Overview
The Humanitarian Affairs Officer will monitor, analyze, and report on humanitarian developments and coordinate humanitarian action in Southern and Eastern Africa.
Key Responsibilities
- Deploys on humanitarian surge and support missions.
- Facilitates humanitarian operational coordination, financing proposals, preparedness actions, humanitarian needs overviews, appeals, and assessments.
- Monitors, analyzes, and reports on humanitarian developments and disaster relief/management.
- Organizes and prepares updates and reports on humanitarian issues.
- Participates in disaster assessment missions and coordinates international humanitarian/emergency assistance.
- Partners with other agencies to plan and coordinate humanitarian assistance programmes.
- Assists in the production of appeals for international assistance.
- Establishes and maintains contacts with government officials, UN agencies, NGOs, and diplomatic missions.
- Undertakes and provides support to technical assistance and field missions.
- Prepares written reports, documents, and communications.
- Serves as the primary focal point on specific humanitarian topics or policy-related issues.
- Reviews and provides advice on safeguarding humanitarian principles and effective delivery of assistance.
- Provides technical advice on cross-cutting issues.
- Organizes and participates in work groups, meetings, conferences, and consultations.
- Provides guidance to, and may supervise, new/junior staff.
- Performs other duties and surge assignments as required.
Required Experience
A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, or other related area, is required. At least three (3) years international humanitarian experience in the field in emergency situations (complex emergency or natural disaster) is required. Recent experience in emergency response in the Eastern and/or Southern Africa region is desirable. Experience in a humanitarian context within the UN common system or in a comparable international organization is desirable.
Qualifications
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in political science, social science, public administration, international studies, economics, engineering, earth sciences or a related field. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
