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Un Volunteer Description of Assignment Preamble

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UN VOLUNTEER DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT Preamble: The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that promotes volunteerism

to support peace and development worldwide. Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development, and it benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for volunteerism globally, encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing volunteers. In most cultures volunteerism is deeply embedded in long-established, ancient traditions of sharing and support within the communities. In this context, UN Volunteers take part in various forms of volunteerism and play a role in development and peace together with co-workers, host agencies and local communities. In all assignments, UN Volunteers promote volunteerism through their action and conduct. Engaging in volunteer activity can effectively and positively enrich their understanding of local and social realities, as well as create a bridge between themselves and the people in their host community. This will make the time they spend as UN Volunteers even more rewarding and productive. 1. UNV Assignment Title: 2. Type of Assignment: 3. Duration: UNV Programme Officer International UN Volunteer 12 months (renewable, subject to funding and satisfactory performance) NDjamena, Chad non-family assignment Immediate UNDP

4. Location, Country: 5. Expected Starting Date: 6. Host Agency: 7. Organizational Context:

The UNV Programme Officer (UNV PO) is central to the UNV Programme at the country level and is governed by the same Conditions of Service (COS) that define all other international UN Volunteers in the country. As such, s/he is expected to uphold and promote the principles of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) Programme. S/he will work, as direct supervisor, with a UNDP/UNV Programme Assistant (PA) who will provide substantive and administrative support as part of the UNV Field Unit. Being an integral part of the programme component of the UNDP Chad country office and as head of the UNV Field Unit, s/he will on a day-to-day basis report to the Deputy Country Director /Programme (DCD/P) of the UNDP Chad country office, and will be under the overall supervision to the Portfolio Manager of the Peace Division at UNV Headquarters, to whom s/he is ultimately responsible. The UNV Programme Officers role is full-time. However, s/he may be asked by the UNDP Resident Representative and/or UNV Headquarters to undertake additional tasks with a view to strengthening the UNV Programme Officers integration into the UNDP programme team. Country context The UN Country Team is now assisting the Government of Chad and its people, after taking over also some of the initiatives previously under the coordination of MINURCAT. Based on past experience, the UN system decided to focus its next programme cycle (2012-2015) on four strategic goals: (i) promoting good governance, in order to strengthen social cohesion and the effectiveness of the administration; (ii) fostering an enabling environment for a steady economic

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growth; (iii) promoting the potential of the rural sector; (iv) promoting human capitals value. Within this context and based on its programme strategy, the UNV programme will support the UN effort in accompanying the implementation of the National Strategy for Poverty Reduction, by playing a particularly active role in peace-building, capacity development and human security initiatives. Developing the national capacity is a key area for the whole UN development system, to strengthen community resilience and promote stability and growth through development. The UN Volunteers are considered a critical resource for the implementation of the UNDAF. In terms of strategic initiatives going on at country level: Following the launch of the Status of the World Volunteerism Report on December 5 th 2011, the Government of Chad has shown a strong interest in exploring the opportunity to set up a national volunteer infrastructure to leverage citizens mobilisation in support of the MDGs achievement. Based on analysis of the development indicators, the Government of Chad and the UN system have agreed in designing a UN Joint Programme to support the development of capacities in the health sector, both in terms of education path and current deployed capacities. Designed around the possibility to mobilise South-South cooperation resources, as well as traditional bilateral and triangular cooperation ones, this joint programme would heavily rely on national and international UN Volunteers to i) design the new curricula for the health sector; ii) strengthening the existing health capacities at local level and iii) sensitise and mobilise community volunteers to promote hygiene practices and disease prevention.

8. Description of Duties: Under the direct supervision of the Portfolio Manager of the Peace Division at UNV Headquarters, the UNV Programme Officer will undertake the following tasks: a) Programme Development and Management: Keep abreast of developments in the country which are relevant to the UNV Programme, by drawing on locally available, relevant, up -to-date country and sectoral socio-economic information, in a systematic manner, and by working in partnership with Government Counterpart(s), UNDP, other UN Agencies, the private sector, NGOs and CSOs ; Familiarize oneself with the development cooperation activities of the Government, the UN System and other development partners in Chad that offer possibilities for the use of volunteers; Participate in the formulation of Common Country Assessments (CCA), UN Development Assistance Frameworks (UNDAF), the UN planning processes and UNDPs Country Programme Document (CPD), with a view to identifying opportunities for volunteer input; Participate in the Country Partnership Programme formulation exercise with a view to provide UNV input; Develop links, and initiate and maintain networks among Government, NGO s, CBOs, UN Agencies, the private sector and other development partners; Monitor closely the implementation of projects based on the work plans and verify activities against actual budget expenditures; Carry out periodic budget revisions and rephasals, and scrutinise financial requests for advance payments, with a view to avoid over expenditure, in case of UNV implemented projects; Undertake field monitoring visits, provide technical guidance to project teams, analyse project performance and deal with problems that hamper progress; Prepare analytic reports on field visits with appropriate recommendations for action; Participate in cluster/unit programme meetings and Project Appraisal Committees (PAC) within the UNDP office;

