Political and Governance Reporting Officer

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) is a UN Special Political Mission established to assist the state and the people of Afghanistan in laying the foundations for sustainable peace and development. UNAMA was established on 28 March 2002 by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1401. Its original mandate was to support the implementation of the Bonn Agreement (December 2001). Reviewed annually, this mandate has been altered over time to reflect the needs of the country and was extended until on 17 March 2023 for another year by UN Security Council Resolution 2626 (2022) with an expanded mandate

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of Political Affairs Officer/Team Leader and the Head of Field Office or his/her designated representative(s), the UN Volunteer Political and Governance Reporting officer will:

• Maintain situational awareness and analysis of the political, security (including conflict), social, economic, and governance situation in the area of responsibility, including emerging key political and security developments, trends, and dynamics; • Establish and expand contact with de facto authorities, and maintain engagement with civil society, political actors, UN agency and international partners in the area of responsibility on mandate-related issues, including through remote outreach. • Gather, select and analyze the information contained in communications and publications received from different sources, including the media; • Provide inputs to/compile daily situation reports and other regular reports, as required; • Maintain and update information management tasks/a database information of the Political Affairs Unit (PAU) in the Bamyan field office; • Draft meeting notes, briefing notes, talking points and other documents in support of or related to meetings of the PAU or Head of Field Office; • Support the development and implementation of local peace, governance and community outreach, and conflict prevention/resolution initiatives, including preparatory outreach and engagement with internal and external partners; • Encourage and facilitate relationship/consensus-building between interlocutors and de facto authorities and communities/other stakeholders, to enhance the sub-national governance as well as the inclusion of vulnerable/marginalized groups e.g. women, youth, elderly, persons with disabilities, IDPs; • Support enhanced inter-agency coordination through secretariat support to the UN Regional Team or relevant coordinating mechanism; • Act as the Officer-in-Charge of the Political Affairs Team in Bamyan, when requested; and • Perform other related duties as required

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNAMA; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNAMA procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented; • Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority; • Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues; • Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment. • Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities; • Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups; • Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary; • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNAMA’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

• 3 years previous related professional experience in political affairs, development, security, or administration is required; • Experience of drafting situational and thematic reports on security, socio-political and/or other related field of research or analysis is required; • Experience in inter-agency coordination through secretariat support to the UN Regional Team or similar coordinating mechanism is desirable.

Afghanistan is a hardship duty station with a volatile security. Living and working conditions for UN volunteers in UNAMA are similar to the living conditions of all other internationally recruited staff members. Upon arrival to mission on induction, UN volunteers are provided with safe accommodation in an extensive compound in Kabul with good infrastructure and amenities. The mission has two compounds in Kabul: Compound Alpha, and UNOCA (UN Operational Complex in Afghanistan) the largest one.

There are number of security measures to be compiled with, such as the Areal Security Risk Management Plan before moving into any accommodation. The UNAMA Security section provides these guidelines during the initial security briefing upon arrival in the mission area and at the designated duty station. Upon arrival, volunteers are accommodated at the UNV designated accommodations within the UNOCA compound for a fix charge, exclusive of food. Inside the UNOCA compound are two cafeterias, a restaurant, and small grocery shops which provide a variety of canned and frozen food on offer. There is a Fresh vegetable market daily. There is also a social center, a gym hall and a small library with books and DVDs, run by the welfare Office, within the same compound.

In Bamyan duty station, the field office is located in the Central Highlands of Afghanistan, in the city of Bamyan, with a local population estimated at 486,928. Bamyan is endowed with beautiful nature with eye-catching sites like the beautiful valleys including Lake “Band-e-Amir,” and mountain ranges, crystal clear rivers and sightly riverbanks for picnics and agriculture. Bamyan is the “potato capital” of Afghanistan.

Bamyan UNAMA compound comprises approximately 11,990 square meters of space and managed by UNAMA which is currently co-shared with five other UN Agency Funds and Programmes (AFP’s) – ie: UN WOMEN, UNDP, UNFPA, OCHA, and DSS. The compound includes office space and accommodation for international staff and guest house for visitors.

Some degree of medical service is provided in Bamyan duty station. There is a UN clinic in the compound and access is granted in Bamyan to other private clinics and provincial hospital. Most produce/staples are common in Bamyan’s market e.g. rice, meat, vegetables, cooking oil, salt etc. As mentioned, many places are off-limits, and the choice of recreational facilities are very poor. For all these reasons, bring a stock of books, DVDs/VCDs, computer games, etc., is highly recommended.

Living allowances are paid in US$ at the end of each month, but bank transfers by UNAMA to accounts abroad are possible. There is an international bank operating in UNOCA/UNAMA compound, staff member is encouraged to bring cash to the duty station.

Bamyan has cold weather with a very harsh winter, where average winter temperatures are below -15°C and warm and dry during summer. The beginning of winter is in November when the snow falls in Bamyan, with its winter peak in January-February and becomes milder in March-May. On the other hand, summer in Bamyan is hot and dry. Therefore, both summer and winter clothing and comfortable boots with insulation are necessary.