POLITICAL AFFAIRS OFFICER

Contract

This is a P-4 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 7 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 171,387 USD and 220,969 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 This post is located in the Office of the Assistant Secretary-General in the Peacebuilding Support Office in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. The incumbent reports to the Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary-General.

Established in 2005, the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) helps to sustain peace by fostering international support for nationally owned and led peacebuilding efforts. The Office assists and supports the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), manages the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) on behalf of the Secretary-General, and works to enhance system-wide coherence and partnerships with UN and non-UN actors in support of building and sustaining peace in relevant countries.

The Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) focuses primarily on five action areas in international peace and security, ensuring sound analysis and early warning, preventing conflict and engaging in peacemaking, managing political crises and violent conflicts, sustaining peace, and enhancing partnerships. The Department's mandate is to prevent and resolve conflict through inclusive political solutions.

Responsibilities Within delegated authority, the Political Affairs Officer:

• Supports the role of the Office of the ASG in ensuring office wide knowledge management, document sharing, policy and guidance, and coordination, by establishing processes and providing training.
• Provides guidance to ensure consistent support to the ASG, with particular focus on tasking and finalization of materials for meetings and other engagements, including speeches and talking points.
• Supports production of analytical, background, policy papers and reports of the Secretary-General, as well as lessons learned and good practices on peacebuilding, including for the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and in collaboration with the other branches of PBSO;
• Provides technical and substantive support to the implementation of mandates of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), including on policy development with connection to the preparation for and follow-up to the Commission's annual sessions, its advisory role to the Security Council, and during the development of Peacebuilding Fund programmes in countries considered by the PBC;
• Mainstreams good peacebuilding practices within the UN system, and promotes systemwide coherence, including through participation in relevant inter-agency mechanisms, such as the integrated mission assessment and planning, Integrated Mission Task Forces and sector specific meetings, as requested;
• Prepares talking points, speeches and background notes for the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support and other senior UN officials;
• Develops and implements partnerships with other UN entities and external partners, including with international financial institutions, regional organizations and independent research and policy institutions;
• Supports the mainstreaming of gender and youth issues in the work of the PBC, Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) and PBSO;
• Monitors the overall trends in conflict-affected countries, including those in which the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) is engaged, with a view to identifying opportunities and emerging threats to the peacebuilding process, liaising with relevant UN and non-UN actors and recommending appropriate course of action to the Chair and/or to the leadership of PBSO, including through PBF programmes.

• Works with the Peacebuilding Commission and the Financing for Peacebuilding branches on diversifying modes of the Commission's country-specific engagements and in identifying entry points and opportunities for such engagements;

  Competencies PROFESSIONALISM

• Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter.
• Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns.
• Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges.
• Proven analytical skills and ability to formulate policies, good practices and identify peacebuilding challenges and offer proposals for addressing such challenges.
• Ability to integrate knowledge of country contexts with broader policy and operational objectives.
• In-depth understanding of the inter-agency processes relating to peacebuilding.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries.
• Strong negotiations skills and ability to seek and reach agreement in inter-agency processes.
• Ability to innovate and improve processes and procedures relating to PBC engagement with countries on its agenda.
• Ability to manage a team and team members. 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.

PLANNING & 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.

Education Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in political science, international relations, peace/conflict studies; international law, political/development economics, public administration or related fields. 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 seven years of progressively responsible experience in political science, international relations, law, disarmament, security, development management, conflict resolution or related area is required.

Experience in Front Office coordination, editing of briefs, talking points, other official correspondence, overall preparation of briefs for senior officials is required.

Experience in intergovernmental and diplomatic areas is desirable.

Experience in the United Nations or other regional or international organization is desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required. Knowledge of another official UN language is an advantage.

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

Special Notice - This position is temporarily available until 30 June 2023. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.

• 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.

• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.

• This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.

• 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.Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.

• 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.

• 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.