CIVIL AFFAIRS OFFICER

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located within the Office of Community Support (OCS), in Pristina. The incumbent will work under the overall guidance of the Head of OCS.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Civil Affairs Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

CORE PROFILE
Provides information and analysis for the Mission and other actors where applicable, on political, social and economic issues affecting conflict dynamics at the local and regional level, including analysis on how these relate to the central level and vice versa. Ensures that the concerns and perceptions of the local population are effectively communicated to the Mission, as well as other actors where appropriate.
Contributes to the various reporting formats in OCS and in the Mission, such as daily reports, monthly and special reports. Tracks and records the activities of the Office of Community Support for reporting purposes. Functions as focal point for monitoring and assessment visits to return sites.
Works as one of the office’s focal points for Results-Based Budgeting (RBB), and for the Comprehensive Planning and Performance Assessment System (CPAS), which includes work with the relevant databases (data input and data extraction for reporting purposes).
Represents the mission at the local level as required.
Contributes to a shared understanding of the Mission environment, mandate and operations amongst Mission actors at the local level to support consistency and coherence of approach. Fosters effective working relations with the United Nations Kosovo Team (UNKT) and other international actors.
Contributes to the formulation of recommendations concerning Mission actions and approaches required at the local level, assists in mobilising a response from other actors where appropriate.
Supervises, monitors and encourages the work of staff under his/her responsibility in undertaking the full range of their duties.
Identifies and researches good practice and lessons learned in Civil Affairs work and shares these with colleagues, including through active participation in the online Civil Affairs Network. Contributes to overall mission monitoring and planning as required.
Ensures that gender is incorporated into all duties.
Performs other duties as required, in line with the Policy Directive on Civil Affairs.

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
Supports dialogue and trust-building between groups in the area of responsibility by convening structured meetings and similar activities.
Promotes and protects the interest of non-majority, excluded and/or threatened groups through advocacy in full respect of humanitarian and international law.
Supports civil society groups and/or institutions at the local level that promote a culture of peace and reconciliation Supports the facilitation of dialogue, community integration, mediation and trust-building between communities.
Promotes participation of women and youth in decision making and dialogue processes.

SUPPORT TO LOCAL GOVERNANCE INSTITUTIONS
Assists local institutions to assess capacity building and support needs, working with partners including the UNKT.
Assists in the design and implementation of appropriate and practical Civil Affairs support to local authorities, including mentoring and support to policy and decision-making processes where appropriate.
Supports dialogue and cooperation between authorities and relevant interest groups with the aim of creating political space and accountability and provides support to the development of structures of accountability and transparency.
Supports events such as public fora or town-hall meetings to foster development of political space at the local level. Supports civic education programmes at the local level on a range of issues including policy issues and good governance principles, in coordination with local authorities and/or civil society actors.

PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT
Supports development and oversight of programmatic and administrative tasks related to project/programme implementation within OCS.
Contributes to the development and ensures distribution of high-quality mission-specific induction materials.
Serves as focal point on gender and environmental issues for OCS, identifying and communicating ways to ensure that gender perspective and environmental protection issues are taken into account in all aspects of OCS’s work.
Serves as focal point for researching, identifying and sharing good practices and lessons learned with the Civil Affairs component and the global Civil Affairs community.
Performs other related work as required.

Competencies

Professionalism: 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

Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

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.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in political science, law, international relations, public administration, social sciences, economics or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible professional experience in civil affairs, political affairs, development, project/programme management, public administration or related area is required.

Proven track record of previous reporting and analysis experience is required.

Experience in design and implementation of initiatives to promote dialogue, trust-building and reconciliation between different parties in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious environment is desirable.

Experience in project and programme management is desirable.

Experience with Results-Based Budgeting (RBB), and the Comprehensive Planning and Performance Assessment System (CPAS) is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position(s) advertised, fluency in spoken and written English is required.

Assessment

Previously rostered candidates are not subject to any further assessment and as such, will not be invited for such an assessment.

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.

This "Recruit from Roster" job opening is only open to roster applicants who are already placed on pre-approved rosters, following a review by a United Nations Central Review Body. Only roster applicants who were placed on rosters with similar functions at the same level are considered to be eligible candidates. Eligible applicants receive an email inviting them to apply. Rostered applicants are encouraged to apply only if they are interested and available to take up the position at the duty station/s specified in the Job Opening. Applying to this job opening carries an expectation to accept the offer, if selected.

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.