2.         Job Purpose

The Head of the Syria Regional Response Hub      represents UNFPA at WOS / Regional Syria response related      humanitarian forums at the regional level and will help coordinate UNFPA’s response efforts by the humanitarian units in all the country offices involved in the Syria crisis response.  The Head of the Syria Regional Response Hub will assist the heads of the other offices responding to the Syria crisis in working closely with authorities, humanitarian agencies, donors, civil society and local counterparts.  He/she will help to mobilize donor resources and keep donor representatives well informed on both progress and problems faced by UNFPA in the implementation of these funds.  In all actions, the Head of the Syria Regional Response Hub will consult with and report to the      Regional Director of the Arab States Regional Office (ASRO) and will coordinate his/her work with the ASRO Regional Humanitarian Advisor as relevant,      the concerned Headquarters divisions, especially the      Humanitarian Response Division and the Resource Mobilization and Partnership Branch.  As such, he/she will supervise the team at the Syria Regional Response Hub.  He/she will have overall responsibility and accountability for UNFPA’s WoS and regional Syria crisis humanitarian programme development, communication and resource mobilization, working closely with Headquarters, ASRO and the relevant Country Offices.

Key activities include:

• Coordination of UNFPA humanitarian response in relation to the United Nations system-wide Whole of Syria (WoS) and regional Syria crisis response mechanisms
• Management of resources, mobilization of resources and donor relations for the Whole of Syria and regional Syria crisis response

The Syria Regional Response Hub plays a leading role in protecting the priorities and mandate of the organization at the national and regional level specifically as it relates to organization of humanitarian response and planning of resilience-related and early recovery programs for countries affected by the Syria crisis. The Head of the Syria Regional Response Hub will be the lead in managing the Hub to effectively position UNFPA to be the visible centre of humanitarian operations of the United Nations system in the Syria crisis through innovation and excellence as they relate to issues of population and development, sexual and reproductive health and rights, youth, and gender-based violence.  Placing the UNFPA mandate issues at the center of the overall United Nations humanitarian efforts in the region, the incumbent plays a significant part in ensuring a coordinated and comprehensive UNFPA engagement across the humanitarian coordination system and with bilateral donors and civil society, with national counterparts and other partners

3.         Major Activities/Expected Results

A. Coordination of UNFPA humanitarian response to the Syria crisis

• Represent UNFPA at appropriate regional humanitarian response mechanisms, such as those planning for Syria Humanitarian Response Plan and the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan, and support the RD in the preparation for the SSG and step in as directed.
• Work with Hub staff and country offices to develop and refine processes and mechanisms that ensure that relevant, coherent and standardized programming, M&E and reporting tools are incorporated into UNFPA Syria regional operations;
• Coordinate regular Syria regional response meetings and Whole of Syria coordination meetings, document decisions taken and share with relevant parties for action;
• Work to establish and maintain partnerships, alliances and networks in the region, specifically as they relate to humanitarian response;

• Act as the principal adviser on humanitarian issues related to the Syria crisis response to the Regional Director, Deputy Regional Director and senior management of UNFPA; Lead the development of Briefing notes. Maintain an overview of the UN system’s response to the Syria crisis and provide information and advice as appropriate to regional and country offices
• Serve as the information focal point on the regional Syria crisis, including WoS, sharing key and relevant information with country offices, regional offices and headquarters; and
• Contribute to the implementation of the ASRO regional programme, ensure close collaboration with the Regional Humanitarian advisor, and the ASRO integrated team on all relevant aspects of the Syria regional response

B.  Management of resources, mobilization of resources and donor relations

• Assume overall accountability for the management and work of the Syria Regional Response Hub, including the WOS coordination, and supervision of the Hub team;
• Prepare budgets and help to mobilize resources for the effective operations of the Syria Regional Response Hub, and ensure the efficient and effective use of such resources in compliance with UNFPA financial rules, regulations, and procedures;
• Work with the Regional Resource Mobilization and Partnership Adviser and the relevant country offices in developing and carrying out resource mobilization strategies to address the Syria regional humanitarian response;
• Lead in the development of proposals to donors for new and ongoing multi-country grants, both for the overall Syria regional response and Whole of Syria operations;
• Act as the main donor relations focal point for multi-country grants, both for the overall Syria regional response and Whole of Syria operations;
• Lead on preparation of UNFPA inputs for Syria Pledging Conferences and lead on all BN for the Syria crisis, as needed.
• Take the lead in managing Hub and country office M&E and Information Management staff in reporting to donors on the results of their programmes, as established in donor agreements;
• Uphold standards for the recruitment and selection of the highest quality of staff for the Syria Regional Response Hub;
• Establish and maintain a harmonious working environment; seeking to strengthen team-building by encouraging active participation and interaction at all levels; foster staff motivation, development and empowerment; and lead by example;
• Ensure an ethics-based approach to management of all human and financial resources; and
• Carry out any other duties as may be required by the Regional Director.

Lead Humanitarian Knowledge Management for the Arab States (AS)region
Oversee tailored operational support to COs operating in humanitarian context in the AS region to capture lessons learned and produce knowledge products position

• Oversee the implementation of the yearly Iimpact Aassessment and dissemination of the final report to donors, partners and UNFPA.
• Oversee the production and dissemination of products under the humanitarian knowledge series to ensure that SRH and GBV are maintained as part of the policy agenda and to inform UNFPA programmes. An internal KM portal will be finalized which includes all background products that have been used by other country offices

4.         Work Relations

Internal Relations: All units in the Arab states regional office and Eastern Europe Regional Office.  The Head of the Syria Regional Response Hub works with the relevant Country Offices, advocates for the Syria humanitarian regional response programme at all levels of UNFPA.

External Relations:  United Nations agencies’ heads, heads of civil society organizations

5.         Job Requirements

Education:  Advanced university degree in one or more of the following disciplines: Public Health, Medicine, Sociology, Demography, Gender, International Relations, International Development, Economics, Public Administration, Management or other related field.

 Knowledge and Experience:

• at least 10 years of increasingly responsible relevant professional experience in coordinating, developing and implementing humanitarian interventions in crisis settings and ideally, representation at high-level humanitarian forums.
• Experience in overseeing GBV and SRH programmes an advantage
• Strong resource mobilization and advocacy skills.
• Experience with UN and NGO inter-agency humanitarian coordination mechanisms.
• Strong analytical, coordination and organizational skills.
• Proven ability to lead and manage teams to achieve demonstrable results;
• Job Knowledge and technical expertise of the humanitarian reform process and roles/responsibilities of humanitarian actors.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong interest in development work, especially the mission of the United Nations Population Fund and dedication to the principles of the United Nations and

• Field experience is essential.

ii) Functional Competencies:

• Global leadership and advocacy for ICPD goals

• Organizational leadership and direction

• Ensuring operational effectiveness and accountability for results

• External and internal relations and advocacy for results mobilization

• Advocacy/Advancing a policy-oriented agenda

• Leveraging the resources of national governments and

partners/building strategic alliances and partnerships

• Delivering results-based programmes

• Internal and External relations and advocacy for results mobilization

Leading global advocacy for organizational priorities

• Creating visibility for the organization

• Mobilizing resources

• Strategically positioning UNFPA programmes

• Providing conceptual innovation to support programme

effectiveness

• Generating, managing and promoting the use of knowledge and

information

• Providing a technical support system

• Strengthening the programming capacity of Country Offices

• Facilitating quality programmatic results

Languages: 

• Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of languages of the region such as Arabic and/or French would be considered a distinct asset

Other Desirable Skills:

​​​​​​​Initiative, strong conceptual abilities, sound judgment.