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Participate in UN Thematic Task Force, sectoral consultative meetings as well as donor meetings; In coordination with programme managers, prepare annual reports and convene review meetings; b) Management of UNV Operational Issues: Manage the day-to-day activities of the UNV Field Unit, including the supervision of the UNV PA; Scrutinise all incoming correspondence and prepare appropriate responses; Prepare correspondences for the Resident Representatives signature, to UNV HQs, Government, UN Agencies, Private Sector, NGOs and CSOs on UNV-related matters; Attend all UNV-related meetings and brief the Senior Management as appropriate; Screen candidates applying for UN Volunteers assignments and take lead in their recruitment if they are selected; compile interview reports on related dossiers for recruitment and dispatch to UNV HQ; Extend personal support and guidance to the UN Volunteers and volunteers in the country through the sharing of concerns and advice; and build up a mutual support network for volunteers in Chad; Encourage networking and discussions among returned volunteers and utilize their knowledge and experience to facilitate the UNV activities; Receive and provide briefing and orientation to all incoming UN Volunteers; provide guidance and administrative support to the in -country serving UNV volunteers; Assist incoming and serving UN Volunteers with practicalities such as opening bank accounts, finding accommodation, etc.; monitor living conditions of UN Volunteers through field visits. Assist and monitor field deployment, including possible duty station transfers, of serving UN Volunteers; Monitor the performance of serving UN Volunteers through routine field visits to their duty stations, discussions with their supervisors and counterparts, and follow-up on their periodic reports; prepare comments for the Resident Representative; Prepare analytical bi-annual reports on the UNV programme; Manage and report on UNV support funds such as monitoring and evaluation funds, equipment and travel budget, as well as Programme Officers Empowerment Mechanism (POEM); Ensure adequate preparations for individual UN Volunteer assignments are made, including the provision of administrative support, budget provisions, training facilities, equipment, office space, etc., prior to the volunteers arrival ; Maintain comprehensive updated records of the contractual status of serving UN Volunteers and initiate timely action on decisions concerning post extensions, renewals and replacements. c) Promotion of Volunteerism: The UNV PO is expected to explore ways to relate to local expressions of volunteerism and to voluntary organizations/civil society organizations. S/he is to ensure advocacy and promotion of volunteerism in the country of assignment. Specific effort s will be made to: Advocate promotion of volunteerism within UNDP and UN System, and government, nongovernmental and community levels; Contribute to the promotion of voluntary action for, among others, social cohesion, conflict resolution, peace-building and poverty reduction; Support the process of building space for voluntary action, including through national/international volunteer assignments and as an important means to improving the effectiveness of technical cooperation; Support and encourage the local and national structures in the promotion of volunteerism for sustainable human development; Pursue with the Government and national/local leaders the adoption of policies and legislation to support volunteerism;

