The UN Representative and Senior Humanitarian Policy Advisor is part of the External Engagement and Resource Development division of the global Disaster Management Unit (EERD) and is managed within the EERD Humanitarian Policy and Advocacy team. They are located in the UN Liaison Office in New York reporting to the global Director for Humanitarian Policy and Advocacy. They represent World Vision to the United Nations on matters related to addressing humanitarian crises and fragility. They have strong advocacy, representation, negotiation and coordination skills.
They design and implement influencing strategies for engaging decision makers at the UN, including Member States and UN agencies, to achieve World Vision’s humanitarian objectives.
The UN Representative and Senior Humanitarian Policy Advisor provides thought leadership and manages policy developments on Children and Armed Conflict, faith and humanitarian action, as well as UN humanitarian reform. They closely and continuously monitor the political and policy discussions on the UN Security Council concerning priority fragile contexts for World Vision, as well as thematic areas such as peacekeeping and Protection of Civilians.
They maintain strong working relationships with their counterparts in the NGO community and relevant NY based think tanks, such as Watchlist for Children and Armed Conflict and NGO coalitions. They work collaboratively with other members of the NY team, in particular with the UN Representative, Child Rights and Sustainable Development and partner, engage and consult on cross-cutting issues.
They provide strategic advice and analysis, plan, prepare for and represent World Vision with high level UN and Member State representatives to advocate for World Vision’s positions and/or facilitate engagements for Disaster Management Senior Leadership.
This role leads relationship management with UN OCHA, as well as the humanitarian branch of UNICEF and contributes to growing World Vision’s capability and capacity in humanitarian advocacy during the highest category of crises (UN L3 equivalent), regularly deploying to crises contexts.
Represent World Vision on a daily basis in New York to UN Member States, and manage and implement influencing strategies for policy change in relevant humanitarian discussions, including:
- Priority response contexts, access, IHL
- Children and Armed Conflict
- UN humanitarian reform
- Faith and humanitarian action
- Provide thought leadership on UN humanitarian engagement in NY and manage World Vision participation in humanitarian events, as well as facilitates opportunities for senior World Vision staff to build relationships with top-level New York decision makers to advance World Vision’s thought leadership.
- Provide strategic advice to Senior Leadership on collaboration opportunities with UN OCHA and UNICEF EMOPs, and manage constructive relationships with both agencies on a day to day basis.
- Proactively contribute to the development of new humanitarian policy on thematic issues and input into ongoing Partnership collaborations, including the Global Campaign as it relates to fragile contexts.
- Actively contribute to growing World Vision’s capability and capacity in humanitarian advocacy, participate and take a leading role in coordination of advocacy during the highest category of crises (UN L3 equivalent) and regularly deploy to crises contexts.
- 7-8 years relevant job experience with graduate degree (equivalent of a Master’s in a relevant field (e.g. business administration, international or public relations, communications, social sciences or law) 6 or more years relevant work experience considered without post-graduate degree). Candidates with first-hand experience of forced displacement and humanitarian financing are strongly encouraged to apply.
- Professional fluency in English.
- A sound overview of International Humanitarian Law and empirical knowledge of humanitarian sector and its derivate standards, guidelines and tools.
- In depth understanding of civil society leverage points throughout the New York-based humanitarian community including strong familiarity with relevant UN and coalition processes.
- Excellent writing skills and the ability to translate complex material and data into coherent narratives that resonate with policy makers and peers.
Preferred Skills, Knowledge and Experience:
- Professional-level fluency in a second UN language (esp. French or Arabic).
- Experience in humanitarian operations, ideally in a context of conflict related crises.
- Ability to think strategically, synthesize complex information and develop innovative policy approaches.
- Strong communication skills with a demonstrated ability to communicate successfully with players in all segments of the humanitarian field, including high level decision-makers.
- Initiative and ability to work independently on fast-paced issues, tight deadlines and juggle competing demands.
- Proven capacity to achieve results through collaboration, leadership through influence and virtual teams.
- Ability to travel internationally including support to field programmes in remote and challenging environments.
Work Environment/Travel:
- The position requires ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 25% of the time, including to humanitarian response environments.