Only candidates who are not nationals of the country of assignment are eligible to apply to this position
Hardship LevelC
Family TypeFamily
Residential location (if applicable)
GradePR2
Staff Member / Affiliate TypeProfessional
* Staff members will not normally serve in International Professional positions in the country of their nationality. In addition, in case of a first appointment upon recruitment, the assignment must be outside the staff memberโs country of nationality.
In practical terms this means that you are not eligible to apply for International Professional vacancies advertised in the country where you are national of.
ReasonRegular > Regular Assignment
Remote work acceptedNo
Target Start Date2023-10-13
Job Posting End DateNovember 9, 2023
Standard Job Description
Associate External Relations Officer
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
Direct supervision is normally exercised by a (Snr) External Relations Officer or Representative who provides guidance on the applicable procedures. Advice may also be provided by relevant functional units at HQ. External contacts are with a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including inter alia, government, media, embassies, donors, UN agencies, NGOs and other national and international organizations, as well as general public on matters of importance to the Organization.
All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCRยฟs core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.
Duties
- Stay abreast of the challenges posed by the political context, the UN and humanitarian reform, and institutional developments in the area of forced displacement and humanitarian operations.
- Assist the implementation of a communications strategy that generates support for UNHCRยฟs operations from external partners (e.g. the general public, governments, partners, media, academia, NGOs, private sector and persons of concern).
- Assist in the dialogue with donors and embassies and provide relevant information on UNHCR operations and financial requirements by organizing regular briefings, bilateral meetings and missions and responding to donorsยฟ requests for information on ad hoc basis.
- Through a consultative process with headquarters, disseminate information on UNHCRยฟs global funding situation and mobilize additional funds to implement programmes and projects aimed at enhancing the quality of protection for persons of concern in the country operation.
- Assist in the coordination of the drafting of, situation reports, briefing notes, background material, talking points, fact sheets, press releases and articles.
- Draft narrative and financial reports on contributions in compliance with specific donor requirements.
- Monitor earmarking level of funding for UNHCR Country operation and ensure appropriate visibility for donor contributions in compliance with UNHCR guidelines and specific donor requirements.
- Participate on behalf of the Representative and other supervisors in inter-agency cooperation and communication strategies, initiatives and tools.
- Assist in the management of information flows within the country operations by identifying priority matters, securing, analyzing and disseminating documentation and information to support country operations and corporate communication processes and priorities.
- Consolidate information on UNHCRยฟs country operations and identify appropriate messages for campaigns and appeals.
- Propose events and initiatives (e.g. commercial, cultural, political and sports) to promote the work of UNHCR and take action as appropriate.
- Support the management of media relations by, inter alia, responding to direct queries, publishing press releases, handling interview requests and organizing regular briefings and visits to country operations.
- Promote visibility of UNHCRยฟs work and advocate for support for the people of concern through providing inputs for social media and other web content.
- Organize missions to the field and press briefings for external parties as required.
- Implement all aspects of a communications strategy.
- Represent UNHCR on behalf of senior management in fundraising and communication priorities in inter-agency initiatives and fora.
- Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
- Perform other related duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P2/NOB - 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree
Field(s) of Education
Political Sciences, Social Sciences, International Relations, Journalism, Communications
or other relevant field.
Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified
Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Experience in humanitarian operations in a field environment.
Excellent knowledge of local institution, politics and culture.
Desirable
Fund-raising and programming/programme management experience.
Experience of working with social media.
Functional Skills
CO-Drafting and Documentation
PS-Fundraising (incl. operations, programmes)
PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards)
IT-Computer Literacy
IT-Web Content Management
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.
All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.
As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.
This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.
Desired Candidate Profile The ideal candidate should have excellent communication, fluent in both languages (English and French), fund-raising, drafting, coordination and diplomatic skills, ideally demonstrated through previous professional experience in the region and/or preferably working in a complex operation. In addition, he or she should have a sound experience in engaging various partners (Private sector, financial institution, development actors etc)
Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level): French
,
,
Desired languages
,
,
Operational context
Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:
To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link:
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel
Nature of Position:
UNHCR Djibouti covers one (1) Country Representation in Djibouti, one (1) Field Office in Ali Sabieh and one (1) Field Unit in Obock. The incumbent will be under the supervision of the Representative. S/he is required to have previous experience in various international context, solid competencies and skills in the External Relations Field, preferably work knowledge and experience in the EHAGL region.
