Programme Specialist: IGAD Project Coordinator, TA, 6 months, ESARO, Nairobi, Kenya

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 111,152 USD and 145,545 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 safe environment

The Horn of Africa region is currently faced with a plethora of challenges including unresolved border issues, the ever-present threat of violent extremism, fragile electoral processes and shrinking of political space, and a large and growing number of Internally Displaced People (IDPs) /refugees. Frequent flooding, drought, desert locusts, and food insecurity, are increasingly compounded by the threat posed by climate change. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing challenges and is having a multi-faceted impact on development, peace, and security in the region.

IGAD and EAC member states are among the most vulnerable to the above-mentioned challenges, including the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, conflict, and drought. In particular, the concern has been growing about the impact of the pandemic on vulnerable groups, especially refugees, migrants, and IDPs.

Given individual member states’ limited capacities and the transnational nature of the challenge, UNICEF ESARO’s partnership with IGAD and other sub-regional bodies takes on greater importance. UNICEF ESARO signed an MOU with IGAD in 2021 and continues to have multi-sectoral actions/discussions with the respective bodies. In particular, UNICEF has become an implementing partner to European Commission (DEVCO)-funded project to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 crisis in the IGAD Member States, involving three UN sister agencies and private sector partners, and seven country offices.[1] Given the current implementation stage of the IGAD project, the above role will support project reporting, funds utilization, and strategic planning for the next IGAD cooperation

Concurrently, the evolving crisis in Tigray, Ethiopia, disease outbreaks, and the current Horn of Africa drought crisis, are of particular concern and are already impacting neighboring countries and threatening regional stability. This calls not only for additional capacity at the ESARO level to effectively support the country office, but also to continue to strengthen the general capacity of preparedness and risk-informed programming across the UNICEF offices of the region.

[1] In the context of this project, ESARO provides overall coordination for five country offices in the region (Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda) and two country offices that would normally fall under MENARO (Djibouti, Sudan).

How can you make a difference?

Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Regional Director and technical support from the Regional Emergency Adviser, coordinate and support the implementation of the UNICEF role in the multi-country, multi-agency project of support to IGAD member states, funded by DEVCO, in close cooperation with the concerned country offices.

In view of recent developments in Ethiopia and the sub-region, under the general supervision of the Regional Emergency Adviser, provide enhanced policy and emergency preparedness and response support to the affected Country Offices in the Horn of Africa, and support the development of risk informed programming in the region and principled humanitarian action.

Supporting the Deputy Regional Director on the development and /strengthening the implementation of the multi-country partnerships with the sub-regional bodies including the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD), East African Community (EAC), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) on humanitarian and development programming and relevant current trends and issues facing children in the region.

Coordination and strategic support to regional partnerships including with IGAD

IGAD

• Liaise at senior level with IGAD, UNOPS, Country Offices and other IPs to ensure programme coherence and regional oversight.
• Attend monthly project management unit meetings convened by UNOPS with Country Offices involved in the project; review periodically the implementation of the project work plan and discuss emerging issues related to the implementation of the project and provide remedial actions and solutions; escalate to DRD at the Regional Office level as required.
• Advise on project strategies and provide recommendations on project management aspects, including cross-sectoral priorities, such as mainstreaming of gender equality.
• Monitor progress towards and achievement of the results with technical sections at the Regional Office and with the relevant country offices.
• With the support of PPP section coordinate the seven countries involved in the project outside of the ESARO - Sudan and Djibouti.
• In close coordination with PMU lead, carryout regular reviews of the results framework and result reporting with PPP.
• Liaise with the Regional Office sections for technical advice for Country Offices in the support of the implementation of sectoral components.
• Table project progress, implementation and programme course correction reviewed regularly through the Regional Office PCT.
• Support the strategic planning for the next phase of cooperation with IGAD at the sub-regional level

Emergency Preparedness and Response in the Horn of Africa and in the wider region

• Timely and priority operational and programmatic support is provided to IGAD programme and all Country Offices in the Horn of Africa affected by emergencies and humanitarian crises by:
  • Mobilizing, coordinating and deploying technical support to Country Offices to respond to short-term surges in demand;
  • Mobilizing and facilitating technical advisors to support Country Offices meet the CCCs in the framework of the UNICEF Strategic Plan.
• Undertake analysis of key risks and monitor emerging humanitarian trends and potential socio-political instability in the Horn.

• Support Country Offices in integrating risk-informed programming to promote resilience into programme planning processes.

• Support Country Offices technical assistance and quality assurance in planning, monitoring and reporting for Humanitarian Action including:

  • The development of country and regional chapters of the Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC);
  • Regular reporting of UNICEF Country Offices using the Humanitarian Performance Management System (HPMS) and regular Situation Reports (SITREPs).
• Support Country Offices in developing capacity building strategies for national partners (government at the national and sub national levels, civil society and community actors) to enhance their capacity for emergency preparedness and response guided by the Core Commitments for Children.

KEY EXPEXTED RESULTS

• Quality coordination and implementation of the UNICEF component of the IGAD programme, including the timely disbursement of funds, implementation, monitoring and reporting of project results in coordination with country offices and with the support of the RO Public and Private Partnerships (PPP) section.
• Complementarity and regional coherence of the IGAD project in line with country office and government efforts and priorities in close coordination with technical sections and PPP in the Regional Office.
• Quality planning, communication, coordination and implementation of the UNICEF Multi-country partnerships and emergency preparedness and response plan
• Complementarity and coherence of the project with other related initiatives/projects in the region especially cross border initiatives in the targeted countries.
• Multi-country emergency preparedness and response is timely, well supported and coordinated, especially in the Horn of Africa.
• Quality policy and technical advice is provided to Country Offices in the Horn of Africa, management team and DRD on principled humanitarian action approaches.
• Country approaches and learning on risk-informed programming to promote resilience is documented, packaged and shared to promote evidence-based approaches in the region.
• Partnerships with sub-regional bodies in Eastern and Southern Africa relevant to the current humanitarian trends and issues facing children are strengthened.

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

• Advanced University degree in one of the following fields: social sciences, public administration, law, public health, nutrition, international relations, business administration or other related disciplines. Preferably a combination of management, administration, and relevant technical fields.

  *A first university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and two additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of advanced university degree.

• At least five years of progressively responsible professional work experience at the national and international levels in humanitarian action, emergency preparedness, research and analysis, and/or UN interagency level coordination and advocacy. Developing country work experience is required, and emergency experience in the Horn of Africa region is highly desirable.

  Specialized training/experience in emergency response management is required

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

• Builds and maintains partnerships (1)
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (1)
• Drive to achieve results for impact (1)
• Innovates and embraces change (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)
• Thinks and acts strategically (1)

Works collaboratively with other

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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:

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 may also be 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.