SPECIAL ASSISTANT, POLITICAL AFFAIRS

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 168,113 USD and 216,746 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 Position is located in the Office of The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria (OSE-Syria). This position is based in Geneva, Switzerland. The incumbent will report to the Chief of Staff under the overall guidance of the Special Envoy.

Responsibilities- Keeps abreast of key developments related to the mission’s work, undertakes research and prepares draft briefings, meeting notes, code cables, correspondence, and other documents on a range of topics. - Coordinates the preparation and processing of briefing materials for the Special Envoy’s meetings and official mission files, ensuring that materials from mission components are submitted in a timely manner and are of high quality. - Brings to the attention of the Special Envoy matters requiring the Special Envoy's attention, makes recommendations on how those matters might be handled, and ensures appropriate follow-up as directed. - Assists with preparations for mission travel, in coordination with the relevant colleagues and external interlocutors. Ensures the finalization and processing of the Special Envoy’s mission reports and dissemination of information to the relevant colleagues in a timely manner. - Assists in planning and organizing conferences, meetings, and workshops as directed. - Liaises and maintains collegial and close working relationship with all mission components and consult regularly with colleagues on matters of mutual interest. - Reviews and process incoming and outgoing correspondence, including communications prepared for signature by the Special Envoy. - Provides support in preparing and finalizing the mission’s work plan, monitoring and reporting, as well as budgetary processes. - Assists in recruitment processes, as directed. - Perform other duties, as assigned.

Competencies PROFESSIONALISM: Proven ability to provide seasoned advice on a broad range of programme, organizational and administrative areas to facilitate decision-making; ability to review and edit the work of others. 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.

COMMUNICATION: Effective communication skills, both oral and written, ability to defend and explain difficult issues with respect to key decisions and positions to staff; ability to communicate management decisions; ability to prepare written reports that are clear, concise and meaningful. 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 keeping people informed.

TEAMWORK: Good inter-personal skills; demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different nationals and cultural backgrounds. Works collaborative with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

PLANNING AND ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agree 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, social science, economics, law, public administration, or a related field. A first-level university degree in combination with additional qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in political affairs, diplomacy, conflict resolution, or related area is required.

Experience in political outreach, facilitation, advice and reporting is required.

Experience providing substantive and operational support for complex multi-stakeholder processes is required.

Experience in cross-cutting analysis and coordination including on political, humanitarian, and human rights issues is required.

A minimum of two years’ experience working in a United Nations peacekeeping operation or special political mission is required.

Experience working as a Special Assistant (or similar) to senior official in the United Nations is required.

Experience working on Syria is desirable.

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

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

Special Notice This "Recruit from Roster" job opening is only open to roster applicants who are already placed on pre-approved rosters, following a review by a United Nations Central Review Body. Only roster applicants who were placed on rosters with similar functions at the same level are considered to be eligible candidates. Eligible applicants receive an email inviting them to apply. Rostered applicants are encouraged to apply only if they are interested and available to take up the position at the duty station/s specified in the Job Opening. Applying to this job opening carries an expectation to accept the offer, if selected.

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.