ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
While cash-based interventions (CBIs) have been used in UNHCR operations for many years, the Agency has made a renewed institutional commitment to scale up and institutionalize CBIs across its operations and institutional structure. The Senior Management, in line with the High Commissioner's call for the systematic and expanded use of CBIs, recently approved a framework laying out the foundations for the "UNHCR Cash-based Interventions Institutionalization Plan 2016-2020". The organization now seeks to ensure that CBIs are mainstreamed across its operational structures so that the tools, systems, processes and procedures are able to accommodate and manage CBIs at par with in-kind. The Plan sets out to achieve the institutionalisation of CBIs over a five year period. It builds upon three interdependent work streams with the following objectives:
- Systematise and expand the use of CBIs across all operations, which focusses on building the capacity in the field to consider and deliver CBIs.
- Mainstream CBIs across UNHCR¿s Divisions and Bureaux, which focusses on the necessary transformations within the UNHCR institutional structures and processes so that they are able to embrace CBIs.
- Develop a portfolio of well-defined cash delivery arrangements, in collaboration with partners including the private sector.
The Senior Regional CBI Officer in the Regional Support Centre (RSC) in Nairobi assists with the implementation of the CBI Plan, particularly in relation to the systematic and expanded use of CBIs in UNHCR operations in East Africa. S/he will promote quality of CBIs in field operations, ensure multi-functional teams are active, create momentum around CBI in RSC across different technical and functional areas, and provide support for technical development in line with the Institutionalisation Plan. S/he will work in collaboration with the Senior CBI Officers in Geneva (Institutionalisation and Technical Support). The incumbent also manages and supervises staff and consultants. S/he will also conduct missions to support operations with CBIs, including for technical issues, assessments, reviews and evaluations. In support of the CBI Chief of Section, s/he will represent UNHCR at key meetings both internally and amongst global partners at regional level, and ensures UNHCR involvement in external technical partnerships and networks.
The Senior Regional CBI Officer will receive overall guidance and direction from, and reports to the Chief of the CBI Section at UNHCR HQ. The UNHCR Operational Guidelines on the use of CBIs in Displacement Settings, the UNHCR Manual, and relevant UN and UNHCR programme and financial/budgetary rules and regulations will guide the work of the Senior Regional CBI Officer. S/he is also expected to stay abreast of new developments and challenges related to CBIs that arise at different levels of the organization and within the broader cash community in the region in order to feed these into in-house capacity-building, systems adaptation, strategy and guidance.
FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT
Accountability
Accountability
- Coherent and coordinated technical field support provided by the CBI section to ongoing and new CBI programmes in UNHCR operations with a particularly emphasis on Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania.
- UNHCR CBIs are designed and rolled out following high quality technical standards.
- Technical guidance and tools for CBIs in UNHCR operations operationalised.
- Development and establishment of a regional CBI action plan, which identifies opportunities and a concrete, realistic way forward for a) starting new CBIs and b) scaling-up existing CBIs over time.
- Partnerships with key stakeholders in the region (cash community of practice including NGOs and UN agencies) developed and maintained to ensure UNHCR's programmes are informed by latest lessons learned and best practice, and make use of possible synergies with other programmes.
- The roll-out of CBI Institutionalization Plan is promoted, and internal communication is established and maintained to ensure reach within the CBI section, and between Headquarters, Regional Offices and Branch Offices.
Responsibility
- Contribute to the institutionalisation of CBIs in East Africa, in line with the CBI Plan, and the development of organization-wide capacity in the RSC and the region for expanded use of CBIs across all operations.
- Support the roll-out of the CBI Plan.
- Develop and establish a regional CBIs action plan, which identifies opportunities and a concrete, realistic way forward for: a) starting new CBIs; and b) scaling-up existing CBIs over time.
- Facilitate and participate in Regional and Country level technical meetings, trainings and workshops with the objectives of increasing awareness and capacity building for CBIs and ensuring stakeholder input.
- Ensure the provision of coherent support to country operations to assess, design, implement, monitor and evaluate CBIs in line with the CBI Plan.
