Associate Shelter Officer (Cluster)

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

The Office of the UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org).

The Field Office of Bukavu, is one of the three fields Offices of South Kivu under the Coordination Office of Goma in North Kivu. The Office monitors Rwandans refugees in outside camps and IDPs settled in many locations in South Kivu. These people of concern have been fleeing into the mentioned locations because of the social and political hostilities in Rwanda and the frequent conflict between Congolese regular army forces, the Burundians rebellions, and the tribal army groups. The main activities regroup biometric registration of Rwandans refugees, protection monitoring of refugees and IDPs, monitoring of implementing partners` activities, cluster protection, leading the Shelter Working Group (SWG), managing the cases of SGBVs and so on. As, all the refugees and the IDPs are living outside camps, shelter facilities and Non food items are highly challenged. Refugee Self-reliance in shelter issues are strongly recommended. To face these challenges, FO of Bukavu's Shelter capacities are imperatively need to be strengthened.

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Field Office, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

Ensuring that UNHCR Field operations are supported in carrying out shelter needs assessments taking into account the current situation, projected population planning figures and the expected scale of returns;
Contributing to country level shelter strategies which are framed by UNHCR’s Global Strategy for Settlement and Shelter and take into consideration the local context, age and gender, culture, climate, environmental protection and the availability of local resources, including materials, capacities and existing infrastructure;
Providing clear guidance on standards for shelter and settlement, including minimum emergency standards to meet basic and essential needs;
Together with UNHCR's implementing partners, compiling, analysing and mapping available information on shelter options in country taking into account relevant policies adopted by the Government. When planning shelter works, ensuring that the technical component reflects UNHCR minimum standards for the provision of emergency and other types of shelter assistance and is within the budgetary requirements. Due consideration should be given to standards in other relevant sectors such as water and sanitation;
Ensuring the shelter strategy is periodically reviewed to reflect the evolving situation in country and progressively transitioning to more sustainable shelter solutions. This process should be done in close collaboration with the beneficiaries and the host Government while bearing in mind the shelter needs of people upon their eventual return to their country of origin;
Ensuring that the shelter strategy of UNHCR for IDPs is aligned with the Shelter Working Group (SWG) strategy ;
Ensuring that specifications, bills of quantities and drawings are produced in a technically sound and standardised manner and establish monitoring and evaluation tools to ensure that works are implemente

, Accountability, Commitment to Continuous Learning, Communication, Planning and Organizing, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity, Working in Teams

Years of work experience: Minimum 2 years of relevant professional experience with a Master’s degree or 4 years of relevant professional experience with a Bachelor’s degree.

Relevant professional experience includes management of humanitarian shelter or settlement programs / projects or a combination of experience in the humanitarian sector and construction-related activities outside of the humanitarian sector such as supervision of construction works.

Excellent interpersonal, teamwork and negotiation skills in a cross cultural environment and the ability to assist in communication of technical and non-technical details with Government technical staff as well as NGO staff and local authorities.

Computer skills: Knowledge of computer software (MS Word, Excel PowerPoint), as well as the capacity to use mapping tools, i.e. GPS and knowledge of construction drawing and design software (AutoCad or MS Visio, Hipanet etc) is a great added advantage.

Bukavu is the head quarter of the Province of South Kivu. Bukavu is almost three hours by boat from Goma head quarter of the North Kivu. It is situated at the border with Republic of Rwanda and separated by the Rusizi River. The town is a peninsula, halve surrounded by Lake Kivu and limited at west by a chain of mountains. It is constructed on hills in the sense that roads appear rough and accidental for good and fluid traffic. In addition, motto cycles taxis, make the driving very dangerous and difficult in the town.

While conditions in the country are improving, there are still areas of violence and insecurity .The security situation in Bukavu is generally calm but we encourage our staff not to go out after 8 am because of thieves, high jacking and risk of physical aggression.

Due to the hills, the supply of running water is very difficult, creating lack of public common pure and potable water. Only, mineral water are to be bought in mini super markets for drinking and other domestic uses.

Local food product such fresh fishes, many different sort of vegetable, goat and cow meats are available for daily consumption on very low prices. Some supermarkets are opened for imported food items but not the best ones. Restaurants are available and provide local foods and many varieties of foreign meals. Energy is a challenge, due to the lack of government electricity power, house whole must to procure electric generators which run full day. There is agreed health Center which cares for medical and health concerns of both international and local staff. Most critical medical cases are usually referred to Nairobi, in Kenya.

There is no Guest House, so International staff live in very expensive rented houses, almost built on the slope of hills.

Music and night clubs give spectacles by night especially in weekends. Sports and other recreational activities are available for social entertainment. There are virtually no telephone land lines in DRC, though mobile phones and cellular are widely available with almost three main telecom operators.