Job Title: Associate Shelter Officer
Organization: United Nations Volunteers (UNV)
Host entity: UNHCR
Assignment country: Chad
Expected start date: 24/08/2023
Sustainable Development Goal: 17. Partnerships for the goals
Volunteer category: International UN Volunteer Specialist
Type: Onsite
Duration: 12 months
Number of assignments: 1
Duty stations: Abeche
Details
Mission and objectives
The Office of the UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950
by the UN General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate
international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems
worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of
refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek
asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home
voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country
(www.unhcr.org)
Context
Preamble: The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is
the UN organization that promotes volunteerism to support peace and development
worldwide. Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development and it
benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. UNV contributes to
peace and development by advocating for volunteerism globally, encouraging
partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing
volunteers. In most cultures volunteerism is deeply embedded in
long-established, ancient traditions of sharing and support within the
communities. In this context, UN Volunteers take part in various forms of
volunteerism and play a role in development and peace together with co-workers,
host agencies and local communities. In all assignments, UN Volunteers promote
volunteerism through their action and conduct. Engaging in volunteer activity
can effectively and positively enrich their understanding of local and social
realities, as well as create a bridge between themselves and the people in
their host community. This will make the time they spend as UN Volunteers even
more rewarding and productive. Organizational Context/Project: The Office of
the UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly. The
agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect
refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to
safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that
everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another
State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to
resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org). Please provide basic background
information on the project
Task description
Under the direct supervision of (the Programme Officer), the
UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: • Ensuring that UNHCR Field
operations are supported in carrying out shelter needs as-sessments taking into
account the current situation, projected population planning figures and the
expected scale of returns; • Developing country level shelter strategies which
are framed by UNHCR’s Global Strate-gy for Settlement and Shelter and take into
consideration the local context, age and gen-der, culture, climate,
environmental protection and the availability of local resources, in-cluding
materials, capacities and existing infrastructure; • Providing clear guidance
on standards for shelter and settlement, including minimum emergency standards
to meet basic and essential needs; • Together with UNHCR's implementing
partners, compiling, analysing and mapping avail-able information on shelter
options in country taking into account relevant policies adopt-ed by the
Government. When planning shelter works, ensuring that the technical compo-nent
reflects UNHCR minimum standards for the provision of emergency and other types
of shelter assistance and is within the budgetary requirements. Due
consideration should be given to standards in other relevant sectors such as
water and sanitation; • Ensuring the shelter strategy is periodically reviewed
to reflect the evolving situation in country and progressively transitioning to
more sustainable shelter solutions. This pro-cess should be done in close
collaboration with the beneficiaries and the host Govern-ment while bearing in
mind the shelter needs of people upon their eventual return to their country of
origin; • Ensuring that specifications, bills of quantities and drawings are
produced in a technically sound and standardised manner and establish
monitoring and evaluation tools to ensure that works are implemented according
to plans and completed within the designated timeframe; • Promoting the
sustainability of technical interventions through local capacity building and
self-help in collaboration with local partners in the field. Ensure that local
communities have been consulted on all activities so as not to create
unnecessary tension between the displaced and host populations; • In
consultation with UNHCR’s implementing partner and local communities themselves,
identifying the need for community based Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) that can
benefit the local and displaced communities; • The position requires regular
contact with programme, protection and field staff in country in order to
ensure technical support related to shelter and construction activities; •
Close and regular contact with technical and non-technical staff of UN
Agencies, Imple-menting Partners, National and International NGOs and
Government Authorities, is es-sential to discuss matters relating to shelter
and infrastructure coordination and provision; • Maintaining regular contact
with the Shelter and Settlement Section in Geneva regarding all technical
matters. Results/Expected Outputs: • Shelter, Infrastructure and Site Planning
activities implemented, respect UNHCR and Na-tional standards and
specifications; • Shelter/Infrastructure activities supported to ensure that
objectives as defined within UNHCR Sub agreements are met within the year with
specific emphasis on increased beneficiary tar-geting and participation; •
Shelter/Infrastructure activities supervised, monitored and reported in a
regular and con-sistent manner to the Sub-Office; • Field activities and Field
staff supported by increased presence of the Technical unit by regu-lar field
visits in the Camps with activities closely monitored and supervised; •
Technical drawings, designs, Bills of Quantities and Specifications produced by
the Tech-nical Unit are developed and reviewed to ensure consistency/coherence
accuracy and ap-propriateness; • UNHCR functional units such as Admin, Supply,
Program, Field, and Protection provided with the required technical support in
a timely manner so that objectives of the UNHCR are attained; • UNHCR
Implementing Partners and the Government are supported in their implementation
of technical activities for the beneficiaries by also identifying areas of
capacity building that can be supported by UNHCR; • The development of capacity
through coaching, mentoring and formal on-the-job training, when working with
(including supervising) national staff or (non-) governmental counterparts,
including Implementing Partners (IPs);
Eligibility criteria
Age
27 - 80
Nationality
Candidate must be a national of a country other than the
country of assignment.
