OPERATIONAL CONTEXT

Conflict, generalized violence, indiscriminate attacks on civilians, human rights violations, localized inter-communal tensions, and institutionalized discrimination continue to remain major drivers of the humanitarian and protection crisis in Myanmar. According to the UN, an estimated 3.5 million were internally displaced across the country by the end of December 2024, including 3.2 million displaced following the military takeover on 1 February 2021. Since the start of a coordinated offensive by a tripartite ethnic alliance the “Three Brotherhood Alliance” against the Myanmar Armed Forces in Shan State (North) on 27 October 2023, the conflict has escalated to unprecedent intensity and geographical spread, with most of the country affected by armed conflict since the military takeover in 2021. According to the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP), an estimated 19.9 million people –one third of the population – are now in to need humanitarian assistance. They face not only heightened security concerns including forced recruitment, conscription and detention by the armed forces, but also specific protection risks linked to child protection/GBV, lack of legal documentation and forced closure of IDP camps following the national-level policy for return, relocation and closure of IDP camps by the Ministry of Social Welfare and the de facto authorities’ zero IDP policy despite security risks in their original villages. 28 March Myanmar affected with 7.7 magnitude earthquake, large areas across Northwest and Southeast Myanmar have been severely affected. The disaster has caused extensive destruction over 50% of infrastructure has been either fully or partially damaged across 58 townships displacing over 9 million people. Displaced populations are now residing in streets, open areas, and makeshift shelters without access to adequate shelter, sanitation, or essential services. Given the scale of devastation, the Shelter/NFI/CCCM Cluster prioritizes a rapid, life-saving response over the next 6 months followed by early recovery assistance. This phased approach aims to provide critical assistance ahead of the monsoon season and mitigate further protection risks.

Despite these challenging and rapidly evolving circumstances, UNHCR operation in Myanmar continues its activities without interruption, including field missions where security conditions permit. UNHCR Myanmar’s updated protection and solutions strategy aims at operationalizing protection principles, beyond protection monitoring/advocacy work to support the earthquake affected population residing in many displacement sites or scattered in many parts of across NW and SE regions. as UNHCR is the lead agency for CCCM/Shelter Clusters.

Shelter/NFI Cluster aimed to reach 1.1million people across the earthquake affected areas through lifesaving to provide dignified shelters and NFIs, ensuring the service and camp coordination in camp settings. UNHCR as Cluster lead agency and Cluster members work jointly together to ensure that all IDPs, and the other crisis-affected people with humanitarian needs have dignified shelters through shelter constructions, shelter improvements, receive the due NFI. Considering that Cluster’s goal is to promote access to safe and adequate shelter and NFIs.
 

MISSION OBJECTIVES

• To enhance and reinforce Shelter/ NFI Cluster coordination roles in Northwest part of Myanmar
• To support the Shelter/NFI Cluster’s activities and function in the geographic areas of responsibility, ensuring sufficient coordination with Cluster partners and other counterparts including inter-agency representation (e.g., OCHA), development of projects to address unmet shelter/NFI needs.
• To ensure that response operations are well coordinated and effectively implemented with a view to assist and protect internally displaced populations and to make all efforts to find durable solutions
• Strengthen the interlinkages between national and sub-national level Shelter/ NFI coordination mechanisms.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Direction and Coordination

• Contribute to the development of a National Cluster Strategy in a consultative process with Shelter/ NFI partners in Northwest of Myanmar;
• Provide coordination services, including meetings, in line with the Principles of Partnership, ensuring that cluster coordination is inclusive, consultative and results-oriented;
• Ensure that contingency planning and emergency preparedness measures are updated and developed;
• Provide necessary inputs to update as appropriate the Cluster national Strategy

Needs Assessment, Resources Mobilization and Allocation

• Lead, coordinate and conduct within the Sletr/NFI Sub-national Cluster, or at Inter-Cluster level as delegated, coordinated needs assessments, including participatory assessments.
• Ensure that the Cluster addresses all of the identified needs of the affected population and/or brings identifies the appropriate service provider to do so;
• Provide support to the transparent strategic direction to development of common funding criteria, resource mobilisation and prioritization within the Cluster for inclusion in Consolidated Appeals and pooled funds processes;
• Support mechanisms for accountable and transparent financial resource allocation within the cluster;

Capacity Development

• Coordinate the delivery of Shelter/NFI training activities for Cluster members, other local partners;

Standard Setting and Implementation

• Ensure that the Northwest response is informed by appropriate relevant standards, such as those in the SPHERE guidelines and the UNHCR Emergency Handbook, and accepted good practices.
• Ensure appropriate collaboration with other Clusters;
• Coordinate the integration of cross-cutting issues in the work of the Cluster, including age, gender, environment and diversity;
• Promote the use of the Guidelines on Age, Gender and Diversity Mainstreaming;

Information Management, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

• Ensure that Northwest region has information management strategy and mechanism to report and share information within the Cluster;
• Ensure to produce analytical reports, including with regard to the trends and patterns of protection risks, and population movements aligned to National Cluster level;
• Promote and ensure monitoring and evaluation of the impact of operations carried out by cluster members

 
Advocacy and Promotion

• Identify core advocacy concerns for the sub-national Shelter/NFI Cluster through a consultative process: develop joint cluster/ inter-cluster initiatives to ensure regular and consistent advocacy;

 

PROFILE

Experience

• Experience in inter-agency and Shelter/CCCM coordination, ideally with both the cluster system and refugee coordination model.
• Experience working in a sensitive and dynamic security and political environment is desirable.
• Expertise in planning, formulation, implementation, monitoring and reporting on humanitarian operations.
• Good experience in capacity building, and training
• Excellent leadership, coordination, and information management skills.
• Extensive knowledge of current humanitarian issues.

Competencies

• At least seven-year’s relevant experience, of which five in the field, with international organizations.
• Experience in cluster / sector coordination.
• Knowledge of the UN System, and NGO humanitarian community.
• Knowledge of Cluster (Shelter and/or CCCM)  coordination and leadership in humanitarian emergency.

Behavioral

• Demonstrated ability for leadership in context of consensual decision-making
• Demonstrated management and facilitation skills
• Excellent written and oral presentation skills
• Strong negotiation and interpersonal skills
• Willingness and ability to work in hardship environments
• Readily available for field visits and travel
• Cultural and Gender sensitivity
• Experience in building partnerships
• Fluency in written and oral English, with working-level proficiency. Myanmar language will be and assets.