Senior Emergency Coordinator, Gaza Strip, State of Palestine, D-1 (Fixed term contract, 1 year, with a possibility to extend)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfil their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. And we never give up.

For every child, dedication.

The Gaza Strip faces critical challenges, with 1.7 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) undergoing multiple displacements in search of safety, disproportionately affecting children and women. Half of the population in the Strip are children. There is almost a total breakdown of basic services, including health, education, water and sanitation services. All this poses serious risk infections for children and women.

Movement in Gaza is challenging due to ongoing violence and telecommunication services widely impacted.

In response to the complex situation in the Gaza Strip and across the State of Palestine, a Senior Emergency Coordinator, D1, is needed to offer strategic direction for emergency programming, humanitarian coordination, and advocacy with donors and stakeholders. The coordinator will effectively engage within the UN and humanitarian system and represent UNICEF in Gaza-based humanitarian forums.

Leading the UNICEF operation in the Gaza Strip, the Senior Emergency Coordinator supervises the Chief of Field Office and Cluster/AoR Coordinators (Nutrition, WASH, Child Protection, and Education). S/he ensures strategic oversight for emergency preparedness and response, contributing to the formulation and management of the UNICEF Area Programme of Cooperation. Her/his Accountability extends to advocating for humanitarian response efforts toward the survival, protection, development, and participation of children and women in national development efforts.

The Senior Emergency Coordinator provides policy support, guidance and advocacy on the development and establishment of common services arrangements agreed to by participating organizations/agencies in the Gaza Strip. To ensure that these joint operational arrangements assist UNICEF in its objective to provide efficient and economical support services to the implementation of the country programme. S/he provides policy support, guidance and advocacy as required in emergency situations and for principled humanitarian action and programme implementation.

How can you make a difference?

Under the direction and guidance of the Special Representative and within the delegated authority and the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be accountable for all or assigned areas of the following major duties and end results:

• Leadership and expertise are provided for emergency preparedness, response and planning for innovative approaches for UNICEF to best achieve results for children in a changing context. 
• Representation and advocacy at field level undertaken to ensure effective engagement with the authorities and partners for timely service delivery to children and women.
• Support the on-going inter-agency planning process and ensure that it is consistent with the UNICEF CCCs, emergency procedures, operating rules so as to guarantee the neutrality, independence and non-discrimination of UNICEF assistance.
• Strengthened office structure to support programme delivery at field level.
• Effective Programme Development and Management.
• Effective programme management and institutional and organizational cooperation arrangements resulting in a stronger UNICEF presence better able to promote the agenda for children.
• Rights-based and Results-based programme development and management approach fully incorporated into all phases of Emergency operations and Humanitarian programme initiatives.
• In consultation with Section Chiefs – especially in designated Functional Areas – determine programmatic priorities for interventions. Prepare project proposals for emergency assistance and other related documentation as necessary.
• Effective cluster approach to the sectors in Afghanistan and effective formulated and implemented to meet its cluster leadership responsibility in accordance with the global policy.
• Office wide and field level humanitarian access and engagement strategies are fit for purpose and support the opening of humanitarian space.
• Availability of financial resources for the implementation of appropriate Preparedness, Coordination, Capacity Building and Response interventions is increased through effective coordination and support for resource mobilization.
• Effective advocacy, communication and networking achieved through partnership and collaboration with internal and external counterparts.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Person profile:

• Advanced university degree in Social Sciences, International Relations, Government, Public Administration, Public Policy, Social Policy, Social Development, Community Development, or other relevant disciplines.
• A minimum of 13 years of relevant professional work experience, including fieldwork experience.
• Experience working in challenging operating environments and negotiating difficult situations.
• Experience in programme/project management and budgeting.
• Experience in knowledge management and gender mainstreaming is an advantage.
• Experience working in the UN or other international development organizations is an asset.
• Knowledge about UNICEF strategies, policies, and processes is desirable.
• Fluency in English is required. Good knowledge of a second UN working language and/or local.
• Working language of the duty station is an asset.

Person profile:

• A leader with a strong drive for results and resilience in the face of difficulties; someone who abides and upholds the care values of commitment, respect, integrity, trust, accountability, and sustainability.
• Ability to create and build on personal relationships and networks in a highly volatile and unpredictable environment.
• Experienced in advocacy and upstream work coupled with strong programming skills to model quality innovative inclusive programming for populations in humanitarian crisis especially women and children.
• Ability to apply excellent negotiation and partnerships skills.
• Politically savvy to position UNICEF among multiple stakeholders in a politically complex and sensitive environment.
• Experience with emergency preparedness and response and disaster risk reduction programmatic interventions. 
• Strong managerial and leadership skills.
• Good strategic vision and analytical judgement.
• Strong resilience and good cultural sensitivity and adaptability. 

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability(CRITAS)underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness(3)Drive to achieve results for impact(4)Innovates and embraces change(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity(6)Thinks and acts strategically(7)Works collaboratively with others.(8)Nurtures, leads and manages people.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be cancelled.

Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.