Political Affairs Officer

Organisational Setting and Reporting These two positions advertised are located in the Mediation Support Unit (MSU) and in the Policy Planning Unit (PPU) of the Policy and Mediation Division (PMD), Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) at Headquarters in New York. MSU serves as a system-wide resource that assists the mediation and dialogue initiatives of the UN and provides technical and operational support of mediation and dialogue processes; capacity-building; and mediation guidance, lessons learned and comparative analysis. PPU is responsible for a wide range of functions related to policy analysis, development and implementation on cross-cutting peace and security issues and emerging questions relevant to the work of the Department. The incumbent of each position will report to the Team Leader of each Unit. Responsibilities Within delegated authority, the incumbents will be responsible for the following duties:

Provides policy guidance to leadership and/or technical support to on-going and/or future dialogue and peace processes; including through identification of issues that influence UN policies, expertise, sharing of relevant advice, comparative analysis and the development of policy related or mediation support strategies.
Maintains up-to-date knowledge of events relating to political issues, in general, and in particular in relation to conflict prevention and peacemaking.
Represents DPPA in coordination bodies and fora inside and outside the UN system, including inter-agency taskforces.
Drafts key reports, analytical notes, background papers, talking points, speeches and other correspondence for senior UN officials.
Acts as focal point on priority cross-cutting areas and assists in the formulation of advice and strategy for the Department, particularly in relation to new and emerging threats and challenges to peace and security.
Keeps abreast of latest trends and developments in the area of assignment and provides inputs on issues to senior officials and colleagues in missions and elsewhere in the Secretariat.
Monitors national and regional level political developments and provides advice to field mission/UN agencies active on the ground.
Provides technical and substantive back up in the implementation of mandates of the Policy and Mediation Division.
Maintains contacts with other sectors of the UN, other international organizations and governments on coordination and policy matters.
Monitors actions dialogue initiatives and/or new policy related concepts undertaken by intergovernmental groups, UN organizations, government and non-governmental organizations.
Undertakes after-action reviews and lessons learnt studies and contributes to the development of policy, guidance and training material on conflict prevention and/or mediation.
Selects, classifies and stores in computerised databases information relating to potential disputes and mediation or policy related initiatives, including tracking of peace agreements and categorization in the website/digital platform.
Participates in fact-finding and other missions to the field to assist in the planning of conflict prevention, mediation and/or peace and security strategies.
Participates in provision of secretariat services to Security Council, General Assembly, subsidiary organizations, negotiating bodies, conferences, meetings, and /or special missions.
Prepares meetings of the SG/DSG/USG with officials from countries under the Organization's purview.
Performs other related duties as required by the Policy and Mediation Division.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to identify and analyze political, ethnic, racial, social and economic problems that cause civil unrest in a country or geographic area and develop mediation strategies . Knowledge of the functioning of the UN system in the area of peace and security. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of mediation; 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.
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 economics, law, public administration or other related. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Work Experience A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in political science, international relations, law, disarmament, security, development management, conflict resolution or related area is required. Experience in drafting analytical notes, policy documents and reports is required. Experience in networking with academic institutions, research organizations and/or think-tanks in the area of international peace and security is desirable. Experience working for the United Nations or similar international organization in the areas of peace and security and conflict resolution is desirable. Experience working for a regional organization or NGO on conflict prevention or mediation issues is desirable. Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage. Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview. Special Notice The appointment against this position is for an initial period of one year. Extension beyond this period is subject to satisfactory performance, the availability of the post or funds, budgetary approval or extension of the mandate. Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position. An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. 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. 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. 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 Location: New York, USA Deadline: 16/12/2020 Application link: https://careers.un.org/lbw/jobdetail.aspx?id=142073