Professional### * Staff members will not normally serve in International Professional positions in the country of their nationality. In addition, in case of a first appointment upon recruitment, the assignment must be outside the staff member’s country of nationality.

In practical terms this means that you are not eligible to apply for International Professional vacancies advertised in the country where you are national of.

Reason

Regular > Regular AssignmentRemote work accepted

NoTarget Start Date

2024-01-24Job Posting End Date

February 14, 2024Standard Job Description

External Relations Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships Direct supervision is normally exercised by a Senior External Relations Officer of Representative who provides guidance on the applicable procedures. Advice may also be provided by relevant functional units at HQ. The incumbent may supervise some support staff. External contacts are predominantly with Partners, media, government embassies and other international organizations on matters of importance to the Organization.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties - Stay abreast of the challenges posed by the political context, the UN and humanitarian reform, and institutional developments in the area of forced displacement and humanitarian operations. - Assist in the planning of a consultative process with UNHCR colleagues (Programme, Protection, etc.) with external actors and partners, so as to develop and implement protection and assistance strategy, with clearly articulated objectives, timelines and outputs. - Assist the implementation of a communications strategy that generates support for UNHCR s operations from external partners (e.g. the general public, governments, partners, the media, academia and persons of concern). - Assist in the articulation of all issues pertaining to the needs of the populations of concern and the strategies in place to respond to their needs. - Inform the UNHCR Country Team on the UNHCR priorities so as to ensure that they are given adequate weight in the publications and documentation of the UN Country Team. - Assist in the dialogue with donors and embassies and provide accurate information by organizing regular briefings, bilateral meetings and missions. Prepare reports as appropriate. - In accordance with the operational context and in close cooperation with headquarters, propose new and non-traditional funding sources, as appropriate, including private sector and humanitarian pooled/basket funds (e.g. Central Emergency Response Fund, Human Security Fund). - Through a consultative process with headquarters, disseminate information on UNHCR's global funding situation and mobilize additional funds to implement special projects aimed at enhancing the quality of protection for persons of concern in the country operation. - Participate on behalf of the Representative and other supervisors in inter-agency cooperation and communication strategies, initiatives and tools. - Support senior management in representing UNHCR in the UN Country Team and other UN coordination fora. - Support, and participate in, local UN integrated missions, Inter-Agency Standing Committee, Emergency Relief Coordinator and Cluster communication strategies and initiatives. - Assist in the management of information flows within the country operations by identifying priority matters, securing, analyzing and disseminating documentation and information to support country operations and corporate communication processes and priorities. - Consolidate information on UNHCR's country operations and identify appropriate messages for campaigns and appeals. - Assist in the coordination of the drafting of, situation reports, briefing notes, background material, talking points, fact sheets, press releases and articles. - Assist in the development of targeted communications strategies and media packages for situations and/or activities that require focused attention. - Propose events and initiatives (e.g. commercial, cultural, political and sports) to promote the work of UNHCR and take action as appropriate. - Support the management of media relations by, inter alia, responding to direct queries, publishing press releases and organizing regular briefings and visits to country operations. - On behalf of the Representative, approve fundraising messages. - On behalf of the Representative, approve any relevant expenditure for the implementation of fundraising activities. - Propose which donors to approach and which operations or activities to prioritize for special fundraising appeals. - Implement all aspects of a communications strategy. - Approve budgets and expenditures for communications activities. - Clear external relations/communication products and tools as appropriate. - Represent UNHCR on behalf of senior management in fund-raising and communication priorities in inter-agency initiatives and fora.

- Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s). - Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications Education & Professional Work Experience Years of Experience / Degree Level For P3/NOC - 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education Political Sciences, Social Sciences, International Relations, Journalism,

or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses Not specified

Relevant Job Experience Essential Experience in humanitarian operations in a field environment. Excellent knowledge of local institution, politics and culture.

Desirable Good knowledge of UNHCR operations both at Headquarters and in the Field. Fund-raising and programming/programme management experience. Experience of working with social media.

