Senior Political Affairs Officer, P-5

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS:	07 Sep 2012
DATE OF ISSUANCE:	08 Aug 2012
ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT:	United Nations Peace-building Support Office in Guinea-Bissau
DUTY STATION:	Bissau
VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER:	12-POL-UNOGBIS-425818-R-BISSAU

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 Within limits of delegated authority the Senior Political Affairs Officer will be responsible for the performance of the following duties: Political Analysis and Advice - Identify, analyze and monitor political developments and emerging issues with respect to the mandate; Assess implications and make recommendations to the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) on possible policies, strategies and other measures to address issues of concern and to advance mandated political objectives and processes. Reporting – Prepare analytical assessments and reports on issues pertaining to the mandate; Coordinate preparation of input for the reports of the Secretary-General to the Security Council on the activities of the Mission; Prepare articles, speeches, statements and briefings to the Security Council, as needed. Planning, Coordination and Facilitation – Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with representatives of the host Government, political leaders, civil society organizations, the broader UN family and other national and international partners; Consult and cooperate with partners to develop strategies and plans of action to address political challenges, in pursuit of mandated objectives; Monitor, evaluate and report on implementation; Provide good offices on behalf of the SRSG, as appropriate. Management - Formulate and manage the implementation of the programme of work of the Political Affairs Section, ensuring that activities are in accordance with the mandate and maintain an emphasis on fostering an inclusive, national dialogue on critical issues; Supervise, mentor, and evaluate staff within the Political Affairs Section; Participate in the selection of new staff. Perform other relevant 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 with excellent drafting, analytical and presentation skills; 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. Leadership - Serves as a role model that other people want to follow; Empowers others to translate vision into results; Is pro-active 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 improvement; does not accept the status quo; Shows the courage to take unpopular stands. 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 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 that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; Makes tough decisions when necessary. Managing Performance - Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability, and decision-making authority; Makes sure that roles, responsibilities, and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; Accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; Monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; Regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; Encourages risk-taking and supports staff when they make mistakes; Actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; Appraises performance fairly.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education Advanced University Degree (Master's or equivalent) in political science, international relations, economics, law, public administration or a related field. A first level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in political affairs, diplomacy, conflict resolution, law, economic development, public administration, or related area is required. Extensive experience in political analysis, advice, reporting, outreach and facilitation in an international setting is required. Managerial experience is required. Experience working in a UN peacekeeping operation, special political mission or other UN field mission in a conflict or post-conflict situation is desirable. Previous experience working in West Africa is desirable.

Languages Fluency in spoken and written English and Portuguese is required. Knowledge of Bissau-Guinean Creole would be an advantage.

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.