Emergency Specialist (Risk Analysis and Preparedness), P-3, Office of Emergency Programmes (EMOPS) Istanbul, Türkiye, #131523, [Temporary Appointment, 364 days]

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built, we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, Protection 

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations. 

As emergencies become more frequent, the expectations of UNICEF to deliver on the Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action (CCCs) in a timely and effective manner will continue to increase. Emergency preparedness significantly enhances UNICEF’s ability to meet these expectations and save time and resources in the response. In 2018 EMOPS created the Risk Analysis and Preparedness Section to bring together organizational elements focused on ensuring that UNICEF is prepared and ready to respond to all forms of hazard and threats that could create humanitarian needs for children and those who care for them, and/or affect humanitarian operations. This includes developing UNICEF’s ability to anticipate hazards and their outcomes to trigger preparedness and readiness actions. This position contributes to this goal.  

Job organizational Context:  

The Emergency Specialist (Risk Analysis and Preparedness) is based in UNICEF Headquarters, Office of Emergency Programmes (EMOPS), Risk Analysis and Preparedness Section (RAPS) and reports to the Emergency Specialist (Risk Analysis). 

How can you make a difference? 

The Emergency Specialist (Risk Analysis and Preparedness) will facilitate UNICEF’s global political risk monitoring and analysis, including research and analysis of political, administrative and legislative risks potentially affecting UNICEF’s humanitarian response, focusing on fragile or otherwise high-risk settings including UNICEF’s corporate priority emergency responses. The Emergency Specialist will research and draft analytical reports, liaise with key partners, and support the development of UNICEF’s analytical systems and related analytical capacity, policies and technologies. 

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:  

Produce briefings for senior UNICEF managers on political risk, in varied formats and modalities. 

Develop analyses and scenarios to support UNICEF CO and RO in contingency planning and emergency preparedness. 

Participate in inter-agency risk analysis processes including the IASC Early Warning Early Action / Horizon Scanning and Regional Monthly Review processes.  

Enhance UNICEF collection and collation of political risk information through improved use of technology. 

Build partnerships with external actors in the political risk analysis space to enhance UNICEF’s access to information. 

Produce briefings for senior UNICEF managers on political risk, in varied formats and modalities: 

Develop analyses and scenarios to support UNICEF CO and RO in contingency planning and emergency preparedness: 

Research and draft conflict and political risk-related scenarios that include context, humanitarian impacts, and operational impacts, in collaboration with UNICEF RO and CO, and HQ sections. 

Regularly communicate with other sections, and other staff in the Risk Analysis and Preparedness section, using or producing political risk or otherwise relevant information, to ensure common understandings and avoid duplication 

Consult with other sections as relevant in the production of briefing materials as above 

Participate in inter-agency risk analysis processes including the IASC Early Warning Early Action / Horizon Scanning and Regional Monthly Review processes:

Contribute to research, analysis, and report drafting for IASC risk analysis processes 

Coordinate day to day aspects of UNICEF engagement in the Regional Monthly Review process, including liaising with other UNICEF RO, CO and HQ sections as needed, attending meetings, and research and drafting risk analyses.   

Enhance UNICEF collection and collation of political risk information through improved use of technology, in collaboration with OPSCEN:

Identify and exploit opportunities to develop technological solutions related to political risk information collection, filtering, storage, and analysis 

Support integration of the above into existing and new systems in the Risk Analysis and Preparedness Section 

Build partnerships with external actors in the political risk analysis space to enhance UNICEF’s access to information:

As needed, work with the Humanitarian Field Support Section and EMOPS Director’s Office on political analysis for Level 3 and Level 2 crises 

Identify partners that could enhance UNICEF’s political risk analysis outputs and develop and manage informal and formal partnerships as appropriate. 

Impact of Results:

The efficient and effective analytical support provided by the Emergency Specialist (Political Risk Analysis) impacts on the timeliness and effectiveness of the humanitarian action for children in emergencies. 

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

Minimum requirements:

*First level university degree with relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

At least five years of experience in international political risk analysis, with emphasis on fragile/high-risk environments

Experience producing political risk briefings for senior management

Experience with a humanitarian agency and an understanding of the impacts of political and conflict risk on humanitarian operations

Demonstrated data analysis skills

Experience in economic risk analysis is an asset