Le Haut-Commissariat des Nations Unies pour les réfugiés (HCR) est une agence des Nations Unies mandatée pour aider et protéger les réfugiés, les communautés déplacées de force et les apatrides, et pour aider à leur rapatriement volontaire, leur intégration locale ou leur réinstallation dans un pays tiers. Il a son siège à Genève, en Suisse, et compte plus de 17 300 employés travaillant dans 135 pays.
Procedures and Eligibility
Note: This post is opened in the context of the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) scheme sponsored by the Government of the Netherlands and is addressed exclusively to NATIONALS OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES THAT APPEAR ON THE LIST OF THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES ELIGIBLE FOR THE DUTCH JPO PROGRAMME:
http://www.nedworcfoundation.nl/pdf/List%20of%20eligible%20countries%20%20November%202018.pdf
For criteria see the website of Nedworc Foundation :
Junior Professional Officer Programme – Nedworc Foundation
Please read the criteria and FAQ section carefully before considering applying
Duration of Assignment: Initially one year with the possibility to extend up to a maximum of 3 years
Grade: P2 step 1 in the first year, or P1 step 1, depending on the level of education and relevant working experience.
Duties and Qualifications
Background information on Agency/Department/Section
https://www.unhcr.org/
The economic mapping of the East, Adamaoua, North, Far North and North and South West (and affected regions West, Littoral, Centre) regions highlights several promising sectors with varied characteristics and significant employment potential especially in terms of self-employment opportunities, but not always accessible to refugees and vulnerable host populations. It is dominated by agro-pastoral, forestry, mining, commercial, service and other activities.
Regions should become more focused on HDP Nexus and the work in collaboration and complementarity between humanitarian and development actors and knowing that regions will become more and more affected by the climate change, food insecurity, extreme poverty might lead to more conflicts over the scarce resources and the presence of an Associate Humanitarian Development Nexus Officer is important to work with authorities, humanitarian and development actors to find solutions, to if/when possible prevent conflict, violence (and population movement) to happen. The JPO will support UNV, Protection colleagues and implementing partner staff to adopt the new ways of working and helps to build evidence by supporting and monitoring the impact of several interventions in the area of livelihoods and economic inclusion. Through this initiative, the work of the JPO will inform further the UNHCR change in the ways of working and will help to inform the future programme to ensure new ways of working, climate change adaption, influencing policy development to create infra-structure and an environment conducive for the development of micro/small and medium enterprises, that in their turn will create work for so many more people living in the affected regions.
Duties
General
The Associate Humanitarian Development Nexus Officer will work alongside national stakeholders, development and humanitarian actors to support the leadership of initiatives to implement the New Way of Working in Cameroon and strengthen the humanitarian/development/peacebuilding nexus. These efforts include stronger and more focused joint analysis, strategic planning and programming and more joint learning (field trips, evaluations etc.) between humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding actors. The Associate Humanitarian Development Nexus Officer will also contribute to the strategic strengthening of UN peacebuilding in Cameroon. He/She will engage in specific tasks such as planning, analysis, finance, communication, M&E, partnerships, administration etc.
He/she is expected to give, obtain, and exchange information requiring discussions at senior level and his/her feedback will also be sought on non-routine matters. He/she will maintain contacts predominantly with persons on subject matters of importance to Organization’s programmes (e.g. counterparts in other organizations or at working level in national Governments).
Accountability
Network of partners with UN Agencies, private sectors and development actors is developed/strengthened and optimized in the livelihood cooperation and support.
Responsibility
Support the leadership role of the Cameroon Operation in ensuring better synergies between humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding action
Identify opportunities, and provide support to new and existing mechanisms, to strengthen joint approaches and planning across the triple nexus
Promote national ownership of initiatives across the nexus and help build partnerships in this area
Contribute actively to joint learning and ensure that lessons learned and best practices ¿ especially experiences of H-D-P multi-year planning, are shared among practitioners and the donor community in order to strengthen expertise and understanding of inter-linkages and added value of nexus-based funding
Draft concept notes, briefs and talking points to the Cameroon Operation on nexus related matters and other issues, as required.
Maintain and strengthen partnerships between UN/INGOs peacebuilding, development and humanitarian actors and help improve overall coordination between the three communities in Cameroon
Explore opportunities and funding
Accompany ongoing programs about triple nexus implementation
Maintain relations and coordinating activities with the Government, other UN agencies, embassies, and NGOs in order to promote /implement UNHCR’s objectives and activities
Maintain close relations with the press and develop public information activities to ensure greater knowledge in public opinion of refugee and asylum issues and promote UNHCR objectives
Assist the Representative in developing, reviewing, and proposing new policies and practices, or adaptations to existing ones. Monitor development of these policies and practices
Perform other duties as required.
Authority
Negotiate locally with partners on behalf of UNHCR.
Decide priorities for reception, interviewing and counselling for groups or individuals.
Enforce compliance of staff and implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.
