Political Affairs Officer [Temporary]

This position is located within the Evaluation Team, Office of the Director, Policy, Evaluation and Training Division (DPET), Department of Peace Operations (DPO). The incumbent will report directly to the Chief, Evaluation Team.

This position is located within the Evaluation Team, Policy Evaluation and Training Division, Department of Peace Operations (DPO). The incumbent will report directly to the Chief, Evaluation Team. The mandate of the Policy, Evaluation and Training Division (DPET) was established by the General Assembly in its resolution 61/279 and was extended in its resolution 67/287. The functions of the Division are set out in the Secretary-General’s Bulletin on the Organization of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (ST/SGB/2010/1). The Division comprises the Office of the Director (which includes the Evaluation Team and the Partnerships Team), the Integrated Training Service and the Policy and Best Practices Service.

The Evaluation Team provides the Department of Peace Operations with an internal evaluation mechanism to assist in the effective management of field missions including strengthening operational effectiveness and accountability. Evaluation findings inform policy development and training activities, strengthen Headquarters ability to provide strategic guidance to mission leadership, strengthen DPO planning processes and improve feedback on operational issues for troop and police contributing countries, member states, and legislative bodies.

The Evaluation Team is now mandated to support the development and implementation of CPAS in all peacekeeping missions; provide ongoing technical and on-the-ground support to the implementation and management of CPAS in missions; to integrate and/or align CPAS with other UN planning, performance assessment, and IT systems to ensure coherence; and institutionalize CPAS as a UN planning and performance tool with supporting policy and guidance.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Political Affairs Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

• Reviews and monitors activities in the country or region assigned; uses data and analysis to assesses trends which might affect the political situation, mandate delivery, and identifies cross-mission and intra-regional issues that may impact peacekeeping performance; recommends solutions/possible action by United Nations.
• Analyses political and related events within assigned area with a view to provide analysis or advice to ASG/USG or Head of Mission.
• Supports the implementation of the Comprehensive Planning and Performance Assessment System (CPAS) in peacekeeping missions and its use to inform planning, policy and best practices at UN Headquarters
• Prepares analytical reports and papers on sensitive and high profile matters of concern to peacekeeping missions, the General Assembly, Security Council, or other bodies; drafts notes, background papers, talking points, speeches and other correspondence for senior UN officials.
• Participates in the organization and supervision of Secretariat services required by the Security Council and to other committees and bodies related to its work.
• Acts as focal point for collection and analyses of information on political issues of assignment.
• Arranges and participates in negotiations, peacekeeping operations and fact-finding missions.
• Meets regularly with operational teams including UN staff, national officials as well as Military and Civilian Police officers to assess peacekeeping performance and impact, support peacekeeping planning, and plan projects and review project activities.
• Provides up-to-date information to senior officials regarding substantive political and operational matters, mandate delivery, and country or regional issues, and makes recommendations on actions to take.
• Maintains contacts with other sectors of the UN, other international organizations and governments on coordination and policy matters; briefs representatives and provides, as appropriate suggestions and recommendations.
• Participates in conferences, seminars and academic for a related to his/her assigned area of expertise.
• Provides input for assessment of staff to be deployed to important posts in the field (e.g. Resident Coordinators).
• Analyses CPAS data and analysis to identify best practices, lessons learned, and policy gaps effecting mandate delivery, in coordination with peacekeeping missions and relevant offices in UN headquarters.
• Works with headquarters and field counterparts to support the use of data and analysis to inform mandate delivery in a coordinated, integrated manner.
• Supports integrated planning of peacekeeping operations.
• Carries out, in consultation with the Chief of the Section, administrative functions relating to the staff planning and budget.
• Drafts plans for start-up of operations and participates in the activities of implementation.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Competencies

Professionalism:
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.

Teamwork:
Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals. Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others. Places team agenda before personal agenda. Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position. Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

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 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.

A minimum of one year experience working in the area of peacekeeping.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English 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

Applicants for this position should be advised that recruitment is subject to classification, which is approved by the DMSPC, OHR, Classification Unit. Internal applicants should note that the granting of SPA is contingent upon classification of the position.

• This position is temporarily available immediately through 30 June 2022.
• The appointment, or assignment, and renewal thereof are subject to the availability of the post or funds, budgetary approval, or extension of the mandate.
• If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.
• Subject to the funding source of the position, this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.
• Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.
• The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.
• Upon separation from service, including, but not limited to, expiration or termination of, or resignation from, a fixed-term, continuing or permanent appointment, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment on the basis of a temporary appointment for a period of 31 days following the separation. In the case of separation from service on retirement, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment for a period of three months following the separation. This equally applies, mutatis mutandis, with respect to a former or current staff member who has held or holds an appointment in another entity applying the United Nations Staff Regulations and Rules and who applies for a temporary position with the Secretariat.
• 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.
• 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. An external candidate selected for this position is bound by the prevailing condition of the staff selection system under ST/AI/2010/3, as amended, and ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1. A staff member holding a temporary appointment who is recruited in the Professional and above categories on a temporary appointment, and placed on a position authorized for one year or longer may not apply for or be reappointed to his/her current position within six months of the end of his/her current service. This provision does not apply to staff members holding temporary appointments and placed on positions authorized for one year or more in duty stations authorized for peacekeeping operations or special political missions.
• 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.
• 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

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.