Overview
The Humanitarian Coordination Specialist will lead and oversee national humanitarian coordination mechanisms, act as the primary humanitarian coordination focal point for the UN system, and provide strategic advice on humanitarian trends, risks, preparedness, and response priorities.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and oversee national humanitarian coordination mechanisms, including the Disaster Management Team (DMT), Inter‑sector / Inter‑cluster Coordination Group, and contingency planning processes.
- Act as the primary humanitarian coordination focal point for the UN system, liaising closely with the National Disaster Centre (NDC) and relevant government counterparts.
- Deputize the UN Resident Coordinator or Deputy Resident Coordinator on humanitarian coordination matters, as required.
- Provide strategic advice on humanitarian trends, risks, preparedness, and response priorities to senior UN leadership.
- Lead preparedness planning, including contingency plans, scenario planning, and coordination protocols.
- Support and, when requested by Government, coordinate humanitarian responses at national and sub‑national levels, including field‑level coordination through DMT members.
- Ensure rapid activation and effective functioning of coordination mechanisms during emergencies.
- Oversee the collection, analysis, and dissemination of humanitarian information, including needs assessments, response tracking, and gap analysis.
- Ensure timely production of humanitarian situation reports, briefings, talking points, and analytical products for internal and external stakeholders.
- Oversee the management and strategic use of HumanitarianResponse.info – Papua New Guinea country page, ensuring information quality, accessibility, and compliance with global standards.
- Build and maintain strong working relationships with national and provincial authorities, UN agencies, NGOs, CSOs, faith‑based organizations, donors, and the private sector.
- Promote effective information sharing and coordination among humanitarian partners.
- Represent the UN system in humanitarian coordination forums, as delegated.
- Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing, and advocacy.
- Provide overall leadership and supervision to humanitarian coordination and information management staff.
- Manage project planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting in line with approved work plans and budgets.
- Ensure effective performance management, mentoring, and capacity development of team members and national counterpart.
Required Experience
- A minimum of five (5) years ( with Master’s degree) or seven (7) years (with Bachelor’s degree) of progressive experience in in project management within the disciplines of emergency management, humanitarian coordination, disaster risk reduction, natural resource management or other related development field.
- Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.
- Experience in writing documents for different audiences, including situation reports, project reports, communications with external stakeholders, presentations.
- Experience in management including supervison of staff
- Experience in research
- Experience in disaster risk management and humanitarian coordination issues in PNG
- Experience and knowledge of the international, regional and national Disaster Risk Management and Humanitarian Programme Cycle.
- Experience in building professional networks and partnerships with national and international partners involved in emergency management.
- Experience in direct emergency responses in PNG or Pacific Region
- Experience working in UN or any international organization.
Qualifications
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in environmental science, emergency management or related areas is required. OR A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the above field with additional 2 years of progressive experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
