Posting Title: Political Affairs Officer (2 Positions), P3
Job Code Title: Political Affairs Officer
Department/Office: United Nations Department of Political Affairs and Peace-building
Duty Station: New York, United Sates of America
Posting Period: 04 August 2022 – 17 September 2022
Job Opening Number: 22-Political Affairs-DPPA-181765-R-New York (X)
Staffing Exercise: N/A
United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity
Org. Setting and Reporting
These posts are in the Innovation Cell, within the Policy and Mediation Division (PMD) of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) at Headquarters. The incumbent will report to the Team Leader of the Innovation Cell.
Responding to the call of the Secretary-General on the whole UN system to keep up with the scale and speed of innovation, including the commitments of the Secretary-General’s Strategy for New Technologies and the UN’s Data Strategy, DPPA has established a dedicated capacity to explore, pioneer and leverage new methodologies in support of its mandate delivery, including digital technologies, behavioural insights, immersive visualization, and other cross-cutting means. The Innovation Cell serves as a catalyst for innovation across the Department and its field presences, and the wider peace and security pillar, to strengthen the UN’s conflict prevention, mediation and peacebuilding effort in this spirit.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Political Affairs Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
• Gathers, selects and analyses information on innovation, including cross-cutting new methods, digital technologies and data analytics, contained in communications and publications received from different sources, including the press.
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of innovation trends in general, and in particular those relating to peace and security.
• Keeps abreast of latest trends and developments in the area of innovation and provides inputs to senior officials and colleagues in missions and elsewhere in the Secretariat.
• Monitors innovation activities and projects at national and regional level and provides advice to field missions/UN agencies active on the ground.
• Provides technical and substantive back up in the implementation of mandates of the office, branch or unit.
• Maintains contacts with other sectors of the UN, other international organizations governments, civil society and the private sector on innovation, coordination and policy matters
• Monitors actions taken by intergovernmental groups, UN organisations, governments and non-governmental organizations in relation to innovation.
• Selects, classifies and stores in computerised databases information relating to potential innovation trends.
• Participates in provision of secretariat services to Security Council, General Assembly, subsidiary organizations, negotiating bodies, conferences, meetings, and /or special missions.
• Prepares meetings of the SG/DSG/USG with officials from countries under the Organization’s purview.
• Performs other related duties as required.
Competencies
• PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge and understanding of UN mandates, work processes and culture, and proven record in promoting and implementing innovation in a similar organizational setting. Ability to identify and analyze political, ethnic, racial, social and economic problems that cause civil unrest in a country or geographic area. 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.
• CREATIVITY: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.
• Technological Awareness: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.
Education
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in political science, international relations, international economics, law, public administration or other related. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Work Experience
A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in political science, international relations, law, disarmament, security, development management, conflict resolution, innovation or related area is required.
Experience applying innovation to peace and security mandates is required.
Experience in conducting training and facilitating learning activities related to innovation is required.
Experience in engaging with the private sector, civil society and academia in innovation joint ventures is required.
Experience in project management, multi-stakeholder innovation initiatives in international organizations is required.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English (oral and written) is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.
At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.
Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position.
United Nations Considerations
According 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.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
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