OCHA is part of the United Nations Secretariat, which is responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response efforts. OCHA's mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions.
The National Disaster Management Officer in Cuba will help strengthen humanitarian coordination, disaster preparedness, and response at national and local level. Activities include supporting and providing technical advice to the RC and humanitarian partners on humanitarian affairs, increasing capacity on preparedness and emergency response and coordinating emergency response.
This position-specific job opening is being advertised for the National Disaster Management Officer position, based in Havana, Cuba. Under the overall supervision of the Head of Office, OCHA Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, the incumbent reports to the Head of the Coordination Unit.
Responsibilities: Within delegated authority, the National Disaster Management Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
Coordination:
- Monitor and analyze the dynamic humanitarian situation and its operational challenges.
- Organize, participate, and/or assist in organizing workgroups, meetings, conferences, consultations, etc., with other agencies and partners on humanitarian and emergency relief-related matters.
- Support the RC on his/her duties in facilitating humanitarian coordination meetings.
- Ensure the predictability of coordination forums, including regular and consistent meeting schedules, effective meeting agendas, and follow-up on the coordination meetings' decisions and action points.
- Participating and working with humanitarian agencies and relevant authorities to support coordination, information exchange, and collaboration on humanitarian activities. The role contributes to joint planning and monitoring efforts and helps promote the incorporation of lessons learned, gender considerations, and accountability to affected people into response activities within the area of responsibility.
Information Management:
- Assist in establishing and maintaining contacts with other humanitarian partners, relevant government counterparts at national and departmental levels.
- Produce information products on the humanitarian situation, needs, gaps, early warning, response, and gaps.
- Support the database of information on who is doing what where (345W) and the mapping of partners and agencies’ presence.
- Assist in establishing appropriate monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
- Support uploading, updating, and maintaining work files on shared drives.
Advocacy:
- Prepare updates, humanitarian overviews, and context analyses.
- Support advocacy efforts concerning humanitarian issues based on analysis of the humanitarian situation.
- Keep abreast of the latest developments and help liaise with other humanitarian organizations, donors, and government counterparts.
- Provide information and advice on a range of humanitarian issues.
- Contribute to the preparation of various written reports, documents, and communications, e.g., Draft briefing notes, advocacy messages, talking points, presentations (including PowerPoint), etc. as required
Humanitarian Financing
- Support the elaboration of flash appeals and other emergency response documents as required
Staff at all levels within OCHA ROLAC
Resident Coordinator and counterparts in other UN agencies.
National and local authorities in Cuba.
Competencies:
Education: Master’s Degree preferably in Political or Social Science, Law, International studies, Business Management, Management, Science, or any other relevant area is required.
A first-level university degree in the field of humanitarian affairs or any other related field will be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience: Applicants with a master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience. Applicants with a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience in coordination, humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, rehabilitation, development, or related area, is required. Familiarity with existing coordination structures in Cuba and among the different humanitarian actors is highly desirable. Familiarity and good knowledge of the region's social, political, humanitarian, security, and economic conditions are highly desirable.
Experience in the Cuban context and in areas of disaster risk reduction and humanitarian response is an advantage.
Ability to work in a multiracial and multicultural environment is required. Good command of standard IT tools (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.is required. Good analytic skills are required. Good oral communication and writing skills are required. Good interpersonal skills are required, Demonstrate ability to work effectively in a challenging environment is required
Working knowledge (intermediate) in English and Fluency in Spanish (both oral and written) is required.
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UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.
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