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Job Title:  Emergency Specialist

Organisation: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

Duty Station:  Kampala, Uganda

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:  Under the guidance and supervision of the supervisor, the Emergency Specialist establishes and implements country office emergency preparedness and response. Responsible for the development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of 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: Within the delegated authority and under the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be assigned the primary, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the following areas of major duties and key end-results.

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.
• Participates 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.
• Provides technical advice 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.

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 extent of the emergency with staff, government officials, other UN agencies or local organizations and media.
• Participates and assists with assessment of local emergency and security situation affecting children and mothers in the locality, in conjunction with the Regional Office, the HQ Divisions, 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.

Emergency Project

• Actively 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 for reprogramming 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Promotes that disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness and response strategies are mainstreamed in the country office’s workplans. 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.

Key Results

• Emergency preparedness is effectively arranged together with establishment of contingency plans and early warning mechanisms.
• Emergency preparedness and response plans address gender issues that may be expected to intensify during emergencies.
• Emergency plans of action are developed, and compliance and coordination of all sectors with the plans are implemented.
• Technical advice on emergencies and programme management related to implementation of emergency preparedness measures are effectively provided.
• Emergency preparedness and response, and a consistent flow of information of the humanitarian situation are effectively coordinated within the office.
• Substantive improvements are made in the emergency preparedness and response capability of UNICEF staff and implementing partners through conduct of effective training activities.
• Needs assessment are effectively conducted to determine priorities and an appropriate intervention by UNICEF based on the local emergency situation affecting children, their families and community.
• Timely delivery of assistance and supplies is provided, urgent staffing requirements are identified, and the appropriate use of UNICEF resources is monitored for effective project delivery.
• Emergency appeals and project proposals are prepared, and concerted efforts are put forward to mobilize donor response and recovery/rehabilitation-related funding.
• Longer-term requirements of the emergency operation/interventions are determined to build a regular operational and staffing structure.
• Continuous, effective and strategic coordination, communication, consultation and liaison are maintained with State Governments, UN agencies, NGOs, donors and allies in Uganda to support of the special needs of children and women affected by emergency situations within the framework of the Inter agency standing committee humanitarian cluster approach and based on the Core Commitments for Children in humanitarian action.
• Management is kept informed of humanitarian developments in relevant policies, situation developments, potential threats and opportunities/issues in the region.
• Emergency preparedness, response and resilience strategies are mainstreamed in the region’s workplans. Sectoral input is provided for all related documents for the office’s Emergency Preparedness and Response, as well as for the Situation Analysis and the Country Programme Document.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The ideal applicant for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Emergency Specialist job must 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.
• Five years of progressively responsible professional work experience at the national and international levels in programme/project development, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and administration.
• Developing country work experience (for IP) or field work experience (for NO).
• Specialized training/experience in emergency response management highly desirable.
• Language Proficiency: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
• UNICEF’s Core Values: Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAs) which underpin everything we do and how we do it.

UNICEF Competencies

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

Technical Knowledge

• UNICEF policies and strategy to address on national and international emergency issues, particularly relating to conflicts, natural disasters, and recovery.
• Knowledge of global humanitarian issues, specifically relating to children and women, and the current UNCEF position and approaches.
• Knowledge of UN humanitarian reform principles, international humanitarian laws.
• Knowledge of the principle of gender parity and equality.
• The UNICEF mission statement; UNICEF Board policy papers and decisions.
• The Core Commitments for Children in Emergencies.
• The Convention on the Rights of the Child; Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination against Women.
• EMOPS Technical Notes, EMOPS Emergency Field Book.
• UNICEF Program Manuals, policy guidelines, ExDirs, PROs; Country Programme documentation.
• UNICEF personnel, financial, supply and administrative rules, regulations and manuals.
• National development plans and policies; Guidelines and manuals from NGO/donor partners.
• Annual work plan.
• UNDAF; The UN Humanitarian Reform; IASC documents, guidelines and materials on UN Humanitarian Reform and the cluster approach.
• Information & Communications Technology literacy, including skills and knowledge of office system applications, LAN, internet navigation, telecommunications, and data analysis.
• Gender equality and diversity awareness
• UN security operations and guidelines.
• Knowledge of local conditions and country legislation relevant to UNICEF programmes.
• Knowledge of the latest developments and trends in emergency preparedness and response management related fields.
• UN policies and strategy to address international humanitarian/emergency issues and response.
• UN common approaches to programmatic issues and UNICEF positions in international developing cooperation.
• Current knowledge of development issues and social programming in international development cooperation context.

[1]    Reference to UNICEF and/or UN in terms of technical knowledge requirements (a and b above) are applicable only to those who are or have been the staff members of UNICEF or the UN common system.

How to Apply:

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

Click Here

Deadline: 15^th August 2022

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