Senior Development Coordination Associate 112 views

Organizational Context

Ethiopia has a history of extending an open-door policy to refugees.  Currently Ethiopia provides protection to 750,000 refugees from some 20 countries, with the majority originating from South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea and Sudan – one of the largest refugee populations on the African continent.

International attention and commitment to new ways of managing and responding to refugee and migration issues were solidified with the New York Declaration (NYD) in September 2016 – including direction on a Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), as a new policy commitment, and towards defining a Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) by end 2018. The Government of Ethiopia (GoE), co-chairing the Leaders’ Summit with the US, made nine (9) significant policy pledges for refugees.  A few months later, in February 2017, the GoE committed to become a CRRF ‘roll-out’ country, piloting the approach and building upon existing efforts. The GoE has during 2018 and 2019 moved ahead with its commitments, promulgating a new Refugee Proclamation, drafting a National Comprehnsive Refugee Response Strategy (NCRRS), and making additional pledges at the recent Global Refugee Forum (GRF). UNHCR stand ready to support all GoE efforts with the necessary capacity as part of its expected ‘catalytic and supportive’ role.

UNHCR’s mandated responsibility for finding solutions to refugee situations requires stronger cooperation with development partners and the inclusion of persons of concern within development planning and programming instruments, including national development programmes. The GCR frames this new commitment towards a more predictable and equitable responsibility-sharing, recognizing that more sustainable approaches to refugee situations cannot be achieved without the systematic engagement of a broader set of stakeholders – and in a ‘whole of government’ and ‘whole of society’ approach.

Within this context the role of the Development Coordination Associate is to support UNHCR’s engagement and cooperation with the GoE and development partners, supporting UNHCR to  coordinate the GCR/CRRF via national arrangements and in leveraging partnerships, influencing policy dialogue for institutional reforms toward improved protection environments, socio-economic inclusion, and self-reliance – all taking into account and ultimately reducing the vulnerability of refugees and host communities.

In addition, as with UNHCR’s support to ‘clusters’, the Development Coordination Associate contributes to cross-sectoral coordination with all sections of Programme, Protection, Admin./Finance and External Relations in UNHCR, acting as a liaison to these units and assisting in ensuring that the Operation has an effective and efficient internal system and orgasnition for an ‘all of UNHCR’ CRRF response.

In order to support comprehensive response efforts, the Development Coordination Associate will support UNHCR staff and partners involved in GCR/CRRF planning and overall coordination. Internally in UNHCR, s/he will assist in the inter-unit coherence, administrative and resource-management – specifically in light of the new and increasing demands of tightly earmarked funding and necessary controls.  S/he will work quite independently on regular assignments with oversight from the supervisor, who will provide general guidance and prioritization.  Constantly, as the agenda progresses in Ethiopia, meeting expected results and conformity to policy and procedures, the need to identify opportunities for new procedures, and/or refining existing systems, is also required.

Responsibility 

• Support the overall management of the GCR / CRRF effort in Ethiopia, linking to UNHCR units and field locations, ensuring administration, logistical and organizational support, particularly in the context of UNHCR’s support to the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) at many levels (federal and sub-national).
• In relation to resources available to UNHCR for GCR/CRRF implementation, assist substantive UNHCR units to develop objectives, indicators, work plans, budgets, and support overall coordination and donor-relations in liaison with UNHCR’s External Relations Unit.
• Support the management and coherence of ‘catalytic and supportive’ funds within UNHCR, facilitating specific ‘fund managers / partnership officers’ (EUTF, and Dutch Prospects) linking to overall CRRF-policy objectives between protection, programme, external relations and support units (detailed work ensuring activities are programmed, correctly coded and tracked to support donor reports)
• Organize regular contact with UNHCR field locations and schedule, administer, minute and follow up field meetings (video calls) with oversight of work planning – including GCR / CRRF field activities– with increasing support to and focus on heads of offices.
• Ensure the scheduling, agenda-setting and note taking of internal UNHCR Multi-function teams (MFT), keeping track of action points and follow up measures.
• Advise and assist senior staff in office management and overall organization.  Arrange for and/or attend meetings on day-to-day administrative and programmatic matters, participating in discussions on procedures and practices, note-taking and interpreting as required, and overseeing the tasking out and follow up.
• Act as focal point to update CRRF / policy work plans and budgets for review, with coding and tracking.
• Liaise with Admin, Finance, HR and Procurement on staffing and administrative issues and related activities, as well as substantive support – for example working to ensure timely procurement for regional government capacity building.
• Provide ‘secretariat support’ to in-country CRRF governance structures – including the organization of steering committee (SC) meetings, invitations and ensuring participation, production and updating of related documentation (such as the project ‘Digest’) and presentations, tracking data, note-taking and other related activities and follow up.
• Support national level CRRF project and programme coordination, in connection with ARRA, and the general completion and roll out of the National Comprehensive Refugee Response Strategy (NCRRS) / Regional Action Plans (RAPs) with all outreach and associated event organization.
• Bolster UNHCR’s support to Government’s follow up to the Global Refugee Forum (GRF), including internal UNHCR liaison and pro-active Pledge tracking (Pledge reports).
• Support CRRF mapping and information management efforts, including assistance to research and knowledge-management, fact checking, reaching out to partners and drafting of documents, in association with UNHCR’s information management (IM) staff.
• Analyze and maintain an overview of GCR/CRRF Development Nexus and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) work of UNHCR to ensure that timely support is provided.
• Consolidate related information and, in conjunction with UNHCR’s External Relations Unit, help identify appropriate messages and facts for campaigns, advocacy, resource mobilization and other purposes.
• Assist in the drafting of regular situation reports, briefing notes, background material, talking points, fact sheets, press releases and articles.
• Support development partner liaison, compiling information and assisting in the organization of regular briefings, bilateral meetings and supporting to field missions.
• Proactively support the management of information, fact-checking and production of publications (e.g. pledge reports, development partner project reviews etc.), and their online posting, in liaison with the External Relations Unit.
• Prepare correspondence, special reports, evaluations and justifications as required on general administrative or specialized tasks that may be of a confidential nature within the assigned area of responsibility.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Grade

• GL-7

Type of Contract

• Temporary Appointment

Duration of Contract

• Until 31 December 2020

Essential Minimum Qualifications and Experience

• Completion of secondary education or equivalent technical or commercial school with  certificate/training in Social Sciences, Business Administration, Office Management, Human Resources or other related field;
• Minimum 5 years of previous job experience relevant to the function
• Knowledge of and commitment to the CRRF approach, particularly in the Ethiopia context
• Experience in coordination, planning and budgeting
• Experience in information gathering and analysis
• Computer skills (MS office and People soft applications)
• English drafting and presentation skills
• Fluency in English and working knowledge of another relevant UN language or local language (as applicable in the duty station).

Managerial and Cross Functional Competencies

• Empowering and Building Trust
• Managing Performance
• Managing Resources
• Analytical Thinking
• Innovation and Creativity
• Technological Awareness
• Stakeholder Management
• Planning and Organizing
• Change Capability and Adaptability

Desirable Qualifications & Competencies

• Knowledge of Ethiopian government local service delivery and public service systems
• Completion of  UNHCR learning programmes or specific training relevant to functions of the position.
• Knowledge of UN/UNHCR administrative and financial rules and procedures.
• Knowledge of another relevant UN or local languages.
• Communication skills