While Ethiopia battles residual needs from the 2015/2016 El Niño-induced drought, below average rains in the southern and south-eastern parts of the country led to a drought in lowland pastoralist areas, with the Somali region the worst affected. As a result, some 10 million people in Ethiopia require emergency food assistance. In addition, in 2017 another drought affected the same area of the country causing 8.5 million Ethiopians to be in need of relief food assistance. In September 2017, a series of events escalated in conflict between the Oromia and Somali regions. By the end of 2017, 1.6 million persons were displaced, and among these 1.1 million were displaced as a result of conflict. Internal displacement is increasing, due to the combination of drought and inter-communal tensions.
The Protection Cluster in Ethiopia is led by UNHCR in Addis Ababa, with regional clusters operating in the Somali and Gambella regions. Although several Protection activities are ongoing in the country, reporting on these activities is weak and an Associate IMO is needed to consolidate country-wide inputs and present Protection interventions on the national level, including at the ICCG forum, to the HCT, and through regular updates to factsheets and dashboards. Close coordination and guidance of partners working in the field is needed, given their limited IM capacities, and weak reporting practices. The Associate IMO will strengthen and professionalize data collection and presentation surrounding IDP issues, providing country-wide support to teams working in the field, in order to generate information on Protection interventions and response for IDPs.
Responsibility
Under the supervision of the Assistant Representative (Protection), the Associate IM Officer will:
Draft the country/operation-specific Information Management strategy and define operational and funding requirements for the implementation of the strategy. The strategy must include the internal management of information within UNHCR including document management, flows of information and discovery of data/information within UNHCR.
Support the promotion of data and information sharing within the humanitarian community as well as the adoption of global IASC Common and Fundamental Operational Data standards, and where appropriate, the establishment of country-specific IASC Common and Fundamental Operational Data standards. To this end, maintain data and information-sharing relationships within the humanitarian community and with relevant governmental bodies.
Identify and obtain the needed data and information elements required to produce standardized information products and design and manage respective data/information collection plans for baseline and context-specific data.
Support the Office in the analysis of processed data and information and perform data quality and consistency control.
Design and implement a structured dissemination plan for all information products and services as appropriate (e.g. web portal, mailing list, information centres, etc.) including the definition of standard operating procedures for clearing information products for release.
Provide Information Management services to support Monitoring activities within Sectors in UNHCR led Clusters in IDP related emergencies; in areas of information flows, dissemination, processing, analysis, standard setting and dissemination.
Leverage Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for map production and geographic data management while promoting data standards and harmonized management of geographic data/information.
Provide Information Management services to support population data management activities including population estimation, information flows from established systems, movement tracking, standard-setting/promotion and dissemination.
Provide Information Management support to needs assessments within UNHCR-led clusters while participating in joint/harmonized needs assessments with other partners/clusters. Support operational leads in making methodological decisions about how to conduct needs assessments.
Perform other related duties as required.
Job Requirement
Essential Minimum Qualifications and Experience
University degree in information technology, demography, statistics, social sciences or any related area.
At least 8 years (6 years with Advanced University degree) of relevant work experience of which at least 4 years combined field and/or headquarters experience in international organizations (e.g. UN agencies, INGOs, IOs, bi-lateral cooperation agencies, etc.).
Knowledge of the UN system and the humanitarian community.
Knowledge of protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators.