Assistant Political Affairs Officer

Contract

This is a UNV National Youth contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Youth contracts.

Eligibility criteria

Candidate age: between 18 and 29 throughout the entire duration of their assignment. Applicants must be nationals of or legal residents in the country of assignment.

Description of task

Under the direct supervision of an international Political Affairs Officer/Teamleader in the region, the National UN Youth Volunteer will:

• Assist in collecting, screening, summarizing and analyzing information from diverse sources, including publications and the media, with special attention to the representation of all segments of society including vulnerable categories like minorities and women;
• Selects, classifies and stores in computerized database including SAGE database information relating to potential disputes, security and conflicts involving assigned in the Southern Region;
• Support the monitoring of national, provincial and district level political developments and keep abreast of latest trends and developments in the area of assignment in accordance with the priorities established by the mission;
• Support National and International Professionals of Political Affairs Service in UNAMA facilitated discussions with local communities at grassroots to identify local drivers of instability in Southern Region. This will include the drafting of peace outreach proposals, as well as post-implementation reporting, organizing community level workshops and supporting the coordination and funds handling of LPI implementation;
• Support consultations with local authorities, civil society organization, Provincial Peace Committees in five provinces in the Southern Region;
• Based on lessons learned from the implemented LPIs, the incumbent to assist in designing small scale peace dividend projects and peace outreach projects in close coordination with the team of Political Affairs Service, UN Southern Regional Team, INGOs and provincial government institutions including provincial Department of Women’s Affairs;
• Support actively in the development and maintaining of profiles/maps database for the political section, including: provincial and district profiles, tribal profiles, background of important personalities, and other directories, profiles, maps as requested, and, take care of archives and track records and related databases and reports;
• Facilitate in maintaining contacts with regional/local civil and government officials/structures; community leaders; political parties and civil society representatives in areas of responsibility; Assisting in preparing summaries of articles from a wide variety of sources and provide inputs to reports;
• Support the Office’s provision of good offices in line with the mandate;
• Support the Political Affairs Team in promoting the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in accordance with SC Res 1325 (2010) and further related documents in Kandahar and Southern Region;
• Assist in the preparation and implementation of meetings of UNAMA national and international professional staff with local interlocutors, organizes field visits, prepares field visit reports and meeting notes, and as and when needed, helps in English language interpretation to the international staff members of UNAMA;
• Interpret from English into Pashto/Dari and vice-versa during meetings; Translate documents from English into Pashto/Dari whenever necessary;
• Participate in periodic field missions in order to update the overall political situation;
• Provide other administrative support to the National and International Professionals of the Political Affairs Service when needed;
• Provide administrative and logistical support to the officers in the Political Affairs Division; including arrangements for meetings, trips including MOPs, outreach funds handling including collecting and filing invoices and after action reports and other relevant supporting documentation, preparing documents, note taking etc.;
• Support field trips including preparation of road mission requests and arrange for security clearances. Support visiting teams/missions as required;
• Create and maintain as guided administrative files and official records including records of incoming and outgoing correspondence;

Qualifications/Requirements

Required degree level:

Bachelor degree or equivalent

Education - Additional Comments:

First Level degree or equivalent; post-secondary training in political affairs, law, humanities or related area.

Required experience:

Experience remark:

Relevant experience in areas linked to political affairs, governance and development issues is desirable

Language skills:

• English(Mandatory), Level - Fluent
• Dari(Mandatory), Level - Fluent

Area of expertise:

Development programme management, Political affairs and political reporting

Area of expertise details:

Previous experience in political affairs, governance and development issues is desirable

Driving license:

No

Competencies values:

Adaptability and Flexibility, Commitment to Continuous Learning, Communication, Integrity, Professionalism, Working in Teams