Associate Civil Affairs Officer, P-2

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS:	12 Aug 2012
DATE OF ISSUANCE:	28 Jul 2012
ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT:	Field Missions Administered by DPKO
DUTY STATION:	Multiple D/S
VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER:	12-CIV-PMSS-425810-R-MULTIPLE D/S

The assessment process will include an evaluation of spoken Arabic language skills.

Remuneration Depending on professional background, experience and family situation, a competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. More Info

United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

Responsibilities These positions are located in the United Nations field Peace Operations and Special Political missions. The majority of Associate Civil Affairs Officers work at the local level, with some postings at Mission Headquarters. Associate Civil Affairs Officers usually report to the Director / Chief of Civil Affairs, Senior Civil Affairs Officer or Regional Administrator. Within the limits of delegated authority the Associate Civil Affairs Officer will be responsible for the following duties. (These duties are generic, and may not all be performed by all Associate Civil Affairs Officers.) 1) Establishes and maintains contact with relevant interlocutors at the local level as directed, including representatives of local authorities, as well as civil society actors, non-governmental organizations, community representatives and representatives of local interest groups. 2) Coordinates activities and initiatives (across disciplines and components) with other team members to achieve consistency and synergy in mandate implementation. 3) Collects information at the local level as required and undertakes assessment of specific sectors with a view to identifying needs and priorities. Assists in identifying the concerns and perceptions of the local population. 4) Contributes to overall mission monitoring and planning as required. 5) Assists in organizing outreach activities to promote good relations and understanding between Mission’s actors and the population, and ensures accurate information dissemination on Mission’s role and mandate. 6) Contributes to the identification, design, management and evaluation of Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) for confidence building purposes, in line with the DPKO/DFS Policy Directive on QIPs. 7) Works closely with civil society groups or institutions that promote a culture of peace and reconciliation, including through organizing joint initiatives and events. 8) Assist in protecting and promoting rights of excluded and/or threatened groups in full respect of Mission’s mandate and international law. 9) Assists in the design and implementation of civic education programmes at the local level in coordination with local authorities and/or civil society actors. 10) Performs other duties as required, in line with the DPKO/DFS Policy Directive on Civil Affairs.

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. 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. CLIENT ORIENTATION – Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in social sciences, political science, international relations, public administration, anthropology, law, economics or related area. 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 two years of progressively responsible experience in Civil Affairs related work with UN Peacekeeping Operations, UN funds or programmes, National or International NGOs, or community based organizations. Experience in conflict management, support to state institutions, or programme management is required. Analytical reporting experience gained in a professional capacity is required (No experience is required for candidates who have passed a United Nations Competitive Recruitment Examination).

Languages Fluency in spoken and written English is required. Fluency in spoken Arabic is required.

Other Skills

The United Nations shall place 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. (Charter of the United Nations - Chapter 3, article 8). English and French are the two working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, TRAINING OR ANY OTHER FEES). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON BANK ACCOUNTS. PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THE DEADLINE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

How to apply All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the vacancy has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the vacancy announcement. Because applications submitted by United Nations (UN) staff members are considered first, provided the eligibility requirements set out in ST/AI/2006/3 are met and the application is submitted in a timely fashion, staff members should apply within 15-day or 30-day mark. Online applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please go to “My UN” page and check the status of your application by clicking on “View Application History”, and resubmit the application, if necessary. To start the application process, applicants are required to register by opening a "My UN" account. Go to Login, and Register as a User. Fill in the form and choose a User Name and Password. After opening the account, applicants may apply for vacancies using the Personal History Profile (PHP) provided. Once the PHP has been completed for a particular vacancy, it can be saved and used for future applications. The PHP may be up-dated, when necessary, for future applications. In completing the PHP, please note that all fields marked with an asterisk must be completed. UN staff members must submit scanned copies of their two latest Performance Appraisal System (PAS) reports at the time of application to the appropriate Human Resources Office (HRO)/Personnel Office (PO) to the email address below, clearly indicating the vacancy announcement number. In case you have no access to the digitizing equipment, please submit hard copies of the two latest PAS reports to the relevant HRO/PO via fax. E-mail: staffing@un.org, Fax: 1-212-963-2800 Please see the Frequently Asked Questions, if you encounter problems when applying.