Organizational Context
Ethiopia has a history of extending an open-door policy to refugees. Currently Ethiopia provides protection to 750,000 refugees from some 20 countries, with the majority originating from South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea and Sudan - one of the largest refugee populations on the African continent.
International attention and commitment to new ways of managing and responding to refugee and migration issues were solidified with the New York Declaration (NYD) in September 2016 – including direction on a Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), as a new policy commitment, and towards defining a Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) by end 2018. The Government of Ethiopia (GoE), co-chairing the Leaders’ Summit with the US, made nine (9) significant policy pledges for refugees. A few months later, in February 2017, the GoE committed to become a CRRF ‘roll-out’ country, piloting the approach and building upon existing efforts. The GoE has during 2018 and 2019 moved ahead with its commitments, promulgating a new Refugee Proclamation, drafting a National Comprehnsive Refugee Response Strategy (NCRRS), and making additional pledges at the recent Global Refugee Forum (GRF). UNHCR stand ready to support all GoE efforts with the necessary capacity as part of its expected ‘catalytic and supportive’ role.
UNHCR’s mandated responsibility for finding solutions to refugee situations requires stronger cooperation with development partners and the inclusion of persons of concern within development planning and programming instruments, including national development programmes. The GCR frames this new commitment towards a more predictable and equitable responsibility-sharing, recognizing that more sustainable approaches to refugee situations cannot be achieved without the systematic engagement of a broader set of stakeholders – and in a ‘whole of government’ and ‘whole of society’ approach.
Within this context the role of the Development Coordination Associate is to support UNHCR's engagement and cooperation with the GoE and development partners, supporting UNHCR to coordinate the GCR/CRRF via national arrangements and in leveraging partnerships, influencing policy dialogue for institutional reforms toward improved protection environments, socio-economic inclusion, and self-reliance - all taking into account and ultimately reducing the vulnerability of refugees and host communities.
In addition, as with UNHCR’s support to ‘clusters’, the Development Coordination Associate contributes to cross-sectoral coordination with all sections of Programme, Protection, Admin./Finance and External Relations in UNHCR, acting as a liaison to these units and assisting in ensuring that the Operation has an effective and efficient internal system and orgasnition for an ‘all of UNHCR’ CRRF response.
In order to support comprehensive response efforts, the Development Coordination Associate will support UNHCR staff and partners involved in GCR/CRRF planning and overall coordination. Internally in UNHCR, s/he will assist in the inter-unit coherence, administrative and resource-management – specifically in light of the new and increasing demands of tightly earmarked funding and necessary controls. S/he will work quite independently on regular assignments with oversight from the supervisor, who will provide general guidance and prioritization. Constantly, as the agenda progresses in Ethiopia, meeting expected results and conformity to policy and procedures, the need to identify opportunities for new procedures, and/or refining existing systems, is also required.
Responsibility
Grade
Type of Contract
Duration of Contract
Essential Minimum Qualifications and Experience
Managerial and Cross Functional Competencies
Desirable Qualifications & Competencies