This component has two pilars:
Career Development
The objectives of this component are to:
- Groom candidates for humanitarian coordination positions.
- Contribute to retain high caliber Coordinators in the humanitarian coordination track.
To this end, an inter-agency career development program for the humanitarian coordination function will be developed, covering both upstream paths ― those leading to a Coordinator posting ― and downstream ones ― those following such a posting ― and dovetailing with the leadership development programs of IASC agencies.
- Upstream, the program will identify and fast-track promising individuals, and develop career paths for them that would include postings in different types of organisations (UN and non-UN, humanitarian and development).
- Downstream, the program will offer Coordinators a gamut of options depending on their performance, ranging from short- or long-term field positions to return to their agency of origin at their current level of seniority.
IASC Humanitarian Coordination Pool
The objectives of this component are to:
- Build a sizeable pool of high caliber candidates for humanitarian coordination positions (This includes RC/HC, HC and positions, RC positions in countries where the RC is expected to perform humanitarian coordination functions, and other senior humanitarian coordination positions) that is diverse and balanced in terms of gender, geographical origins, and agency of origin of its members.
- Ensure that IASC agencies are able to participate in the selection of candidates for humanitarian coordination positions.
To this end, the following steps will be taken:
- The HC Pool will continue to be enlarged and replenished.
- HC Pool members will be provided with the following professional development opportunities:
o Two trainings (using legal frameworks in humanitarian coordination and working with UN and non-UN partners), to be held on a biennial basis.
o Secondments to IASC agency or OCHA offices in the field, as appropriate and feasible
- The HC Pool Assessment Panel will continue to meet biannually for succession planning purposes.
IASC Agencies will be requested to:
- nominate high caliber candidates to the HC Pool
- provide secondment opportunities to HC Pool members.
The HC Pool will consist of selected individuals drawn from the following pools:
- current HCs
- current RCs
- current HC Pool members
- promising individuals from within the humanitarian community
These individuals will be selected by an inter-agency panel according to stringent, objective, transparent and agreed criteria.
For those individuals who require them, individualised professional development programs will be developed, to be carried out both prior to and following their placement in the HC Pool. These will include:
- Skills-based and substantive training
- Shadowing of an experienced HC, OCHA Head of Office, UN Agency Country Director and/or NGO Country Director, depending on prior experience
- Coaching and mentoring.
A number of selected individuals from the HC Pool will be sponsored for the Resident Coordinator Assessment Centre, so as to be eligible for RC positions and deployment as RC/HCs.