Associate Reporting Officer at United Nations Volunteers (UNV)

Context

• The Office of the UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly.
• The agency is mandated to lead and coordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees.
• It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org).
• Following continued protests from the population in the English-speaking part of Cameroon, which started in October 2016, against marginalization, and historic injustices, including the deployment of French-speaking teachers to Southern Cameroon, over 68,000 officially registered refugees have fled to Nigeria for their safety.
• As the crisis in Cameroon’s South-West and North-West Anglophone regions continues, and the government in Yaoundé intensifies its actions against the pro-independent movement, the number of people crossing the border into neighboring Nigeria is increasing. More Cameroonians are arriving through Cross River, Taraba and Benue States. The steady influx of refugees into the country is putting more pressure on the refugee settlements that are now beyond capacity.
• UNHCR and its partners established offices in Calabar, Ikom and Adikpo to ensure timely delivery of service. Effective 1st November , the Ikom Field Office was moved to Ogoja for proximity to the point of delivery. Similarly, the Ogoja office has become the epicenter of UNHCR operation for Cameroonian refugees and has been upgraded to Sub Office due to the high concentration of the refugee population. UNHCR and the Government of Nigeria continue the registration of Cameroonian refugees. As of 31 October 2024, there are 68,808 Cameroonian refugees registered across all refugee-hosting states.
• Cameroonian refugees are primarily hosted in Cross River, Benue, Taraba and Akwa Ibom States. The refugees are distributed as follows; 38,563 are in Cross River, 10,963 in Benue and 17,656 are in Taraba while 1,570 are in Akwa Ibom, and 56 individuals in other states. UNHCR and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons continued the registration and issuance of ID cards to Cameroonian refugees.
• Critical needs remain food, basic/domestic items, and shelter. UNHCR Sub Office in Ogoja also oversees the IDP situation in the Middle Belt through its Field Unit based in Makurdi. The Field Unit is responsible for about 500,000 IDPs who are dispersed in more than 10 Local Government Areas.

Task Description
Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Programme Officer or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Assist in the preparation of reports for donors, in compliance with specific donor requirements. Make efforts to enhance donor satisfaction by ensuring quality reporting on programmatic results to donor. Assist in providing visibility for donors’ contributions to UNHCR.
• Consolidate and analyse data on programme implementation, achievements, and indicators in all sectors under AoR to facilitate the preparation of periodic reports and activity-specific reports as may be required and ensure timeliness of such reports. Support the monitoring of UNHCR’s partnerships and consolidate information about Partners’ activities.
• Keep abreast of all developments in the country operation/ bureau/ division or other entity to prepare appropriate briefings and reports.
• Research / analyze, interpret and also, monitor and review information and data from regular and wide variety of sources for internal and external reporting.
• Provide technical support, training and clarification on UNHCR’s reporting policies and deadlines.
• Prepare press releases; conceptualize, draft and edit stories for external communications products and support all aspects of its production, including fact checking, proofreading and quality control.
• Support UNHCR inter-agency coordination initiatives and leadership through provision of reporting and secretariat functions where relevant.
• Work closely with Information Management to ensure accurate and attractive data presentation, including maps.
• Assist in the preparation of briefing kits and presentations for missions and visitors.
• Participate in annual planning and reporting processes.
• Print and file copies of monitoring reports, including various tools for monitoring implementation activities, such as:
  • Monthly monitoring tables, covering budgets, expenditure/ encumbrance/pre-encumbrance, and progress towards all performance targets.
  • Reports of direct implementation monitoring missions.
  • Tables showing the status of each recommendation, raised in previous monitoring reports
• Draft regular daily, weekly, and monthly up-date for internal and external audience (including donors and media).
• Prepare and distribute minutes of meetings.
• Maintain risk register with due dates for the implementation of risk treatment measures identified and designation of who is responsible for each specific risk treatment actions.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Requirements
Required Education Level

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in Programme Management, Project Evaluation, Resource Mobilization, Donor Relations, Humanitarian Studies.

Required Experience:

• 3 years of experience in Programme Management, Project Evaluation, Resource Mobilization, Donor Relations, Humanitarian Studies, Development Studies, International relations, Journalism, Communication or another relevant field.
• Area(s) of expertise
• Administration, Development programmes
• Driving license

Eligibility Criteria:

• Age: 27 – 80 years
• Nationality: Candidate must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment.

Languages

• English, Level: Working knowledge, Required.

Competencies and Values

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNHCR; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNHCR procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented;
• Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UNHCR in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority.
• Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues;
• Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment.
• Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities;
• Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups;
• Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary.
• Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNHCR’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.