Chief of the Committee, Policy, and Legal Affairs Section

Contract

This is a P-5 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 10 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 110,869 USD and 138,944 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 The position is located in the Committee, Policy and Legal Affairs Section (CPLA), United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) in Vienna, Austria. UNOOSA manages and implements the Programme on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, which focusses on strengthening international cooperation in the exploration and peaceful uses of outer space and advancing the use of space science and technology for achieving sustainable development. The Chief of the Committee, Policy and Legal Affairs Section reports to the Director of the Office.

For more information on UNOOSA, please visit: www.unoosa.org .

Responsibilities Within delegated authority, the Chief of the Committee, Policy and Legal Affairs Section will be responsible for the following specific duties.

• Serve as Secretary of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) and its Scientific and Technical Subcommittee and Legal Subcommittee.
• Serve as Secretary of dedicated working groups of the intergovernmental bodies, as appropriate.
• Serve as Secretary of the Working Group of the Whole on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) of the General Assembly, and coordinate the preparation of draft resolutions and statements.
• Serve as Secretary of the Inter-Agency Meeting on Outer Space Activities (UN-Space) and coordinate meetings and preparation of documentation.
• Plan, manage, supervise and coordinate the work carried out by the Section.
• Ensure that substantive work programmes and programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion.
• Plan, coordinate, draft, supervise, review and edit the documentation, including reports and studies, and statements required for the sessions of the intergovernmental bodies. Plan and coordinate the work schedule of the sessions and assignments of the staff of the Secretariat to the intergovernmental bodies. Liaise with bureau members and Chairs of the intergovernmental bodies, and of working groups. Coordinate with Conference Management Services to ensure that all conference servicing requirements are met.
• Oversee the provision of advice and support in relation to all legal matters in the work of the Office, and in the building of capacity of Member States in space law and policy.
• Ensure that the outputs produced by the Section maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensure that all outputs produced by the Section meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates.
• Prepare inputs of the Section, on conceptual strategy development and management of the implementation of overall strategies, policies and procedures of the Office.
• Prepare inputs of the Section for the budget, programme performance and work programme of the Office, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery.
• Recruit staff for the Section taking due account of geographical and gender balance and other institutional values.
• Manage, guide, develop and train staff under his/her supervision.
• Foster teamwork and communication among staff in the Section and across organizational boundaries.
• Represent, as required, the Office at conferences and meetings convened by other United Nations entities, specialized agencies, and governmental and non-governmental organizations. The functions include presentation of statements, lectures or papers on space-related activities, consulting with officials of other organizations to coordinate activities, and informing other organizations and groups of the work of the United Nations relating to international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.
• Lead team members efforts to collect and analyze data and provide insight to identify trends or patterns for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. Ensure that everyone can discover, access, integrate and share the data they need.

• Other work-related duties as assigned.

  Competencies Professionalism: Has good knowledge of the field of space activities, including space governance, space science and technology, and space law and policy. Has very good knowledge of the United Nations system, particularly of its intergovernmental process. Has ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. Shows ability to prepare reports and papers on technical issues and to review and edit the work of others. Shows ability to apply United Nations rules, regulations, policies and guidelines in work situations. 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.

Empowering Others: Delegates responsibility, clarifies expectations, and gives staff autonomy in important areas of their work; encourages others to set challenging goals; holds others accountable for achieving results related to their area of responsibility; genuinely values all staff members’ input and expertise; shows appreciation and rewards achievement and effort; involves others when making decisions that affect them. 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 An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in international law, international relations, political science, economy, science, engineering and technology or related area, is required. Specialization in a field relevant to space activities is desirable. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible professional experience in a space-related field is required.

Five years of experience in an international setting is desirable.

Experience in the management and administration of space-related activities is desirable.

Experience in servicing intergovernmental bodies is desirable.

Experience with space related activities relevant to the work of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space is desirable.

Work experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise and a competency-based interview.

Special Notice 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.

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.

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

Vienna is classified in the H category and is a family duty station.

For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 31 December 2022, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, China, Comoros, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malta, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Norway, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu.

Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfill the lateral move(s) or geographical requirements as set out in ST/AI/2010/3/Rev.2 to be eligible to apply for this job opening. Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral or geographical move(s) in their Administrative Profile and cover note.

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.