Org. Setting and Reporting

The post is located in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in Geneva, within the Inter-Organisational Services (IOS) pillar. The Chief of the Humanitarian Leadership Strengthening Section (HLSS) reports through the Director of the Coordination Division to the Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.

Responsibilities

The Chief of Section, Humanitarian Affairs is responsible for leading and coordinating the efforts of the humanitarian community (comprising United Nations Agencies, Funds and Programmes, the Red Cross Movement and Non-Governmental Organisations) aimed at ensuring that United Nations Resident Coordinators and Humanitarian Coordinators effectively lead and coordinate humanitarian efforts in crisis-affected countries.
Within delegated authority the Chief of Section, Humanitarian Affairs will be responsible for the following duties:
1) Develop, continually adjust, and secure Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) endorsement of a vision, strategy and action plans for the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) to strengthen the humanitarian coordination leadership function by i) liaising with and listening to Resident Coordinators (RCs), Humanitarian Coordinators (HCs) and other senior- level stakeholders of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA); Inter- Agency Standing Committee (IASC) partners, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Member States, to ascertain their views on how to strengthen the humanitarian coordination leadership function; ii) supporting Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) relevant entities involved on leadership issues (including OPAG and Result Group One), including through conceptualizing, drafting and negotiating the content of strategy papers and action plans, listening to and incorporating partners’ concerns, so as to produce consensual documents; iii) establishing, developing and nurturing successful partnerships with IASC members at senior level.
2) Manage and drive implementation of the IASC action plans by managing the Humanitarian Leadership Strengthening Section, including its budget and the performance of its staff; raising funds for the Unit with donor governments; in particular, support the conceptualization and implementation of the inter-agency talent management strategy, including through the IASC High Potential and HC Pools, allowing for the grooming of talented candidates for preparation to the RCAC; advise the Emergency Relief Coordinator and the Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator on how to overcome hurdles in the implementation of the action plans; establish, develop and nurture successful partnerships around leadership issues with a broad range of stakeholders at senior level (in OCHA, NGOs, Member States, United Nations entities such as United Nations Development Coordination Office (UNDCO), Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations (DPPA/DPO) , Executive Office of Secretary General (EOSG), United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC), etc. whose active engagement is required for implementing the action plans; monitor IASC progress in implementing the action plans and propose corrective measures as necessary.
3) Draft in a consultative manner policy papers on key normative issues relating to the humanitarian coordination leadership function and secure their endorsement by the Inter- Agency Standing Committee, by liaising with and listening to Resident Coordinators (RCs) and Humanitarian Coordinators (HCs) and other senior-level stakeholders to ascertain their views.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to show in-depth knowledge of humanitarian principles and coordination issues (including NGOs, International Organizations, donors and other UN entities). Ability to build and nurture efficient working relationships with United Nations agencies, NGOs and international organizations, including at senior level, and to lead inter-agency and inter-departmental efforts both at Headquarters and/or in the field. Ability to produce reports and papers on technical issues and to review and edit the work of others. Ability to apply UN rules, regulations, policies and guidelines in work situations. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; and remains calm in stressful situations; Ability to work under pressure. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
ACCOUNTABILITY: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
PLANNING & ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts
priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
LEADERSHIP: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow. Empowers others to translate vision into results. Is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives. Establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support. Anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions. Drives for change and improvement; does not accept the status quo. Shows the courage to take unpopular stands.
MANAGING PERFORMANCE: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision- making authority. Makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member. Accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills. Monitors progress against milestones and deadlines. Regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff. Encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative. Actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff. Appraises performance fairly.

Education

An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in political science, social science, public administration, international studies, economics, engineering, earth sciences or a related field, is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, rehabilitation, development, or other related area, is required. Relevant coordination and management experience in humanitarian emergencies is required. Experience working in an inter-agency environment at field and headquarters level is required. Experience liaising with governments and the donor community is required. Experience working in the UN system is required.
A minimum of three years of field experience in the last 10 years is desirable. Experience working directly with senior leaders is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

• This Temporary Job Opening (TJO) is opened to internal and external candidates. The initial duration of the temporary appointment/assignment is of one year, with possibility of extension; the selected candidate is expected to start as soon as possible. All posts are subject to availability of funding.
• A current staff member who holds a fixed-term, permanent or continuing appointment may apply for temporary positions no more than one level above his or her current grade. However, a current staff member who holds an appointment at the G-6 or G-7 level may also apply to temporary positions in the Professional category up to and including the P-3 level, subject to meeting all eligibility and other requirements for the position.
• A staff member holding a temporary appointment shall be regarded as an external candidate when applying for other positions, and may apply for other temporary positions at any level, subject to section 5.7 below and staff rule 4.16 (b) (ii). Therefore, a staff member holding a temporary appointment in the General Service or related categories may only apply to positions within those categories. For full information on eligibility requirements, please refer to section 5 of ST/AI/2010/4Rev.1 on Temporary Appointments.
• In its resolution 66/234, the General Assembly further “stressed that the Secretary-General should not recur to the practice of temporarily filling posts in the Professional and higher categories with General Service staff members who have not passed the General Service to Professional category examination other than on an exceptional basis, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure that temporary occupation of such posts by the General Service staff shall not exceed a period of one year, effective 1 January 2013…” Consequently, eligible candidates in the General Service or related categories for temporary job openings in the Professional category that have not passed the competitive examination may be selected only on an exceptional basis endorsed by the Office of Human Resources Management where no other suitable candidate could be identified.
• Upon separation from service, including, but not limited to, expiration or termination of, or resignation from, a fixed-term, continuing or permanent appointment, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment on the basis of a temporary appointment for a period of 31 days following the separation. In the case of separation from service on retirement, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment for a period of three months following the separation. This equally applies, mutatis mutandis, with respect to a former or current staff member who has held or holds an appointment in another entity applying the United Nations Staff Regulations and Rules and who applies for a temporary position with the Secretariat.
• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. An external candidate selected for this position is bound by the prevailing condition of the staff selection system under ST/AI/2010/3, as amended, and ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1. A staff member holding a temporary appointment who is recruited in the Professional and above categories on a temporary appointment, and placed on a position authorized for one year or longer may not apply for or be reappointed to his/her current position within six months of the end of his/her current service. This provision does not apply to staff members holding temporary appointments and placed on positions authorized for one year or more in duty stations authorized for peacekeeping operations or special political missions.
• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as “retirement.” Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.
• The expression “Internal candidates”, shall mean staff members who have been recruited after a competitive examination under staff rule 4.16 or after the advice of a central review body under staff rule 4.15.
• For information on special post allowance, please refer to ST/AI/1999/17. For more details on the administration of temporary appointments please refer to ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1.
• The Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and administrative issuances governing staff appointments can be viewed at: http://www.un.org/hr_handbook/English.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.
Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.
The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

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