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Job Opening
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Posting Title: |
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Senior Political Affairs Officer, P5 (Temporary Job Opening)
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Job Code Title: |
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SENIOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS OFFICER
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Department/ Office: |
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Department of Peacekeeping Operations
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Duty Station: |
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NEW YORK
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Posting Period: |
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15 September 2015-21 September 2015
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Job Opening number: |
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15-POL-DPKO-47504-J-NEW YORK (X)
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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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Under the general supervision of the Great Lakes Integrated Operational Team (IOT) Team Leader and Director of Africa Division II, the Senior Political Affairs Officer will function as a Senior Political Officer in the Office of Operations in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations – leading efforts in the Division in the management, support and backstopping of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), involving several components (political, military, rule of law). The Officer may be called upon to travel frequently in/to the area of assignment. The incumbent monitors the development and progress of MONUSCO and MINUSCA, providing guidance to the field; responds to or initiates contacts with a wide range of actors (i.e. parties to the conflict, members of the Security Council, troop and police contributors, and key regional actors); negotiates solutions to defuse situations and participating in crisis management; under the guidance of the Team Leader/Director, provides advice on actions, policy, political and operational issues; and responds to/prepares responses to comments, statements and queries from a wide range of parties; monitors and reports on developments in various fora for implications on MONUSCO and MINUSCA, in particular monitoring developments in the Central African Republic; the Democratic Republic and the sub-region; drafts expeditiously and effectively numerous, and often sensitive documents (i.e. including reports to the Security Council, talking points and briefing notes for the Secretary-General for senior level meetings, as well as option papers); coordinates input from various United Nations departments, agencies and other organizations; assists in the design and determination of the effectiveness of approaches to peacekeeping operations and the application to immediate situations; conducts research and prepare analytical material related to Central African Republic; the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Great Lakes region, including cross-cutting issues in the region; develops early warning and policy options for conflict prevention, peacemaking and post-conflict peacebuilding; assists in the provision of substantive political support and guidance for good offices; engages in mediation and other political initiatives and activities that may be undertaken by the Secretary-General or his representatives; reaches out to relevant academic institutions and civil society organizations; participates, as necessary, in conferences, seminars and academic fora; monitors and analyses Security Council/General Assembly and other inter-governmental deliberations on relevant political issues; performs other tasks, as requested by the IOT Team Leader and the Director.
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Responsibilities
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Within delegated authority, the Senior Political Affairs Officer will be responsible for the following duties: • Formulates political affairs strategies; develops a vision or direction for work; proposes policy directives and plan of action for immediate and long range solutions to political problems in general and in specific geographical areas; identifies emerging issues pertaining to the mandates of the unit; analyses implications and makes recommendations on possible strategies and measures. • Plans and implements the operational activities related to the work of the integrated operational team (IOT)/division/department, i.e., peacekeeping, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, conflict prevention and resolution, post-conflict rehabilitation, election administration, political and governance institution-building, civil society support work, etc.; incorporates an integrated approach that includes a rights-based dimension, conflict prevention sensitivity, and a gender perspective into the policy, planning and operational activities of the unit. • Plans, coordinates and manages programmes, projects and activities requiring interdepartmental and/or interagency involvement and participation. • Prepares briefing notes and talking points for the Secretary-General, Senior Advisers, Under-Secretary-General/Assistant Secretary-General. • Designs peacekeeping initiatives; advises on and participates in the negotiation to establish operations and develops guidelines, terms of reference and operational plans and time frames for new operations. • Coordinates and directs the provision of secretariat services for the General Assembly, ECOSOC and the Security Council and their subsidiary bodies, and special conferences and summits. • Provides continuous guidance and advice to the Presidents and Chairs as well as other elected offices of intergovernmental bodies concerning the organization of work, status of negotiations, conduct of business including interpretation of the rules of procedure. • Leads and directs a work team; plans and allocates work assignments; coaches, mentors, and evaluates staff; participates in recruitment and selection of new staff and in the development of training programs. • Acts as coordinator for complex coordination and support missions. • Manages, coordinates, organizes and supervises research on a variety of political issues in a region and or country or major conflict. • Represents IOT/division/Department at round tables, seminars and conferences. • Responds to/prepares responses to comments, statements, queries of parties and manages operations involving several components, including civilian, military and humanitarian operations. • Formulates the programme of work, budget and medium-term plan of the unit and participates in the overall approval of the programme of work, and administrative matters concerning the IOT/Division; coordinates and oversees work of colleagues and unit. • Develops and maintains relations with senior government officials and advises them on issues and policies of mutual concern. • Performs other related duties as required.
