Posting Title: POLITICAL AFFAIRS OFFICER, P4 [Cancelled]
Job Code Title: POLITICAL AFFAIRS OFFICER
Department/Office: United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan
Duty Station: BAMYAN
Posting Period: 07 March 2023 – 21 March 2023
Job Opening Number: 23-Political Affairs-UNAMA-203198-F-Bamyan (M)
United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity
Sorry, this job opening is no longer available.
Organisational Setting and ReportingThe position is located in the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). The Head of Office, Political Affairs will be based in Bamyan and will report to the Chief of Staff. Bamyan is classified as an “E” hardship duty station and a non-family duty station.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Political Affairs Officer [Head of Field Office – Bamyan] will be responsible for the following duties: Management:
- Ensure the optimal functioning of the Field Office, in collaboration with Mission Support and Security components.
- Design and oversee implementation of the Field Office’s integrated and results-based work plan (covering as appropriate, both Bamyan and Daikundi provinces), in alignment with the Mission’s mandate, strategic plan, Mission leadership’s strategic guidance and UNAMA’s budget, ensuring coherence in approach and efficiency of output.
- Support planning and budgetary processes.
- Through delegated authority, act as Area Security Coordinator, responsible for implementing the UN security management framework, designed to ensure the protection of all UN staff and assets.
- Supervise, mentor, and evaluate staff; assist with the selection of new staff.
- Perform other relevant duties as required. Analysis and Advice:
- Identify, analyze and monitor developments, trends and emerging issues in the AoR to support situational awareness, early warning, as well as opportunities and challenges to mandate implementation.
- Assess implications and make recommendations to Mission leadership, senior management and partners on possible strategies, policies, and other measures to address issues of concern and to advance mandated objectives; monitor, evaluate and report on outcomes.
- Provide information and analysis for the Mission and other actors, where applicable, on governance, social and economic issues at the local and provincial level, including analysis on how these relate to the national level and vice versa, ensuring that the concerns and perceptions of the local population are identified and effectively communicated to the Mission, as well as other actors, where appropriate. Reporting and Information Management:
- Prepare summary and analytical reports including, but not limited to, situation reports, briefing notes, options papers, code cables and input for Mission reports.
- Prepare contextual information materials, such as background notes, political profiles and databases of relevance to the assigned portfolio.
- Manage information to ensure its accessibility and utility. Coordination and Facilitation:
- Develop and maintain productive relationships with local stakeholders, political and community leaders, civil society actors, UN and other partners on issues related to mandate implementation.
- Provide good offices to encourage and build consensus among key actors on peace, stability, violence reduction, social cohesion, governance (including service delivery) and human rights, as well as to support the delivery of humanitarian assistance and address basic human needs.
- Consult and collaborate with partners to increase understanding of issues and develop strategies and plans of action to address challenges, in pursuit of shared objectives.
CompetenciesProfessionalism: Demonstrates ability to identify possible causes and solutions to political, governance and other challenges related to the Mission’s mandate, and to drive or facilitate coherent responses by the UN and partners in the AoR. Strong analytical skills and political acumen; 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; and remains calm in stressful situations. and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow; empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; and demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing. Judgement/Decision-making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; and makes tough decisions when necessary. 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 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; and uses time efficiently.
EducationAdvanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in political science, international relations, social sciences, law, public administration, or a related field. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Work ExperienceA minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in political, civil or humanitarian affairs, conflict resolution, human rights, programme management or a related field is required. Extensive experience in outreach, facilitation, analysis, advice and reporting is required. Experience supporting good offices efforts to advance mandate implementation and/or enable humanitarian access is required. Experience in designing and implementing outreach projects, local peace initiatives and facilitating dialogue is required. Management experience in an international environment, including management and coordination of multi-disciplinary teams, is required. Experience working in a United Nations common system field operation (inclusive of peacekeeping, political missions and UN agencies, funds, and programmes) – or similar international organization or nongovernmental organization- in a conflict or post-conflict setting is required. Experience working on or in Afghanistan and/or the region is desirable.
LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of a Dari or Pashto desirable.
AssessmentPreviously rostered candidates are not subject to any further assessment and as such, will not be invited for such an assessment.
Special NoticeThis “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 ConsiderationsAccording 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.
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