UN Shelter Officer Job Opportunities – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Job Title:          Shelter Officer
Organisation: United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Position No.: UNOPS-IICA-Shelter
Vacancy Notice: UNHCR/UGANDA/IICA/001/2018
Duty Station: Uganda
About US:
The Office of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950 by
the United Nations General Assembly. UNHCR’s mandate under the Statute of the
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is to lead and
co-ordinate action for international protection to refugees; seek permanent
solutions for the problems of refugees and safeguard refugee rights and
well-being. UNHCR has an additional mandate concerning issues of statelessness,
as it is given a designated role under Article 11 of the 1961 Convention on the
Reduction of Statelessness.
Job Summary: The Shelter
Officer will conduct
comprehensive sectoral needs assessments in liaison with other relevant sectors
such as protection, programme, community services, Public Health, WASH, administration
and supply.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
  • Ensure
    the most effective response, both quantitative and qualitative data should
    be gathered on the profile/needs and living conditions of both the
    refugees and host community.
  • The
    shelter officer will support the review of shelter proposals, budgets and reports
    submitted by partners
  • Provide
    inputs for the country operations plan (including budgets, staffing levels
    and structures) as well as prepare funding submissions, appeals and
    reports related to shelter activities
  • Guide
    and train UNHCR as well as implementing partners (IP) staff in UNHCR
    standard procedures related to the Shelter strategies and standards
  • Ensure
    that UNHCR partners are supported in carrying out shelter needs
    assessments taking into account the current situation and projected
    population planning figures.
  • Assist
    in developing sustainable shelter strategies which are framed by UNHCRs
    Global Strategy for Settlement and Shelter (2014-2018) and take into
    consideration the local context, age and gender, culture, climate,
    environmental protection and the availability of local resources,
    including materials, capacities and existing infrastructure.
  • Provide
    clear guidance on standards for shelter, including minimum emergency
    standards to meet basic and essential needs as well as guidance for phased
    improvement of shelter conditions that will be necessary as the duration of
    the displacement prolongs.
  • Work
    closely with UNHCR’s implementing partners, compiling, analyzing and
    mapping available information on shelter options in the five settlements
    taking into account relevant policies adopted by the Government. When
    planning shelter works, ensuring that the technical component reflects
    UNHCR minimum standards for the provision of emergency and other types of
    shelter assistance and is within the budgetary requirements. Due
    consideration should be given to standards in other relevant sectors such
    as water and sanitation.
  • Ensuring
    the shelter strategy is periodically reviewed to reflect the evolving
    situation in the five settlements and progressively transitioning to more
    sustainable shelter solutions. This process should be done in close
    collaboration with the beneficiaries and the host Government while bearing
    in mind the shelter needs of persons of concern upon their eventual return
    to their country of origin.
  • Ensuring
    that specifications, bills of quantities and drawings are produced in a
    technically sound and standardized manner. Establish monitoring and
    evaluation tools to ensure that works are implemented according to plans and
    completed within the designated timeframe.
  • Through
    participation in ReHope meetings and monitoring activities, ensure that
    local communities have been consulted on shelter activities so as not to
    create unnecessary tension between the displaced and host populations.
  • Keenly
    monitor all shelter and infrastructure activities through Implementing
    Partners and ensure compliance with strategies and guidance provided and
    agreed.
  • Work
    in close consultation with UNHCRs implementing partners and local communities
    themselves, support the District Local Governments in identifying the need
    for community based Community Support Projects (CSP) and Quick Impact
    Projects (QIPs) implemented through ReHope project that can benefit the local
    and refugee communities.
  • When
    identifying beneficiaries, ensure that the needs of the most vulnerable
    population of concern (POC) and host families are addressed. UNHCRs
    vulnerability indicators should be applied in a participatory manner
    during the beneficiary selection in coordination with protection section.
  • When
    planning shelter works, ensure that the technical component reflects UNHCR
    minimum standards for the provision of emergency and other types of
    shelter assistance and is within the budgetary requirements. Standards for
    other sectors such as water and sanitation should be taken into
    consideration also.
Key Result Areas:
  • Ensuring
    that specifications, bills of quantities and drawings are produced in a
    technically sound and standardized manner.
  • Establish
    monitoring and evaluation tools to ensure that works are implemented
    according to plans and completed within the designated timeframe.
  • Through
    participation in ReHope meetings and monitoring activities, ensure that
    local communities have been consulted on shelter activities so as not to
    create unnecessary tension between the displaced and host populations.
  • Monitor
    all shelter and infrastructure activities through Implementing Partners
    and ensure compliance with strategies and guidance provided and agreed.



Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
  • The
    ideal candidate for the United Nations UNHCR Shelter Officer career
    placement should hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture or Civil Engineering
  • At
    least five years of relevant (international) experience with graduate
    degree (equivalent of Masters), six years with undergraduate degree
    (equivalent of a BA/BS) of which a minimum of 2 years of international
    field experience.
  • A
    minimum of eight years of relevant experience in the related field,
    including collaboration with different humanitarian organizations (Field
    experience in responding to emergencies working with relevant governmental
    technical departments and various organizations in identifying, designing,
    and implementing shelter solutions).
  • Prior
    experience of implementing shelter and settlement projects in humanitarian
    context and large scale emergencies coordinating with operational partners
    governmental technical departments.
  • Prior
    experience in designing and implementing a shelter strategy, including
    refugee situations, collective shelter and camp settings, in emergency
    while considering the transition to more sustainable solutions.
  • Project
    formulation, planning, supervision and management skills.
  • Strong
    analytical, drafting and diplomatic skills, and proficiency in basic
    computer software including engineering (AutoCAD, Infraworks 360, etc) and
    GIS tools (GPS usage).
  • Previous
    involvement in implementation processes (including development of bill of
    quantities, analysis of local capacity and local markets, cost estimations
    etc.)
  • Prior
    experience in settlement site planning including layout of shelter plots,
    roads, communal infrastructures and basic services.
  • Prior
    experience in designing and implementing shelter strategies.
  • Extensive
    knowledge of UNHCR standards and criteria for site selection, including
    consideration of cross sectorial issues related to protection, WASH,
    environment, land property issues etc.
  • Experience
    of construction management (including site supervision, monitoring,
    quality control, evaluation etc.) including application of participatory
    approaches to facilitate active participation of communities into the
    project cycle and into the construction process.
  • Experience
    in developing shelter and settlement need assessments and undertaking gap
    analysis for development of shelter programs.
  • Good
    coordination and communication skills
  • Experience
    in building on existing local capacity and transfer knowledge as
    appropriate. Excellent working knowledge of English is essential.
  • Proficiency
    in English is required.
  • Personal
    Competencies
    :  Empowering and Building Trust, Managing
    Resources, Analytical Thinking, Stakeholder Management
How to Apply:
All interested Ugandan
nationals who wish to join the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) in the aforementioned capacity are encouraged to click on the link
below and follow the application instructions after reviewing the job details.
Deadline: 19th February 2018
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