Senior Adviser, Liaison Office (US)

Washington D.C.

Organization: UNAIDS - The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
Location: Washington D.C.
Grade: Senior level - P-5, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
Occupational Groups:
Closing Date: Closed

UNAIDS is an innovative United Nations partnership that leads and inspires the world in achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.
UNAIDS' Cosponsors include UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank. Visit the UNAIDS Web site at

Vacancy No.: UNAIDS/23/FT2

Title: Senior Adviser, Liaison Office (US)

Grade: P5

Contract type: Fixed-term Appointment

Duration of contract: Two years

Date: 13 January 2023

Application Deadline: 4 February 2023
(22 day(s) until closing deadline)
Currently accepting applications

Organization unit: AI/OEX Executive Office (AI/OEX) /
AI/RMO - Resource Mobilization (AI/RMO)
Office of the Chief of Staff/EXO

Duty station: Washington, D.C. United States of America

About UNAIDS:
Serving Communities and Countries to End Inequalities and AIDS

We, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, lead the global effort to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. By placing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to reduction of inequalities at the heart of our work, we lead the global response to AIDS by: (i) maximizing equitable and equal access to HIV services, (ii) breaking down barriers to achieving HIV outcomes, and (iii) integrating efficient HIV responses into wider health and protection systems.

We are committed to creating an equal, safe and empowering workplace culture where all people in all their diversity thrive. We live our values of Commitment to the AIDS Response, Integrity and Respect for Diversity.

MANDATE OF THE DEPARTMENT:
To ensure meeting the bold objectives of ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030, UNAIDS counts on building, sustaining and expanding a large network of partnerships across the globe. To this effect, UNAIDS uses its liaison offices in Washington D.C., Addis Ababa and New York which work in close coordination with the Secretariat and Cosponsors globally, at regional and country level. The liaison offices play an important and multifaceted role in partnership management which, in addition to representation, often involve public information, advocacy, resource mobilization, project and programme implementation or capacity building elements.

The United States (US) Liaison Office sustains, deepens and broadens strategic partnerships and collaboration with key US-based partners to ensure that the US support for the global HIV response remains strong and that the Global AIDS Strategy are successfully advanced. To do this, the US Liaison Office engages with the most senior levels of the US Government, including the Administration and Congress, as well as with civil society, faith-based organizations, foundations, scientific and academic partners, the private sector, and other thought leaders and decision makers. The US Liaison Office works to maximize and coordinate programmatic engagement with the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which is both the principal funder of global HIV programmes worldwide and UNAIDS' leading donor.

Main tasks and Responsibilities of the Position:
Reporting to the Director, the Senior Adviser, US Liaison office maximizes opportunities to align the HIV response with the prevailing political, economic and development agendas thus contributing to the strategic positioning of UNAIDS with key US partners to ensure sustained US support for the global HIV response.

She / he has the following key responsibilities:

1. Political, economic and development mapping

- Develops strategic analysis of key US political, policy and programmatic developments affecting UNAIDS and the HIV response for use by senior management and other stakeholders.
- Closely monitors political, budget and legislative processes related to HIV, global health, pandemic preparedness and response and international development.
- Tracks longer-term US budgetary, policy and political trends and anticipates their impact on the achievement of UNAIDS' objectives.
- Analyses and interprets the specifics of PEPFAR's programmatic approaches and their relationship to UNAIDS' workstreams and the global HIV response.

2. Strategic planning and delivery

- Manages research; undertakes analysis and drafting to support the positioning of UNAIDS in US debates on HIV, governance, global health and development architecture and strategies, including cross-cutting issues between the global HIV response and related fields. Produces situation reports, background notes, talking points, options papers, inputs to policy documents and others.
- Assesses implications of developments and makes recommendations on possible policies, strategies and other measures to address issues of concern and to advance the objectives of the HIV response.
- Develops and deploys an engagement strategy for the US Administration, US Congress, influential thought leaders, civil society organizations, US-based HIV advocates including UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador(s) and HIV advocates, the media, as well as other US-based multilateral organizations, notably the World Bank, and other bilateral organizations, in pursuit of joint objectives.
- Advises the Director on optimal strategies for engaging in key global advocacy efforts related to ending AIDS such as the Global Fund Replenishment and the reauthorization of PEPFAR.
- Liaises with partners on the US domestic response to HIV and engages with the US administration and civil society groups and advocacy partners to promote overall alignment with the Global AIDS Strategy, the UN General Assembly High Level Meeting Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS, the decisions of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

