Org. Setting and Reporting

In Somalia, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) is an integral component of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) and United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), supporting mandate delivery through provision of strategic advice to the Government of Somalia and explosive ordnance threat mitigation support to the African Union Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and to the Somali Security Forces (SSF). This position is located in the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) based in Mogadishu. The Chief of Branch of the Mine Action Programme reports to the Director, Rule of Law and Security Institutions Group (ROLSIG) with an additional reporting line to the Head of the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) and to the UNMAS Director.

Within the limits of delegated authority, the incumbent will be responsible for performing the following duties:

• Formulates and implements the substantive work programme of the Mine Action Service under his/her supervision. Oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Mine Action Service, ensures that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion and co-ordinates work in the different areas both within the Programme and with National institutions, United Nation country team and with other organizations of the United Nations System, as appropriate.

• Leads and develops the Mine Action programme strategy and work plan; determines priorities and resource allocation for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery and ensures the structure and budget are fit for purpose and delivers value for money; develops and maintains a resource mobilization strategy as required.

• Co-ordinates and oversees the preparation of Mine Action inputs into budget/substantive and performance reports for presentation to intergovernmental bodies such as the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budget Questions, the General Assembly and other policy-making organs, as appropriate. Advises on mandate changes in the area of mine action, aligned to national and regional political and security developments and trends.

• Ensures that all outputs produced by the Mine Action Programme meet required technical, safety and quality standards and promotes gender mainstreaming, innovation and use of advances in equipment and technical approaches to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates.

• Undertakes or oversees the programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Mine Action programme, including preparation and review of budgets and cash flows, review and approval of draft reports and documents, oversight and monitoring of the performance of the implementing partners, staff performance (PAS) and preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting.

• Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under his/her supervision.

• Fosters teamwork and communication among staff in the Mine Action Programme and across organizational boundaries.

• Leads and supervises the organization of meetings, seminars, etc. on substantive issues on Mine Action. Manages the substantive preparation and organization of such meetings or seminars.

• Participates in international, regional or national meetings and provides programmatic/substantive expertise on Mine Action issues, or holds programmatic/substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions.

• Represents the mission and/or UNMAS at international, regional or national meetings.

• Performs other related work as required.

Professionalism: Knowledge of substantive field of work in general and of specific areas being supervised. Ability to produce reports and papers on technical issues and to review and edit the work of others. Ability to apply UN rules, regulations, policies and guidelines in work situations. 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 ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. 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.

Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honors commitments. Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards. Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules. Supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments. Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.

Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow. Empowers others to translate vision into results. Is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives. Establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support. Anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions. Drives for change and improvement; does not accept the status quo. Shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Judgement/Decision-making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation and comes to the heart of the problem quickly. Gathers relevant information before making a decision. Considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them. Takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization. Proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information. Checks assumptions against facts. Determines that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision. Makes tough decisions when necessary.

An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in public administration, political studies, international relations, law, management, social sciences or related area. A first level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in combination with two additional years of relevant qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

A minimum of fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible professional experience in the field of programme and project management is required. A minimum of ten years of experience in the management of programmes and projects in the areas of mine action, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, security sector reform, stabilization, humanitarian or emergency responses is required. A minimum of five years of experience in a senior advisory and/or managerial role in a conflict or post-conflict setting in the United Nations or similar international organization is required. At least two years experience in managing a mine action field programme is required. Experience managing large teams is required. Experience in resource mobilization is desirable. Direct experience engaging with senior government officials in a complex humanitarian or peacekeeping setting is desirable.

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in English, (both oral and written) 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 through 30 June 2025. 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.

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. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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.