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Policy Support Officer

Geneva

  • Organization: Interpeace
  • Location: Geneva
  • Grade: Level not specified - Level not specified
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Political Affairs
    • Legal - Broad
    • Administrative support
    • Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding
    • Project and Programme Management
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background

Interpeace is an international organisation for peacebuilding that strengthens the ability of societies to manage conflict themselves in sustainable and non-violent ways. Interpeace designs and delivers its work tailored to each situation in partnership with local partners and communities, based on extensive consultation and research. Interpeace also ensures that the processes of conflict management and change that it supports are integrated at all levels of society including local communities, civil society, government and the international community (we call it a ‘Track 6’ approach).

Interpeace was originally established by the United Nations and remains a strategic partner. Beyond field-based peacebuilding, Interpeace also assists the international community – particularly the UN – to be more effective in supporting peacebuilding efforts worldwide. This includes contributing innovative thought leadership on peacebuilding policies and practices.

Interpeace is headquartered in Geneva and has offices around the world.

For more information about Interpeace, please visit www.interpeace.org

Position within the Organisation

The Policy Support Officer is based in the Policy, Learning and IPAT (Interpeace Advisory Team) Unit, and works under the direct supervision of the Director. S/he works principally and in a collaborative way with others in the Unit but also coordinates and collaborate with other teams and colleagues in Interpeace, especially those delivering field-based peacebuilding, operational/corporate support, and communications and public outreach. The role-holder also interacts with external stakeholders.

The Policy Support Officer will be based in Geneva on a one-year fixed term contract, subject to continuation based on performance.

Purpose and General Overview

The role-holder provides background research, drafting, project management including event organisation, budget preparation and general administrative support for the Director and Unit. The tasks undertaken are primarily intended to support the Director of Policy, Learning and IPAT in two ways: to provide practical support for priority peacebuilding policy initiatives that are set out in Interpeace’s five-year Strategy and annual Workplans; and, to provide practical support for the development of new policy proposals and associated funding including contributing to draft concept notes.

The Policy Support Officer requires broad domain knowledge of international peacebuilding and related policy trends – including the policies and approaches of the UN – as well as knowledge of the international organisations (intergovernmental and non-governmental), donors and other key actors in the international development, humanitarian and peace sectors.

The Policy Support Officer plays a connecting role within the Unit, fostering exchange of information, coordination and coherence as well as efficiencies in the work undertaken by various teams in the Unit. S/he also plays a connecting role various across Interpeace, contributing to exchange of knowledge and coordination of effort between the Unit and other teams and colleagues in the organisation in head office and field offices. A particular aspect of the role is to contribute towards enhanced coordination between the work of peacebuilding policy and peacebuilding programming colleagues. In addition, the role-holder has partnership and stakeholder liaison and relationship-management responsibilities with external contacts for specific policy initiatives of the Unit.

The Policy Support Officer will also work with Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning colleagues to coordinate internal learning exchanges and events; contribute to improve knowledge management and learning processes; act as the secretary of the Policy Working Group; and, coordinate team planning sessions, progress meetings, and internal reports.

In providing administrative and project management support, the role-holder will take the lead in drafting/reproducing Memoranda of Understanding, project contracts and other documents to advance institutional partnerships.

Duties and responsibilities

Support to Policy, Learning and IPAT Unit

  • Conduct background research on policy and programmatic issues related to peacebuilding.
  • Contribute to the design, research, drafting and publishing of peacebuilding policy documents for internal and external audiences.
  • Draft first versions of Concept Notes and related budgets for new peacebuilding policy proposals.
  • Provide project management support including but not limited to coordination internally and with partners, event organisation, preparation of supporting documentation, facilitation of evaluation and publicity where relevant, and follow-up.
  • Foster regular exchanges of information between Unit colleagues and between the Unit and other Interpeace colleagues aimed at knowledge sharing, learning, coordination, efficiency and effectiveness.
  • Act as the secretary of the Policy Working Group, in particular setting meeting dates, finalising agendas, drafting meeting records, and contributing to follow-up action where relevant.
  • Organise the schedule of the Unit’s planning sessions and progress meetings, and promote follow-up where required.
  • Coordinate internal Unit reports and other written inputs required for corporate accountability and compliance.

Other Administration and Logistics

  • Organise logistics for workshops, consultations and field trips of Unit colleagues.
  • Provide administrative support for the Unit, including drafting/reproduction of contractual documents such as partner agreements/Memoranda of Understanding.
  • Monitor payment schedules and ensure alignment with agreed budgets.
  • Contribute to timely implementation of procurement processes and payment obligations of the Unit in collaboration with the Operations team.

Qualifications:

Education

  • A university or other tertiary qualification in international relations, political science, development, public administration, management, or a related field

Experience

  • Professional experience in programmatic and/or administrative support roles with some experience in international organisations or international NGOs being an advantage

Competencies

  • Skills to organise and coordinate in complex multi-stakeholder and multi-cultural environments
  • High degree of self-organisation and adaptability
  • Ability to work in a multicultural environment successfully and to demonstrate gender-responsive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes
  • Ability to interact with people respectfully and with tact
  • Ability to deal with confidential information and/or issues using discretion and good judgement
  • Fluent in English (oral and written) and working knowledge (preferably fluency) of French
  • Interpeace Competencies:
    • Collaboration and Weaving
    • Communication
    • Drive for results
    • Adaptability and Continuous Learning
    • Respect for Diversity

Assets/desired

  • Research skills with demonstrable experience working on policy-oriented research documents related to international development, humanitarian or peacebuilding fields.
  • Fluent English as well as advanced French preferred.
  • Communication, analytical and writing skills.
  • Teamwork experience in fast paced environment.

Other terms of employment

  • Interpeace values diversity among its staff and aims to achieve gender equality both through gender parity at all levels of the organisation and promoting a gender dimension in all its work. We welcome applications from people of all genders, those with disabilities, and those with experience of conflict and violence.
  • Gross annual salary: CHF 77 270 to CHF 78 800 (salary commensurate with experience and internal salary grid). In addition, a health insurance contribution and other benefits are provided.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit their application to recruitment@interpeace.org no later than 8 February 2021. “Policy Support Officer” must be included in the subject line of the application email to be considered. The application must include:

a complete curriculum vitae
a letter of interest

an acknowledgement letter

  • answering the following questions:

  • Have you ever been criminally convicted or subject to any criminal or administrative penalty by any competent authority? If yes, please specify:

    1. Have you ever been terminated or separated (e.g. contract termination, dismissal, non-renewal) or subject to any disciplinary measure or sanction by your employer for fraud, harassment, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation or sexual abuse?
  • Have you ever resigned while under investigation or during disciplinary proceedings?

Confirming the following declaration of understanding:

I confirm the accuracy of the information provided, with the understanding that Interpeace will conduct reference checks to verify relevant information.

I understand that if any false or misleading information is provided in my application, or any material fact suppressed, I may not be employed, of if I am employed, I may be dismissed.

Please note that due to high volume of applications, ONLY short-listed candidates will be contacted.

This vacancy is now closed.
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