3. Communication, research and high-level events management

- Manages and coordinates the communications function of the office including developing strategic dissemination plans for all major UNAIDS publications to US partners. Drafts editorials, speeches and thought pieces including joint communications with eminent co-authors, and leads outreach with US-based media and social media outlets and influencers.
- Manages the planning and coordination of high-level events in which the Executive Director and/or UNAIDS play a prominent role. This includes the entire range of preparatory and follow up activities, such as identification of panelists, preparation of preparatory and outcome documentation, liaising and coordination with UNAIDS staff and external partners, and following up on commitments made.
- Develops and prepare position papers, briefing notes, reports and analyses for use by the EXD and other senior management. Support visits by the EXD, DXDs and other senior staff and partners.

Performs other duties as required.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:
Essential:

- Advanced university degree at the Masters’ level in international relations, political sciences, international development, diplomacy, social sciences or another field related to the responsibilities.
- For internal candidates, a first university degree and 15 years of professional experience will be considered as equivalent.

Competencies:
UNAIDS Values:
Commitment to the AIDS response
Integrity
Respect for diversity

Core competencies:
Working in Teams
Communication with Impact
Applying Expertise
Delivering Results
Driving Change and Innovation
Being Accountable

Managerial competencies:
Vision and strategic thinking
Leading Teams
Building Relationships and Networks
Developing and Empowering Others
Managing Performance and Resources
Vision and Strategic Thinking
Exercising Sound Judgement

Experience:
Essential:

- A minimum of 10 years of experience at the national and international levels in political outreach, liaison and representation, advocacy or related areas, with a focus on the United States.
- Significant experience in organizational strategic positioning, policy development and governance.
- Extensive experience in research, data collection and collation, synthesis and analysis on complex and dynamic political, economic and international development issues.
- Experience in the management of high-level events.
- Prior experience working with US political organizations, bilateral or multilateral donors based in US.

Desirable:

- Public health or HIV-related experience.

Languages:
Essential:

- Proficiency in English

Desirable:

- Working knowledge of additional UN official languages.

Additional Information:
Positions at the international professional category within UNAIDS will be subject to the Organization's Mobility Policy. The above-mentioned position is a rotational position and its standard duration of assignment is linked to the ICSC hardship classification of the duty station.

Other similar positions at the same level may be filled from this vacancy notice.

Annual salary: (Net of tax)
92,731 US Dollars at single rate

Post Adjustment: 45.7 % of the figure(s) on the left side. This percentage is to be considered as indicative since variations may occur each month either upwards or downwards due to currency exchange rate fluctuations or inflation.

Applicants will be required to take a test. Applicants will be contacted directly if selected for an interview.

Applications from people living with HIV are particularly welcome. Applications from women and from nationals of non- and under-represented member states are particularly encouraged.

Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to the Staff Regulations and Rules of the World Health Organization (WHO) adjusted, as necessary, to take into account the particular operational needs of UNAIDS, and any subsequent amendments.

Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

Note: The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer or promotion of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity. The medical criterion for recruitment is fitness to work in the particular post. The United Nations HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy clearly stipulates that no staff and/or potential candidates shall be discriminated against on the basis of real or perceived HIV status. HIV infection, in itself, does not constitute lack of fitness to work. There is no obligation to disclose HIV-related personal information.

Online applications are strongly encouraged to enable UNAIDS to store your profile in a permanent database. Please visit UNAIDS's e-Recruitment website at: . The system provides instructions for online application procedures.

All applicants are encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the vacancy has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the vacancy announcement.

Currently accepting applications