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Work with and further promote the local practices of volunteering and people working together for building social capital, social inclusion, cohesion and solidarity; Follow up on the recommendations of United Nations resolutions and any other international volunteer-related legislation or reports that meet the country -specific needs; Specifically, s/he will: In coordination with UNDP Chad and UNV Headquarters, assist as appropriate the Government, NGOs and other institutions in Chad in promoting volunteerism for peace and development to achieve national goals and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); Assist as appropriate in promoting volunteerism in Chad, and participate in activities of the PostIYV Committee (including preparation and activities for UNV-supported global campaigns); Coordinate the activities of the annual celebration of International Volunteer Day (5 December); Closely work and collaborate with the media for sound publicity and awareness raising; Encourage serving volunteers to embrace the ideals of volunteerism and be the best advocates of volunteer action, among others through training and provision of promotional materials; Ensure that volunteerism is mainstreamed in major in-country development instruments, e.g. National Human Development Reports (NHDR), strategies for MDG achievement, CCA, UNDAF, CPD , and other Agencies Country Programmes and Evaluation Reports; d) Security-related Support: Work closely with the Field Security Officer (FSO) and provide support to the UN Designated Official (DO) in availing detailed understanding among UN Volunteers on global security, coordination, country-based security plan and management; Maintain constant dialogue with DO/FSO and host agencies, and ensure continuous flow of security updates among the UN Volunteers; While on field visits, assess the security situation in the duty station and provide advice to the DO if necessary; Support the DO and host agency in the orderly evacuation/relocation of the UN Volunteers as authorised by the UN Security Coordinator and administer payments of relevant entitlements; Keep UNV HQs informed regularly on the security situation in the country; e) Public Relations, Partnership and Networking: Act as focal point for the preparation, co -ordination and dissemination of information materials related to the UNV Programme and specific UNV activities for local and international media, UNV News, UN Information services; Establish, foster and maintain working relationships with all agencies that utilise the services of UNV volunteers, including Government Institutions, UN agencies, the Private Sector, NGOs and CBO s; On a continuous basis, collect and share information on the work of UN Volunteers with development partners to stimulate interest in the organisation; Develop information kits and other promotional materials for the UNV programme . Promotion of the United Nations Volunteers Programme mandate1 Like all other UN volunteers, UNV POs are expected to integrate the UN Volunteers Programme mandate within their assignment as well as promote voluntary action through engagement with communities (urban & rural) during the course of their work. As such UN volunteers should dedicate a proportion of their working week to the following in support of and in synergy with his/her primary role as UNV Programme Officer.

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme was created by the General Assembly (GA) in 1970 through GA resolution 26/59. Since then, UNVs mandate has been expanded by GA resolution 31/131 in 1976, GA resolution 56/38 in 2001 and others in the follow-up to the International Year of Volunteers in 2001.

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Strengthen knowledge and understanding of the influence and impact of voluntary action by communities in Chad through the following: o o o o research of the subject matter, develop knowledge of non-profit community based organizations developing new or applying traditional methods in engaging with communities, undertake awareness-raising (promotion) activities for increased community participation and action, encourage local people to volunteer thought and action to enhancing their community.

Build relationships with a wide range (private/public) local organizations, groups or individuals and support and/or participate in community driven voluntary activities and assist them to tell their stories to the World Volunteer Web site; Encourage, mobilize and support co-workers and fellow UN volunteers to better understand the connections between community participation and voluntarism; Monitor on a continual basis the impact of policy reform on voluntary action at the community level; Contribute to articles/write-ups on the findings from the monitoring process and experiences from the above outlined activities and submit them to UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; Promote and/or advise local groups in the use of OV (online volunteering), and encourage relevant local individuals and groups to use OV whenever technically possible. 9. Qualifications/Requirements: a) Qualifications, skills and experience: The UNV Programme Officer must be a dynamic, multi -functional person, who supports the UNV Programme with professionalism and dedication. The following qualifications are required: An advanced university degree, preferably in social sciences , public administration, international relations, development studies, or any other related or relevant field, from a recognized university; A minimum of 3 years of progressively responsible experience in project management and/or development programming and administration; previous relevant experience within the UN System or an NGO setting at national or international level, or other organizations with comparable mandates and working conditions, would be an asset; Solid knowledge of common office software (word processing, spreadsheets, email, etc.); general ability to operate databases; proficiency in standard computer hardware (desktop, laptop, printer, scanner); Great autonomy, initiative, dynamism and creativity; Good interpersonal skills as well as strong advocacy, negotiation, presentation and team-building skills; Sound working knowledge in oral and written French and English; knowledge of Arabic is a plus; Ability to perform duties under stress and in insecure, isolated and potentially hostile environments; Valid national drivers license; ability to drive manual gear 4x4 vehicle over rough terrain; Sound security awareness; Affinity with or interest in developing countries, humanitarian relief, post -crisis situations, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, the UN System and/or African culture. b) Competencies and values: Professionalism: broad and in-depth knowledge, understanding and experience in Networks and Information Technology Systems..; hands-on technical training and problem-solving skills, good
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knowledge of relevant ICT policies, structure and strategy as it relates to area of assignment; ability to assess network needs; technological background and experience in network design and implementation; demonstrated ability to apply good judgment and be accurate; ability to take initiative, ownership, and work independently under established procedures; willingness to accept wide responsibilities; Integrity: demonstrate the values of the UN 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 organizations interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority. Communication: good spoken and written communication skills., good interpersonal skills; Accountability: mature and responsible; ability to operate in compliance with organizational rules and regulations; Planning and Organizing: ability to establish priorities and to plan and coordinate own work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities; Teamwork and Respect for Diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a cross-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort, and to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods, to include possible travel within the Mission area; willingness to transfer to other duty stations within the Mission area as necessary; Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards the UN Core Values 10. Living Conditions: Chad is a landlocked country in the centre of Africa. It is one of the poorest countries on earth, ranking 175th out of 182 countries on the 2009 HDI list. It is officially French-speaking (with many people also speaking Arabic, but few English) and its capital is NDjamena. It is in many respects similar to, although less mediatized than, its eastern neighbour Sudan, for instance in terms of the north-south divide (both geographically and societal/religion-wise); several latent or open internal tensions, among others related to ethnical diversity and/or land issues; ubiquity of small arms; large parts of the country are scenario of manifestation of violence, are subject to frequent banditry (coupeurs de route) and are highly militarized; a large population of IDPs and refugees; and strained relationships with its neighbours, not in the least with Sudan itself. Large swaths of the country are in pre-/post-conflict mode, and security is a serious concern, especially in the border area with Darfur/Sudan (the area east of Abch). Most of the country is in Security Level 2 (low risk). Notwithstanding, the whole of Chad is a non family duty station. The climate in Chad is Sahelian. Temperatures are around 45C in the warm season. In the rainy season, many roads are impassable and flooding is frequent. The cost of accommodation in NDjamena is comparatively high as compared to eastern Chad. Many expatriate staff, including UN Volunteers, choose to share accommodation for financial, social and security reasons. Modest, furnished accommodation (on a sharing basis) costs between US$ 500 -700 per month on average. There are two international franchise chain hotels in NDjamena, namely Kempinski and Novotel, but they are expensive. In eastern Chad, for security reasons, it is recommended to stay within UN Guest Houses , which offer accommodation , also on a share basis, at special subsidized rates for UN Volunteers. Telephone, water and electricity are relatively expensive, and power outages can be frequent during the warm season. As a result, generators are often used.

