Political Affairs Officer

The position is located within the United Nations Operations and Crisis Centre (UNOCC), which is a multi-party entity reporting to the USG for Policy in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General (EOSG), through the Strategic Planning and Monitoring Unit (EOSG/SPMU) and, on peacekeeping matters, with oversight from the USG for Peace Operations, through the Director for Coordination and Shared Services (ODCSS). The UNOCC also receives strategic oversight from a Client Board of principals from each of the client entities. The UNOCC provides global situational awareness, crisis and risk management, and facilitates cross-pillar analysis and decision-making in the UN. The Centre is operationally positioned under the ODCSS between the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and the Department of Peace Operations. The Political Affairs Officer will report to the Coordinators of the UNOCC Watch Room.

Responsibilities

• Gathers, selects and analyses information contained in communications and publications received from different sources, and monitors national and regional level political developments for the formulation of advice to seniors and to field missions and/or UN agencies active on the ground.
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of events relating to political issues in relevant countries and regions and makes linkages with relevant issues for UNOCC units and work.
• Keeps abreast of latest trends and developments in peacekeeping operations, and in countries in crisis, including through data analysis; prepares and provides inputs on these issues to senior officials, colleagues in field missions and to actors in other parts of the Secretariat.
• Provides detailed support on crisis management procedures to senior leadership of lead department in crisis management activations.
• Provides technical and substantive back up in the implementation of mandates of the UNOCC.
• Maintains contacts with other sectors of the UN, other international organizations and governments on coordination and policy matters.
• Monitors actions taken by intergovernmental groups, UN organisations, government and non-governmental organizations.
• Selects, classifies and stores in computerised databases information relating to crisis situations and potential disputes and conflicts globally.
• Participates in fact-finding missions to relevant countries.
• Prepares background material for meetings of the SG/DSG/USG with officials from relevant countries or for internal policy discussions.
• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
• Performs other related duties, as required.

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in political science, history, international relations, journalism and media, 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 Experience

• A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in political science, international relations, law, disarmament, security, development management, conflict resolution or related area is required; At least two years of experience at the international level, two years in a field setting, and at least one year in a role directly supporting crisis management procedures (field or Headquarters) are required; Experience in information gathering, analysis and reporting are desirable; At least one year of experience working with data analytics is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in both oral and written English is required. Knowledge of French is highly desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

Source:https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/233853?language=en