HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS OFFICER

Organizational Context

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is part of the UN Secretariat, responsible for coordinating humanitarian actors to ensure effective responses to emergencies. OCHA's mission is to mobilize and coordinate principled humanitarian action, advocate for those in need, and promote preparedness. This role is situated within the Crisis Response Division, specifically in the Regional Office for Southern and Eastern Africa (ROSEA) in Nairobi, Kenya, reporting to the Head of the Coordination and Preparedness Unit.

Job Purpose

The Humanitarian Affairs Officer will be deployed for humanitarian surge and support missions in Southern and Eastern Africa, facilitating operational coordination, humanitarian financing proposals, preparedness actions, needs overviews, and assessments. The role involves monitoring and analyzing humanitarian developments, preparing reports, and organizing interagency meetings to support decision-making. The officer will participate in complex projects, including disaster assessments and coordinating international humanitarian assistance for complex emergencies. This includes drafting situation reports, partnering with agencies to plan and coordinate assistance programs, and ensuring the incorporation of lessons learned and policy guidelines. The position also involves assisting in the production of appeals for international assistance and ensuring the proper use of donor contributions.

Responsibilities

Key responsibilities include deploying for humanitarian surge missions to facilitate operational coordination, humanitarian financing, preparedness actions, needs overviews, and assessments. The role involves monitoring, analyzing, and reporting on humanitarian developments and emergency situations in assigned areas. The officer will organize updates, reports, and interagency meetings, and participate in complex projects and disaster assessments. This includes coordinating international humanitarian assistance, drafting situation reports, and partnering with agencies to plan and coordinate assistance programs, incorporating lessons learned and policy guidelines. Responsibilities also cover assisting in the production of appeals for international assistance, ensuring proper use of donor funds, establishing and maintaining contacts with various stakeholders, providing technical assistance, and preparing various written reports and documents. The role includes serving as a focal point on humanitarian topics, providing advice on humanitarian principles and cross-cutting issues, and organizing/participating in relevant work groups and conferences. Guidance and supervision of junior staff may also be required.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, or a related field is required. At least three years of international humanitarian field experience in emergency situations (complex emergencies or natural disasters) is also mandatory. Recent experience in emergency response within the Eastern and/or Southern Africa region is desirable, as is experience within the UN common system or a comparable international organization.

Skills

Professionalism, accountability, planning and organizing, analytical capacity, ability to work under pressure, research and evaluation skills, communication, coordination, and leadership/supervision.

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