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Food is available in NDjamena from the local market as well as a few superstores (Alimentation Gnrale). There are a number of restaurants in NDjamena, including African, French, Chinese, Lebanese and Indian. In eastern Chad as well, vegetables and meat are available in local markets, usually in the form of an open-air fair once a week where m any other commodities can be found. Because of widespread poverty and weak infrastructure and community facilities in the country, leisure is somewhat reduced. In the capital, however, it is possible to play tennis, do horseback riding, swimming, etc. Panel discussions and film screenings are regularly held. Living and working conditions in the east of the country (town of Abch and eastward) can be particularly difficult and even monotonous, as most towns and settlements are relatively small (e.g. duty stations of Abch, Goz Beida, Farchana, Iriba ), movement is limited because of security reasons, amenities (electricity and water) are not always guaranteed on a 24 -hour basis, recreation facilities are far and few 6 between, and contact with the local population is not always easy (or even advisable) due to security issues and cultural differences (e.g. some areas have an ingrained culture of violence and gender roles can be rigidly defined). Upon arrival in Chad, UN Volunteers are advised to open an account with a local branch of one of the foreign banks. The currency of such account s is normally the Euro. Daily transactions in Chad are conducted either in Euro or in the local currency, which is the FCFA or franc CFA (note that this is the Central African FCFA, not the West African one; they are not mutually interchangeable). In summary, Chad is a unique country, where it may require more stamina and commitment than elsewhere to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in hazardous and difficult conditions involving physical hardship and little comfort are absolutely essential. 11. Conditions of Service: Contracts are issued for 12 months at a time (renewable pending operational necessity , availability of funding and satisfactory performance). Settling -In-Grant is provided. Monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) is intended to cover housing, utilities, and normal cost -of-living expenses. VLA rates are US$ 2,321 (single), US$ 2,571 (1 dependant) and US$ 2,771 (2 or more dependants). Life, health and permanent disability insurance is included, as well as periodic home leave, final repatriation, and resettlement allowance (US$ 150 per month of satisfactory service). Hazardous Duty Station Supplement (HDSS) of US$ 546 is paid on the basis of full calendar months in HDSS-applicable areas. 12. Application : If you are not yet registered in the UNV database, please apply by completing the UNV web application at the following link: http://one.unv.org/main/?Lang=en . Important: please select the following code from the drop down menu on the first page of the application: 12CHD_PO. If you are registered in the UNV database, please update your profile at: http://MyProfile.unv.org, click on the Special Recruitment option on the left menu, then click on the Edit button and select the advertisement code 12CHD_PO from the drop-down list. United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme which welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Closing date: 9 May 2012. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

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