The incumbent is the focal point for donor relations in the UNHCR Djibouti operation, under the supervision of the Representative. He/she is tasked with maintaining a proactive dialogue with donor government, regional and local donors, building relationships and strengthening existing partnerships; helping to mobilize political and financial support for UNHCโs work and priorities and working to sustain support and create new fundraising opportunities.
S/he will take the lead in drafting donor project proposals and timely donor updates and reports. This requires good knowledge of programme cycles, funding and budgeting.
She/he will prepare donor briefings, donor missions, any other events relating to donors and preparing briefing kits for donors and talking points for the Representative and EHAGL Regional Bureau as required.
The post-holder is part of the SMT, which is responsible for drafting and disseminating regular updates, reports, fact sheets and documents/informational pieces externally - to donors, partners, and stakeholders ยฟ and internally to HQ, field offices.
S/he must be able to work closely with field colleagues to ensure effective communication, sharing of updated information and open dialogue with external stakeholders who have increasingly shown interest in understanding the challenges of the refugee and asylum seekers in Djibouti, how UNHCR responds, how it cooperates with and includes other partners. As such, information collection, collation, review and packaging material for external communication is an important attribute sought.
S/he will liaise closely with other units in Djibouti Operation, especially the management, the programme unit, to ensure main activities are captured in regular reports and that web stories/photos and posts on social media acknowledge relevant donor support.
The postholder will need to stay well-briefed about the operation and funding needs, priorities and UNHCRโs operations worldwide, in order to keep a fluid channel of communication with authority and knowledgeably to donors and in external coordination mechanisms.
Living and Working Conditions:
Djibouti, on the Horn of Africa, is a mostly French- and Arabic-speaking country of dry shrublands, volcanic formations and Gulf of Aden beaches. Djibouti is a multi-ethnic nation with a population of over 1,012,361 inhabitants (the smallest in mainland Africa) ). French and Arabic are the country's two official languages. About 94% of residents adhere to Islam which is the official religion and has been predominant in the region for more than a thousand years. Djibouti is strategically located near some of the world's busiest shipping lanes, controlling access to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. It serves as a key refuelling and transshipment center, and is the principal maritime port for imports from and exports to neighboring Ethiopia. A burgeoning commercial hub, the nation is the site of various foreign military bases, including Camp Lemonnier. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) regional body also has its headquarters in Djibouti City.
There is moderate risk from crime in Djibouti. Most reported incidents are crimes of opportunity (e.g. pickpocketing, petty theft) for immediate gain. Panhandlers and street children target foreigners for petty theft by creating distractions. Unreported crimes also commonly occur within the local community. Exercised caution in congested areas such as the central market, city center, and downtown neighborhoods (known locally as quartiers), especially after dark. Avoid isolated areas, particularly along the urban coastline.
Djibouti is in Seismic Zone 4, indicating a very high likelihood of damage resulting from earthquakes. Although hot conditions prevail year-round, brief periods of moderate to heavy rains can cause severe flooding of roads and homes due to poor infrastructure. High tides exacerbate flooding. In recent years, flooding has led to several fatalities across Djibouti, especially when unpredicted rain leads to flash flooding in the country.
Additional Qualifications
SkillsCL-Programme/Project Mgmt (formulation, implementation, programme cycles and reporting), Computer Literacy, CO-Reporting skills, ER-Inter-Agency External Relations, IT-IT Collaboration & Communications Tools, MG-Team building (development/facilitation), PR-Development of protection advocacy strategies and communication, Project Cycle Management (PCM), PS-Fundraising (incl. operations, programmes), Social Media Communications, TI-Verbal translation, TI-Written Translation, Web Content Management
EducationBachelor of Arts (BA): Communication, Bachelor of Arts (BA): International Relations, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Journalism, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Political Science, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Social Science
Certifications
Work ExperienceAnnual Budget OL in Operation/Office, Number of Persons of Concern Served, Number of Workforce in Operation/Work Setting, Workforce to Supervise, Working with Persons of Concern: Asylum Seekers, Working with Persons of Concern: Refugees
CompetenciesAccountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Innovation & creativity, Managing performance, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Teamwork & collaboration
UNHCR Salary Calculator
https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales
Compendium Bi-annual Compendium 2023 Part B - October 2023
Additional Information
Functional clearanceThis position doesn't require a functional clearance