Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located within the Civil Affairs Division of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). The Civil Affairs Officer will be based in Juba, CES. Juba is classified as an “E” hardship duty station and a non-family duty station. The incumbent reports to the Director of Civil Affairs Division through Civil Affairs Officer.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Civil Affairs Officer will be responsible for the following duties: • 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 national 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. • 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, in particular uniformed components, to support consistency and coherence of approach. Fosters effective working relations with United Nations Country Team (UNCT). • Contributes to the formulation of recommendations concerning Mission actions and approaches required at the local level. Assists in mobilising responses from other actors where appropriate. • Manages individual Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) intended for confidence building purposes at the local level, in line with DPKO/DFS Policy Directive on QIPs and mission specific priorities. • 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. • Performs other duties as required, in line with the DPKO/DFS Policy Directive on Civil Affairs. Conflict Management: • Supports dialogue between groups in conflict in the area of responsibility by convening structured meetings and similar activities. • Promotes and protects the interest of 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 using knowledge of local language and culture. Assists the civil society groups and institutions where appropriate, in becoming effective implementing partners for Quick Impact Projects. Support to State Institutions: • Assists local institutions to assess capacity building and support needs, working with partners including the UNCT and in particular UNDP. Helps to design a coordinated response to these needs from relevant actors. • 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 provide 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 elections, policy issues, and good governance principles, in coordination with local authorities and/or civil society actors Programme Management: • Manages a local field office or team, undertaking or overseeing the programmatic and administrative tasks necessary for its functioning. • Manages a small Mission QIPs programme in accordance with Mission priorities and the DPKO/DFS policy on QIPs. Includes, inter alia: acting as Secretariat to a decision-making body on QIPs, ensuring the effective and timely running of the project design, approval and implementation process, the keeping of accurate records, assistance with determining mission specific priorities, assessment of impact of the overall programme, and drafting of QIPs submission for the Mission budget. • Contributes to the development and ensures distribution of high-quality mission-specific induction materials. Assists with the design, implementation and evaluation of tailored in-mission skills training for Civil Affairs components in accordance with global Civil Affairs skills training methodologies. • Serves as focal point on gender for the Civil Affairs component, identifying and communicating ways to ensure that gender perspective is taken into account in all aspects of Civil Affairs 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 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. Planning and Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; Identifies priority activities and assignments; Adjusts priorities as required; Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; Uses time efficiently.

Education

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

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in social sciences, governance, international relations or other related area is required. Experience in conflict management, support to state institutions or programme management is desirable.

Languages

Languages: English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of local languages in spoken in South Sudan is desirable

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. Applicants for positions in the General Service and related categories must be authorized to work for the United Nations in the duty station where the position is located. Eligible applicants selected from outside the duty station are responsible for any expenses in connection with their relocation to the duty station. Staff members subject to local recruitment are not eligible for allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. Candidates for the National Professional Officer category shall be of the nationality of the country where this position is located. Qualified women that meet the requirements of this job opening are particularly encouraged to apply and will be given full consideration in accordance with the United Nations efforts to increase women participation in its workforce. This post is located in Juba. Please note that anyone selected will be required to report for duty in that location on the agreed date and will also be expected to arrange their own accommodations. There is no UN provided accommodation. If the selected candidate is unable to report to the identified Duty Station, the contract will be considered void.

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. 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.