• Title: Humanitarian Affairs Officer  
• Grade: NO-A
• Contact modality: Fixed Term Appointment
• Contract duration: 1 Year with Possibility for extension
• Duty station: Mokah, Yemen
• Advertisement end date: 05/07/2022
• Vacancy timeline: 2 weeks

Background and Organizational Context

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Yemen facilitates humanitarian action across the county.  OCHA mobilizes and coordinates principled humanitarian response in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies, advocates the rights of people in need, supports emergency preparedness and response and facilitates sustainable solutions for vulnerable people adversely affected by conflict and natural disaster. OCHA supports the work of the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT), the Inter-Cluster Coordination Mechanism (ICCM) national authorities and other humanitarian partners including NGOs in Yemen.
The national Humanitarian Affairs Officer (NOA) will be based in Mokha with frequent field mission to his/her area of concern. S/he will be a member of the OCHA Aden Sub-Office with responsibilities in supporting coordination activities in the Mokha sub-hub. He/she will have a key role in supporting coordination activities in the Mokha sub-hub, where he/she will have a key role in managing information, coordinating partners and negotiating access. Under the direct supervision of the Head of the Aden Field Coordination Unit, Head of the Mokha hub and Head of the Aden Hub, the Humanitarian Affairs Officer is working as an integral part of the organization’s team. The incumbent will ensure maximum professionalism and add capacity in supporting the implementation of OCHA Yemen work plan.
OCHA Yemen strives to foster a diverse and inclusive work environment. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.”

Position Purpose

The national Humanitarian Affairs Officer (NOA) will be based in Mokha with frequent field mission to his/her area of concern. S/he will be a member of the OCHA Aden Sub-Office with responsibilities in supporting coordination activities in the Mokha sub-hub. He/she will have a key role in supporting coordination activities in the Mokha sub-hub, where he/she will have a key role in managing information, coordinating partners and negotiating access. Under the direct supervision of the Head of the Aden Field Coordination Unit, Head of the Mokha hub and Head of the Aden Hub, the Humanitarian Affairs Officer is working as an integral part of the organization’s team. The incumbent will ensure maximum professionalism and add capacity in supporting the implementation of OCHA Yemen work plan.

Key Duties and Accountabilities

Under the supervision of the Head of Sub-Office, the National Humanitarian Affairs Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
Supporting the coordination forums of RCT, ICWG and AHCT with required humanitarian developments              -               

• Monitor, analyze and report on humanitarian developments in the hub area of coverage, in support to the clusters and Regional Coordination Team (RCT) in Mokha, Inter-Cluster Working Group (ICWG) and Area Humanitarian Coordination Team (AHCT) in Aden

Supporting the Makha RCT team              -             

• Lead and provide secretariat duties to the Regional Coordination Team (RCT) in Mokha

Ensure accurate information collection in support of humanitarian analysis and response through liaison with authorities and partners

• Liaise with national authorities and humanitarian partners at the sub-national level to triangulate humanitarian information and effectively identify and map humanitarian needs and response activities

Enhance a protective environment that respects the human rights of all groups, and proper humanitarian response                             

• Review and provide advice on policy issues related to safeguarding humanitarian principles and ensuring the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance

Ensure the development of humanitarian coordination with humanitarian partners        -

• Organize and participate in work groups, meetings, conferences, trainings, consultations with other agencies and partners at the hub level with the aim of improving humanitarian and emergency relief-related matters;
• Participates in selected cluster meetings and supports outreach to international and national NGOs

Planning and organizing for potential humanitarian emergencies            -             

• Track information required for early warning of potential humanitarian emergencies and as appropriate promote preparedness measures, including inter-agency contingency planning

Ensure facilitation of information sharing among humanitarian partners             

• Prepare briefing materials and presentations providing up-to-date analysis on trends and developments on the humanitarian situation in the country or in specific governorates

