Programme Management Assistant

Contract

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

The Disasters and Conflicts Branch and its Units provide innovative and efficient environmental solutions that help countries respond to crises and prepare for future disasters, while also working to minimize the harmful effects of environmental degradation on human well-being. The Branch delivers high-quality environmental expertise to national governments and partners in the UN family, through conducting field-based assessments, working to reduce the risk of disaster, and promoting environmental cooperation for peacebuilding, among other activities.

Within the Branch, the Response and Recovery Unit supports conflict and disaster-affected countries in addressing pressing environmental risks to help promote sustainable stabilization, recovery, and reconstruction efforts. It assists governments and the UN system by conducting scientific environmental impact assessments of disasters and conflicts, providing technical advisory support, and strengthening national environmental management capacities. Key areas of intervention include oil, chemical, and mining pollution incidents, debris and waste management, and ecosystems restoration. The Response and Recovery Units also liaises with UNEP/OCHA Joint Environment Unit, by deploying technical experts after crises to identify and address environmental risks that could have serious social and economic impacts. The JEU can mobilize technical expertise within 48 hours in response to natural and human-induced hazards or a combination of both to respond to requests from national governments or the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office. The Response and Recovery Unit, including the JEU, has responded to more than 200 emergencies in over 30 countries over the past 20 years.

The Response and Recovery Unit also liaises with other Units of the Branch in addressing environmental drivers and impacts of disaster risks and promotes the scaling up of environmental management best practices for reducing disaster risks, with a focus on nature-based solutions for enhancing disaster and climate resilience. Moreover, it provides technical and institutional support to governments and civil society to reduce industrial risks, associated with the oil and energy sectors, to avoid and minimize disasters and environmental degradation.

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Response and Recovery Unit and the Head of the Branch, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

1. Support to the Government and UN System in Disaster Response and Recovery efforts • Support the design and planning and mobilisation of environment and disaster technical experts for emergency response in the contact of environment; • Assist with administrative and logistical support for field visits and to environment and disaster technical expert teams deployed to support disasters and other emergencies; • Support engagement and coordination with UN system, government and deployed envi-ronment and disaster technical experts in the field; • Deploy with environment technical experts to support national government and the UN system where possible;

2. Knowledge and Capacity Development • Support the review and finalisation of disaster assessment reports and support follow-up and implementation of recommendations; • Support the documentation and dissemination disaster response and recovery knowledge including inspiring practices and success stories; • Support production of communications and visibility materials, such as stories, fact sheets, briefing notes, social media content, newsletters and press releases;

3. Advocacy and Partnership Building • Support project and programme design and acquisition; • Contribute to response and recovery project implementation, monitoring and reporting to financing partners; • Act as a liaison officer between the Response and Recovery Unit and the UNEP/OCH Joint Environment Unit to ensure coordinated efforts between the two Units; • Support partner management process including regularly updating and maintaining the Project partners’ contact list.

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 in-stance in events that mark IVD); • 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 participation 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 whenev-er technically possible.

Adaptability and Flexibility Client Orientation Creativity Respect for Diversity Technological Awareness Working in Teams

environmental management, humanitarian action, project management in climate action, disaster risk reduction or environmental governance, is desirable (candidates with 0 to 3 years of experience can be considered).

• Previous experience in international development as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture, (i.e. studies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly regarded;

The Republic of Kenya is an equatorial nation on the coast of East Africa, neighbouring Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and the Indian Ocean. Kenya’s population of more than 40 million is growing at an annual rate of 2.2%.

Nairobi, the capital and where this post is based, 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-al 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 UNEP and UN HABITAT.

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.

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