Humanitarian Affairs Officer

Mission and objectives

UNOCHA is part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response efforts. OCHA’s mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partner-ship with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions. UNOCHA’s core functions are coordination, information management, policy, advocacy, and humanitarian financing. OCHA has been operational in Ethiopia for several years and its current humanitarian operations are focused on addressing the lifesaving needs of people affected by 3 main crises: the conflict in the North, the drought in the East and South, as well as those displaced by violence in the center and South. UNOCHA operates out of the main office in Addis Ababa and sub offices in several regions in Ethiopia, close to the affected people. This position will be based in the Planning and Coordination Unit to support all parts of the humanitarian programme cycle.

Context

OCHA Ethiopia supports collective humanitarian coordination, analysis and advocacy in a complex operating environment marked by conflict, displacement, climate shocks, disease outbreaks and access constraints. Within OCHA Ethiopia, the Coordination and Information Management Unit (CIMU) is refocusing its 2026-2027 work around four priorities: generating decision-ready analysis and prioritization; running simpler, problem-solving coordination; building stronger field-connected and nationally owned coordination and information services; and safeguarding principled humanitarian action through stronger cross-cutting quality. Localization, accountability to affected people (AAP), gender, disability and inclusion is a dedicated work stream in the unit, including the work on establishing stronger national–sub-national linkages, more standardized field support, greater engagement with local actors and targeted capacity strengthening.

The UN Volunteer will be embedded in CIMU and will help translate these priorities into practical action across OCHA’s coordination and information management work. The role will involve close collaboration with OCHA colleagues, clusters, Inter-Cluster Coordination Group (ICCG) and sub-national coordination structures, as well as local and national NGOs, women-led organizations, organizations of persons with disabilities and relevant government counterparts. The position will also contribute, as required, to selected leadership support functions, helping strengthen linkages between coordination, analysis, briefing support and external engagement. The position Accountable to Affected People (AAP), Localization, Gender, PSEA, Disability Inclusion, Climate Change – Thematic Issues).

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the Head of the Coordination and Information Management Unit, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Coordinate and strengthen mainstream localization and community engagement, AAP, gender and disability inclusion, PSEA, climate-related crises across CIMU products, coordination processes, work planning and follow-up actions.
• Facilitate in-country capacity teams of AAP experts, Gender focal points, PSEA Coordinator, and Localization teams in OCHA Ethiopia to ensure seamless cooperation in the humanitarian operation across the country in existing workstreams and working groups.
• Review and improve templates, product standards and internal guidance so that cross-cutting issues are systematically reflected in situation updates, analytical outputs, meeting agendas, minutes, action trackers, dashboards, field snapshots and briefing materials.
• Provide analytical support to strengthen the use of sex-, age- and disability-disaggregated data, as well as qualitative community insights, in needs analysis, response monitoring, gap analysis and leadership briefings.
• Coordinate and facilitate the integration of cross-cutting issues within the National ICCG and other inter-agency fora to better integrate cross-cutting issues into agendas, action points, escalation pathways and follow-up, including stronger links between national and sub-national structures.
• Provide practical backstopping to area-based coordination structures and other sub-national coordination arrangements on thematic issues, including checklists, facilitation support, talking points, simple tools and action tracking.
• Map and engage key local and national stakeholders relevant to the thematic portfolio, including local NGOs, women-led organizations (WLOs), organizations of persons with disabilities, community-based organizations and relevant government counterparts, and support their more meaningful participation in coordination and evidence generation.
• Develop and promote practical approaches for collective AAP and community engagement, including the use of community feedback, communication preferences and inclusive participation methods to inform inter-agency decision-making.
• Develop and maintain standardized field support packages by embedding localization, gender and disability inclusion considerations in templates, orientation materials and quality-assurance processes.
• Support for the planning and facilitate trainings, orientations, peer-learning sessions and capacity-strengthening activities for OCHA colleagues, cluster partners and area-based coordination focal points on cross-cutting thematic issues and their practical application in coordination and analysis.
• Track progress, lessons learned and operational bottlenecks related to thematic integration and prepare concise updates and recommendations for OCHA Ethiopia leadership and relevant coordination forums.
• Provide support to Special Assistant functions, including briefing preparation, strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, meeting management and follow-up of key coordination actions.
• During the first month of the assignment, the UN Volunteer will work closely with his/her direct supervisor to finalize an agreed-upon work plan.
• The work plan should outline key objectives and activities and include regular check‑ins with the supervisor to review progress and receive performance feedback.

Assignment requirements