occupied Palestinian territory: Senior Deputy Director of UNRWA Operations (Programmes)

UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY

FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST

UNRWA

UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is mandated to provide assistance and protection to a population of some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full potential in human development, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWA’s services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance and emergency assistance. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions. UNRWA seeks the services of a seasoned and innovative professional, highly motivated to provide skilled leadership in the position of:

Senior Deputy Director of UNRWA Operations (Programmes)

Vacancy Announcement Number

16-FO-GA-50

Grade

D-1

Deadline for Applications

25 October 2016

(11 October 2016 for internal applicants)

Duty Station

Gaza

UNRWA encourages applications from qualified women and welcomes applications from qualified candidates with disabilities.

UNRWA, Gaza has two Deputy Directors reporting directly to the Field Director – this position, the Senior Deputy Director for Programmes and the second one being the Deputy Director for Organizational Support. The Deputies will each manage a substantive portfolio of responsibilities. The Senior Deputy Director will be responsible for the programme portfolio which involves management and oversight of the Agency’s largest Field programmes which are education, health, relief and social services including emergency preparedness and assistance, infrastructure and camp Improvement, microfinance and community mental health programmes, in addition to oversight for the operations support officer (OSO) programme and protection, planning, projects and partnerships, mainstreaming and security. This entails leadership and resource management in respect of services of the value in excess of 510 Million USD and over 13,000 staff. These resources represent in the region of 45% of the Agency’s total expenditure and over 40% of the staffing of the Agency as a whole. The incumbent will, as part of the leadership team, contribute to the Field’s strategic and operational plans and budgets, guide and direct specialist staff, respond to emerging needs, manage staff performance and ensure optimal use of resources. This includes development of improved processes and programme development leading to enhanced efficiency. Many of Gaza Field’s initiatives have been adopted and implemented Agency-wide under GFO supervision. The incumbent will, in conjunction with senior colleagues, liaise with external interlocutors including UN country teams, host government representatives, the refugee community and others. The incumbent will be assigned as Acting Field Director during the absence of the Field Director and, as such, assume full responsibility and accountability for the management of the Field including serving as the Area Security Coordinator to the Designated Official under the UNDSS Security Management System. In accordance with the established Agency policy and procedures, the incumbent will:

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

· Be responsible for the management of the largest standard Field programme cluster in the Agency, which comprises education, health, relief and social services including emergency preparedness and assistance, community mental health, infrastructure and camp improvement, microfinance and oversight for the OSO programme and protection, planning, projects and partnerships, mainstreaming and security functions, and be the principal adviser to the Field Director on these functions; be responsible for Gaza specific programmes which were developed in response to the changing needs of the Field and to expand UNRWA’s capacity to respond; these programmes include Interactive Learning Programme, Summer Learning Programme and Summer Fun Weeks;

· Contribute to the development, preparation, coordination and monitoring of the Field Implementation Plan, Biennium Budget, Mid-Term Strategy for the programmes in his/her Field, ensuring an integrated approach to the management of programmes and exercising decision-making authority over the largest share of the Agency’s human and financial resources and capital assets of the Field, in line with UNRWA regulatory framework and SPARE principles;

· Provide support and advice to the Field Director in implementing the largest proportion of the Agency’s reform plan for comprehensive programme and management reform; lead the implementation of pertinent reform initiatives in his/her organizational cluster; coordinate the work of cross-functional teams to achieve field-wide outcomes and promote integration of cross-cutting issues into the field programme framework; in conjunction with HQ Directors, enable the Gaza Field to act as ‘pathfinder’ or ‘early adopter’ in Agency-wide reforms;

· Establish an effective performance management framework for his/her direct reports and provide guidance, support, and mentoring as well as completing regular performance evaluation reports:

· Liaise with government and local authorities to ensure their cooperation in facilitating the Agency’s operations; assist the Field Director in managing and promoting inter-agency and donor relations;

· Proactively coordinate with the Area Staff Union chairperson and Education, General Services and Manual Workers sector chairpersons, building structural relationships to resolve issues and disputes between staff, the staff union and field management;

· As assigned, act for the Field Director during his/her absence, with full responsibility for the Field operations, and reporting to the Commissioner-Genera, (USG) and/or Deputy Commissioner-General (ASG);

· Act as the Field security focal point and liaise with the Agency’s Chief Security Adviser and the UN Department of Safety and Security in the Field; act as the Area Security Coordinator as required;

Professional Knowledge and Experience

· Advanced university degree from an accredited educational institution in political science, social science, public or business administration, or international relations supplemented by studies in management (where required);

· At least fifteen years of progressively responsible professional experience, including at least eight years managing large-scale, multi-sector programmes in a large governmental or international organization, working internationally outside one's home country.

