Humanitarian Affairs Officer (Special Assistant) – World Humanitarian Summit Secretariat

Background

Organizational Setting and Reporting Relationships
The position of Humanitarian Affairs Officer (Special Assistant) P3, will be located in the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) secretariat of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The Humanitarian Affairs Officer (Special Assistant) will report to the Chief of the WHS secretariat.
Background on the WHS
The landscape of humanitarian action has changed since 1991, when a landmark resolution of the United Nations General Assembly established the international humanitarian response system as it is known today. Growth in the scope and diversity of humanitarian needs, and a more complex operating environment, have created new risks. There are also new opportunities: a wider range of actors and inter-operating networks are involved, and innovations improve service delivery in each response. This is why preparations are under way for the first World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) in 2015. The United Nations Secretary-General has requested that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) organize the summit, to help a changing humanitarian community work together better to serve people in need. It is a unique opportunity to take stock and adapt. The summit will be the highlight in a process of change that begins now, but lasts well beyond the event itself. It will set the agenda for work beyond 2015 to make humanitarian action more inclusive, global and effective – and overall, fit for the future.
The Summit will focus on a few core themes to set the agenda. Four broad categories have emerged from recent policy discussions.
These are:
– Aid effectiveness,

 How to better serve people in conflict;

– Reducing vulnerability and managing risk, and

– Innovation.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assists the Chief of World Humanitarian Summit secretariat (WHSs) on various activities related to the WHS secretariat;
• Day-to-day management of the Office of the Chief, WHSs, including oversight of correspondence flow, daily scheduling drafting of correspondence and ensuring the timeless and quality of documents drafted by the WHS secretariat team;
• Manages the schedule of the Chief, WHSs;
• Prepares and reviews various written outputs, such as draft correspondence, official memoranda, background papers, mission reports, talking points, analysis and notes to the Senior Management Team as requested by the Chief, WHSs;
• Supports the Chief WHSs to establish and maintain contacts with government officials, other UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, diplomatic missions, media, etc.;
• Prepares or contributes to the preparation of various written reports, documents and communications, e.g. drafts sections of studies, background papers, policy guidelines, parliamentary documents, briefings, case studies, presentations, correspondence, etc.;
• Supports the Chief, WHSs on specific topics or policy-related issues; keeps abreast of latest developments, ensures appropriate monitoring and reporting mechanisms; provides information and advice on a range of related issues;
• Ensures quality control with material being developed and submitted to senior management or for public dissemination;
• Organizes and participates in work groups, meetings, conferences, consultations with other OCHA branches and partners on WHS related issues;
• Provides guidance to, and may supervise, new/junior staff;
• Performs other duties as required.

• Staff at all levels within OCHA both in New York and Geneva.
• Humanitarian Coordinators and their staff in the field;
• Representatives of other UN humanitarian agencies and other member organizations in the Inter-Agency Standing Committee;
• UN Resident Coordinators in disaster-prone developing countries;
• UN Mission and Member State personnel with responsibility for humanitarian issues, and non-governmental organization representatives and the academic community.

• Provides sound analytical inputs and advice on how to guarantee a successful, inclusive agenda setting process leading up to the World Humanitarian Summit that will contribute to more create a more inclusive, effective and interoperable humanitarian system;
• Takes action to identify WHS-related issues/problems and develops creative approaches to problem resolution;
• Provides timely delivery of assigned outputs;
• Develops partnerships and interacts effectively with colleagues internally and externally.

Application Deadline : 24-Jul-14

Location : New Yotk, USA

Read more and apply here.