- Ensure coherent approaches across operations in the region in all stages of the UNHCR operations management cycle.
- Provide direct support to field operations through desk-based backstopping and field missions.
- Collect and share experiences and lessons learned across countries, and ensure these are reflected in technical development and fed into HQ-led initiatives.
- Advise countries on and support the set-up of coordination arrangements for CBIs, in line with UNHCR policy.
- Support operations in incorporating CBIs in to preparedness.
- Ensure tracking of CBIs in country operations.
- Support the identification of human resource needs and recruitments for operations.
- Support technical development related to CBI in UNHCR
- In collaboration with different sectors, identify sector-specific needs for technical development, particularly based on needs identified in the region.
- In line with CBIS work plan, support technical development and undertake targeted studies in the region relevant to improving CBIs in displacement settings, in collaboration with external and internal stakeholders.
- Working closely with the Senior CBI Officers (Institutionalisation and Technical Support) in HQ, ensure linkages with complementary initiatives in-house, e.g. the use of biometrics, one-card approaches, vulnerability assessments and improved targeting, operational implications of multipurpose grants, preparedness, cash and protection, etc.
- Coordinate the provision of requested support, advice and capacity building to technical sectors (e.g. shelter, WASH, food security, nutrition, protection, livelihoods, education) in collaboration with the Senior CBI Officers and the Chief of Section.
- Develop and maintain technical partnership and networks.
- Maintain and help develop partnerships for technical development, capacity building and field support through existing and new partners in the region.
- Represent UNHCR on issues related to CBIs and participate in activities of the broader CBI community of practice in East Africa, such as Cash Learning Partnership (CaLP).
- Provide support and guidance on country operations' design and implementation of CBIs.
Authority - Represent the CBI Section in communication and meetings with internal and external stakeholders, particularly regarding technical partnerships and networks in Eastern Africa.
- Guide and manage CBI Officers and consultants supporting country operations in the region.
- Make judgments on the quality of project proposals coming from operations, on the quality of candidates screened for deployments and on the quality of material/outputs submitted by staff and consultants supervised.
- Enforce compliance with UNHCR's global strategies, protocols and guidelines.
ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED - Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in economics, social sciences, political science or other relevant field.
- Minimum 10 years of relevant work experience, including field experience, and a minimum of 5 years of international experience in CBIs with a UN Agency and/or an INGO.
- Knowledge of cash-based interventions in displacement settings and humanitarian situations.
- Demonstrated experience in technical development, field support, and training/capacity building related to CBIs.
- Previous experience in international networking, preferably related to CBIs (incl. external partnerships, high level meetings and networks).
- Excellent knowledge of English.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES - Work experience in sectoral cash-based interventions (shelter, health, nutrition, food security, WASH, livelihoods, education, etc.);
- Knowledge of UNHCR programme
- Previous work experience with UNHCR;
- Knowledge of inter-agency environment;
- Good knowledge of French.
Operational Context
Highly desirable are:
- Strong and broad experience and knowledge of cash-based interventions in displacement settings and humanitarian situations, including both emergencies and protracted situations;
- Demonstrated experience in field support, programming and training/capacity building related to CBIs;
- Knowledge of UNHCR programmes;
- Previous experience in coordination and networking, preferably related to CBIs;
- Excellent knowledge of English and good knowledge of French;
- Minimum 10 years of relevant work experience, including field experience, and a minimum of 5 years of international experience in CBIs with a UN Agency and/or an INGO;
- Excellent interpersonal skills and capacity to take initiative.
The incumbent will be based in Nairobi, Kenya but will be reporting to the Chief of Cash-Based Interventions Section in DPSM, Geneva. The person should be able to work independently, with remote management. The incumbent will ensure the roll-out of the UNHCR CBI institutionalization strategy in the region. S/he will support countries with all aspects of CBI programming across sectors and functional areas, throughout the programme. The incumbent will also give strategic support to countries relating to CBI, including coordination.
Nairobi is a B duty station. This position will involve considerable travel within the region.
Normal precautions are recommended
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