Senior Emergency Administrator (SEA)
One Senior Emergency Administrator (SEA) is based in EPRS on a standby capacity. This staff member has experience and training in all aspects of administration (human resources, finance and general administration), as well as proven managerial skills and experience. When not deployed on emergencies SEAs may be assigned to non-emergency situations where the need for skilled administrative capacity is deemed by the concerned technical/functional section in Headquarters (e.g. DFIS, PCS, SSS etc.) to be critical. In such cases deployment will range from short assessment and advisory missions to assignments lasting a maximum of three months.
A brief description of possible functions follows:
- identify and administer office premises
- establish and improve office procedures
- plan staffing needs, recruit and administer staff
- oversee finance and banking procedures
- ensure proper procedures for communications
- oversee transport arrangements
- oversee security plans
- ensure adequate staff support and staff training
- supervise phase out of emergency team and hand-over.
The SEA will supervise administrative staff, both international and local, and relieve the operations manager of administrative concerns. It should be noted that this is a senior management position and deployment will be to major emergency complex operations. Alternatively the SEA may be called upon to cover numerous field offices on a "roving" basis.
Emergency Finance and Administrative Assistants (EFAA)
Two Emergency Finance and Administrative Assistants (EFAAs) are based in EPRS on a standby capacity. These staff members have experience and training in all practical aspects of administration (human resources, finance and general administration). Particular attention has been paid to thorough financial and accounting skills. During an emergency deployment, the EFAA's main objective is to set up proper administrative procedures and also to train locally recruited staff in UNHCR practices and procedures so that they may work independently upon the departure of the Emergency Response Team. When not deployed in emergencies EFAAs may be assigned to non-emergency situations where the need for skilled administrative capacity is deemed by the concerned technical/functional section in Headquarters (e.g. DFIS, PCS, SSS etc.) to be critical. EFAAs have also been trained as Programme Assistants and can act in this capacity in an Emergency Response Team. Assignment lengths for all deployments will be up to three months.
A brief description of possible functions follows:
- identify banking facilities and make banking arrangements
- establish field office accounts; prepare and monitor administrative budgets
- establish control measures (vehicle & telephone logs, inventories, travel authorizations etc.) for all expenditure
- handle all personnel programme management and administration matters
- recruit and/or train local staff in finance and personnel administration
The EFAA may be assigned as part of an emergency response team, reporting either to an EPRO, SEA, BO Administrative Officer or Head of Sub Office. The EFAA may supervise local administrative staff.
How to request
A written request from the Head of Desk, cleared with the Bureau Director, should be addressed to the Chief of EPRS, stating the destination, proposed duration, terms of reference, language requirements and any other specific skills required for the assignment. Deployment decisions will be made in consultation with the concerned technical sections. An SEA or EFAAs may in principle be deployed within 72-hours notice.
Requests for deployment in non emergency situations may be entertained as long as the assignment is not simply to fill a management gap. It should be understood, however, that these assignments are time-limited, and require clear terms of reference. An SEA or EFAAs may also be withdrawn in case of an emergency. The mission costs of an SEA or EFAAs will be charged to the respective country programme.
