UN Career Jobs – Emergency Specialist at United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

Job Title:     Emergency Specialist
Organization: United Nations
Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
Duty Station: Gulu, Uganda
Reports to: Chief of Field
Office
Vacancy Announcement Number: VN/PBR/2015/13
Grade: NOC
About US:
The United
Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is mandated by the UN general assembly to
advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic
needs and expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. Together
with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that
commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most
vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.
Job Summary: The Emergency
Specialist will establish and implement country office emergency preparedness
and response in all districts under Gulu Zonal Office; be responsible for the
development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the
emergency interventions to ensure the survival and well-being of children and
mothers, and the affected communities in an emergency situation.  
Key Duties and Responsibilities: 
1.
Emergency Preparedness:
·        
Adopts adequate emergency preparedness measures
through the development and updating of country contingency plans and
establishment of early warning mechanisms, to ensure effective preparedness and
response to specific emergencies.
·        
Takes part in the formulation and development of
plans of action in preparation and response to emergencies, monitors compliance
of all sectors with emergency plans of action, including financial resources.
Ensures coordination of the management of emergency preparedness and response.
·        
Offers technical support related to emergency
preparedness and response, including on programme management related issues.
Provides advice to the country office in the implementation of emergency
preparedness measures in the field to strengthen preparedness and response
mechanisms in the country faced with impending emergencies.
·        
Develops and maintains databases on country/regional
information, and ensure the flow of information and communication crucial for
the planning and implementation of emergency preparedness and response
management.
·        
Identifies availability of resources in emergency
prone areas and establish logistics plans to be implemented during an emergency
operation, to ensure a timely and effective emergency response.
·        
Plans, organizes and conducts training for the
office’s staff capacity building in emergencies preparedness and response.
·        
Assists in developing and conducting emergency
training courses.
·        
Provides training and/or briefing, as required.
·        
Participates in other emergency training workshops
in the region, and builds up the emergency preparedness and response capability
of UNICEF staff as well as implementing partners.
2.
Emergency Response:
·        
In the event of an emergency, takes prompt action as
a member of the Emergency Response Team which is deployed immediately to
establish UNICEF’s presence and implement the initial operational tasks
relating to emergency assistance. Immediately verifies the nature and extend of
the emergency with staff, government officials, other UN agencies or local
organizations and media.  Ensures that
the office is provided with effective telecommunications facility and staff
security assistance in an emergency, as necessary. In coordination with the
programme and operations groups, establishes contact with all UNICEF staff,
their dependants and visitors to ensure their safety and whereabouts, and
informs OPSCEN and the Regional Director of their status.
·        
Actively participates and assists with assessment of
local emergency and security situation affecting children and mothers in the
locality, in conjunction with the Country Office, Regional Office and field
staff.  Visits the location to conduct an
initial rough assessment of the magnitude of the crisis and its implications
for children and its impact on the community. Assesses the validity of the
office preparedness plan and ability of the office vis-à-vis the current crisis
as well as immediate and additional needs. Determines corporate priorities and
an appropriate intervention (supply procurement, fund-raising and staff
development) by UNICEF. Coordinates with other partners to make a rapid
assessment covering priority areas as defined by the Core Commitment for
Children in Emergencies.  Establishes
contact with community groups, government, UN agencies, media and other
partners to keep abreast of emergency situations.
·        
Applies the emergency preparedness and response plan
as necessary, and identifies urgent staffing requirements and redeploys country
office staff as required. Executes the timely delivery of assistance and
procurement of supplies, monitors the appropriate and effective use of UNICEF
resources/inputs.  Identifies problems
and constraints in order to ensure effective project delivery. Certifies the
disbursement of funds, monitors expenditures and submits financial status
reports. Sets up a reporting system and sends daily situation reports to
concerned parties.
3.
Emergency Project:
·        
Participates in the implementation of plans of
action and workplans for emergency projects. Implements and manages project
activities. Undertakes field visits to emergency project areas, to assess local
conditions and monitor project progress. Makes technical decisions on project
administration (e.g., activates, requests or reprogrammes allocation of
emergency funds). Prepares inputs for appeals and updates related to
emergencies. Works with program sections and senior management to mobilize
donor response and recovery/rehabilitation-related funding, including annual or
multi-annual humanitarian appeals and documents (e.g., pitch documents).
Communicates and advocates on the situation and needs of children through local
and international media, as appropriate.
·        
Participates in all humanitarian and recovery
related forum and keeps management informed of all humanitarian developments in
the country in terms of policies, strategy, situation developments, potential
threats and opportunities/issues in partnership.
·        
Identifies longer-term requirements of the emergency
operation/interventions. Proposes a more regular operational and staffing
structure to take over from the Emergency Response Team.
·        
Maintains continuous, effective and strategic
coordination, communication, consultation and liaison with Government, UN
agencies, NGOs, donors and allies to appeal for aid for children and women with
special needs resulting from the emergency situation requiring an effective
emergency response in all sectors. Identifies implementing/operational partners
and establishes implementing arrangements. Ensures that the UNICEF support is
effectively provided to the government with respect to sectoral coordination
within the framework of the cluster approach and based on the Core Commitment
for Children.
·        
Actively promotes that disaster prevention,
mitigation, preparedness and response strategies are mainstreamed in the
country office’s work plans. Prepares sectoral input for the country programme
documents, plan of action, annual work plans, and all related documents of the
office’s Emergency Preparedness and Response. Contributes towards the
preparation of the Situation Analysis and the Country Programme Document.
Qualifications, Skills and
Experience: 
·        
The ideal candidate for the United Nations UNICEF Emergency
Specialist should hold an advanced university degree in one of the following
fields: social sciences, public administration, international law, public
health, nutrition, international relations, business administration or other
related disciplines. Preferably a combination of management, administration,
and relevant technical fields.
·        
At least five years of relevant professional field
work experience at national and international levels in programme/project
development, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and
administration.
·        
Attained specialized training/experience in
emergency response management highly desirable.      
·        
Fluency in English and another UN language.
Personal Competencies:  
·        
Core Values (Required): Commitment;
Diversity and Inclusion; Integrity
·        
Core Competencies (Required): Communication;
Drive for Result; Working with People
·        
Functional Competencies (Required): Leading and
Supervising; Analyzing; Deciding and Initiating Action; Persuading and
Influencing; Applying Technical Expertise; Planning and Organizing; Adapting
and Responding Change; Coping with Pressure and Setbacks
NB: UNICEF is committed to gender equality in its
mandate and its staff; qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to
apply. UNICEF is a smoke free environment.
How to Apply:
All suitably
qualified and interested Ugandan Nationals who wish to join the United Nations
UNICEF must send their applications accompanied by an updated CV and P11 form, download here, as well
as two of the most recent performance evaluation report.
The Email
applications should be sent in this format to name your file attachments:
Firstname_Lastname followed by document e.g. Gold_MukasaP11 or Gold_MukasaCV or
Gold_MukasaApplication.
The
applications should be addressed to:
Human Resource
Manager,
UNICEF Kampala,
Uganda,
Plot 9, George
Street,
P.O. Box 7047,
Kampala Uganda
Via Email
to:   ugderecruit@unicef.org
Deadline: 12th November, 2015

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