Emergency Specialist, P-3, TA, (6 Months), #137477, Kinshasa, Dem. Rep. of Congo - WCAR

Organizational Context

UNICEF works in over 190 countries to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is responding to its 17th Ebola Virus Disease outbreak, requiring a multi-sectoral approach to community engagement, surveillance, and continuity of essential services for vulnerable populations.

Job Purpose

Under the guidance of a supervisor, this role establishes and implements country office emergency preparedness and response plans. The Emergency Specialist is responsible for the development, planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of emergency interventions. The primary goal is to ensure the survival and well-being of children, mothers, and affected communities during emergencies. This involves coordinating with national authorities and various stakeholders to address health system limitations, logistical constraints, insecurity, and diverse community perceptions that influence health-seeking behaviors, particularly in the context of the ongoing Ebola outbreak.

Responsibilities

The Emergency Specialist will be responsible for inter-agency coordination, humanitarian leadership, and liaison with OCHA. This includes providing coordination support to the Ebola Response efforts. Key duties involve developing and implementing country office emergency preparedness and response strategies, ensuring effective planning, execution, and monitoring of interventions. The role requires collaboration with government counterparts, UN agencies, cluster mechanisms, and implementing partners to deliver measurable results, especially in insecure or hard-to-reach areas. The specialist will contribute to the continuity of essential services for vulnerable populations and support the multi-sectoral approach to disease outbreaks, focusing on community engagement, surveillance, and infection prevention. This position demands adaptability and cultural sensitivity to support effective and equitable response efforts, particularly for children and at-risk communities in complex and evolving emergency situations.

Work Experience

Minimum of five years of progressively responsible professional work experience at national and international levels in programme/project development, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and administration. Experience in a developing country is required.

Skills

Humanitarian/emergency/public health emergency setting experience, Experience supporting active outbreak or emergency response (e.g., Ebola, cholera, measles, mpox, displacement, L2/L3 emergency), Experience working with government and decentralized authorities, Experience working with UN agencies, cluster and coordination mechanisms, Experience working with implementing partners, Experience delivering results in insecure or hard-to-reach areas, Emergency response management training/experience, Coordination support, Community engagement, Surveillance, Infection prevention, Adaptability

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