UN VOLUNTEER DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT Preamble: 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, UNV 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, UNV 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 UNV volunteers even more rewarding and productive. UNV Strategic Framework 2014-2017: Outcome 1, Output 1.2: Volunteerism is integrated within UN entities programming through the implementation of UNV-UN partner joint programmes/projects in four priority areas: (a) youth; (b) peace building; (c) basic social services; (d) community resilience for environment and disaster risk reduction 1. UNV Assignment Title: UNV Biomedical Technician 2. Type of assignment: International UN Volunteer 3. Project Title: UNV Assistance to UNMISS, ID no. 00079362 4. Duration: Initial contract duration is dependent on arrival date during the current budget cycle, with subsequent 12-month contract extensions. 5. Location, Country: Juba, Republic of South Sudan (volunteer may be required to work anywhere in the Mission area, including in remote locations; the exact duty station will be determined upon arrival and can change in course of assignment). 6. Expected starting date: Immediate 7. Brief Project Description: Support UNMISS mandate 8. Host Agency/Host Institute: United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) 9. Organizational Context: UNMISS was established in 2011 under the auspices of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO); subsequently, UNMISS mandate has been renewed through resolutions 2057 (2012), 2109 (2013), 2155 (2014) and 2187 (2014). 10. Type of Assignment Place: Non Family Duty Station 11. Description of Duties: 1
Under the guidance / direct supervision of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and Deputy Chief Medical Officer, the UNV Biomedical Technician will be responsible for: Identifying medical equipment and medical furniture requirements: Consulting with the CMO, examining and determining medical equipment and medical furniture requirements. The lists to include a room by room distribution of medical equipment and medical furniture; Studying and refining the existing preliminary medical equipment and medical furniture requirements; Defining the installation constraints of equipment related to works; Installing, maintaining and repairing medical equipment and medical furniture. Providing technical support in the tender process and installation of medical equipment: Studying the standard specifications of medical equipment and medical furniture and developing updated specifications for the proposed medical equipment and medical furniture; Identifying the basic equipment pre-installation works to be incorporated; Supporting the Procurement Section in evaluation and identification of suitable medical equipment suppliers; Supporting the section in examination of the architectural and technical studies/documents concerning the installation constraints of equipment; Supporting the Procurement Section in examination and analysis of equipment bids; Supervising and certifying installation and commissioning of medical equipment and medical furniture in liaison with the relevant authorities; Monitoring performance of medical equipment and furniture within the warranty period. Providing technical support on Telemedicine: Participating in the development of the appropriate Telemedicine technologies to be adopted where deemed necessary. When working with (including supervising) national staff or (non-)governmental counterparts, including Implementing Partners (IPs), the incumbent is strongly encouraged to set aside dedicated time for capacity development through coaching, mentoring and formal and on-thejob training; Promotion of the UN Volunteer Programme mandate UN Volunteers are expected to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment as well as promote voluntary action through engagement with communities (urban &rural) during the course of their work. As such UN Volunteers should dedicate a proportion of their working week to the following in support of and in synergy with their primary role as UNV Biomedical Technician. Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and taking active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); Be acquainted with and building on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; Contributing articles/write-ups on field experiences and submitting them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; initiating and/or participating in local volunteer groups, including assisting them in submitting stories and experiences to the World Volunteer Web site; 2
Promoting or advising local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encouraging relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible; Encouraging, mobilising and supporting co-workers, fellow UNV volunteers and members of the local community to play an active part in peace and development activities on a voluntary basis; Discussing with supervisors on how volunteerism for peace and development can be mainstreamed through the assignment and integrate activities that promote volunteerism for peace and development into work plans; Assisting with the UNV buddy programme for newly-arrived UNV volunteers. Lastly, when working with (including supervising) national staff or (non-)governmental counterparts, the incumbent is strongly encouraged to set aside dedicated time for training and capacity-building. 12. Results/Expected Output: Complete lists of medical equipment and medical furniture to be procured; Technical specifications for all pieces of medical equipment and medical furniture; Schedule of particular equipment pre-installation works for specialized equipment; Equipment Installation completion reports and certification; Maintenance and repair of medical equipment and medical furniture; Inclusion in Performance Appraisal Report of statement of achievements towards volunteerism for development and capacity building during your assignment such as specific quantification of mobilized volunteers, trained national colleagues, activities, capacities. 13. Profile Requirements: a) Qualifications, skills, experience: At least an honours University Degree in Bio-Medical Engineering or a University Degree in other fields of Engineering with a postgraduate diploma in Bio-Medical Engineering; or its equivalent from a recognized University / Institution; At least eight (8) years professional experience in preparation of medical equipment condition assessment and specifications for hospitals including installation, commissioning large scale maintenance networks of biomedical and hospital equipment; Demonstrated knowledge in preparation of supply tender documents and specifications for medical equipment and medical furniture is desirable; Strong written and oral communication skills in English, demonstrated ability of making effective presentations to diverse audiences. Solid computer skills, including full proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word etc.) and other IT applications and office technology equipment; Have a valid driver s license and proven ability to drive manual gear 4x4 vehicles; Have affinity with or interest in humanitarian relief, post-conflict situations, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System; Sound security awareness. b) Competencies and values: Integrity and professionalism: high degree of personal initiative and willingness to accept wide responsibilities; ability to take ownership, and work independently under established procedures; Accountability: ability to operate in compliance with organizational rules and regulations; Planning, effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner, ability to establish priorities and to plan, 3
