SENIOR LIAISON ASSISTANT

Contract

This is a G-7 contract. This kind of contract is known as General Service and related categories. It is normally only for nationals. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education. More about G-7 contracts.

Org. Setting and Reporting The United Nations Global Service Centre (UNGSC) provides critical Logistics, Geospatial, Information and Telecommunications Technologies services and Training to all peacekeeping missions around the world.

This position is located in the United Nations Global Service Centre (UNGSC)/United Nations Information and Communication Technology Facility (UNICTF) in Valencia (Spain) within the Office of the Chief, Service for Geospatial Information and Telecommunications Technologies (SGITT). The incumbent reports through the P-5 Chief of Unit within the Office of the Chief, SGITT to the Head of Premises, UNICTF.

Responsibilities Under the overall supervision and general guidance of the Chief, SGITT, who is also Head of Premises of UNICTF, the Senior Liaison Assistant contributes and acts as the intermediary between UNGSC and external entities, including Ministries, Embassies, Consulates, local authorities, institutions and associations, and the community at large contributing to the management of external and institutional relations in compliance with diplomatic international and national protocol rules. He/She assists in the planning, development and organization of high level visits and of UNGSC outreach programs and institutional events as well as of special community projects. He/She provides support in addressing, through diplomatic channels, any issues connected with the provisions of the Host Country Agreement.

In particular, the Senior Liaison Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

• Assists in establishing and maintaining constructive and cooperative work relationships with the host country diplomatic institutional representatives and foreign countries counterparts as well as UN Secretariat offices, other UN Departments, agencies, funds and programs, local, provincial regional authorities and the community at large;
• Assists in the planning, coordination and organization of high level visits and meetings and of UNGSC institutional events;
• Prepares diplomatic, protocol and official correspondence including Note Verbales, letters, institutional speeches, press releases; meeting talking points and meeting reports;
• Prepares and delivers briefings, presentations on UNGSC mandate, structure, functions and activities and on host country social-cultural matters and aspects;
• Facilitates UNGSC compliance with the various cooperation agreements and Host Country Agreements with the Spanish Government and United Nations counterparts, and supports the Director and Chief SGITT/Head of Premises in addressing issues connected with Host Country Agreement provisions, organizations' entitlements and UN Staff privileges and immunities;
• Prepares and presents business cases for new outreach projects with a view to promoting the UN Goals for Sustainable Development;

• Supervises GS-5 Administrative Assistant.

  Competencies Professionalism: Knowledge of the laws and regulations of the host country. Good understanding of the mission mandate. 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.

Planning and 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.

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.

Education High School Diploma or equivalent is required. Training in Political Sciences, International Relations, Institutional Protocol or Foreign Languages is desirable.

Work Experience A minimum of ten years of related work experience in liaison support to senior management is required. Experience in working in the United Nations or similar international organization is desirable. Experience in the establishment of effective working relationships and partnerships with host government and authorities at all levels is desirable. Experience in the management of difficult and sensitive situations is desirable.

Languages English and French are the main working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required. Fluency in Spanish (both 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 Recruitment for this position is done on a local basis.

This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. Applicants who are Spanish nationals or nationals of a member state of the European Union need to upload a copy of their national passport. All other applicants need to have a valid work permit for Spain and need to upload a copy of such work permit. All other applicants, except current UNGSC staff members in Valencia, need to provide a Certificado de Penales. Attachments need to be uploaded in Step 8 of the online application. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment.”

Passing the Global General Service Test (GGST) is a prerequisite for recruitment consideration in the General Service category in the United Nations Secretariat. Having passed the Administrative Assessment Support Test (ASAT) in English at Headquarters, ECA, ESCWA, UNOG, UNOV, ICTR, or ICTY may be recognized in place of the GGST, pending confirmation of validity.

A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to International Staff.

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.