Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located in the Policy Branch of the Humanitarian Sector Division of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), based in New York. OCHA contributes to principled and effective humanitarian response through coordination, advocacy, policy, information management and humanitarian financing tools and services.
Through leadership in developing humanitarian policy, OCHA helps set the agenda for humanitarian sector reform and effectiveness in response to a shifting global landscape, new global frameworks, and increased capacities of national Governments and local actors.
The Norms and Principles Section (NPS), under the Policy Branch, supports, among other responsibilities, United Nations intergovernmental engagements by providing normative, operational and policy guidance and mandates on coordinating humanitarian assistance to OCHA and the wider humanitarian system, reinforcing and building on General Assembly resolution 46/182 and subsequent humanitarian resolutions of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
NPS advocates a strong humanitarian coordination system on behalf of the wider humanitarian community, including affected people, and builds awareness, understanding and support for the international humanitarian system and for strengthening principled humanitarian action in support of field operations. NPS works to strengthen partnerships with Member States through inclusive dialogue on humanitarian priority issues and by supporting their engagement on humanitarian issues in intergovernmental forums and processes.
This aims to foster Member State engagement and strengthen the normative framework for principled humanitarian action. This temporary job opening is being advertised for the position of Associate Humanitarian Affairs Officer in New York and the incumbent will report to the Head of Intergovernmental Support Unit (IGSU) within NPS.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Associate Humanitarian Affairs Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
In consultation with a senior Humanitarian Affairs Officer, assists in the design and preparation of studies on humanitarian, disaster, emergency relief and related issues and in various follow-up activities.
Researches, analyzes and presents information gathered from diverse sources on assigned topics/issues, including Member States’ statements and positions on humanitarian issues at meetings of the General Assembly and the ECOSOC.
Contributes to the preparation of various written documents, e.g. drafts sections of studies, background papers, policy guidelines, parliamentary documents etc., in particular Secretary-General’s annual reports prepared by the Section;
Develops and maintains reference/resource information on specific topics or policy-related issues; responds to various inquiries and information requests internally and externally.
Assists in the organization of the annual ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment and the annual ECOSOC Meeting on the Transition from Relief to Development, in consultation with Member States, United Nations organizations and humanitarian organizations to facilitate exchanges of professional expertise and views on specific humanitarian-related subjects/issues; serves as reporter to these events.
Assists in the Section’s secretariat support for intergovernmental negotiations on humanitarian resolutions and engagement in negotiations on other relevant resolutions in the General Assembly and ECOSOC.
Maintains awareness of current humanitarian affairs and related issues, to include relevant political, policy, gender considerations or other developments in specific subject area, country or region concerned.
Contributes to the collection and analysis of data as well as identification of trends or patterns and provides draft insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
Supports the Chief of Section / Officer-in-Charge of the Policy Branch in work planning and management.
Performs other duties as required.
Competencies
Professionalism: Knowledge and understanding of humanitarian, emergency relief assistance and related human rights issues. Ability to draft intergovernmental humanitarian reports, policies and documents. Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Ability to develop sources for data collection. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, including electronic sources on the internet, intranet and other databases.
Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, work under pressure, on occasion in a highly stressful environment (e.g. civil strife, natural disasters and human misery). Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations.
Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. Able to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management.
Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.
Education
An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in political science, social science, international studies, public administration, economics, engineering, earth sciences or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with an additional two (2) years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. A first-level university degree and no experience will be accepted for candidates who have passed the Young Professionals Programme Examination/United Nations National Competitive Recruitment Examination (NCRE) or the General Service to Professional Examination (G to P).
Work Experience
A minimum of two years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, rehabilitation, development, or related area or the successful completion of the Young Professionals Programme Examination (YPP)/United Nations National Competitive Recruitment Examination (NCRE) or the General Service to Professional Examination (G to P) is required. Experience in supporting intergovernmental negotiations on humanitarian resolutions is required.
Experience in drafting reports on humanitarian assistance to international organizations legislative bodies is desirable. Experience in working with Member States, international organizations and intergovernmental legislative bodies is desirable. Humanitarian experience in the field (actual setting where a mission and/or project is being implemented) in emergency situations (complex emergency or natural disaster) is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).
Required Languages
Language | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking
English | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15. Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply.
(a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and
(b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service. Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position.
United Nations Considerations
According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts.
The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.
The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.
Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.
By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised.
This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage.
The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening.
No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2
(a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2.
(c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.