Associate Environmental Officer

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Dadaab, Kenya 🇰🇪

Hardship Level: E (most hardship)

Family Type: Non Family with Residential Location

Family Type: Non Family with Residential LocationDanger Pay

Residential location (if applicable): Nairobi (CO), Kenya

Grade: NOB

Staff Member / Affiliate Type: National Professional Officer

Reason: Regular > Regular Assignment

Remote work accepted: No

Target Start Date: 2023-03-06

Job Posting End Date: March 26, 2023

Standard Job Description

Associate Environment Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Associate Environment Officer will work closely with colleagues responsible for protection, site planning, water and sanitation, shelter, nutrition, education, health, community services and livelihoods. The incumbent will support the UNHCR Office on all issues related to environment and climate change, including mainstreaming into all sectors and aspects of the country operation.
Regular and frequent discussions between the incumbent and the supervisor(s) are necessary to ensure that the latest best practices and procedures are shared and applied consistently on issues related to environment. The incumbent will undertake missions to the camps and liaise with (sub-) offices on the implementation of environment programmes. In addition, the staff member will maintain regular contact with UN technical agencies, development partners, line ministries and agencies, implementing and operational partners as needed.

Refugee operations inherently degrade environments because of changes in land use and increased use of natural resources. It is imperative to ensure environmental mitigation measures are in place to ensure sustainable natural resource use for wellbeing refugees and host communities.

Proactive coordination and collaboration with key stakeholders, including refugees and host communities, is required to synergise resources. Interventions are evidence-based to ensure their appropriateness. Environment and social screening in addition to environmental impact assessments will be required to evaluate the Operation.

The Associate Environment Officer should be capable of working with minimum supervision in project submissions, revisions and reallocations throughout the project lifecycle in the environmental programme. S/he will be instrumental in contributing to the development of specific inputs related to the sector and must meet reporting requirements. The incumbent should be part of the Multi-function Team to ensure that environmental concerns are mainstreamed and taken into consideration in any decision making process.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR¿s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties

  • Ensure environmental considerations are systematically included when assessing the needs of PoCs.
  • Based on assessments, and in consultation with relevant stakeholders, recommend sustainable solutions to address the basic needs of PoCs while mitigating the environmental impact of the interventions.
  • Work with site planners on mainstreaming environmental considerations throughout the settlement design process with due consideration for the environmental conditions in surrounding host areas.
  • Work in close coordination with all relevant sectors and clusters in UNHCR, including Protection, WASH, Health, Shelter and Settlements, Livelihoods, Energy, Camp Coordination & Camp Management to ensure environmental concerns and impact mitigation measures are included in operational responses.
  • Collect, analyse and update data and information concerning the environmental status of settlements and broader hosting areas.
  • Contribute to internal and external reporting commitments, including proposal writing for environment and energy while ensuring new projects are coherent and visibly complement planned interventions at (sub) office level.
  • Ensure all responses work toward environmental sustainability for both PoCs and host communities.
  • Support Programme in the technical oversight of UNHCR implementing partners to ensure environmental considerations are adequately integrated in technical interventions.
  • Support quality monitoring of interventions, track and record relevant indicators in UNHCR¿s corporate tools.
  • When applicable, represent UNHCR and support coordination meetings
  • Stay abreast of new technologies and relevant partnerships related to environment and climate change to more efficiently respond to the needs of PoCs, in line with the Global Compact on Refugees.
  • Assist training and capacity building activities to address the identified skills and knowledge gaps
  • Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P2/NOB – 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Environmental Studies;
Management of Natural Resources;
Agriculture;
Forestry;
or other related fields.
(Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified.

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Minimum 1 year of experience in environmental assessment, planning, monitoring and evaluation of integrated environmental programmes/projects in displacement and stable situations. Awareness of and practical experience with refugee-related environmental problems. Familiarity with emerging environmentally sustainable and appropriate technologies, and renewable energy.
Familiarity with community-based and participatory approaches.
Desirable
Budgeting, planning experience, ability to work with various (relevant) computer software. Broad understanding of climate change narrative and initiatives geared towards mitigation of impacts.