coordinate and monitor work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities; Proven ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines with minimum supervision; Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity and gender; A high level of interpersonal, management skills, integrity and ability to work with complex teams; Communication; proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills; Flexibility and willingness to live and work in hazardous and remote places, involving physical hardship and little comfort, and including possible extensive travel within the Mission area;. Commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards the UN core values. 14. Living Conditions: Living conditions vary between UNMISS duty stations. Each duty station where UNMISS has a field presence has basic residential camp facilities, which includes running water and electricity. Candidates should be aware that accommodation is austere and there may be the possibility of water shortages and power blackouts. On arrival in Juba accommodation will be on a share basis. Ablutions will also be shared. As the accommodation situation improves single unit accommodation, with an attached ablution, should become available in all locations. All UNMISS duty stations apart from Entebbe, Uganda are considered non - family duty stations. The security level of UNMISS duty stations is classified by the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) who will brief on arrival. A number of locations in South Sudan are prone to conflict. Some degree of medical service is provided in all UNMISS duty stations. The climate is tropical with a rainy season in many areas that spans from April to October. Ability to live and work in difficult and harsh conditions is essential. 15. Conditions of Service: Initial contract is issued upon arrival until end of budget cycle with possible 12-month extensions depending on mandate, availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectancy of renewal of the assignment, in accordance with art. 5.4 UNV COS. A Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) is paid at the end of each month to cover housing, utilities, transportation, communications and other basic needs. The VLA can be computed by applying the Post-Adjustment Multiplier (PAM) to the VLA base rate of US$ 1,554. The VLA base rate is a global rate, while the PAM is country-specific and fluctuates on a monthly basis according to the cost of living. This method ensures that international UN Volunteers have comparable purchasing power at all duty stations irrespective of varying costs of living. The PAM is established by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) and is published at the beginning of every month on the ICSC website (http://icsc.un.org). For example, if the PAM for the current month in the country of assignment is 54.5%, then the VLA for that month and for that country will be US$ 1,554 x 1.545 = US$ 2,401. Moreover, to complete the monthly VLA rate, a Family Allowance (FA) is added in function of the number of recognized dependents (or: in the amount of US$ 250 if the UN Volunteer has 1 recognized dependent, and US$ 450 if the UN Volunteer has 2 or more recognized dependents). In addition, in non-family duty stations that belong to hardship categories D or E, as classified by the ICSC, international UN Volunteers receive a Well-Being Differential (WBD) on a monthly basis. The VLA and WBD taken together form the net core entitlements. 4
Furthermore, UN Volunteers are provided a settling-in-grant (SIG) at the start of the assignment (if the volunteer did not reside in the duty station for at least 6 months prior to taking up the assignment) and, under strict conditions, also in the event of a permanent reassignment to another duty station (duty stations can change in the course of an assignment based on operational necessity; UN Volunteers may be required to work anywhere in the area of operations of the host organization, including in remote locations). Life, health, permanent disability and malicious acts insurances are included, as well as assignment travel, annual leave, full integration in the UN security framework (including residential security reimbursements as per the local MORSS), DSA payment for official travel, periodic home visit, final repatriation travel (except in the event of a resignation within the initial contract period), and resettlement allowance for satisfactory service. In addition to annual leave regular Rest & Recuperation (R&R) is provided by the Host Agency. The cycle is determined on a quarterly basis, varies between duty stations and is subject to change. UNV will provide, together with the offer of assignment, a copy of the Conditions of Service, including Code of conduct, to the successful candidate. 16. How to apply If you have not yet registered in the UNV database, please apply by registering your profile at: https://ereta.unv.org/html/index.php?module=myprofile. Important: Please select the following code from the drop down menu on the first page of the registration form: 15SSD_633. If you are registered in the UNV database, please update your profile at: http://myprofile.unv.org, click on the Special Recruitment option on the left menu, then click on the Edit button and select the advertisement code 15SSD_633. The United Nations Volunteers Programme is committed to ensuring gender equity among UN Volunteers and welcomes applications from women. The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme contributes to peace and development through volunteerism. UNV is inspired by the conviction that volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development and by the idea that everyone can contribute their time and energy towards peace and development. With partners, UNV advocates for volunteerism, integrates volunteerism into development planning and mobilizes volunteers. The enormous potential of volunteerism is an inspiration to UNV and to volunteers around. Application Deadline: 08 April 2015. Only short-listed candidates shall be contacted 5