Requirements
Required experience
3 years of experience in Relevant professional experience
includes management of humanitarian shelter or settlement programs / projects
or a combination of experience in the humanitarian sector and
construction-related activities outside of the humanitarian sector such as
supervision of construction works. Knowledge of computer software (MS Word,
Excel PowerPoint), as well as the capacity to use mapping tools, i.e. GPS and
knowledge of construction drawing and design software (AutoCad or MS Visio,
Hipanet etc) is a great added advantage. Excellent interpersonal, teamwork and
negotiation skills in a cross cultural environment and the ability to assist in
communication of technical and non-technical details with Government tech-nical
staff as well as NGO staff and local authorities
Area(s) of expertise
Engineering and construction , Facility management
Driving license
-
Languages
French, Level: Fluent, Required English, Level: Working
knowledge, Required
Required education level
Bachelor degree or equivalent in Architecture or
Civil-Engineering
Competencies and values
• Integrity and professionalism: demonstrated expertise in
area of specialty and ability to apply good judgment; high degree of autonomy,
personal initiative and ability to take ownership; willingness to accept wide
responsibilities and ability to work independently under estab-lished
procedures in a politically sensitive environment, while exercising discretion,
impar-tiality and neutrality; ability to manage information objectively,
accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented. •
Accountability: mature and responsible; ability to operate in compliance with
organizational rules and regulations. • Commitment to continuous learning:
initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new
developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work
envi-ronment. • Planning and organizing: effective organizational and
problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an
efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan,
coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with
conflict-ing deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities.
• Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across
organizational boundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective
partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic
environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity and gender; •
Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written
communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports;
ability to conduct presentations, articu-late options and positions concisely;
ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and
empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel,
volun-teers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse
backgrounds; ability to maintain composure and remain helpful towards the
staff, but objective, without showing per-sonal interest; capacity to transfer
information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups; •
Flexibility, adaptability, and ability and willingness to operate independently
in austere, re-mote and potentially hazardous environments for protracted
periods, involving physical hard-ship and little comfort, and including
possible extensive travel within the area of operations; willingness to
transfer to other duty stations within area of operations as may be necessary;
• Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which
includes soli-darity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment
towards the UN core val-ues.
Other information
Living conditions and remarks
Chad is a unique humanitarian operation. It provides for an
interesting and enriching environ-ment, but also requires a mature level of
cultural awareness, as well as more stamina and com-mitment than elsewhere to
make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability
and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions,
involving physical hardship and little comfort, are essential. Candidates
applying to positions in Chad should be prepared to work under challenging
condi-tions and be able to manage stressful situations. All the duty stations
in Chad are classified E, except N’Djamena which is at D. Most of international
as well as national staff are living in guesthouses in eastern Chad. The
climate is hot and semi-arid, with a rainy season from June to September.
Electricity supply can be unstable and international staff members are provided
generators by the office. Water sup-plies work in most areas but a personal
drinkable water supply is required, even food. Most rele-vant supplies can be
found on local markets though choice is limited compared to other hubs and
prices are very high as most goods are imported. Banking facilities are
available in Abeche. All communications within the office and with external
partners such as Government and humanitarian agencies are conducted in French.
There are regular UNHAS flights from N'djamena to Abeche, and from Abeche to
the other Field offices and field unit covered which makes it accessible for
staff taking R&R. The RR cycle in Abeche is 8 weeks as well as in other
duty stations in Chad except Baga Sola which is 6 weeks. There are specific
security measures to be taken into consideration. Aside from the mandatory
security briefing provided to the staff upon arrival in N’Djamena with specific
location information and requirements: - All UN personnel must complete their
BSAFE training online - Per the classification of roads, all road movements
between cities should be accompa-nied by an armed escort in the SRM East zone.
These movements are conditioned by a granted security clearance through TRIP -
Unless exceptionally allowed all road movements between cities must be started
after 6 a.m. and completed by 6 p.m. - All movements of UNSMS vehicles in
Abeche are allowed only between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m, while all movements of
UNSMS vehicles in Farchana, Goz Beida, Iriba, Amdjarass and Guéréda are allowed
only between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Inclusivity statement
United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme
that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to
achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part
of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to
combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights
and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender
identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability,
pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements
This UNV assignment is subject to proof of vaccination
against Covid-19 with WHO approved vaccine, unless the UNHCR Medical Service
approves an exemption from this requirement on medical grounds
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