Humanitarian advisor

Humanitarian advisors ensure strategies to reduce the impact of humanitarian crises on a national and/or international level. They provide professional advice and support and this in collaboration with different partners.

The following job titles also refer to humanitarian advisor:

non governmental organisation officer
charity worker
humanitarian affairs officer
humanitarian affairs advisor
humanitarian assistance advisor
humanitarian consultant

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as humanitarian advisor. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Humanitarian advisor is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to humanitarian advisor.

programme funding manager
election observer
activism officer
grants management officer
human rights officer

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of humanitarian advisor. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of humanitarian advisor with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of humanitarian advisor.

These skills are necessary for the role of humanitarian advisor.

Identify emerging issues in humanitarian area: Recognize arising problems and trends in a proactive way on a national, regional or international level in order to respond rapidly.
Work in crises areas: Support people in fragile and conflict affected environments such as in developing countries.
Own management skills: Propose program priorities and strategies and have the ability to organize national and/or international meetings.
Use communication techniques: Apply techniques of communication which allow interlocutors to better understand each other and communicate accurately in the transmission of messages.
Write work-related reports: Compose work-related reports that support effective relationship management and a high standard of documentation and record keeping. Write and present results and conclusions in a clear and intelligible way so they are comprehensible to a non-expert audience.
Develop professional network: Reach out to and meet up with people in a professional context. Find common ground and use your contacts for mutual benefit. Keep track of the people in your personal professional network and stay up to date on their activities.
Tolerate stress: Maintain a temperate mental state and effective performance under pressure or adverse circumstances.
Manage humanitarian aid: Plan and provide assistance and help in order to respond to humanitarian crises.
Provide humanitarian advice: Seek to establish or improve human welfare by giving advice.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of humanitarian advisor. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Financial management: The field of finance that concerns the practical process analysis and tools for designating financial resources. It encompasses the structure of businesses, the investment sources, and the value increase of corporations due to managerial decision-making.
International law: The binding rules and regulations in the relations between states and nations, and legal systems dealing with countries rather than private citizens.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of humanitarian advisor. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Work in an international environment: Guide your career to an international level which often requires the ability to interact, relate and communicate with individuals from different cultures.
Show responsibility: Accept responsibility and be accountable for professional decisions of yourself or others as part of a job or one’s role.
Maintain relations with local representatives: Maintain good relations with representatives of the local scientific, economic and civil society.
Evaluate humanitarian programme proposals: Provide feedback on proposals concerning plans to improve and to contribute to human welfare.
Provide leadership: Lead and influence others to promote and contribute to policy development, advocacy, extending the boundaries and strategy at various levels.
Maintain relationships with government agencies: Establish and maintain cordial working relationships with peers in different governmental agencies.
Show empathy: Show empathy in order to prevent any kind of symbolic violence and isolation and to guarantee a considerate attention to everyone. It should include a capacity to understand various verbal and non-verbal communication of sentiment and feeling.
Show intercultural awareness: Show sensibility towards cultural differences by taking actions which facilitate positive interaction between international organisations, between groups or individuals of different cultures, and to promote integration in a community.
Observe confidentiality: Observe the set of rules establishing the nondisclosure of information except to another authorised person.
Train employees: Lead and guide employees through a process in which they are taught the necessary skills for the perspective job. Organise activities aimed at introducing the work and systems or improving the performance of individuals and groups in organisational settings.

2422 – Policy administration professionals

 

 

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References

1. Humanitarian advisor – ESCO