Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located within the Civil Affairs Division of the United Nations United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). The Civil Affairs Officer will be based in Bangassou. The incumbent reports to the Head of Office and to the Civil Affairs Deputy Chief.

Responsibilities

Core Profile
Within the limits of delegated authority, the Civil Affairs Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
• Represents the mission as required and ensures that all relevant governmental and nongovernmental actors are coordinated in support of the governance priorities identified by the government.
• Provides information and analysis for the Mission and other actors where applicable, on governance dynamics that impact 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 a sound methodology for identifying concerns and perceptions of the local governance, and ensures these are effectively communicated to the Mission, as well as other actors where appropriate. Identifies emerging issues and critical peacebuilding and governance gaps.
• Ensures a shared understanding of the Mission environment, mandate and operations amongst Mission actors at the regional or local level, uniformed components, to support consistency and coherence of approach. • Establishes and fosters effective working relations with members of the United Nations Country Team (UNCT)
• Troubleshoots problems that arise at the regional or local level that threaten mandate implementation and the progress of the peace process. Formulates recommendations concerning Mission broader actions and approaches required at regional or local level, mobilizes a response from other actors where appropriate. • Identifies, manages, and evaluates individual projects implemented including under the Programmatic Activities’ Fund in line with the mission specific priorities.
• Supervises, monitors, and encourages the work of officers 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.

Conflict Management
• Proactively contributes to overall mission monitoring and planning, Conflict Management, and protection of civilians. Develops strategies aimed at strengthening local level conflict management work in line with the wider strategy including mechanisms for information-sharing, crisis response and protection of civilians as needed.
• Facilitates and supports dialogue between governance institutions and civil societies by convening structured meetings and similar activities and supports Civil Society networks and/or institutions that promote a culture of peace and reconciliation.
• 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.
• Assists the civil society groups and institutions where appropriate, in becoming effective implementing partners for programmatic funded and other peacebuilding projects.

Support to State Institutions
• Engages regularly with Civil Society and peace networks both at the national and sub national levels including youth and women groups. Assists Civil Society Groups to coordinate joint position on policy, peace, and governance issues in support of the peace process.
• Designs and implements appropriate and practical Civil Affairs support to local authorities, including mentoring and provision of supporting to policy and decision-making processes where appropriate including facilitation of governors’, commissioners’, and other forums in support of dialogue and cooperation between authorities, civil society, and other relevant interest groups with the aim of creating political space and accountability.
• Initiates and supports events such as town-hall meetings to foster development of political space at the local level. Initiates and/or supports civic education programmes at the local level on a range of issues, in support of the peace process, in coordination with local authorities, civil society actors and other relevant interest groups.

Programme Management
• Supports the respective Head of Office and the Director of Civil Affairs in all aspects of their role. Serves as the Team Leader of Civil Affairs Team in Wau and performs other duties as required, including assuming a management and leadership role in support of the Head of Office and/or in her/his absence.
• Manages the local Civil Affairs at the Field Office, undertaking and overseeing the programmatic and administrative tasks necessary for its functioning. Designs and oversees implementation of the Civil Affairs work plan for the respective field office. Ensures that all Civil Affairs and non-Civil Affairs Missions actors share an understanding of the Mission mandate and operations, and act in a cohesive and consistent manner. Coordinates with UNCT partners to ensure a coherent UN system effort.
• Contributes towards efforts to researching, identifying, and sharing good practices and lessons learned with the Civil Affairs component and the global Civil Affairs community.
• Performs other duties as required, in line with the DPO Policy Directive on Civil Affairs.

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.

Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; Makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; Accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; Monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; Regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; Encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; Actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; Appraises performance fairly.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in political science, law, international relations, public administration, social sciences, anthropology, economics, or related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with 2 additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in Civil Affairs-related work with UN Peacekeeping Operations, UN funds or programmes, National or International NGOs, or community-based organizations, research institutions or related field is required.

Of these seven years, a minimum of 4 years demonstrated in conflict management, facilitation, mediation, and negotiation skills; experience in facilitating structured dialogue events between different parties, and reconciliation activities and processes is required.

Experience working on support to state institutions, and/or programme management, security, political and institutional analysis; planning and organizing, women’s empowerment (WPS), youth empowerment (YPS), and development of civil society is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

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.

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.

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.

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.