Transition Coordination Officer

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations (UN) is an international organization founded in 1945, currently comprising 193 member states. Its mission is to promote peace, security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security, and cooperation among nations, and to address global challenges such as poverty, inequality, and climate change. The UN Development System, which includes various agencies, programs, and offices, works to support countries in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda. The UN Resident Coordinator's Office (RCO) in Zimbabwe plays a pivotal role in coordinating development efforts and ensuring alignment with national priorities, particularly in the context of the evolving aid landscape in Zimbabwe.

Job Overview:
The Transition Coordination Officer position is situated within the UN Resident Coordinator's Office in Harare, Zimbabwe. This role is crucial for supporting the UN Resident Coordinator and the UN Country Team in their efforts to foster inter-agency coordination and collaboration on sustainable development programming. The incumbent will be responsible for ensuring operational readiness and facilitating policy dialogue and donor engagement. The position requires a strong focus on integrating anticipatory action and joint risk analysis into UN Cooperation Framework processes, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of development investments in building long-term resilience and reducing vulnerabilities in communities. The officer will also serve as a focal point for cross-pillar coordination, ensuring that government-led initiatives are complemented by UN and NGO efforts, and that planning is inclusive and aligned with national strategies.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Transition Coordination Officer will undertake a variety of responsibilities, including:

• Supporting preparedness and response coordination at the country level by maintaining minimum preparedness capacities, providing technical support for national contingency planning, and facilitating emergency simulation exercises.
• Assisting in the maintenance of inter-sectoral coordination structures within the RCO, identifying operational gaps, and supporting government-led coordination mechanisms.
• Implementing the Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) nexus by integrating cross-pillar perspectives into planning instruments and facilitating coherence between humanitarian and development interventions.
• Supporting the integration of cross-cutting issues such as gender equality, climate resilience, and accountability into coordination tools and processes.
• Performing other related duties as required, including operational support for ad hoc requests from leadership and contributing to teamwork and knowledge sharing within the RCO.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a comprehensive understanding of UN operations in complex settings, including humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding issues. They should demonstrate strong analytical and problem-solving skills, the ability to negotiate and influence others, and a commitment to gender perspectives in all areas of work. Professionalism, planning and organizing skills, and teamwork are essential competencies for this role.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in political science, social science, public administration, international studies, economics, engineering, earth sciences, or a related field is required. Alternatively, a first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Experience:
A minimum of two years of progressively responsible experience in sustainable development or humanitarian settings is required. Candidates should have experience in the development sector, with a preference for those who have worked on humanitarian transitions to development support. Experience in knowledge management and inter-agency collaboration is also desirable, as is familiarity with the United Nations system or comparable international organizations.

Languages:
English is the mandatory working language for this position, with a required proficiency level of UN Level II in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. French is also a working language of the UN, but there are no specific desirable languages for this role.

Additional Notes:
This position is temporarily available for six months and is open only to nationals of Zimbabwe. The role is categorized as a National Professional Officer position, meaning candidates must be of the nationality of the country where the position is located. If no suitable local candidates are identified, nationals of Zimbabwe residing elsewhere may be considered, but they will be responsible for any travel and relocation costs. The UN is committed to achieving gender balance in its workforce and encourages female candidates to apply. The application process is strictly online, and candidates should ensure that all fields and professional experiences are accurately completed.