UNV Planning Officer

Contract

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

Assignment is non-family (GOMA)

Under the direct supervision of the Head of office the duties of the Planning Officer will include but are not limited to the following:

• Support the head of office in all planning, coordinating and programming initiatives; • Assist the head of office in the coordination of sections and components contributions to the implementation of MONUSCO mandate at field office level; • Provide substantive and technical assistance to integrated field coordination structures at field office level, and support those at the Mission and UNHQ levels; • Accompany the Head of Office to various internal and external meetings and provide the necessary meeting minutes, action points, and follow-up work; • Coordinate various Mission transition and disengagement activities as part of Phase II North Kivu closure; • Act as Secretariat for the Provincial Integrated Transition Team (PITT);
• Contribute to development and implementation field office work plans; • Assist the head of office and sections in the development and implementation of high quality quick impact projects and community violence reduction projects; Serve as the Project Focal Point for the office; • Follow-up and draft various budget-relate documents and submissions; • Support the drafting and compilation of various Mission documents; • Attend various substantive, admin, logistics and security meetings, produce meeting summaries and follow-up on the different action points;
• Conduct research on relevant subject matters as determined by the head of office and write initial drafts; • Provide recommendations on design of specific planning tools and mechanisms, in line with policy and best practice, to meet the needs of the field office; • Any other duties as requested by the supervisor.

Communication, team work, respect for diversity and gender, professionalism

Development, Economics, Social Science, Administration or related field.

Computer skills: Word, Excel, PowerPoint.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the second largest country in Africa, and as a result is quite diverse. Living conditions therefore vary between MONUSCO duty stations, with all usual amenities present in the capital Kinshasa, but only very basic conditions in remote duty stations in the provinces, where, for instance, there may be no guarantee of public power supply nor running water. The ability to live and work in difficult and harsh conditions of developing countries is essential. Accommodation is very expensive in both Kinshasa. Supermarkets exist in the large towns (e.g. Bukavu), but consumer items are generally very expensive (as everything is imported). For food, local markets offer a much cheaper alternative. All MONUSCO duty stations are considered non-family duty stations, except for Kinshasa and Entebbe which are now considered family duty stations, and most are currently under UN Security Phase III (“relocation phase”: internationally-recruited staff are temporarily concentrated or relocated to specified sites/locations). In addition to insecurity related to the relatively volatile political situation as well as various conflict situations, certain places are subject to increasing street and residential crime, including in Kinshasa and Goma. Some degree of medical service is provided in all MONUSCO duty stations. Certain vaccinations are mandatory for MONUSCO personnel to enter the DRC, while others are compulsory for all other incoming persons. It is possible for incoming MONUSCO personnel, including UN Volunteers, to be asked to provide proof of some or all vaccinations, though this is unlikely. All UN Volunteers must ensure that they are up-to-date with all appropriate vaccinations, which should be clearly and properly endorsed in the International Certificate of Vaccination (“carte jaune”). Malaria is present virtually throughout the DRC, and it is therefore recommended to take prophylaxis. The unit of currency is the Congolese Franc. The US dollar is the other preferred currency. It may be impossible to exchange traveller’s checks away from the capital city. Credit cards are usually accepted in major hotels only in Kinshasa. In larger towns and cities (e.g. Kinshasa, Goma, Bukavu), UN Volunteers are recommended to open US Dollar bank accounts, while in other places, banks may be absent (including ATMs) and VLA payments will be processed in cash. UN Volunteers have the possibility to send part of their allowances to a bank account abroad. In addition to French, there are four major spoken languages in DRC, namely Lingala, Kikongo, Tshiluba and Swahili.