Programme Assistant - Humanitarian Action

Contract

This is a UNV National Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Specialist contracts.

Across the ESA region, the humanitarian complexities of drought, floods and displacements continue. ESAR is host to 67% of refugees on the continent and 20% of the global refugee population, whereby in March 2021 the ESA region was home to 4,773,393 refugees, 50% of these are hosted in Kenya, Uganda and Somalia. Of the total number of refugees in the continent, Uganda hosts 31% (1.4 million majority of S. Sudan) of whom at least 82% are women and girls. Approximately 41 million people are food insecure in ESAR (Somalia 5.6m; Ethiopia 5.2m, Kenya 2.5m Uganda 1.5m) placing women and rural poor as the most affected given the fact that they depend on rainfed livelihood systems. COVID 19 has exacerbated the humanitarian situation for women and girls but more so refugees, IDPs women, girls & far-to-reach communities, threatening to erode the gains on women’s empowerment. Thus, displaced women & girls have the highest vulnerability to economic and social risks; violence, limited access to social protection services and high rates of teen pregnancy.

The Programme Assistant reports to the Humanitarian Specialist in the development and implementation of effective programmes consistent with UN Women rules and regulations. S/he contributes to research, financial management, and programme implementation including providing necessary operational, administrative and programmatic support to humanitarian interventions. The Programme Assistant works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and project staff in the Regional Office and UN Women HQs as required in resolving finance-related issues, exchange of information and programme implementation. She/he will work under the direct supervision of the Humanitarian Specialist with operations staff and peace and security, Governance in the regional and country offices.

Task Description: Under the direct supervision of the Regional Specialist for Humanitarian Action, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: 1. Support in the formulation of Programme Strategies: • Collect and present background information for the preparation of effective application of RBM tools. • Provide programme and administrative support in the preparation of programme work plans, budgets, and proposals on programme implementation arrangements. • Assemble briefing materials and prepare power-points and other presentations for the unit. • Identify sources, gather and compile data and information for the preparation of docu-ments, guidelines, speeches and position papers.

2. Programme Management Support: • Support the Regional Humanitarian Specialist in the implementation of mechanisms for de-velopment projects through monitoring of budget preparation and modifications: • Support project oversight meetings by taking minutes of meetings and liaising with relevant UNW Offices and other stakeholders: • Support efforts for resource mobilization, including preparing background documents and concept notes. • Support in Donor reporting and monitoring of implementation of projects • Provide necessary information for the audit of programmes/projects and support imple-mentation of audit recommendations. • Organize, compile and process information from donors, Country offices, Regional Office, and other relevant programme teams and input to various databases and documents.

3. Provide administrative and financial management support to the Policy and Programme Unit: • Support the Humanitarian Specialist in the financial management of programmes. • Create requisitions in Atlas for development projects and register of goods receipt in Atlas. • Undertake all logistical, administrative and financial arrangements for organization for meetings, workshops, events, and missions. • Support in the voucher verification and purchasing for travel, meetings and new vendors.

4. Facilitation of Knowledge Building and Knowledge Sharing: • Share relevant information and updates with partners and relevant thematic networks. • Support synthesis of lessons learned, and best practices related to programme manage-ment and implementation • Support contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice. • Coordinate project related events, trainings and workshops and compile reports

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to: • Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including partici-pation in ongoing reflection activities; • Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publica-tions/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers; • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technical-ly possible.

Results/Expected Outputs: • Accurate analysis, data entry and presentation of information to ensure proper programme implementation. • Completed project work plans, schedule of activities, monitoring and implementation plans. • Up to date project files with minutes and all relevant documents related to programme imple-mentation. • Timely programme reports (financial and narrative); • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for development during the assign-ment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed. • The development of capacity through coaching, mentoring and formal on-the-job training, when working with (including supervising) national staff or (non-) governmental counterparts, including Implementing Partners (IPs); • Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and docu-mented in all activities throughout the assignment. • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participat-ed in and capacities developed.

• Accountability • Adaptability and Flexibility • Building Trust • Client Orientation • Commitment and Motivation • Commitment to Continuous Learning • Communication • Integrity • Professionalism • Respect for Diversity • Self-Management • Working in Teams

Core Competencies: • Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues • Creative Problem Solving • Inclusive Collaboration • Stakeholder Engagement

Functional Competencies: • Good knowledge of programme management; • Ability to administer and execute administrative processes and transactions; • Ability to create, edit and present information in clear and presentable formats; • Ability to manage data, documents, correspondence and reports information and workflow; • Strong financial and budgeting skills; • Strong IT skills

Programme management support.
• Specific experience in, Humanitarian, Disaster Risk Reduction, Resilience and Livelihoods and/or in Gender/Women’s Rights.

Living conditions and remarks:

The Republic of Kenya is an equatorial nation on the coast of East Africa, neighboring Somalia, Ethi-opia, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and the Indian Ocean. Kenya has two levels of Government; Na-tional Government and 47 sub-national Governments called Counties. Counties are further divided into sub-counties. Kenya is a multi-party state with Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. Kenya’s population of more than 40 million is growing at an annual rate of 2.2%. The country’s GNP per capita estimated at purchasing power parity (PPP) is $975, and the GNP is growing at an average rate of 0.1% annually. More than 26% of Kenya’s people live below the international poverty line of $1 per day. Kenya’s main food crops are “maize, wheat, pulses, roots and tubers.” (FAO). Nairobi is a modern metropolitan city where most basic goods and services, health facilities, public transport, telecommunication and banking services and educational facilities are readily available. The city is widely connected through its main airport, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and the smaller Wilson Airport. Air transport is also available to many up-country destinations. The city is home to some 3,000 UN personnel mainly attributed to the fact that it serves as the headquarters for both the UN HABITAT and UNEP. The socio-economic and cultural background of the immediate society the UNV would be living and working in is diverse and prevailing security conditions at the place of assignment is modest. The topographic and climatic features of the assignment location is highland cool and warm tropical climate.