NGO Seconded Liaison Officer

NGO Seconded Liaison Officer (Kenyan nationals only) - Kenya

Norwegian Refugee Council

The UN Somalia Risk Management Unit (RMU) was established to support all United Nations entities working in Somalia (UNCT Somalia), as well as partners and donors. This unit works within the Office of the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, which ensures independence and impartiality. In July 2012 and June 2013 the Monitoring Group Report on Somalia and Eritrea noted the work of the RMU as a best practice. The 2013 Monitoring Group report also provided the following recommendation:
(c) The Security Council requests the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia or his successor to encourage increased coordination between the Risk Management Unit and non-governmental organizations, and ensure that the Risk Management Unit assists non-governmental organizations in moving towards establishing a unified risk management approach and system; ”
The RMU in liaison with Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is looking for a highly motivated NGO Liaison Officer who can positively contribute to the work of the RMU, and actively support the wider NGO community working in Somalia. This NGO Liaison Officer will be responsible for assisting the Head of Risk Management Unit to advise the NGO community on their risk management regime and will encourage increased coordination between the RMU and NGO Community.

Whereas functional reporting of this position is to the Head of the RMU, administratively the recruitment and contract is managed by NRC. The post holder will therefore be a staff-member of the NRC seconded to the Risk Management Unit. Salary and benefits follow the NRC policies on nationally recruited staff, not the UN. The RMU will provide office space, desk-top computer and training materials.

CANDIDATES SHOULD APPLY ON LINE BY GOING THROUGH www.nrc.no. EMAIL AND PAPER APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

Job description

• Reporting directly to the Head of Risk Management Unit (RMU), the NGO Liaison Officer will have the following responsibilities:
• Support to the INGO Community in implementing a collective risk management best practice.
• Provide Risk Management Training to the NGO Community.
• Provide Risk Management Implementation Advice to the NGO community.
• Enhanced Coordination and increased Information Sharing between the NGO Community and the RMU.
• Support to the INGO Community
• Support the Head of Risk Management Unit and NGO community in coordination of risk, information sharing, and on risk management best practices.
• To increase understanding of what risk management activities are being undertaken by and within the NGO community, and to what extent these are being implemented.
• To strengthen and/or encourage increased NGO transparency and accountability with respect to due diligence, partner management and risk management.
• Provide Risk Management Training:
• Provision of Risk Management training in accordance with the ISO 31000 Enterprise Risk Management Standard and in line with the RMU Risk Management Training policies and procedures and training modules.
• Evaluate existing ISO 31000 Enterprise Risk Management Training courses/processes to help improve existing training practices as well as recommend new ‘best practice’ approaches to risk management training.
• Provision of reports and recommendations, related to risk management training as it relates to NGOs, as required for the Head of Risk Management Unit to support decision-making and RMU reporting requirements to the UNCT Somalia and Donors.
• Provide Risk Management Implementation Advice:
• To support the NGO community (on-request) in the provision of advice and expertise related to improvements in NGO specific organisational risk management structures
• Support co-ordination and information sharing in NGO risk management policies and best practice.
• Increased Coordination:
• Support the Head of Risk Management Unit and RMU in strengthening cooperation and collaboration and between the RMU and NGO community.
• Increase visibility of the RMU to the NGO community through advising on communications and advocacy to the NGO community as well as encouraging greater NGO transparency and accountability.

Qualifications

• A university degree in management, social sciences or international development.
• Minimum of 8 years’ relevant field based program work experience including in complex emergencies
• At least 3 years’ experience in a general management (ie covering all dimensions - program, finance, administrative, etc) oversight role in humanitarian/development work
• A sound knowledge of the INGO Community as it relates to Somalia;
• Demonstrable knowledge in Risk Management, including the ISO 31000 Enterprise Risk Management Framework and ability to support the application and implementation of risk management processes and frameworks;
• Demonstrable experience in project management, strategic, business planning and reporting and the ability to apply analytical thinking;
• Experience in problem solving and decision making and the ability to pre-empt and achieve solution based outcomes;
• Experience in the provision of training (training for adult and professional learners);
• A strong understanding of the challenges of working in Somalia.
• The candidate must be thoroughly proficient in written and spoken English.
• Written and especially spoken Somali would be an advantage.

Education field

• Political science

Education level

• College / University, Master / Phd grade

Personal qualities

• Very good oral and written communication skills
• Very good interpersonal skills and people management skills
• Very good budgeting, proposal and report writing skills
• Highly results driven and proactive
• Excellent in problem solving skills
• Very good representation and negotiation skills
• Good organisational and management skills
• High cultural awareness and sensitivity
• Goal oriented, with ability to work under pressure, independently and with limited or no supervision
• Ability and willingness to work and live under difficult circumstances.

We offer

• Duty station: Nairobi, UN Compound
• Contract period is up to 31st December 2014 with possibility of extension. Salary/benefits: According to NRC’s general directions for national staff

Miscellaneous info

• Travel: Some travelling must be expected

How to apply:

Apply through www.nrc.no, then vacancies