Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located in the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), Zalingei. The Policy and Best Practices Officer reports to the Chief of Staff.
Job Description
| Organization | United Nations – African Union Mission in Darfur |
| Posting Title: | Policy and Best Practices Officer, P3 (Temporary Job Opening) |
| Job Code Title: | Policy and Best Practices Officer |
| Department/Office: | AU/UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur |
| Duty Station: | ZALINGUEI |
| Posting Period: | 07 December 2020 – 13 December 2020 |
| Job Opening Number: | 20-Political Affairs-UNAMID-146223-J-Zalinguei (M) |
| Staffing Exercise | N/A |
Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the mission Chief of Staff, the Policy and Best Practices Officer will carry out the following duties:
Promote and facilitate organizational learning and the sharing of knowledge within the mission and between the mission and other missions and UNHQ:
• In consultation with the Chief of Staff and, as appropriate, other members of the Senior Mission Leadership , develop a knowledge management action plan and that will address the mission’s operational learning needs.
• Promote the active use throughout the mission of relevant United Nations knowledge sharing tools and systems, such as the Policy and Practice Database, End of Assignment Reports, Surveys of Practice and After Action Reviews including through the establishment and support of a network of best practice focal points within the mission.
• Support the Chief of Staff and, as appropriate, other senior mission managers upon request, in identifying gaps in existing official guidance, as identified through needs assessments, evaluations, lessons learned studies, etc. and developing guidance where needed based on identified gaps.
• Provide inputs to draft standard guidance as needed, when consulted by UNHQ offices.
• Initiate and coordinate outreach activities and as needed, conduct training workshops, seminars, etc.; make presentations on policy, best practices and lessons learning issues.
• Facilitate or generate good practices and lessons learned on various mission work processes, operational responses, organizational systems, mandate implementation, etc.
• Research, analyze and present information gathered from diverse sources.
• Collect, store and share best practice materials originating in the mission with UNHQ and other missions through the Policy and Practice Database, Communities of Practice and other channels and information sharing fora.
• Prepare and share with mission leadership syntheses of lessons learned and recommendations documented in the mission’s knowledge sharing reports, as required.
• Organize follow-up action as required on studies undertaken, seminars or workshops on mission specific best practices and lessons learned activities.
• Liaise and coordinate with UN partner organizations, national and international organizations and academic institutions on all issues related to lessons learning and knowledge sharing.
• Provide other learning and research services to the mission as required.
Support the establishment of a mission-wide system of guidance development based on lessons learned and good practice:
• Promote the integration of lessons learned, good practices and other operational knowledge into work processes, guidance and planning scenarios, with particular focus on transitioning, mission drawdown and liquidation.
•Coordinate and contribute to the development of a mission-specific strategy for knowledge sharing in the context of transition, including but not limited to document classification, archiving and custody.
• Develop, on behalf of the mission management, an appropriate mechanism for considering and, following up on local-level recommendations generated by knowledge sharing mechanisms.
• Take an active part in the network of Policy and Practice Officers and in developing and maintaining the network of mission focal points.
• In consultation with the Chief of Staff and the senior mission leadership, and supported by the Policy and Best Practices Service (UNHQ), assist the mission with designing and implementing a mission-specific guidance development process.
• Support the Chief of Staff and other senior mission managers upon request, with the development, review, approval and dissemination of mission specific guidance.
• Support alignment of DPKO-DFS policy development priorities with mission guidance development priorities.
• In consultation with the Chief of Staff and, as appropriate, the senior mission leadership, and assisted by the Policy and Best Practices Service, support coordination of and/or implement policy reviews and studies.
• Coordinate policy development on cross-cutting issues, including the review and analysis of issues and trends, preparation of evaluations or other research activities and studies
• Liaise with UN partner organizations, national and international organizations and academic institutions on all issues related to policy/guidance development.
Competencies
Professionalism: Demonstrated ability to complete in-depth studies and reach conclusions on possible causes and solutions to problems in specific areas; excellent research, drafting and analytical skills; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of peace operations.
Demonstrated understanding of field work in a conflict or post-conflict situation. Demonstrated ability to identify policy needs and awareness of methodologies for policy development or lesson learning.
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.
Education
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in International relations, peacekeeping, International Organizations, Business Administration and Management, Public Administration, Human Resources, Social Studies or Humanities related fields. 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
- At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in international affairs and peace and security, preferably in the area of knowledge management, organizational learning or policy development.
- Experience in work involving research, analysis and intensive writing is desirable.
- Experience with successfully managing and completing responsibilities in a peacekeeping operation is desirable.
- Experience working in a conflict, or post-conflict environment is also desirable.
- Experience with leading and communicating change management initiatives to diverse audiences is desirable.
- Experience in programme management/evaluation is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
• This position is temporarily available until 31 January 2021 with possibility for extension. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.
• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.
• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.
• This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.
• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply.Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.
• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as “retirement.” Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.
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.
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.
