Mission and objectives

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 to resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org).

Context

The Office of the UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General As-sembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate 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 to resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org). The CAR operation, with eight field offices and the Representative Office in Bangui, faces a daily logistical challenge. As the country is landlocked, almost all supplies are transported by road, mainly from Cameroon. A few products are shipped from the Congo (Pointe Noire) by river during the navigable season. Added to this is the problem of local dispatching. Roads in the interior of the country are impassable, especially during the rainy season, which lasts nine months of the year. UNHCR in the Central African Republic relies on the NGO AIRD, which handles logistical aspects ranging from vehicle maintenance to supplies for field offices. All these difficulties put the members of the rather small supply team to the test, hence the need to reinforce the team in terms of personnel.

Task Description

Under the direct supervision of Senior Supply Officer the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: Strategy: • Prepare plans for delivery of relief items according to operational needs. • Apply UNHCR’s procurement strategy when planning for purchase of important commodities and services. • Through regular physical verification of Property, Plant and Equipment (PPE) establish their status, propose old and obsolete PPE for disposal and plan for the arrival of replacement items. Operational Support: • Contributing within the multifunctional team to Identify partners, in particular for supply chain projects, based on objectives, priorities, strengths and resources of the partner and/or contractor, according to criteria consistent with UNHCR rules and regulations. • Resolve difficulties in the local supply chain by finding solutions to problems and bottlenecks, and provide regular reports on supply chain activities, the status of requests and the availability of items in the supply chain. • Ensure timely customs clearance of consignments, and manage storage of goods according to “best practices” and UNHCR rules and regulations. • Maintain an efficient system for the release, distribution and redeployment of goods. • Coordinate transportation and distribution of relief items. • Maintain accurate and comprehensive records on logistical activities and provide timely reports and updates both periodically and on request. • Coordinate activities of implementing partners and/or contractors performing supply related activities, and ensure that they understand and adhere to relevant UNHCR rules and procedures. • Through regular physical verification of PPE establish their status. • Propose old and obsolete PPE for disposal and plan for arrival of replacement items. Infrastructure Support: • Evaluate purchase requisitions to ensure that specifications, delivery dates and all other requirements are in order. • Draft and dispatch quotation requests and/or tenders, assist in the evaluation of offers and draft bid-tabulations, and prepare proposals for award of contracts to the Committee on Contracts. • Prepare Purchase Orders and send confirmations, requests for inspection and other correspondence. • Monitor the manufacture/transport of ordered goods to ensure timely delivery. • Analyse matters relating to procurement activities, and deliver information on all procurement activities within area of responsibility. Provide guidance and advice on UNHCR procurement policies and procedures to support and assist requesting sections. • Implement effective asset and fleet management that regularly monitors the asset/fleet pool, saves cost and safeguards the investment of the organisation including receipt, inspection, registration and marking of new PPE, and organisation of the physical verification of PPE. • Ensure that PPE agreements are properly issued and signed. • Ensure proper preparation of disposal forms and cases for the Asset Management Board. • Organise the disposal of PPE, according to Asset Management Board decisions. • Provides asset management reports, customised reports, and gathers information on all assets and provides in-depth reports periodically and when requested. • Analyse the quality of commodities and services delivered in relation to the needs of the location and established quality standards. Establish a local quality assurance process. Business Support: • Analyse the existing infrastructure and ensure that it is optimally aligned with the opera-tional needs. • Implement practical projects to improve supply performance that has clear objectives, timescales, tasks and resources defined. • Monitor the project implementation and report on progress. • Monitor the quality and accuracy of supply chain related data in relevant business systems. Compile and analyse statistical information, identify trends and developments in supply chain related matters that will assist in decision making. • Disseminate, promote commitment to and monitor compliance with UNHCR’s global policies, standards and guidance on supply chain management. • Adapt local supply chain structures to be consistent with the operational needs. Ensure effective information flow in the supply chain and adapt local process to the prevailing environment. Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to: • Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities; • Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers; • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Competencies and values

• Integrity and professionalism: demonstrated expertise in area of specialty and ability to apply good judgment; high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures in a politically sensitive environment, while exercising discretion, impartiality and neutrality; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented. • Accountability: mature and responsible; ability to operate in compliance with organizational rules and regulations. • 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. • Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious work-ing relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity and gender; • 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; ability to maintain composure and remain helpful towards the staff, but objective, without showing personal interest; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups; • Flexibility, adaptability, and ability and willingness to operate independently in austere, remote and potentially hazardous environments for protracted periods, involving physical hardship and little comfort, and including possible extensive travel within the area of operations; willingness to transfer to other duty stations within area of operations as may be necessary; • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards the UN core values.

Living conditions and remarks

The country is landlocked and surrounded by countries with security problems (Chad, DRC, Sudan, and Cameroon). Volatile socio-political situation, social unrest, and grievance in Bangui with frequent civil servants strikes causing interruption of public services. Power cuts are causing insecurity in town. The security situation across the country is still a concern as crimes (theft, abduction, armed robbery, carjacking, murder, illegal detention of weapons and illegal checkpoints/taxation, torture and sexual violence) continue throughout the country because of endemic poverty, easy access to weapons and the weak capacity or absence of judicial authorities in many areas. However, the deployment of the FACA (Forces Armee nationals) in Bangui and in some of the country’s cities led to an improvement of the overall security situation. A curfew is established by the UN system from 10pm-5am. The country is totally dependent on Cameroon seaport for sup-plies. There are 4 airlines that operate to/from Bangui. As an example, travel time from Douala to Bangui for a truckload averages 4 days to a week due to bad roads and road-blocks. There are very limited medical infrastructures and services do not function properly. A UN clinic provides basic medical care for UN personnel. The entire country is a High-Risk non-family duty station-D with 6 weeks R&R cycle. In Bangui, expatriate staff from UN agencies live in private residences, which remain a challenge in terms of cost and quality. The CAR operation is full of humanitarian challenges. It provides for an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as more stamina and commitment than elsewhere to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort, are essential.