Emergency Officer, NO-2, FT, Caracas - Venezuela, LACR (Only national candidates)

Contract

This is a NO-2 contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. More about NO-2 contracts.

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 hero

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the Chief Field Operations, Emergency & DRR, in regular consultation with the supervisor, implement country office emergency preparedness and response. Responsible for the technical contribution to the development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of emergency interventions to advance the survival and well-being of children and mothers and affected communities in an emergency situation.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES and DUTIES & TASKS

Emergency Preparedness

1. Provides professional assistance in risk analysis to identify emergency-prone conditions/situations and contribute to early warning and timely emergency preparedness.
2. Assists in the formulation of plans of action in preparation and response to emergencies. Gathers information on best practices in emergency situations for the preparation of contingency plans. Monitors compliance of all sectors with emergency plans of action according to UNICEF’s Preparedness Procedure. Effectively and closely monitoring each one of the Minimum Preparedness Standards ensuring timey actions are taking to ensure compliance.
3. Ensures Program, Operations and Field Office focal points have clear terms of reference for EPR and are able to integrate them in their respective EPRs, develop their skills and fulfil their role in preparedness and response.
4. Manage preparedness Projects, ensuring effective delivery and timely reporting of results with close coordination with all Program, Operations areas and FOs involved.
5. Support the formulation and testing and implementation of VCOs Emergency response Protocol.
6. Identifies formal and informal sources of information. Collects, interprets, and analyses all available data on the evolving emergency situation and its implications to the emergency operation. Keeps the effective flow of information and communication crucial for the planning and implementation of emergency measures. Identifies availability of resources in emergency prone areas
7. Assists in organizing and conducting staff training for the office’s capacity building in emergencies preparedness and response. Provides briefing, as required. Participates in other emergency training workshops in the region and contributes to enhancement of the emergency preparedness and response capability of the office staff.

Emergency Response

1. In the event of an emergency, prompt support is provided to execute the required program and operational tasks by collecting accurate information on the nature and scope of the emergency, ensuring effective communications, including adequate ICT equipment availability and staff security assistance, and promptly reporting the status as required with the support of the IM & Reporting Officer
2. Assists supervisor with assessment of local emergency situation. Visits the location to conduct an initial rough assessment of the magnitude of the crisis and its implications for children, mothers, and the community.
3. Assists with the assessment of the validity of the emergency preparedness plan and ability of the office vis-à-vis the current crisis as well as immediate and additional needs. Provides input in and contributes toward determining priorities and an appropriate intervention by UNICEF as per the CCCs.
4. Coordinates with other partners to make a rapid assessment covering priority areas as defined by the Core Commitment for Children in Emergencies. Establishes contact with community groups, government, UN agencies, media and other partners to keep the country office of emergency situations.
5. Assists in identifying urgent staffing requirements and redeploying country office staff. Follows up with the timely delivery of assistance and procurement of supplies and monitors the appropriate and effective use of UNICEF resources. Identifies problems and constraints in project delivery. Sends daily situation reports to concerned parties.

Emergency Project

1. Participates in the implementation of plans of action and workplans for emergency projects. Undertakes field visits to emergency project areas, to assess local conditions and monitor project progress. Carries out project administration.
2. Prepares inputs for appeals and updates related to emergencies. Coordinates with program sections staff and others to mobilize donor response and recovery/rehabilitation-related funding, including humanitarian appeals and documents (e.g., pitch documents). Communicates and advocates on the situation and needs of children through local and international media, as appropriate.
3. Collects and analyses lessons learnt from UNICEF's emergency operations experience and contributes towards adoption of the best practices and standards for longer-term emergency interventions. Assists in identifying longer-term requirements of the emergency intervention/operations.
4. Works with other colleagues to make sure that disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness, and response strategies are mainstreamed in the country office's workplans. Assists in the preparation of sectoral input for the country programme documents, plan of action, annual work plans, and other related documents of the office’s Emergency Preparedness and Response.
5. Provides technical input in the preparation of the Situation Analysis and the Country Programme document, as required.

KEY END-RESULTS

1. Timely and thorough analysis is made to identify emergency-prone situations and contribute to early warning and enhancing emergency preparedness.
2. Substantive professional contributions are made to the formulation of emergency plans of action, contingency plans, and monitoring of compliance with plans of action according to UNICEF’s Preparedness and Emergency Response Procedures.
3. Effective analysis of available data regarding the evolving emergency situation and its implications to the operation are timely provided. Supports constant flow of information and communication crucial for the planning and implementation of emergencies responses.
4. Staff training in emergencies preparedness and response is effectively supported to enhance the emergency preparedness and response capability of the office.
5. Professional support is provided to establish facts and needs, coordinate a rapid assessment, and determine priorities and an appropriate intervention by UNICEF.
6. Timely delivery of assistance and supplies is maintained, urgent staffing requirements are identified, and the appropriate and effective use of UNICEF resources is monitored for effective project delivery.
7. Substantive input and assistance are provided in the implementation of emergency plans of action, workplans, emergency appeals, and in the mobilization of donor response and recovery/rehabilitation and resilience building-related funding.
8. Substantive support to all national and subnational preparedness and response strengthening initiatives effectively and timely liaising with all relevant authorities and government and non-government stakeholders.
9. Emergency preparedness and response plans are inclusive and address gender, disability and indigenous population differentiated needs as they intensify during emergencies.
10. Lessons learnt from UNICEF's emergency operations experience are collected and analysed for adoption of the best practices and standards for longer-term emergency interventions. Longer-term requirements of the emergency operation/interventions are effectively identified, and their compliance is monitored.
11. Ensures that disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness, and response strategies are mainstreamed in the country office's workplans. Sectoral inputs are provided for all related documents of the office’s Emergency Preparedness and Response, as well as for the Situation Analysis and the Country Programme Document.

Participate in the Interagency Access Working Group, supporting the management of issues related to humanitarian access in emergency contexts keeping management abreast of any significant changes.

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

• University degree in one of the following fields: social sciences, public administration, law, public health, nutrition, international relations, engineering, business administration or other related disciplines. Post graduate studies are considered an asset.
• • Two years of relevant professional work experience at the national and/or international levels in programme/project development, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, or administration.
  • Working experience with a UN Agency is an asset.
  • Training/experience in emergency response management is required.
  • Knowledge of local conditions and country legislation relevant to UNICEF programmes is required.
  • Knowledge of global and Venezuela context-specific humanitarian issues, specifically relating to children and women, and the current UNCEF position and approaches is highly valued.
• Fluency in Spanish and English at working level is required. Knowledge of indigenous languages and/or another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, or Russian) are 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.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is: a role with direct contact with children, works directly with children, and is a safeguarding response role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) applies.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.