Emergency Specialist (Access), P-3, TA (6Months), #137425, Bunia, Democratic Republic 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 address health system limitations, insecurity, and displacement.

Job Purpose

Under the direction of the Chief of Emergency, the Emergency Specialist (Access) coordinates country office data collection, reporting, and response activities related to Ebola. This role is responsible for the development, planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of emergency interventions. The primary goal is to ensure timely, evidence-based decision-making and effective response coordination in a complex and evolving humanitarian context. The specialist will focus on humanitarian access and negotiation, community engagement and acceptance, access monitoring and information management, coordination and operational support, and capacity strengthening. This position is crucial for navigating challenges in insecure and volatile environments to ensure the continuity of essential services for vulnerable populations, particularly children.

Responsibilities

The Emergency Specialist (Access) will be responsible for coordinating overall country office data collection, reporting, and response activities related to the Ebola outbreak. This includes developing, planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating emergency interventions to ensure timely and evidence-based decision-making. Key responsibilities involve leading humanitarian access and negotiation efforts, fostering community engagement and acceptance, and managing access monitoring and information systems. The role also entails providing coordination and operational support for response activities and strengthening the capacity of local partners and staff. The specialist must manage access negotiations in sensitive contexts, understand duty of care, reputational risk, donor compliance, and humanitarian red lines. They will represent the organization credibly with internal and external stakeholders, even under politically sensitive conditions, and demonstrate strategic judgment by understanding when to engage, escalate, or deploy resources. This includes substantial experience in acute emergency settings with conflict-driven displacement and volatile security environments, making time-critical decisions with incomplete information.

Work Experience

Five years of progressively responsible professional work experience at the national and international levels in programme/project development, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and administration. Experience in fragile settings and humanitarian contexts is desirable.

Skills

Humanitarian Policy, Emergency Management, Gender Equality, International Law, Programme Coordination, ICT & Data Literacy, Emergency Leadership, Access Negotiation, Risk Management, Strategic Judgment, Institutional Representation, Community Engagement

Explore related opportunities