Programme and Monitoring Associate

Organizational Context

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) aims to foster principled and effective humanitarian responses through coordination, advocacy, policy, information management, and financing. Based in Dakar, Senegal, the Regional Humanitarian Fund Unit (RHFU) manages the West and Central Africa Regional Fund (CWA RHF), a pooled fund supporting humanitarian action in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Chad. This role operates within one of the world's most acute and rapidly evolving humanitarian crises, contributing to life-saving efforts at a regional scale.

Job Purpose

The Programme and Monitoring Associate will support the West and Central Africa Regional Fund (CWA RHF) in Dakar, Senegal. This role is integral to the full project cycle, from allocation processes and partner assessments to programmatic monitoring and reporting. The incumbent will contribute to developing allocation strategies, reviewing project proposals, analyzing partner performance, and ensuring quality reporting to donors and governance bodies. The position offers a unique opportunity to engage in regional humanitarian action, gain expertise in pooled fund management, localization, and results-based accountability within the complex Sahelian context. The role involves close collaboration with a multicultural team and external humanitarian partners.

Responsibilities

The UN Volunteer will support programme management and allocation processes, including drafting allocation strategies, preparing call for proposals, and reviewing project proposals for compliance and alignment with fund priorities. They will assist in assessing partner proposals, consolidating recommendations, and preparing briefing materials for advisory committees. In project monitoring and reporting, the volunteer will contribute to the fund's monitoring plan, participate in field missions, collect data, and draft mission reports. They will also review partner progress reports, identify implementation gaps, and recommend follow-up actions. Data management involves maintaining project data in relevant tools for portfolio tracking and performance analysis, and contributing to donor and internal reports. The role also includes assisting in due diligence for new partners, particularly national and local NGOs, and participating in coordination meetings. Furthermore, the volunteer will contribute to knowledge management by documenting lessons learned and supporting the development of guidance materials for implementing partners.

Work Experience

A minimum of 1 month of experience is required, with a preference for 2 years of relevant experience. This includes humanitarian or development programme management, project cycle management, monitoring and evaluation, or results-based reporting. Experience with humanitarian coordination mechanisms, pooled funds, or multi-stakeholder funding instruments is desirable. Familiarity with partner capacity assessment, due diligence, or compliance monitoring is also beneficial. Experience in data collection, analysis, and reporting in complex settings, including field monitoring, is valued. Previous volunteer experience or experience in another culture, particularly in West or Central Africa, is highly regarded.

Skills

Required skills include strong analytical and writing abilities for synthesizing complex information into reports. Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel, is essential for data management. Excellent interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills are needed for effective teamwork in a multicultural environment. Familiarity with humanitarian information management tools like OneGMS is an asset. Fluency in both French and English (written and spoken) is mandatory. Core competencies include accountability, adaptability, building trust, client orientation, commitment to learning, communication, integrity, judgment, planning, professionalism, and teamwork. Expertise in emergency preparedness and crisis response is also noted.

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