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Job Opening
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Posting Title: |
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SPECIAL ASSISTANT, POLITICAL AFFAIRS, P4
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Job Code Title: |
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SPECIAL ASSISTANT, POLITICAL AFFAIRS
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Department/ Office: |
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United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel
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Duty Station: |
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DAKAR
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Posting Period: |
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16 February 2015-17 March 2015
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Job Opening number: |
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15-POL-UNOWAS-40327-R-DAKAR (M)
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Staffing Exercise ID: |
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N/A
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United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity
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Org. Setting and Reporting
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This position is located in Dakar, in the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA).The Special Assistant will report to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for West Africa, Head of UNOWA through the Chief of Staff.
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Responsibilities
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Within limits of delegated authority, the Special Assistant will be responsible for performing the following duties:
Coordination and Facilitation - Provide substantive and practical support to the SRSG in implementing the Mission’s mandate; Keep the SRSG informed on all matters requiring his personal attention, assist in formulating options as to how those matters might be handled, and ensure appropriate follow-up, as directed. - Organize and manage the SRSG’s meetings and Mission events, prepare written summaries and conduct follow-up activities, as appropriate; Coordinate/draft correspondence for the SRSG’s signature. - Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with mission components, the authorities, the broader UN family, donors and other national and international partners on coordination and policy matters;
Political Analysis, Advice and Reporting - Identify, analyze and monitor political developments and emerging issues with respect to the implementation of the Mission’s mandate; - Assess implications of the strategies endorsed by the Office and make recommendations on possible policies, and other measures to address issues of concern and to advance mandated objectives; Monitor, evaluate and report on implementation. - Coordinate/draft summary and analytical reports including, but not limited to, situation reports, briefing notes, notes to file, code cables and input for the reports of the Secretary-General to the Security Council.
Management - Assist in formulating and managing the implementation of the Mission’s programme of work, including through support to planning and budgetary processes. - Supervise, mentor, and evaluate staff ; assist in the selection of new staff.
Perform other relevant duties as requested by the SRSG.
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Competencies
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PROFESSIONALISM: Shows ability to complete in-depth studies and reach conclusions on possible causes and solutions to political problems in specific areas and/or countries. Shows ability to relate to various issues and perspectives to political, social, economic and humanitarian programmes in affected countries and areas. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; Identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.
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Education
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Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in political science, international relations, social science, economics, law, public administration, or a related field. A first level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
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Work Experience
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A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in political affairs, civil affairs, diplomacy, conflict resolution, or related field. Extensive experience in political outreach, facilitation, analysis, advice and reporting is required. Previous experience working in the office of a senior public official and/or as a Special Assistant (or similar) to a senior public official is an advantage.
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Languages
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English and French are the working languages of the UN secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of French is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.
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Assessment
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Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
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Special Notice
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Extension of the appointment is subject to Extension of the mandate and/or the availability of the funds.
- Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.
- These posts are financed by the Support Account for Peacekeeping Operations. Extension of appointment will be subject to budgetary approval.
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United Nations Considerations
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Job openings posted on the Careers Portal are taken off at midnight (New York time) on the deadline date.
Applications are automatically pre-screened according to the published evaluation criteria of the job opening on the basis of the information provided by applicants. Applications cannot be amended following submission and incomplete applications shall not be considered. The selected candidate will be subject to a reference checking process to verify the information provided in the application.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the At-a-Glance on "The Application Process" and the Instructional Manual for the Applicants, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” on the upper right side of the browser on Inspira.
The United Nations shall place no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. (Charter of the United Nations - Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
Candidates will be required to meet the requirements of Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter as well as the requirements of the position. The United Nations is committed to the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity for all its human resources, including but not limited to respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to whether they have committed, or are alleged to have committed criminal offences and/or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
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No Fee
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THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
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