UNV County Resource Conflict Monitor Job in Kenya

UNV Assignment Title: County Resource Conflict Monitor

Type of Assignment: National UN Volunteer

Project Title: Armed Violence and Small Arms Reduction in Pastoralist Areas

Duration: One Year
Location, Country: Kenya (Marsabit, Isiolo, Mandera and Turkana)
Expected Starting Date: As soon as possible

About UNV

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that promotes volunteerism to support peace and development worldwide.

Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development and it benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. 

UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for volunteerism globally, encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing
volunteers.

In most cultures volunteerism is deeply embedded in long-established, ancient traditions of sharing and support within the communities. 

In this context, UN Volunteers take part in various forms of volunteerism and play a role in development and peace together with co-workers, host agencies and local
communities.

In all assignments, UN Volunteers promote volunteerism through their action and conduct. 

Engaging in volunteer activity can effectively and positively enrich their understanding of local and social realities, as well as create a bridge between themselves and the people in their host community. 

This will make the time they spend as UN Volunteers even more rewarding and productive.

Brief Project Description

The project aims to consolidate the successes of previous intervention through strengthening capacity of national and county level institutions to respond effectively to armed violence, including violence precipitated by drought and dwindling natural resources; consolidating peace in pastoralists’ areas
through peace dividend and livelihood diversification projects; responding to the challenges posed by the proliferation of small arms and light weapons; addressing cross-border peace challenges and mainstreaming the role of women, youth and the physically challenged in armed violence reduction and in peace building in pastoralists areas in Kenya.

The project is being implemented by the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) with National Steering Committee on Peace Building and Conflict Management (NSC), Kenya National Focal Point on small arms (KNFP) being the other collaborating agencies. 

The UNV will be based at the County office of the NDMA in the following counties: Marsabit; Isiolo; Mandera; and Turkana.

Description of Assignment

Under the direct supervision of Drought Management Officer (DMO) in the relevant Counties, and National Project Officer at the NDMA, the UN Volunteer will, among other tasks:

• Assist the DMO in County level matters concerning the design, execution and evaluation of armed violence and small arms reduction project, monitoring of natural resource conflicts, and supporting the Drought Early Warning Bulletins with input on conflict early warning.
• Advise and assist the District Peace Committees (DPCs) in the execution of their activities including prioritization of peace dividend projects and technical support to peace-building efforts, taking into account administrative and programme rules and regulations of UNDP and GoK.
• Act as the focal person for the NDMA, NSC, KNFP and other partners in execution of the peace building and small arms control activities at the County level
• Perform the functions of the County Resource Conflict Monitor, as well as Peace Monitor, in relation to conflict early warning and response mechanism undertaken by NSC
• Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to promote the ethos of volunteerism by strengthening their knowledge and contributing their experiences in the course of the assignment.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Degree in any social sciences discipline including community development, political science, social work, conflict management and peace building
• Proficiency in MS Office software packages and Internet use
• At least 3 years relevant work experience at national level in community development work particularly in arid Counties, which should include, conflict, disaster and natural resource management
• Understanding of development issues in pastoral communities of northern Kenya
• Excellent knowledge of English and Kiswahili. Knowledge of a local language spoken in the relevant County (Borana/Gabbra, Rendille, Samburu, Somali, and Turkana) would be an added advantage.

Competencies

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team, inspiring confidence and ability to work collaboratively with other people
• Adaptability and ability to handle stressful situations
• Display commitment and direction: volunteerism and volunteer vision and strategic goals and achievement
• Ability to translate strategic aims into achievable plans, with established priorities, monitor them, making periodic adjustments as required
• Good analytic capabilities
• Ability to maintain a high degree of sensitivity to the changing environment where activities are carried out

Application Procedure

Interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to apply by submitting their curriculum vitae marked “UNV County Resource Conflict Monitor” as well as the County you’re applying for by email to: unvkenya@undp.org by 31st January 2013. 

The title of the post must appear in the subject line. Only short-listed candidates for the advertised positions will be contacted.

“The UN is an equal opportunity employer which strives to achieve overall balance in its staffing patterns”.