Humanitarian Affairs Officer

Job Posting Organization:
The position is located in the Crisis Response Division (CRD) of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which is part of the United Nations Secretariat. 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. The organization advocates for the rights of people in need, promotes preparedness and prevention, and facilitates sustainable solutions. OCHA plays a crucial role in ensuring a coherent response to emergencies by bringing together various humanitarian actors and providing a framework for their contributions to overall response efforts.

Job Overview:
The Humanitarian Affairs Officer will serve as a Special Assistant to the OCHA Head of Office and Humanitarian Coordinator (HC). This role involves monitoring, analyzing, and reporting on humanitarian developments, disaster relief, and emergency situations in Afghanistan. The officer will organize follow-up work, including interagency technical review meetings to support policy development and decision-making on critical issues. The position requires collaboration with other humanitarian agencies to plan and evaluate humanitarian and emergency assistance programs, ensuring that the latest findings and policy guidelines are incorporated into these activities, including considerations for gender. The officer will assist in producing appeals for international assistance and ensure the proper use of donor contributions. Establishing and maintaining contacts with government officials, UN agencies, NGOs, and media is essential. The officer will also participate in field missions to review country coordination mechanisms and prepare various reports and policy materials related to the humanitarian situation and response. The role includes serving as a primary focal point on specific topics, providing information and advice on humanitarian issues, and offering guidance to junior staff.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Humanitarian Affairs Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

• Serve as a Special Assistant to the OCHA Head of Office and Humanitarian Coordinator (HC).
• Monitor, analyze, and report on humanitarian developments, disaster relief/management, or emergency situations in Afghanistan.
• Organize follow-up work, including interagency technical review meetings to support policy development and decision-making.
• Partner with other humanitarian agencies to plan and evaluate humanitarian and emergency assistance programs, ensuring incorporation of findings and gender considerations.
• Assist in producing appeals for international assistance and ensure proper use of donor contributions.
• Establish and maintain contacts with government officials, UN agencies, NGOs, and media.
• Participate in field missions to review country coordination mechanisms.
• Prepare reports, studies, background papers, policy briefs, and other materials related to the humanitarian situation.
• Serve as a primary focal point on specific topics or policy-related issues. 1
• Provide information and advice on humanitarian issues, ensuring effective delivery of assistance. 1
• Provide guidance to and supervise new/junior staff. 1
• Perform other duties as required.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires a strong understanding of humanitarian and emergency relief assistance, with the ability to identify and analyze issues and participate in their resolution. Candidates should have the ability to develop sources for data collection and possess conceptual analytical and evaluative skills for independent research and analysis. Familiarity with various research sources, including electronic databases, is essential. The candidate must demonstrate professionalism, efficiency, and a commitment to incorporating gender perspectives in all areas of work. The ability to work under pressure and in stressful environments is crucial, as is the capacity to develop clear goals and prioritize activities effectively.

Educational Background:
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. Alternatively, a first-level university degree combined with an additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Experience:
A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, rehabilitation, development, or related areas is required. Candidates should have experience in producing analysis, drafting documents, and editing official reports and correspondence. Experience in donor relations and partnerships at the HQ level is desirable, as is experience in a humanitarian context within the UN common system or a comparable international organization.

Languages:
English is required for this position, as it is one of the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Additionally, proficiency in either French, Chinese (Mandarin), Arabic, Spanish, or Russian is desirable. Candidates should refer to the UN Language Framework for the minimum required level for each skill in these languages.

Additional Notes:
The job is based in Kabul, Afghanistan, and may involve working in a highly stressful environment due to the nature of humanitarian crises. The position may require full-time commitment and could involve international recruitment. Specific details regarding contract duration, seniority level, compensation, and benefits are not provided in the job description.