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 The position is located in the Peacebuilding Commission Support Branch of in the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA). The incumbent will report directly to the Chief of the Branch.

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 of the Chief of the PBC Support Branch, and under the guidance of a Senior Political Affairs Officer / Team Leader within the branch, the incumbent:

• Provides technical and substantive support to the implementation of mandates of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), including by contributing to the formulation of peacebuilding strategies and their dissemination;
• Drafts analytical and background papers, and prepares draft inputs to PBC and Secretary-General reports to the General Assembly and Security Council; and assists in drafting talking points, speeches and other correspondence for senior UN officials; •In collaboration with responsible colleagues from across the UN system, monitors activities in the regions and countries assigned, researches and analyses information from different sources, and assesses trends which might affect the political, regional or peacebuilding situation;
• Contributes to the mapping and analysing of existing strategies and frameworks related to peacebuilding in the countries and region assigned, with a view to strengthening coordination of relevant peacebuilding actors; •Provides assistance in organising PBC meetings and supports the organisation of Chairs' visits and overall engagement in support of regions and countries assigned;
• Supports the organisation of meetings between the ASG for Peacebuilding Support and other relevant interlocutors, as they pertain to the countries and regions assigned to the incumbent within PCSB;
• Liaises with relevant UN departments and offices, relevant international and regional organisations, including financial institutions, and governments and provides briefings and other necessary preparatory work for the Commission meetings with those actors;
• Participates, as required, in the relevant inter-departmental taskforces on countries or regions assigned.

• Performs other related duties as required.

  Competencies PROFESSIONALISM

• Ability to analyze and identify peacebuilding challenges and offer proposals for addressing such challenges in the countries and regions on the agenda of PBC.
• Ability to integrate knowledge of country - and region- specific contexts with broader policy and operational objectives.
• Understanding of the inter-agency processes relating to peacebuilding.
• Ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries.
• Ability to negotiate and seek and reach agreement in inter-agency processes.
• Ability to improve processes and procedures relating to PBC engagement with countries on its agenda,
• 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, international law, political/development economics, development studies, 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 working for an international multi-lateral organisation on issues related to peacebuilding or conflict resolution is desirable. - Experience in intergovernmental processes is desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable.

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 31 July 2021. 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.

• 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.

  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.