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Competencies
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Professionalism: Knowledge of the work of the United Nations and of the functions, priorities and policies of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and its activities at both Headquarters and in the field; knowledge of political, ethnic and social environment in Africa, in particular in Central Africa and/or the Great Lakes region, its neighboring countries and the Sahel, competence, integrity and reliability in performance and in maintaining positive working relations in a highly demanding and client-oriented environment; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor the work of large organizational units; ability to work effectively with people of different national and cultural backgrounds; takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. Ability to work at the strategic level in proposing options to address long- and medium-term issue of peace and security, particularly as they relate to United Nations peace and security actions in Africa.
Planning and Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
Judgement/decision-making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.
Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly.
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Education
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Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in political or social sciences, international relations or law, history or economics with studies in diplomatic relations and peacekeeping. 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 10 years of progressively responsible experience in political analysis, peacekeeping, international crisis management and/or diplomacy at the international level, at least one year of which should be in a UN peacekeeping operation, preferably in or related to Africa.
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Languages
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English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised fluency is English and knowledge of French is highly desirable.
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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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Notes: Estimated Start Date: Immediate. Duration of Need: Through 31/12/2015
• A current staff member who holds a fixed-term, permanent or continuing appointment may apply for temporary positions no more than one level above his or her current grade. However, a current staff member who holds an appointment at the G-6 or G-7 level may also apply to temporary positions in the Professional category up to and including the P-3 level, subject to meeting all eligibility and other requirements for the position. A staff member holding a temporary appointment shall be regarded as an external candidate when applying for other positions, and may apply for other temporary positions at any level, subject to section 5.7 below and staff rule 4.16 (b) (ii). Therefore, a staff member holding a temporary appointment in the General Service or related categories may only apply to positions within those categories. For full information on eligibility requirements, please refer to section 5 of ST/AI/2010/4Rev.1 on Temporary Appointments. In its resolution 66/234, the General Assembly further “stressed that the Secretary-General should not recur to the practice of temporarily filling posts in the Professional and higher categories with General Service staff members who have not passed the General Service to Professional category examination other than on an exceptional basis, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure that temporary occupation of such posts by the General Service staff shall not exceed a period of one year, effective 1 January 2013…” Consequently, eligible candidates in the General Service or related categories for temporary job openings in the Professional category that have not passed the competitive examination may be selected only on an exceptional basis endorsed by the Office of Human Resources Management where no other suitable candidate could be identified.
• Upon separation from service, including, but not limited to, expiration or termination of, or resignation from, a fixed-term, continuing or permanent appointment, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment on the basis of a temporary appointment for a period of 31 days following the separation. In the case of separation from service on retirement, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment for a period of three months following the separation. This equally applies, mutatis mutandis, with respect to a former or current staff member who has held or holds an appointment in another entity applying the United Nations Staff Regulations and Rules and who applies for a temporary position with the Secretariat.
• Subject to the funding source of the position, this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.
• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. An external candidate selected for this position is bound by the prevailing condition of the staff selection system under ST/AI/2010/3, as amended, and ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1. A staff member holding a temporary appointment who is recruited in the Professional and above categories on a temporary appointment, and placed on a position authorized for one year or longer may not apply for or be reappointed to his/her current position within six months of the end of his/her current service. This provision does not apply to staff members holding temporary appointments and placed on positions authorized for one year or more in duty stations authorized for peacekeeping operations or special political missions.
• The expression “Internal candidates”, shall mean staff members who have been recruited after a competitive examination under staff rule 4.16 or after the advice of a central review body under staff rule 4.15.
• Please note that 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.
• For information on special post allowance, please refer to ST/AI/1999/17. For more details on the administration of temporary appointments please refer to ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1.
• The Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and administrative issuances governing staff appointments can be viewed at: http://www.un.org/hr_handbook/English
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United Nations Considerations
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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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