Enforce compliance with, and integrity of, all protection standard operating procedures.
Required Qualifications and Experience
Education :
Master degree or equivalent in development studies, social sciences, public policy or other relevant fields.
A first-level university degree (Bachelor¿s degree or equivalent) in combination with qualifying experience (at least 3 years of relevant working experience) may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree
Part of the candidates’ academic training must have taken place in a developing country that appears on the following list of eligible countries of the Dutch JPO Programme.
http://www.nedworcfoundation.nl/pdf/List%20of%20eligible%20countries%20%20November%202018.pdf
Working experience :
Minimal 2 years to maximal 4 years relevant working experience.
At least 2 years¿ experience in positions of increasing responsibility for the implementation and coordination of humanitarian action, development programs, peacebuilding and implementation of new policies and strategies in crisis contexts
Development and implementation of joint plans and strategies among a variety of actors, UN agencies, donors, and civil society
Conceptualizing and drafting reports and policy documents
Experience working with UN agencies and UN coordination is highly desirable.
Working experience within the UN system should not exceed 50% of the relevant working experience including UNV, (paid) UN internship and UN consultancy.
All paid work experience since obtaining Bachelor¿s degree will be considered.
Full-time internship or relevant voluntary (non-paid) work is counted at 50%. Part-time internship or relevant voluntary (non-paid) work is counted at 25%.
Position Competencies
Key competencies
Analytical Thinking
Negotiation and conflict resolution
Stakeholder management
Not required, but desirable competencies:
Demonstrated ability to plan, develop, implement and coordinate activities across the humanitarian/development/peacebuilding nexus in complex crisis situations;
Ideally provide expertise from all three nexus sectors;
Capacity for conceptual and strategic analysis, including ability to analyse and articulate issues that require a coordinated response from agencies and partners;
Demonstrated ability to work in crisis settings and deliver results in difficult circumstances, document and communicate results and promote coherent and joint responses;
Capacity to analyse and plan for systemic change;
Experience in conflict transformation and / or peace negotiations;
Knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines related to the humanitarian-development-peacebuilding nexus, and knowledge of the institutions of the United Nations system;
Communication and partnership skills and ability to deliver concise and clear written reports by tight deadlines;
Take responsibility for integrating gender perspectives and ensuring equal participation of women and men in all areas of work, and accountability to affected populations;
Ability to implement new systems and affect staff behavioural/ attitudinal change through partnerships and trust.
A very strong team-player who consistently builds trust, collaborates with all colleagues, contributes to tasks led by others, actively solicits contributions, and values the ideas and competencies of others.
Language Requirements
Languages :
Essential: English, French.
Desirable: any other UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish)
Supervision
Supervision
Title of supervisor: Deputy Representative P5
Content and methodology of supervision
The JPO will be under the direct supervision of the manager indicated under `Supervisor title and position number¿. The supervisor will be responsible for the performance evaluation of the JPO. The manager will also ensure that the JPO is provided a thorough induction and orientation briefing, followed by on-the-job training as well as continuous guidance for training/learning opportunities throughout the assignment. In support to the manager, the JPO Unit provides the Supervisory Guidelines upon recruitment/reassignment of the JPO.
Training Components
Training component: Learning elements and expectations
The JPO training programme includes the following learning elements:
Protection Induction Programme
Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)
United Nations Course on Prevention of Harassment, Sexual Harassment and Abuse of Authority
BSAFE
ICT Information Security Awareness Training (InfoSec)
Fundamentals of Fraud and Corruption Awareness
The JPO position includes a Duty travel and training allowance (DTTA) of $ 4.000 per year which may be used for learning activities related to the assignment and career development.
Additional Information
Information on living conditions at Duty Station
Security: Security level: Low (2). The security situation is relatively calm. However, we observe crime especially in urban areas with robberies in the streets, public transport and private residences.
As for Yaoundé and Douala, the crime rate is not very high. However, it is useful to be careful,
especially at night because most of serious crimes are often committed at night.
Terrorism threat is not significant in the South region. However, Yaounde has experienced so far, few explosions of IEDs in public places such as bars and crowded road junctions
It should be noted that the region has several Police and Gendarmerie units responsible for the
safety of people and their property. However, these units have a reduced response capacity.
Health: UN Clinic, Private clinics, hospitals and pharmacies available. Vaccination against yellow fever is compulsory. The vaccination must be carried out at least 10 days before the departure, and its validity is 10 years. Vaccination against hepatitis A recommended but not essential for travel. One injection at least 15 days before departure. Vaccination against typhoid fever recommended but not essential for travel. One injection at least 15 days before departure.
Educational facilities: local schools in French from kindergarten to University, English or international schools from kindergarten to high school.
Housing: Hotels and private renting are easily available at a various range of prices.
Other: Public transport, banks, internet and GSM companies are available
Closing Date
Please note that the closing date for this JPO advertisement is Sunday 17 July 2022 (midnight Geneva time).
