) established to consolidate the situation information and humanitarian response, as well as peace building and development, with a differential approach (gender, age and ethnic).
• Support with the consolidation and processing of data, analysis of information from the territory where it is present, reflected in key messages, emergency information products and context (Flash update, Situation Report, infographics, presentations, factsheet) on a regular basis, which make visible both the situation, humanitarian response and gaps, with a differential approach (gender, age and ethnicity).
• Guarantee the updating and/or elaboration of information products (public and internal), both narrative and visual, in a timely manner, according to the criteria established in the work plan of the place where the information manager is located.
• Support the LCT with their information management process to support situational monitoring and awareness,  response monitoring and decision-making processes.
• Provide technical support and participate in processes established by the Local Coordination Team (LCT), within the humanitarian programming cycle, ensuring that people with sectoral needs, humanitarian gaps and response in their region are informed. The information must guarantee disaggregation in terms of gender, age and ethnicity, as well as the cross-cutting nature of the gender, differential and rights approach.
• Support with capacity building of partners and local counterparts to promote, facilitate and optimize the management of information on the systems, tools and products mentioned, in addition to involving other counterparts when necessary.
• Participate and support the execution of rapid needs assessment MIRA and their respective reports where humanitarian impact is evident, as the tool established for the EHP, in addition to the participation and contribution of the partners. Promote the use of MIRA's gender tools.
• Participate and actively support defined and existing coordination spaces at local and national levels when necessary (both the humanitarian architecture and institutional), within the framework of the functions and themes established for the position.
• Involve gender focal points / gender groups in the development of strategic information products (regional briefings, context presentations, flash, etc.)
• Permanent communication with the thematic focal points in Bogotá, to inform about the request of ad hoc information by other partners or members of the ELC, GiC and/or EHP. Also to receive and apply the given feedback.
• Participate in follow-up meetings through teleconferences and send weekly reports on response actions, high-level visits and other relevant situations that should be known at the national level, for the respective advocacy and coordination responding to the objectives of the ELC and EHP.

Work implies frequent interaction with the following:

• Staff of UN system agencies, staff of non-governmental organizations and civil society dealing with humanitarian issues; officials of local governments and institutions.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
• Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.  
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Results/Expected Outputs:

• Presentation and periodic analysis of the main dynamics and response and impact on the departmental humanitarian situation
• Preparation and updating of the information products (emergencies and situation) established in the work plan, which speak of the humanitarian situation for the respective incidence and decision-making.
• Exchange of information with relevant partners, including visual material on emergencies and humanitarian situation of the department for their visibility.
• Inform partners and thematic groups about the information available (products and systems) for the benefit of the LCT's work.
• Collect, analyze and document the humanitarian needs you will find in the evaluations carried out in the field.
• Communication, updating and sending of information to the central office of OCHA Bogotá on relevant humanitarian events.

Competencies

• 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.
• Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honors commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
• 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.

Required Skills and Experience

Requied Experience: Bachelor's degree

Requied Experience: 18 months

• University Degree in economics, international relations, political or social sciences, or other related area; or an equivalent combination of relevant education and extensive work experience in an area related to information management
• 18 months of relevant work experience
• Some working knowledge/experience of the UN system and understanding of agency mandates preferable
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work under pressure and in meeting deadlines ;
• Ability to work with mínimum supervision, with efficiency, competence and integrity with people of different national backgrounds;
• Some experience working with international NGOs and donors preferable

b)  Language Skills

      Fluency in spoken and written Spanish is required;

      Working knowledge of English is required.

Living Conditions:

Accommodation: National UNVs will live in the cities where they are assigned to work, being these cities where the regional and subregional offices are located.

Colombia is a large country (1,141,748 km2); its population rises to 47,000,000 citizens. Colombia presents different levels of security (which go from low to critical risk), each of them is clearly established for the fulfillment of missions, also supported by the SRA where mitigation measures are stated and those pointed out by MORSS.

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials.

Conditions of Service for National UN Youth Volunteers

The duration of your assignment is indicated above with the possibility of extension subject to availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment.

Travel to duty station (if applicable) and a Settling-In-Grant will be provided in the event the duty station is not within commuting distance from the place of recruitment. The applicable Volunteer Living Allowance is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities and normal cost of living expenses. Life, health and permanent disability insurance are included) and final repatriation (if applicable).

Furthermore, in non-family duty stations that belong to hardship categories D or E, as classified by the ICSC, a Well-Being Differential (WBD) on a monthly basis will be provided.

*Importante*

La modalidad de voluntariado Joven tiene como requisito que la edad de los candidatos oscile entre 18 y 29 años.

El Programa de Voluntarios de Naciones Unidas está comprometida en lograr la diversidad laboral al interior de su oficina en términos de género, nacionalidad y cultura. Individuos de grupos sociales minoritarios, grupos indígenas y personas con discapacidad están por igual alentados a aplicar. Todas las aplicaciones laborales serán tratadas con la más estricta confidencialidad. Para mayor información sobre el Programa de Voluntarios, visite https://vmam.unv.org/

Solo se considerarán las aplicaciones que contengan el Formato P11 firmado (Bajo ningún motivo se considerarán apliaciones que no adjunten de manera correcta el archivo en mención). Pueden encontrar el formato P11 en?http://www.co.undp.org/content/dam/colombia/docs/Operaciones/P11_Personal_history_form-es.docx