Political Affairs Officer at Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary

Responsibilities

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

•  Monitors and analyzes the political, security, humanitarian and human rights situation in assigned countries, including relations between countries, relevant parties within those countries, regional organizations and other key stakeholders, with a view to providing timely and relevant analytical forward-looking assessments and strategic recommendations to senior management, in line with the office's mandate.
•  Participates fully in assigned activities related to the work of the office or mission, i.e. cross-cutting issues related to the peace, development and humanitarian nexus, durable solutions, mediation, peacekeeping, demobilization and reintegration, conflict prevention and resolution, post-conflict rehabilitation, political and governance institution-building, civil society support work, etc.; supports an integrated approach that includes a rights-based dimension, conflict prevention sensitivity, and a gender perspective into the policy, planning and operational activities of the unit.
•  Prepares a wide range of documents, including briefing notes, talking points, reports and other correspondence, for the Head of the Mission and other senior staff. As requested, provides guidance and advice on assigned issues to the head of mission, as well as other selected offices of intergovernmental bodies concerning assigned areas of work, status of negotiations, and the approach to various issues, including interpretation of the rules and procedure. Prepares responses to comments, statements, and queries of parties, develops and maintains relations with government officials at the working levels and advises them on issues and policies of mutual concern.
•  Participates in a team which deals with a variety of political, security and humanitarian issues in a region and/ or country or crisis. Attends meetings to identify the scope of related projects, considers methodologies, and participates in developing guidelines, terms of reference and operational plans and time frames for such projects. Assists in planning, coordinating and supporting the organization of high-level meetings, including at Ministerial and Heads of State level, as well as programmes, projects and activities requiring mission and/or interagency involvement and participation. Represents the team at round tables, seminars and conferences.
•  Participates in fact-finding, planning and other missions to countries within the assigned area of responsibility and drafts reports thereon.
•  Supports his/her supervisor in the formulation of the programme of work, budget and medium-term plans of the unit by participating in meetings, and compiling or researching issues related to the mission.
•  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.
• 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.
• 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

• An advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in political science, international relations, international economics, law, public administration or related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Work Experience

• A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in political science, international relations, law, conflict resolution or related area is required.
• Experience in political outreach, facilitation, analysis, advice and reporting is required.
• Experience working in or on the Great Lakes region is required.
• Experience in supporting preparations for high-level political meetings is required.
• A minimum of one (1) year of field experience in political affairs in a UN peace operation or UN entity or a comparable international organization is desirable.
• Experience drafting analytical reports and papers on sensitive and high profile matters relevant to the Mission's mandate including briefing notes, background papers, talking points, speeches, and other correspondence for senior UN officials, reports of the Secretary-General, or similar reports is desirable

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in both English and French is (oral and written) is required