Senior Political Affairs Officer, P-5 United Nations - Nairobi,Somalia

Job ID: 54684

Job Views: 5

Location: Nairobi, , Somalia

Zip Code:

Job Category: Government

Employment Type: Full time

Salary: per year

Posted: 11.22.2012

 

Job Description

Senior Political Affairs Officer, P-5

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS:   23 Nov 2012
DATE OF ISSUANCE:   24 Oct 2012
ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT:   United Nations Political Office for Somalia
DUTY STATION:   Nairobi
VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER:   12-POL-UNPOS-425882-R-GAROOWE

Responsibilities

Working under the overall direction of the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General (DSRSG) and the direct supervision of the Director of Political Affairs, the Senior Political Affairs Officer will be responsible for performing the following duties: Political Analysis and Advice - Identify, analyze and monitor political developments and emerging issues with respect to the implementation of the UNPOS mandate; Assess implications and make recommendations to senior management on possible policies, strategies and other measures to address issues of concern and to advance mandated objectives. Reporting and Information Management - Ensure regular, timely and high quality reporting to UNPOS Headquarters on developments and issues pertaining to the Mission’s mandate; Prepare and review summary and analytical reports for senior management including, but not limited to, situation reports, briefing notes, notes to file, code cables and input for the reports of the Secretary-General to the Security Council; Prepare and review contextual information materials, such as background notes and political profiles; Ensure the development and/or maintenance of databases and other tools designed to ensure accessibility and utility of information. Planning, Coordination and Facilitation – Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with the authorities, political leaders and civil society actors, the broader UN family and other national and international partners on coordination and policy matters; 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 Puntland Regional Office, 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; 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; 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; Uses time efficiently. 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. 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.

 

Job Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in political science, international relations, social science, 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 ten years of progressively responsible experience in political affairs, diplomacy, conflict resolution, or related field is required. Extensive experience in political outreach, facilitation, analysis, advice and reporting is required. Experience managing a team or office is required. At least one year of experience working in Somalia in a relevant capacity is required. Previous experience working in a UN Special Political Mission, Peacekeeping Operation, or other UN field operation in a conflict or post-conflict setting is desirable.

Languages

Fluency in spoken and written English is required; knowledge of a local language 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.
1.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.

2.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.

3.In completing the PHP, please note that all fields marked with an asterisk must be completed.

4.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.