Ensure proper humanitarian assessment, monitoring and reporting        -

• Support the Yemen Humanitarian Pooled Fund through preparing and carrying out monitoring visits and supporting the development of hub level strategy and priorities with the AHCT
• As appropriate, help organize and/or participate in coordinated assessment missions to build consensus on humanitarian needs and priorities
• Develop humanitarian stories and content for the OCHA monthly humanitarian bulletin and other communications and reporting products

Support humanitarian access among humanitarian relevant foras                    

• Support an agreed understanding and approach on access among humanitarian partners, Regional Coordination Team, Inter-Cluster Working Group, sub-national cluster meetings and other relevant standing or specific access fora

Build strategic partnership through maintaining a functioning network of contacts         

• Maintains a network of local contacts among key stakeholders, including non-government authorities and the humanitarian community

Assist humanitarian and relevant non-humanitarian actors in capacity-building for handling emergency situations               

• Support capacity building activities for national NGOs
• Conducts training for humanitarian organizations on the ground and other relevant non-humanitarian actors

Conducting inter-cluster and inter-agency field mission

• Leading and organizing inter-cluster and inter-agency missions to the filed where necessary based on the needs on the ground

The incumbent of the position should avoid any kind of discriminatory behavior including gender discrimination and ensure that 

• Human rights and gender equality is prioritized as an ethical principle within all actions;
• Activities are designed and implemented in accordance with “Social and Environmental Standards of UNDP”;
• Any kind of diversities based on ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion, class, gender are respected within all implementations including data production;
• Differentiated needs of women and men are considered;
• Inclusive approach is reflected within all actions and implementations, in that sense an enabling and accessible setup in various senses such as disability gender language barrier is created;
• Necessary arrangements to provide gender parity within all committees, meetings, trainings etc. introduced.

To carry out any other reasonable duties and responsibilities within the overall function, commensurate with the grading and level of responsibilities of the post.
Perform other duties as required.

Expected Demonstration of Competencies

Core

• Achieve Results:-LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
• Think Innovatively:-LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
• Learn Continuously:-LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
• Adapt with Agility :-LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
• Act with Determination :-LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
• Engage and Partner:-LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion:-LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

• Digital and Innovation-Data analysis -Ability to extract, analyse and visualize data (including Real-Time Data) to form meaningful insights and aid effective decision making
• Communication Advocacy strategy and implementation -Ability to create and implement advocacy strategies which lead to impactful change.
• Ethics-Ethics Advice & Guidance -Ability to quickly analyses complex fact patterns and provide comprehensive, sensitive, and confidential ethics advice and guidance.
• Business Development-Knowledge Generation-Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need
• Business Management-Partnerships Management-Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies
• Business Management-Change Management-Ability to prepare, support, and help individuals and teams in designing and implementing organizational change
• Business Management-Communication -Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience
• Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels

Requirements:

Education

• Master’s Degree preferably in Political or Social Science, Law, International studies, Business Management, Management, Science or other relevant area is required;
• A related first-level university in combination with 2 years of relevant and qualifying experience in the field of humanitarian affairs or related areas will be accepted in lieu of the advance university degree.

Experience, Knowledge, and Skills

• Minimum of two years (with Bachelor’s) of relevant progressively professional responsible experience in humanitarian or international affairs, project, programme or grant management, field operations or other related areas is required, preferably (but not exclusively) with a UN organization, NGO or civil society organization.
• Excellent command of Office suite applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint) and virtual platforms (MS Teams, Zoom, WEBEX) is desirable.
• Proven abilities in data collection, compilation, analysis and reporting is required. Ability to write in a clear and concise manner and effective oral communication is desirable.
• Proven skills in facilitating meetings and reporting is desirable.
• Familiarity of existing coordination structures among the different humanitarian actors including RCT and ICWG is highly desirable.
• Familiarity and good knowledge of social, political, humanitarian, security and economic conditions in the region is highly desirable.
• Experience conducting humanitarian needs assessments and familiarity with Rapid Needs Assessments and IST tools are desirable.
• Experience of working with the humanitarian cluster system is highly desirable;
• Knowledge of international humanitarian norms, law and practice is highly desirable.
• Fluency in English and Arabic Languages (Oral and Written) is required.