Emergency Specialist, P3, FT, Port-au-Prince, Haiti #123252 (Not Open to Haitian nationals)

Contract

This is a P-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 121,529 USD and 159,132 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

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 bright Future

Ranked 170th out of 189 countries on the Human Development Index (2020), the Republic of Haiti is the most unequal country in the western hemisphere. Current World Bank estimates forecast a poverty rate of nearly 60 per cent in 2021. Haiti is also the country third most affected by extreme weather events.

The year 2021 was marked by two watershed events: the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse on 7 July, and an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 that struck south-western Haiti on 14 August, affecting more than 800,000 people, including 340,000 children.

Both events further delayed the overdue election and significantly disrupted government action and development and humanitarian assistance programmes.

Even before these developments, the economy had contracted by an estimated 3.8 per cent in 2020, and the country’s currency had experienced extreme volatility and runaway inflation.

Bolstered by the socio-political crisis, the surge in gang violence has affected 1.5 million people, 1.1 million of whom are in need of assistance, and caused the displacement of some 19,000 people in the communes of Carrefour, Cité Soleil, Croix-des-Bouquets, Delmas and the Port-au-Prince neighborhood of Martissant (West Department). Gang violence also resulted in an increase in kidnappings and restricted road access to the four southern departments – triggering shortages in essential goods such as fuel and further crippling the earthquake humanitarian response and economic activities. The number of forced and voluntary international migrations and of individuals deported to Haiti increased in 2021.

The increased repatriation of Haitian migrants from across the Latin America and Caribbean region since mid-September 2021 has also compounded humanitarian needs. More than 14,000 migrants have been returned, among them over 2,500 children who are in need of access to basic services, including education, and have been exposed to child protection risks such as family separation, trafficking and gender-based violence (GBV).

Children and women are, as always, the most affected by these events, as deep vulnerabilities are still preventing many children from getting a fair start in life.

In emergency situations, UNICEF Haiti plays a lead role in support to the Ministry of Health, the National Water and Sanitation Authority, the Institute for Social Welfare and Research and the Ministry of Education. It supports the case management of integrated acute malnutrition and foster convergence among nutrition, health, WASH and social protection components to ensure a timely response. Strategies are based on the promotion of disaster risk reduction at the school level, including a focus on climate change issues and acute crisis response to avoid school interruptions.

How can you make a difference?

Under the guidance and supervision of the supervisor, establishes and implements country office emergency preparedness and response. Responsible for the development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the emergency interventions to ensure the survival and well-being of children and mothers, and the affected communities in an emergency situation.

Key Accountabilities and Tasks

Emergency Preparedness

1. Adopts adequate emergency preparedness measures through the development and updating of country contingency plans and establishment of early warning mechanisms, to ensure effective preparedness and response to specific emergencies.
2. Participates in the formulation and development of plans of action in preparation and response to emergencies, monitors compliance of all sectors with emergency plans of action, including financial resources. Ensures coordination of the management of emergency preparedness and response.
3. Provides technical advice related to emergency preparedness and response, including on programme management related issues. Provides advice to the country office in the implementation of emergency preparedness measures in the field to strengthen preparedness and response mechanisms in the country faced with impending emergencies.
4. Develops and maintains databases on country/regional information and ensure the flow of information and communication crucial for the planning and implementation of emergency preparedness and response management. Identifies availability of resources in emergency prone areas and establish logistics plans to be implemented during an emergency operation, to ensure a timely and effective emergency response.
5. Plans, organizes and conducts training for the office’s staff capacity building in emergencies preparedness and response. Assists in developing and conducting emergency training courses. Provides training and/or briefing, as required. Participates in other emergency training workshops in the region and builds up the emergency preparedness and response capability of UNICEF staff as well as implementing partners.

Emergency Response

1. In the event of an emergency, takes prompt action as a member of the Emergency Response Team which is deployed immediately to establish UNICEF's presence and implement the initial operational tasks relating to emergency assistance. Immediately verifies the nature and extend of the emergency with staff, government officials, other UN agencies or local organizations and media. Ensures that the office is provided with effective telecommunications facility and staff security assistance in an emergency, as necessary. In coordination with the programme and operations groups, establishes contact with all UNICEF staff, their dependants and visitors to ensure their safety and whereabouts, and informs OPSCEN and the Regional Director of their status.
2. Participates and assists with assessment of local emergency and security situation affecting children and mothers in the locality, in conjunction with the Regional Office, the HQ Divisions, and field staff. Visits the location to conduct an initial rough assessment of the magnitude of the crisis and its implications for children and its impact on the community. Assesses the validity of the office preparedness plan and ability of the office vis-à-vis the current crisis as well as immediate and additional needs. Determines corporate priorities and an appropriate intervention (supply procurement, fund-raising and staff development) by UNICEF. 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 abreast of emergency situations.
3. Applies the emergency preparedness and response plan as necessary and identifies urgent staffing requirements and redeploys country office staff as required. Executes the timely delivery of assistance and procurement of supplies, monitors the appropriate and effective use of UNICEF resources/inputs. Iidentifies problems and constraints in order to ensure effective project delivery. Certifies the disbursement of funds, monitors expenditures and submits financial status reports. Sets up a reporting system and sends daily situation reports to concerned parties.

Emergency Project

1. Participates in the implementation of plans of action and workplans for emergency projects. Implements and manages project activities. Undertakes field visits to emergency project areas, to assess local conditions and monitor project progress. Makes technical decisions on project administration (e.g., activates, requests or reprogrammes allocation of emergency funds). Prepares inputs for appeals and updates related to emergencies. Works with program sections and senior management to mobilize donor response and recovery/rehabilitation-related funding, including annual or multi-annual 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.
2. Identifies longer-term requirements of the emergency operation/interventions. Proposes a more regular operational and staffing structure to take over from the Emergency Response Team.
3. Maintains continuous, effective and strategic coordination, communication, consultation and liaison with Government, UN agencies, NGOs, donors and allies to appeal for aid for children and women with special needs resulting from the emergency situation requiring an effective emergency response in all sectors. Identifies implementing/operational partners and establishes implementing arrangements. Ensures that the UNICEF support is effectively provided to the government with respect to sectoral coordination within the framework of the cluster approach and based on the Core Commitment for Children.
4. Participates in all humanitarian and recovery related forum and keeps management informed of all humanitarian developments in the country in terms of policies, strategy, situation developments, potential threats and opportunities/issues in partnership.
5. Promotes that disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness and response strategies are mainstreamed in the country office's workplans. Prepares sectoral input for the country programme documents, plan of action, annual work plans, and all related documents of the office’s Emergency Preparedness and Response. Contributes towards the preparation of the Situation Analysis and the Country Programme Document.

The detailed Job description can be found here: Emergency Specialist Level 3.doc

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

• Advanced University degree in one of the following fields: social sciences, public administration, international law, public health, nutrition, international relations, business administration or other related disciplines. Preferably a combination of management, administration, and relevant technical fields.
• Five years of progressively responsible professional work experience at the national and international levels in programme/project development, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and administration.
• Developing country work experience required.
• Specialized training/experience in emergency response management highly desirable.
• Fluency in French and English is required. Knowledge of local language (Creole) or another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) 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.

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:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable women are encouraged to apply.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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

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.

Haiti is a non-Family Duty Station with a 6-week Rest & Recuperation cycle.