Associate Political Affairs Assistant - Kandahar
Support the political affairs team with data analysis and community engagement.
Overview
Support the political affairs team with data analysis and community engagement.
You have:
- Relevant experience in areas linked to political affairs, political economy, business, governance, humanitarian or development issues is desirable.
- Ability to adapt and be flexible in diverse situations and contexts.
- Creativity in problem-solving and finding innovative solutions.
- Strong judgment and decision-making abilities.
- Excellent planning and organizing skills.
- Professional demeanor and high ethical standards.
- Effective self-management in a work environment.
Contract
This is a UNV National Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Specialist contracts.
UNAMA’s field presence remains central to the Mission’s engagement with its stakeholders at the sub-national level in Afghanistan. The field presence enables the Mission to deliver its mandate and maintain its awareness of related developments throughout the country. The Mission currently maintains six regional offices, in Balkh (Mazar-e-Sharif), Herat, Kabul, Kandahar, Nangarhar (Jalalabad) and Paktya (Gardez); and five provincial offices, in Badakhshan (Fayz Abad), Baghlan (Pul-e Khumri), Bamyan, Faryab (Maymana) and Kunduz. Field offices have a direct reporting line to the Chief of Staff.
The Kandahar Office shall continue to support mandate implementation at the sub-national level through building effective working relationships with the de facto authorities to facilitate an enabling environment for mandate/programme implementation, strengthening cooperation for and the coherence of UN activities; support the provision of essential services to Afghans; support dialogue between the de facto authorities and local stakeholders on issues of sub-national governance, basic rights and inclusion; provide outreach and good offices, including facilitating dialogue between political stakeholders, focusing on promoting inclusive, representative, participatory and responsive governance and broad participation in public life; and provide advice on local consultative mechanisms, confidence-building measures, capacity building, and conflict management and reconciliation. The FO shall also maintain situational awareness, reporting and analysis and engage with all stakeholders at the sub-national level in the protection and promotion of human rights.
Under the direct supervision of Kandahar Head of Field Office, the National UN Volunteer will:
• Collect, select and analyze information from diverse sources with special attention to the representation of all segments of society including vulnerable stakeholders; • Input information into the SAGE database and use the database for analysis. • Support the Office’s data analysis work • Support the development and implementation of UNAMA facilitated roundtables, political outreach events, and discussions with local communities to address local drivers of instability in assigned area; • Support the Political Affairs Team Leader and Head of Office in interactions with external partners • Support the Political Affairs Team Leader and Head of Office with preparing drafts, briefing notes, background papers and talking points; • Interpret from English into Pashto and vice-versa during meetings; translate documents from English into Pashto and vice-versa whenever necessary; • Create and maintain administrative files and official records including records of incoming and outgoing correspondence; and • Provide administrative and substantive support to the Head of Office as required • Performs other related duties as required.
• Accountability • Adaptability and flexibility • Creativity • Judgement and decision-making • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Self-management
Relevant experience in areas linked to political affairs, political economy, business, governance, humanitarian or development issues is desirable;
The contract lasts for the period indicated above with possibility of extensions subject to availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment. Travel to duty station (if applicable) and a Settling-In-Grant will be provided in the event the duty station is not within commuting distance from the place of recruitment.
The applicable Volunteer Living Allowance is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities and normal cost of living expenses. Life, health and permanent disability insurance are included ) and final repatriation (if applicable). Furthermore, in non-family duty stations that belong to hardship categories D or E, as classified by the ICSC, a Well-Being Differential (WBD) will be provided on a monthly basis
Potential interview questions
| Describe a situation where you had to gather data from multiple sources. How did you ensure accuracy and representation? | The interviewer is assessing your analytical skills and ability to represent diverse perspectives. | Emphasize your methodology for data gathering and your commitment to including marginalized voices. |
| Can you provide an example of a successful project where you facilitated dialogue among stakeholders? What were the outcomes? | This question evaluates your competency in community engagement and negotiation skills. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| How do you prioritize tasks when faced with multiple deadlines? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What challenges have you encountered while working in politically sensitive environments, and how did you address them? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| How would you handle a disagreement between local authorities and community members during a project? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |