Risk Analysis and Preparedness

The Emergency Specialist (Risk Analysis and Preparedness) will facilitate UNICEF’s global political risk monitoring and analysis, including research and analysis of political, administrative and legislative risks potentially affecting UNICEF’s humanitarian response, focusing on fragile or otherwise high-risk settings including UNICEF’s corporate priority emergency responses. The Emergency Specialist will research and draft analytical reports, liaise with key partners, and support the development of UNICEF’s analytical systems and related analytical capacity, policies and technologies. 

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:  

• Produce briefings for senior UNICEF managers on political risk, in varied formats and modalities.
• Develop analyses and scenarios to support UNICEF CO and RO in contingency planning and emergency preparedness.
• Participate in inter-agency risk analysis processes including the IASC Early Warning Early Action / Horizon Scanning and Regional Monthly Review processes.
• Enhance UNICEF collection and collation of political risk information through improved use of technology.
• Build partnerships with external actors in the political risk analysis space to enhance UNICEF’s access to information.
• Produce briefings for senior UNICEF managers on political risk, in varied formats and modalities:
• Monitor, research and analyze information related to conflict, political, legislative and administrative risk that could affect UNICEF operations.
• Develop briefings about conflict and political risk in media such as written documents, briefing notes, visuals, and audio/video.
• Ensure that briefing materials are integrated into other Risk Analysis and Preparedness Section products, including interagency work.
• Ensure confidential management of sensitive materials.
• Develop analyses and scenarios to support UNICEF CO and RO in contingency planning and emergency preparedness:
• Research and draft conflict and political risk-related scenarios that include context, humanitarian impacts, and operational impacts, in collaboration with UNICEF RO and CO, and HQ sections.
• Regularly communicate with other sections, and other staff in the Risk Analysis and Preparedness section, using or producing political risk or otherwise relevant information, to ensure common understandings and avoid duplication
• Consult with other sections as relevant in the production of briefing materials as above
• Participate in inter-agency risk analysis processes including the IASC Early Warning Early Action / Horizon Scanning and Regional Monthly Review processes:
• Contribute to research, analysis, and report drafting for IASC risk analysis processes
• Coordinate day to day aspects of UNICEF engagement in the Regional Monthly Review process, including liaising with other UNICEF RO, CO and HQ sections as needed, attending meetings, and research and drafting risk analyses. 
• Enhance UNICEF collection and collation of political risk information through improved use of technology, in collaboration with OPSCEN:
• Identify and exploit opportunities to develop technological solutions related to political risk information collection, filtering, storage, and analysis
• Support integration of the above into existing and new systems in the Risk Analysis and Preparedness Section
• Build partnerships with external actors in the political risk analysis space to enhance UNICEF’s access to information:
• As needed, work with the Humanitarian Field Support Section and EMOPS Director’s Office on political analysis for Level 3 and Level 2 crises
• Identify partners that could enhance UNICEF’s political risk analysis outputs and develop and manage informal and formal partnerships as appropriate.

Impact of Results:

• The efficient and effective analytical support provided by the Emergency Specialist (Political Risk Analysis) impacts on the timeliness and effectiveness of the humanitarian action for children in emergencies.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Advanced degree in Political Science, Economics, International Relations or another relevant Science/Social Science field.
• First level university degree with relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience:

• At least five years of experience in international political risk analysis, with emphasis on fragile/high-risk environments
• Experience producing political risk briefings for senior management
• Experience with a humanitarian agency and an understanding of the impacts of political and conflict risk on humanitarian operations
• Demonstrated data analysis skills
• Experience in economic risk analysis is an asset
• Ability to code using tools such as Python, SQL, Databricks, etc., and connect these to e.g. PowerBI is an asset

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and Arabic required; proficiency in French is highly desirable.

Source: https://jobs.unicef.org/cw/en-us/job/577925