CHIEF OF STAFF

Contract

This is a D-1 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 15 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 191,645 USD and 241,836 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

Org. Setting and Reporting In February 2013, 11 nations signed the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the region, in a renewed drive to end the recurring cycles of devastating conflict in eastern DRC which impacts stability and development in the Great Lakes area of Africa. On 31 January 2014, two more countries, Kenya and Sudan, became signatories of the PSC Framework. The framework aims to help "address the root causes of conflict and put an end to recurring cycles of violence" in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes Region. In its Resolution 2098 (2013), the Security Council welcomed the signing of the PSC Framework. It called on the Special Envoy, in coordination with the Special Representative for the DRC to "lead, coordinate and assess the implementation of national and regional commitments under the PSC Framework, including through the establishment of benchmarks and appropriate follow-up measures". The Security Council further encouraged the Special Envoy to "lead a comprehensive political process that includes all relevant stakeholders to address the underlying root causes of the conflict".

This position is in the Office of the Special Envoy of The Secretary-General for the Great Lakes in Nairobi, Kenya.

Nairobi is classified as a "B" hardship duty station and a family duty station.

The incumbent reports directly to the Special Envoy, who is also the Head of the Mission.

Responsibilities Within the limits of delegated authority, the Chief of Staff will be responsible for performing the following duties:

Management:

• Ensures the effective direction and integrated management of all the mission's activities in line with the strategic vision and guidance of the Special Envoy.
• Oversees the internal management of the mission on behalf of the Special Envoy, including providing advice on and the promotion of policies on management issues, including risk management.
• Facilitates the translation of policy intent and direction of mission leadership into viable tasks and works with components to ensure their effective implementation.
• Directs and oversees core integrated processes and mechanisms that enable the delivery of the mission's mandate, including programme management, reform/change management, information management and crisis management.
• Oversees the coordination of and support from UNHQ and UNCT in the field, ensuring the implementation of a well-articulated policy for collaboration in the implementation of mandates and the reporting and management of meetings and interactions between the Mission and Headquarters.
• Oversees the activities of all entities located in the Chief of Staff Pillar and/or the Office of the Special Envoy, as delegated by the Special Envoy.
• Serves as the focal point in the Office of the Special Envoy for all sensitive personnel and management issues, as well as for contacts with the Office of Internal Oversight Services and the Resident Auditor.
• Serves as management interface between the Office of Special Envoy and the relevant Headquarters, UNON, RSCE entities Support on all personnel matters and oversees the recruitment of senior mission management appointments.

Planning and budgeting:

• Oversees planning and budgetary processes, including Mission-wide planning processes, ensuring coherence is maintained between mandated tasks, component plans/concepts of operations and, where appropriate, United Nations-system-wide integrated planning processes (such as Integrated Strategic Frameworks), as required by policies, guidelines and best practices on planning, in particular the Integrated Mission Planning Process (IMPP) and risk management, and incorporates mandated cross-cutting issues, such as gender mainstreaming; and, supervises and provides managerial guidance to mission planning staff to this effect.
• Ensures the proper conduct of processes critical to the delivery of mandate implementation, particularly strategic planning, policy coordination and senior level decision-making; ensures a clear understanding between substantive priorities and support capacities; and, liaises with all components to advise and ensure the use of best methods for achieving the objectives and priorities of the operation/mission.
• Facilitates the translation of policy intent and high-level direction by leadership of the operation/mission into viable work plans and works with components to ensure the implementation of those work plans.
• Provide guidance and direction to the Administrative Officer to ensure an integrated approach to the results-based budget process, including alignment with strategic and operational plans and adequate provisions to meet resource requirements, and oversees the process as it relates to substantive mission components.
• Periodically reviews, with the mission leadership team, the delivery of component work plans, identifying necessary adjustments to mission plans and/or revised assumptions, as appropriate.
• Initiate, where necessary, innovative approaches in operational planning to ensure the smooth delivery of mission mandate.

Policy:

• Provides guidance on United Nations policies and procedures.
• Coordinates the development and implementation of cross-cutting and management policies among the various components of the Mission and liaises with the United Nations Country Team on the same, when required, and in coordination with the Special Envoy and Director Political Affairs Unit, as appropriate.
• Ensures that advice and information on cross-cutting issues is coordinated with all relevant components of the Mission prior to submission to the Special Envoy.

Reporting, communications and information management:

• Ensures effective functioning of coherent communications structures and systems and serves as the focal point for communication with United Nations Headquarters in New York.
• Supervise the delivery of external communication and public information products.
• Oversees mission-wide, integrated procedures and systems for information analysis and management, including Intra-mission information sharing, reporting requirements, security classification, records management and publication of Intranet content.
• Oversees the implementation of knowledge management approaches throughout the mission, such as handover notes, after-action reviews and end-of-assignment reports.
• Ensures the review and clearance of outgoing documents and correspondence and their compliance with Office mandate and UN policies.

Protocol:

• In close consultation with the Special Envoy and Director/Political Affairs Unit, facilitates discussions between the mission and signatory states on issues related to mission's functions.
• Advises the Special Envoy on protocol matters and supervises and provides guidance on the preparation and coordination of official visits.
• Performs other related work as required.

• Perform any other duties as required by the Special Envoy.

  Competencies Professionalism: Ability to provide seasoned effective specialized advice in a broad range of human resources, financial, logistical, and administrative areas to Head of Office/Mission, and to Headquarters and senior mission staff; ability to ensure adequate preparation of reports or rationale with respect to key logistic and administrative decisions; strong negotiation and conflict-resolution skills. Demonstrate specific knowledge related to the start-up of new UN peace operations. Shows pride in work and 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. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.

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 the audience; Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Planning and Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; Identifies priority activities and assignments and 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.

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.

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.

Education Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in one of the following disciplines: international relations, political science, business administration, public administration, management, law, or military studies. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience A minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible experience in areas such as: management and administration; political, social, civil, military or legal affairs is required. Experience in both inter-agency and operational programme management and/or planning and analysis is required. Experience in preparing documents for the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) and Fifth Committee or similar bodies in a comparable international organization is required. A minimum of seven years’ experience in the United Nations system or a comparable international organization is required. A proven track record of leadership and management in multicultural settings, including coordination of interdisciplinary teams is desirable. Experience serving in a senior advisory or managerial capacity in support of or in a field operation of the United Nations is desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English and French, oral and written, is required.

Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice - This position is temporarily available until 05 September 2021. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. The selected candidate is expected to start as soon as possible.

• This position is vacant due to the temporary absence of the regular incumbent. The selection and extension of appointment of the selected candidate will be contingent on the return of the incumbent who maintains a lien against this post.

• 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.

• The United Nations is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce and welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds and communities, including but not limited to persons with disabilities. The Organization takes measures to provide reasonable accommodation to ensure that staff with disabilities can fully perform their official functions.

• Please note that due to the ongoing situation with COVID-19 and the travel restrictions imposed by national authorities, selected candidates may be required to start the assignment/appointment remotely, in agreement with the hiring manager, and until further notice.

• 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/2010/4/Rev.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.

• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.

• 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 offenses 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 issuance governing staff appointments can be viewed at: http://www.un.org/hr_handbook/English

• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply.

• Staff members are not eligible to apply for the current temporary job opening if they are unable to serve the specified duration of temporary need before reaching the mandatory age of separation. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.

• At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

• The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

  United Nations Considerations According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places 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. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee 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.