Functional Skills IT-Web Content Management IT-Computer Literacy CO-Drafting and Documentation ER-Inter-Agency External Relations (Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English. For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language. For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

Desired Candidate Profile

Considering the particularity of the context in Burkina Faso and the operational needs, the ideal candidate must possess at least six (6) years of professional experience in the areas of external relations, communication, resource mobilization and inter-agency issues.

The ideal candidate should have previous experience working with UNHCR and in external relations, reporting, fund-raising, social media, and journalism. The ideal candidate should also have a strong experience in complex IDP operations. The applicant should possess excellent drafting and analytical skills as well as interpersonal and communication skills. S/He should be fluent in both French and English (oral and written).

The candidate should have excellent drafting skills as he is expected to draft several internal and external documents including reports, project proposals for submission to various donors by UNHCR Burkina Faso. S/he should also have experience in supervising a team with colleagues working on communication, resources mobilization and reporting issues.

Apart from excellent functional competencies, the incumbent would also be expected to possess proven leadership skills and demonstrated experience in working with a Regional Bureau. The candidate must have strong skills in promoting dialogue and consultations to strengthen partnerships and having frequent contact with UN Agencies colleagues.

Previous experience with UNHCR in complex IDP operations and/or complex emergencies in the areas of External Relations, communication, resource mobilization and reporting, as well as excellent interpersonal skills for interaction with government authorities, UN sister agencies, and NGOs are also required.Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):

French,

Desired languages

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link:

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Nature of Position:

Under the direct supervision of the Representative, the External Relations Officer is responsible for drafting and disseminating regular updates, reports, facts sheets and other documents and informational pieces externally to donors, partners, stakeholders and internally to HQs, Regional Bureau, Sub and Field Offices and the Representation. The incumbent will be able to closely work with field colleagues to ensure effective communication, sharing of update information and open dialogue with external stakeholders who have shown interest in understanding the challenges of the operation in Burkina Faso, how UNHCR respond, cooperates with and includes other partners, as such, information collection, collation, review and packing for communication is an important attribute sought for this position. Teamwork on fund-raising with other sections in the Representation, the External Engagement Unit at the Regional Bureau and HQs is expected from the incumbent of this position. The incumbent will perform these duties with the support of a small team of the External Engagement Unit in Ouagadougou.

The incumbent is also expected to work and keep regular/daily contacts with the Representative and staff at in the field as well as colleagues from other Sections and Units at the Regional Bureau for West and Central Africa region, to consult, discuss strategic/approaches on resources mobilization efforts to support UNHCR’s programmes and activities in Burkina Faso. These contacts may include also other External Engagement and resource mobilization staff from other UN agencies; heads of national/ international organizations, embassies, development actors, etc.

Living and Working Conditions:

Burkina Faso has very basic infrastructures, including in the health sector. In Ouagadougou, there are more than 20 health clinics, but only 7 recommended by the UN System. Epidemics and other disease outbreaks are common in the operational area.

Ouagadougou is a non-family duty station, and you are eligible for R&R for every eight weeks. Banking services available include more than five international banks among which two are recommended by the UN System (United Bank of Africa and Ecobank).

Hot and dry desert environment with high daylight temperature fluctuations.

In the field, due to security-borne restrictions, the office has built four guest houses for staff on short missions. Due to its limited capacity, staff are not advised to permanently reside.

Housing in Ouagadougou is mainly individual houses and are easily available. But most buildings are not well maintained and need repair. Electricity is very expensive, and a backup generator is recommended.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

Bachelor of Arts (BA): International Relations, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Journalism, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Political Science, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Social ScienceCertifications

Work Experience

Annual Budget OL in Operation/Office, Number of Persons of Concern Served, Number of Workforce in Operation/Work Setting, Working with Persons of Concern: Internally Displaced Persons, Working with Persons of Concern: RefugeesCompetencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Innovation & creativity, Judgement & decision making, Managing performance, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Teamwork & collaborationUNHCR Salary Calculator

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales