Humanitarian Affairs Officer / Deputy Pooled Fund Manager at United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Humanitarian Affairs Officer (Pooled Fund Manager) will be responsible for the following duties:  

Fund Management and Coordination:   

• Under the overall guidance of the HoO and the supervision of the Humanitarian Affairs Officers/Pooled Fund Manager, advise the HC on the management of the Country-based Pooled Fund (CBPF) vis-à-vis the humanitarian context (i.e. priorities and needs).  
• Manage and supervise Fund-related programme staff.  
• Manage fund allocation processes, ensuring necessary coordination with relevant counterparts in line with the Terms of Reference and/or allocation guidelines (i.e. Review and/or Advisory Boards, cluster or sector leads, humanitarian organizations, and OCHA).  
• Liaise with NGOs, UN partners as well as clusters and OCHA field offices to follow-up on project progress and overall Fund progress.
•  Ensure the overall administration of the Fund and liaise as necessary with relevant OCHA HQ sections (i.e. OCHA CBPF Section, OCHA Operations and Advocacy, OCHA Donor Relations Section).  
• Support and implement standardized policy in line with HQ guidance and decisions.  
• Conduct periodic field visits to promote knowledge and support the appropriate use of the Fund in line with its Terms of Reference.
• Field visits should focus on key actors (i.e. OCHA field colleagues, recipient organizations, local governments, communities).  
• Ensure proper communication and support during the allocation process vis-à-vis all stakeholders.  
• Liaise with and provide necessary support to recipient organizations of the Fund throughout the life-cycle of the projects, promoting coherence between humanitarian needs and response.  
• Advise the HC, recipient organizations and stakeholders on measures to mitigate and manage foreseeable operational risks. 
• Ensure recipient organizations' compliance with financial rules applicable to the Fund.  
• Ensure coordination and information exchange with humanitarian donors, aiming to promote coordinated and complementary use of funds.
• In case of absence of the senior Humanitarian Affairs Officers/Pooled Fund Manager, represent the Fund management unit before stakeholders (NGO, UN Agencies, donors) and external actors as required.  

Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation:  

• Ensure compliance with monitoring and reporting requirements in place for the Fund.  
• Oversee and ensure timely project reporting cycle, including the annual report of the Fund.  
• Systematically provide information on project status to the HC, the HoO, donors and relevant governing bodies of the Fund.  
• Support the preparation of evaluations, reviews and studies as requested by the HC and governing bodies, ensuring due consultation with relevant HQ sections.  

Analysis, communications, and public information:  

• Research, analyze and present humanitarian financing information, in particular funding trends and requirements, gathered from diverse sources.  
• Assist in policy development, including the review and analysis of humanitarian issues and funding trends at the country level, ensuring proper coordination with Funding Coordination Section at HQ.  
• In collaboration with other OCHA units and field offices, as well as with support from relevant OCHA HQ sections, document and disseminate results, best practices and results of the Fund across internal and broader audiences through information and communication products/pieces (i.e. bulletins, feature stories, photographs/videos, websites, etc.).  
• Liaise with OCHA field offices and recipient organizations in order to disseminate full information on Fund activities.  
• Perform other duties as assigned by the senior Humanitarian Affairs Officers/Pooled Fund Manager and the OCHA Head of Office.

Competencies

• Professionalism:   Sound knowledge of and exposure to a range of humanitarian assistance, emergency relief and related humanitarian issues. Understanding of Pooled Funds. Knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines pertaining to humanitarian assistance. Strong analytical capacity, in particular the ability to analyze and articulate the humanitarian and protection dimension of issues which require a coordinated UN response. Good knowledge of the UN common system and humanitarian NGOs. Ability to identify issues and to use sound judgment in applying technical expertise to resolve a wide range of problems. Strong research skills, including ability to evaluate and integrate information from a variety of sources and assess impact on the humanitarian rights and protection situation in assigned country/area. Ability to work under extreme pressure, on occasion in a highly stressful environment (e.g. civil strife, natural disasters and human misery). Ability to provide guidance to new/junior staff. Excellent drafting skills and strong computer literacy (MS Word and Excel). Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.  
• 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 honours 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.

Education

• An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in political science, social science, international studies, public administration, economics, engineering, earth sciences or a related field.
• A first-level university degree in combination with an additional two (2) years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, project management, budget management, or related area is required.    Humanitarian experience in the field (actual setting where a mission and/or project is being implemented) in emergency situations (complex emergency or natural disaster) is required.    
• Experience in project administration, monitoring and evaluation is desirable.    
• Experience of working in humanitarian financing, (e.g. grant management, fundraising, or donor relations for humanitarian programmes), is desirable.   
• Experience working in the Eastern and Southern Africa region is desirable.

Deadline : Mar 27, 2024