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Job Title:   Senior External Engagement Coordinator  

Organisation: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Duty Station: Kampala, 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 role of the Senior External Engagement Coordinator in overseeing a vast platform of diverse and interrelated activities, ensuring strategic coherence and collaboration among the different functional areas of the Bureau and synergistic use of resources including through a multi-functional team, is key to the Bureau’s success in this external sphere. S/he provides direct support to the Bureau Director and other senior managers in the Bureau, as well as Representatives on issues related to external engagements, in a context of greater decentralisation of resource allocation and management to the field.

The Senior External Engagement Coordinator engages with the Division of External Relations and the Division of Resilience and Solutions or any other Bureau or Division to seek guidance and engage on strategic topics, in order to ensure information and knowledge sharing. Supporting the development of regional and functional strategies and priorities in line with UNHCR corporate and regional objectives, through engagement with a wide array of stakeholders and regional actors, s/he will collaborate closely with the other functional pillars in the Regional Bureau and with HQ-based Divisions and deliver strategic guidance of planning and management services to the Bureau and Country operations through relevant technical teams.

The incumbent will lead the development and the implementation of UNHCR’s integrated communication strategy aimed at building awareness of, empathy with, and concrete support for refugees and other forcibly displaced persons while positioning UNHCR as an effective, impactful organization. Seeking to achieve the UNHCR’s resource mobilization goals within the region while simultaneously enhancing the visibility and reputation of country operations’ programme, the incumbent will lead in developing and implementing partnership and coordination and external engagement strategies in order to strengthen UNHCR’s position globally, regionally and/or locally and is responsible for the mobilization of public, political, operational and financial support for the work of UNHCR and comprehensive responses in his/her AOR.

The Senior External Engagement Coordinator will be responsible for ensuring UNHCR fulfils its coordination lead and catalytic roles and responsibilities, in line with its mandate, the Global Compact for Refugees, the IDP policy and cluster lead responsibilities and will advise the Director on UNHCR’s engagement in regional inter-agency processes, as required (e.g. regional economic commissions, regional UNSDGs), S/he is also responsible for ensuring the Regional Bureau provides timely support to Country Operations on inter-agency and coordination matters, in line with corporate policies, guidance and positions.

The incumbent supervises a team of senior staff in the Bureau and will also be responsible for providing support or guidance to host Governments whenever required on developing comprehensive plans under national leadership setting out policy priorities, institutional and operational arrangements, requirements for support from the international community, including investment.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop, implement, strengthen and monitor UNHCR’s external engagement strategies in the region in alignment with UNHCR’s regional and global strategies, through an inclusive process that ensures buy-in from all stakeholders.
• Ensure consistent and cohesive messaging aligned with the Organization’s strategic and operational plans.
• Ensure that Bureau and Country Operations implement and adhere to UNHCR corporate fund raising priorities and procedures.
• Guide Bureau Director, Representatives and staff in Country Offices in identifying communications challenges and emerging issues in the region.
• Lead government and interagency resource mobilization activities in the Bureau and engage with current and prospective donors, including briefings and missions, to expand the donor base to meet growing needs.
• Develop country or regional strategies to raise locally available funds.
• Provide guidance and support for country or regional strategies to raise locally available funds.
• Provide guidance on and develop funding submissions to local funding sources.
• Ensure and maintain dialogue with donors, providing information and analysis to ensure support.
• Ensure that Country Operations receive support to identify, develop and strengthen development and private sector partnerships that bring additional resources, technical advice, services and technology to refugee hosting and return areas.
• Develop and implement UNHCR’s regional inter-agency and coordination strategy and advise the Director on UNHCR’s engagement in regional inter-agency processes, as required.
• Lead and launch the Refugee Response Plans (RRPs) and mixed situation response plans, and ensure appropriate participation in Humanitarian Response Plans and processes. Maintain an overview of country level RRPs.
• Ensure an open dialogue and information sharing with NGOs and civil society partners to enlarge UNHCR’s support and tap into complementary resources/ support to refugees.
• Represent UNHCR at external meetings and fora, including inter-agency and international engagements to advance UNHCR’s ability to deliver protection, assistance, and solutions to persons of concern to the Organization.
• Champion innovative partnerships meeting the organizational needs in adherence also to UNHCR’s inter-agency commitments.
• Organize annual regional NGO consultations and facilitate events, meetings, conferences, and other events, as requested.
• Explore opportunities for activation of international burden and responsibility sharing tools provided by the Global Compact on Refugees including national arrangements, support platform, regional and sub regional approaches and Global Refugee Forum.
• Exercise judgement to prioritize media opportunities, and prepare talking points, speeches, presentations and other supporting materials, as needed.
• Provide timely support to Country Operations on inter-agency and coordination matters, in line with corporate policies, guidance and positions
• Provide required support & training/capacity building of external engagement staff in the region to help streamline external engagement across relevant functions.
• May act as Officer-in-Charge in the absence of the Deputy Director.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The ideal candidate for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Senior External Engagement Coordinator job placement must hold For P5 – 12 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 11 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 10 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree in International Relations; Political Science; Social Sciences; Public Administration; Journalism; Public Relations; Multimedia Studies or other relevant field.
• Experience in External Engagement strategy development. Experience in strategic External engagement with donors, NGOs/civil society, UN agencies, and governments. Track record in communication/media strategies, resource mobilisation, and/or strategic partnership building. Understanding of humanitarian programming and financing and demonstrated ability to effectively advocate.
• Language Requirements: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

Desirable

• Experience in campaign planning and implementation.
• Good understanding of the role of the UN in humanitarian emergencies, its agencies and ways of working.
• Good research, policy analysis and report writing skills.
• Representation to major program donors in a highly professional manner, in person and in writing.
• Experience in senior management positions.
• Clear understanding of the workings of major donor perspectives, requirements and standards. Media relations.
• Excellent press release, media advisory, spokesperson skills.
• Ability to build productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Functional Skills

• CO-Cross-cultural communication
• CO-Brand Management
• CO-Journalism (incl. print, broadcast, photography, video, layout & graphics)
• CO-Public Information
• CO-Preparation of key messages/talking points/speeches
• CO-Campaign Tracking
• CO-Public Speaking
• CO-Strategic Communication

Competencies

• C001L4 – Accountability Level 4
• C002L4 – Teamwork & Collaboration Level 4
• C003L4 – Communication Level 4
• C004L4 – Commitment to Continuous Learning Level 4
• C005L4 – Client & Result Orientation Level 4
• C006L4 – Organizational Awareness Level 4
• M001L4 – Empowering and Building Trust Level 4
• M002L4 – Managing Performance Level 4
• M006L4 – Managing Resources Level 4
• M005L4 – Leadership Level 4
• M003L4 – Judgement and Decision Making Level 4
• M004L4 – Strategic Planning and Vision Level 4
• X007L4 – Political Awareness Level 4
• X001L4 – Analytical Thinking Level 4
• X008L4 – Stakeholder Management Level 4

How to Apply:

All suitably qualified and interested candidates should apply online at the link below.

Click Here

Deadline: 14^th March 2022

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