Internal and External VA: Emergency Specialist, P-4, FT, ESARO, Nairobi, Kenya, post# 94573

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a safe home

The UNICEF East and Southern African region has been subject to an increasing number of emergencies in recent years, including climate change-related emergencies, armed conflicts, public health emergencies, etc. 

The increased number of emergencies and their complexity (mostly multi countries crises) increase the responsibility of the HARP (Humanitarian Action Resilience and Peacebuilding) section to ensure that all the 21 country offices in the region follow a thorough preparedness process and respond efficiently and timely to emergency onsets.

Under the direction and guidance of the Regional Advisor, Emergency, the Emergency Specialist will work as part of the Humanitarian Action, Resilience and Peacebuilding (HARP) section to initiate and provide policy and programme planning support in emergency preparedness, response, resilience, systems strengthening, and risk informed programming for countries in the East and Southern Africa Region (ESAR). The Emergency Specialist is responsible for the development, planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting of the emergency interventions to ensure the survival and well-being of children and mothers and affected communities in emergency. The incumbent will also provide coordination and support for policy and programme planning and management in UNICEF supported emergency programme.

How can you make a difference?

The position reports to the Regional Advisor, Emergency, and is responsible for ensuring that multi-country emergency preparedness and response is well supported and coordinated, especially in the Horn of Africa. The incumbent will ensure that the quality policy and program planning related to emergency preparedness and response as well as the risk-informed programming are implemented to promote resilience for countries in the Eastern and Southern Africa Region (ESAR) and the Regional Office (RO).

The incumbent will:

Supports the Regional Advisor, Emergency, to manage L2 and L3 Emergency Management Team (EMT) meetings, including Horn of Africa as well as Regional Director/ Deputy Regional Director (DRD) briefings. Provide high quality input to the development of critical analysis of emergency risk in the region. Provide technical advice to Country Offices on developing capacity building strategies for national partners (government at the national and sub national levels, civil society and community actors) to enhance their capacity for emergency preparedness and response guided by the Core Commitments for Children. Provide technical advice to Country Offices on integrating risk-informed programming to promote resilience into Programme planning processes. Provide technical advice and quality assurance to Country Offices and Inter-Agency Humanitarian Country Teams on planning, monitoring, and reporting for Humanitarian Action including: The development of Inter-Agency Strategic Response Plans and Country and Regional chapters of the Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) report.Regular reporting of UNICEF Country Offices using the Humanitarian Performance, Management System (HPMS) and regular Situation Reports (SITREPs). Ensure that timely and priority operational and programmatic support is provided by ESARO to designated Country Offices affected by emergencies by: Mobilizing, coordinating, and deploying technical support to COs to respond to short-term surges in demandMobilizing and facilitating technical advisors to support COs meet the CCCs in the framework of the UNICEF Strategic Plan. Ensure that COs approaches and learning on risk-informed programming to promote resilience are documented, packaged, and shared to promote evidence-based approaches in the region. Overview of the budget and financing management of HARP section as well as allocation and reporting of regional funds and grants across the CO (GHTF, FCDO, HIP).

Multi-country emergency preparedness and response is well supported and coordinated, especially in the Horn of Africa. Oversight of CO EPP compliance, quality review and country risk prioritization across the region.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Advanced University degree in one of the following fields: social sciences, public administration, law, public health, nutrition, international relations, business administration or other related disciplines. Preferably a combination of management, administration, and relevant technical fields.

A minimum of eight years of progressively responsible professional work experience at the national and international levels in programme/project development, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and administration.

Specialized training/experience in emergency response management is required.

Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset. Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others (8) Nurtures, leads and manages people.