El Niño Response Coordinator (UN Volunteer Expert)

About the role

UNICEF Timor-Leste is recruiting a full-time National UN Volunteer expert to coordinate its El Niño preparedness and response activities. Timor-Leste is highly vulnerable to climate shocks, and after the 2023-2024 El Niño, the country again faces drought, water shortages and crop losses. The volunteer works under the Deputy Representative (Programme), alongside the Emergency Focal Point and Emergency Management Team, in coordination with the Government, municipalities, UN agencies and partners.

Key responsibilities

• Support the preparation and regular updating of the El Niño preparedness and response plan, including scenarios, triggers, priority municipalities, target populations and response packages.
• Consolidate climate, water, nutrition, health, education and protection data into an integrated analysis of risks to children.
• Maintain an El Niño action tracker and follow up with programme sections on agreed actions, deadlines and constraints.
• Represent UNICEF, as delegated, in government-led and inter-agency coordination meetings at national and municipal levels.
• Maintain a stakeholder and partner map covering presence, capacity, response coverage, stocks and gaps.
• Work with Programme, Operations, Supply and Finance teams to identify bottlenecks and track critical emergency supplies.
• Coordinate rapid assessments and run regular field missions to priority municipalities to monitor implementation and consult affected communities.
• Support accessible community feedback mechanisms in Tetum and local languages and integrate PSEA, child safeguarding and do-no-harm principles.
• Prepare weekly internal updates, situation reports, donor report inputs, briefing notes and dashboards, and document lessons learned.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in disaster risk management, humanitarian affairs, international development, public health, nutrition, WASH, social sciences, public policy, climate change, economics or a related field.
• At least seven years of professional experience in emergency preparedness, humanitarian response, disaster risk management, programme coordination or a related field.
• Experience coordinating with government counterparts, UN agencies and implementing partners.
• Fluent English and fluent Tetum; working knowledge of Portuguese and Indonesian desirable.
• Willingness to travel frequently to remote municipalities and to work under emergency conditions, including outside normal hours.

Required skills

• Strong analytical, reporting and data management skills (situation reports, trackers, dashboards).
• Proficiency in MS Office, particularly Excel.
• Preferred: experience in drought, El Niño or other climate emergencies, WASH, nutrition, health, education, child protection or social protection, and knowledge of Timor-Leste's municipalities and disaster management system.