Humanitarian Affairs Specialist (Access and Civil-military Coordination)
Organizational Context
UNICEF operates in over 190 countries and territories, dedicated to saving children’s lives, defending their rights, and helping them fulfill their potential. We are committed to our mission, offering diverse professional and personal development opportunities in a passionate and inclusive culture. Join us to make a difference for children worldwide.
Job Purpose
The Humanitarian Affairs Specialist (Access and Civil-Military Coordination) will play a strategic role in navigating complex humanitarian environments, particularly in Sudan, to ensure principled humanitarian access for UNICEF and its partners. This position aims to expand access, especially in hard-to-reach areas and contexts with severe constraints, by shaping access strategies, strengthening capacity, supporting negotiations, and ensuring informed decision-making. The specialist will work across Country and Area Offices, engaging with various stakeholders including government, UN agencies, and humanitarian partners. The ultimate goal is to create conditions for more timely, coordinated, and equitable delivery of life-saving assistance and protection to children and vulnerable populations in crisis.
Responsibilities
Provide strategic leadership and technical expertise to strengthen humanitarian access and civil-military coordination within UNICEF Sudan's Emergency team. Develop and implement humanitarian access strategies and action plans, ensuring they align with UNICEF's mandate and humanitarian principles. Strengthen the capacity of UNICEF staff and partners through training, guidance, and technical support on humanitarian access, negotiation, and civil-military coordination. Conduct thorough analysis of humanitarian access constraints, operational environments, conflict dynamics, and actor mapping to inform strategy and decision-making. Engage in humanitarian negotiations with government authorities, de facto authorities, non-State armed actors, communities, and other relevant stakeholders to secure, maintain, or restore principled humanitarian access. Facilitate coordination and information sharing among UN agencies, humanitarian partners, and other stakeholders to address access challenges and promote a unified approach. Advocate for the rights of children and the importance of principled humanitarian access in relevant forums and with key interlocutors. Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of access strategies and interventions, recommending adjustments as needed. Ensure that critical decisions regarding programme delivery are informed by timely and reliable access analysis and intelligence.
Work Experience
At least 8 years of relevant international work experience in humanitarian action, emergency response, protection, or humanitarian access. This includes at least 5 years of substantive, field-based experience in humanitarian access within complex emergencies or armed conflict environments with significant access constraints. Demonstrated experience in humanitarian access negotiations with various actors is required.
Skills
Humanitarian Access Strategy Development, Civil-Military Coordination, Humanitarian Negotiation, Conflict Analysis, Actor Mapping, Access Constraint Analysis, Capacity Building, Stakeholder Engagement, Information Management, Advocacy, Emergency Response, International Relations