· Significant experience in managing large teams;

· Excellent command of spoken and written English.

Competencies

· Professionalism: Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations;

· Leadership: Advanced managerial/leadership skills; demonstrated flexibility in leadership by performing and/or overseeing, the analysis of complex human resources, financial, administrative or management policy and programme issues including in complex emergencies and recovery situations; proven record of building and managing teams and creating an enabling environment, including the ability to effectively lead, supervise, mentor, develop and evaluate staff and design training/skills enhancement initiatives to ensure effective transfer of knowledge/skills; tact in negotiating skills; good judgment and decision-making skills; demonstrated ability to provide leadership and commitment to the goal of achieving gender balance in staffing;

· Planning and Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently;

· Managing performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches tasks to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; updates Agency ePER system, encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly;

· Vision: Identifies strategic issues, opportunities and risks; clearly communicates links between the Organization’s strategy and the work unit’s goals; generates and communicates broad and compelling organizational direction, inspiring others to pursue that same direction; conveys enthusiasm about future possibilities;

· Communications: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed;

· Technology Awareness: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitations of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology;

· Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts; joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Equivalency

When the minimum requirements are not fully met, the Human Resources Department may substitute part of the unmet requirements under UNRWA’s equivalency determination guidelines with a combination of relevant academic qualification, additional professional training and/or progressive relevant work experience. Note: Work experience alone or formal qualifications with no relevant work experience are not considered sufficient for an equivalency determination.

Desirable Qualifications

· Knowledge of activities of UNRWA operations and services;

· Knowledge of Middle Eastern geo-political realities and its socio-cultural implications;

· Experience with United Nations administration/financial policies and practices;

· Working knowledge of Arabic.

Additional Information

The incumbent will be required to travel frequently throughout the Agency’s area of operations in the Middle East.

Conditions of Service

UNRWA offers an attractive compensation package including annual salary starting at $105,572 net tax free with dependants or $97,583 single, plus post adjustment of 52.9% (subject to change without notice). Other benefits, subject to eligibility, include education grant, dependency allowance, home leave, pension fund, health insurance and 6 weeks of annual leave. Staff members based in Gaza are entitled to additional benefits, subject to eligibility, including expanded leave provisions, hardship pay, and R&R leave currently every 8 weeks (according to the UN classification of the duty station and subject to change without notice). While Gaza is a non-family duty station, eligible staff members may set up a second household in a nearby location to have their family nearby. Initial contract is for two years,** with the possibility of further extensions subject to the availability of funds, satisfactory performance and the continuing need for the post.

How to Apply

To start the application process, applicants are required to register at http://jobs.unrwa.org by creating a personal profile and completing UNRWAPersonal History Form. Please note that UNRWA only accepts degrees from accredited educational institutions. Only applications received throughhttp://jobs.unrwa.orgwill be considered. Due to the large number of applications received for UNRWA vacancies, only short-listed applicants will be contacted.

The United Nations does not charge fees at any stage of the recruitment process (application, testing, interviewing, etc). The United Nations does not concern itself with information related to bank accounts.

General Information

UNRWA is a United Nations organization whose staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity, neutrality and impartiality. This includes respect for and commitment to human rights, diversity, and non-violent means of dealing with all kinds of conflict. UNRWA staff are expected to uphold these values at all times, both at work and outside. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for UNRWA jobs. UNRWA is a non-smoking work environment.

The statutory retirement age for staff entering or re-entering service in the UN Common System after 1 January 1990 is 62 and 65 after 1 January 2014. For external applicants, only those who are expected to complete a term of appointment will normally be considered.

The Agency reserves the right not to make an appointment, to make an appointment at a lower grade, or to make an appointment with a modified job description.

On appointment, all individuals will be asked to sign a self-attestation, confirming that they have not committed, been convicted of, or prosecuted for, any criminal offence and that they have not been involved, by act or omission, in the commission of any violation of international human rights law or international humanitarian law.

Date of issue: 28 September 2016 / CF

To start the application process, applicants are required to register at http://jobs.unrwa.org by creating a personal profile and completing UNRWAPersonal History Form. Please note that UNRWA only accepts degrees from accredited educational institutions. Only applications received throughhttp://jobs.unrwa.orgwill be considered. Due to the large number of applications received for UNRWA vacancies, only short-listed applicants will be contacted.

The United Nations does not charge fees at any stage of the recruitment process (application, testing, interviewing, etc). The United Nations does not concern itself with information related to bank accounts.