Functional Skills
IT-Computer Literacy
SP-Environmental Assessment/Planning/Monitoring/Evaluation of integrated projects/programs
CO-Drafting and Documentation
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

Desired Candidate Profile

Experience in the development, providing guidance on, and overseeing the implementation of the innovative solutions for environment and energy solutions for refugees in Dadaab, Kenya. The incumbent will work closely with partners and other external stakeholders, review ongoing activities to contribute to improving service delivery to persons of concern (PoC) in accordance with UNHCR Manuals and Technical Guidelines, and/or national standards.

Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):

,

Desired languages

,

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

The security situation continues to be a challenge in SO Dadaab, and the candidate needs to have undergone proper security training. Meanwhile, staff movements in the Dadaab Operation are strictly restricted and all staff are obliged to adhere to security advisories.  Staying in the office compound is regulated by a curfew in effect during the night and the requirement to answer daily radio checks.

Dadaab is at UN security level (SLS) 4 as a duty station.

The majority of national staff live in the Compound. Climatic conditions are harsh, and despite fumigation of the compound, insects and even snakes are present in the environment. Apart from a satellite level 1 JMS medical clinic, there is no other medical back up therefore staff assigned to Dadaab must be in good health. Evacuation opportunities are limited. Candidates with conditions requiring regular treatment or medical supervision should be appropriately advised.

Nature of Position:

The Associate Environment Officer works under the overall supervision of the Programme Officer in close collaboration with the multi-functional teams including colleagues from Livelihood and Economic Inclusion, Protection, Public Health and Nutrition, Education WASH and others. S/he will be primarily responsible for assisting the development, providing guidance on, and overseeing the implementation of the innovative solutions for environment and energy solutions for refugees in Dadaab, Kenya. The incumbent will work closely with partners and other external stakeholders, review ongoing activities to contribute to improving service delivery to persons of concern (PoC) in accordance with UNHCR Manuals and Technical Guidelines, and/or national standards. S/he will undertake frequent missions to the camps and support the UNHCR Office on issues related to environment, Energy, and climate change, including mainstreaming the economic inclusion solutions and sustainability into all aspects of the projects. In addition, s/he will maintain regular contact with UN technical agencies, development partners, line ministries and local authorities, implementing and operational partners as needed. The Associate Environment Officer will follow a rights-based and community focused approach to Programme design and implementation. The incumbent will follow the five principles for protection, accountability, Technical and WASH, the UNHCR livelihoods guiding principles, among others.

Living and Working Conditions:

The town of Dadaab is in the North Eastern Province of Kenya. It is in a semi-arid area and is mostly dry plus hot all year round. Due to the isolation of the duty station and ongoing security concerns, the duty station is categorized as hardship category `E and substantial security level. The UN compound is surrounded by the Hesco fences and there is curfew in place from 6pm to 6am, when the external gate is closed. All movement outside the UN compound to and within the camps requires armed police escort.

To mitigate the effects of hardship and psychological stress as well as to allow reunion with family members, locally recruited personnel are granted five days of time-off every 10 weeks, under the flexible work arrangement (i.e. compressed time-off). National staff members are required to work 1 extra hour per day in order to benefit from Special Compressed Work Schedule (SCWS) measure.

There are limited banking facilities at Dadaab with only one bank in which staff may open a bank account and withdraw cash with certain debit/credit cards.  Internet and communications networks are available at the compound. Remoteness, isolation and lack of entertainment in social life are the factors to be also considered prior to applying.

Additional Qualifications

SkillsEN-Solar Energy Usage Management, EV-Environmental Assessment, EV-Environmental Footprint Management, EV-Environmental Programme Development

EducationBA: Environment, BS: Environment

Certifications

Work Experience

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration

UNHCR Salary Calculator

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Compendium

Additional Information: Candidates might be required to sit for a test in relation to this Job Requisition.

Functional clearance: This position doesn’t require a functional clearance


POSITION TYPE

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EXPERIENCE-LEVEL

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