United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Humanitarian Adviser, Partnerships

Job title: Humanitarian Adviser, Partnerships

Location: CHASE OT, London

Type of contract: Permanent

Salary: £45850 per annum

Application deadline: 13 January 2015

Our business

The Conflict, Humanitarian & Security Department’s Operations Team (CHASE OT) is contracted through Crown Agents by the Department of International Development (DFID) and the Stabilisation Unit (SU) to provide support services and an operational team delivering advice and assistance on humanitarian disasters and emergencies.

Role and responsibilities include:

Working to the CHASE OT Deputy Director for Policy and Partnerships but embedded in CHASE's Humanitarian Policy and Partnerships Group (HPPG), to directly support the CHASE HPPG Team Leader, Humanitarian Partnerships, the post holder will:

• Provide humanitarian advice and technical support to the Team Leader, Humanitarian partnerships on the effectiveness of the humanitarian system and areas of reform.

• Provide humanitarian advice and technical support to institutional partnership with OCHA that ensures delivery in line with relevant DFID Strategic Objectives as well as against MAR reform priorities and OCHA’s own strategic and/or results framework.

• Provide humanitarian advice and technical support to institutional partnership with CERF that ensures delivery in line with relevant DFID Strategic Objectives as well as against MAR reform priorities and CERF’s own strategic and/or results framework.

• Provide humanitarian advice and technical support on humanitarian country based pooled funding mechanisms.

• Provide humanitarian analysis and advice to help design and implement humanitarian response strategies for DFID. This will include conducting situation and needs assessments, identifying response gaps where the UK will have the greatest added value, drafting responses strategies, and programming funds (including appraising proposals and drafting funding submissions).

• Support the development and implementation of programme monitoring activities (this will include providing partner performance feedback. On occasion the post holder might be required to plan and participate in evaluation work.

• Work with policy and programme staff to implement robust project cycle management principles. Where feasible and appropriate, the post holder will provide recommendations for improvement to systems already in place.

• Support the practical application of DFID policies particularly with regards to system-wide initiatives underway to build a more effective international humanitarian response system.

• Maintain contacts among humanitarian policy and practice professionals, including NGOs, the Red Cross family, Multilaterals, donors and the Private Sector as required.

• Where required, support DFID in its dealings with other Whitehall departments (MoD, FCO etc.).

• Monitor key information networks, and proactively communicate relevant information to support CHASE’s disaster response capability.

Person Specification

• Applicants must have a minimum of a masters degree or the equivalent level of academic and professional experience in a subject related to humanitarian work.

• The post calls for an experienced humanitarian adviser with a credible operational record. Candiates must demonstrate a thorough understanding of humanitarian programmes across a range of chronic and acute contexts. Experience working at Headquarters level, on humanitarian policy issues, is also desirable.

• The post holder will have a solid understanding of the international humanitarian architecture including the role and the perforrmance of the various actors. S/he will also be familiar with the main initiatives underway to strenghten the international humanitarian system, including, for example, the Transformative Agenda.

• The applicant will understand system-wide arrangements and schemes that underpin humanitarian response, including for example the international financing instruments and the cluster approach.

• The candidate will be expected to work strategically and have the ability to influence internal processes, whilst at the same time have a demonstrated ability to design and implement practical programmes on the ground. S/he will have experience identifying and communicating evidence that helps inform policy.

• Applicants will be expected to have broad cross-sectoral knowledge and experience, including for example an understanding of the main themes than support DFID’s disaster resilience agenda.

• The post holder must have the ability to work across various Departments in Whitehall (for example with the FCO and the MOD).

• The skills required for the post are:

  • Team leadership, team working, strong unterpersonal skills and the ability to initiate and manage work independently;
  • Critical thinking, creativity and flexibility, with the ability to work in a range of different environments;
  • Effective networking at various levels of seniority;
  • Excellent written and spoken communication skills;
  • Briefing skills (at senior level);
  • Reporting and administration skills; and,

Application process

For a full job description and application instructions, please visit:

http://www.crownagents.com/jobs/permanent-vacancies/detail/humanitarian-adviser-partnerships-(chase-ot)

Please note we are unable to sponsor or support visa applications so applicants must have the existing right to work in the UK.