Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located within Civil Affairs Section of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) with duty station Goma (Headquarters office). The incumbent will report to the Head of Civil Affairs directly or through another intermediate post in the CAS HQ structure.

Responsibilities

Within the limits of delegated authority, the Civil Affairs Officer may be responsible for the following duties, either directly supporting them or providing technical support to Field Office staff and partners in the technical areas:

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 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 mobilizing responses from other actors where appropriate.
• Manages individual Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) intended for confidence building purposes at the local level, in line with Headquarter 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 Headquarter Policy Directive on Civil Affairs.

Protection of Civilians:
• Works with peacekeepers, local security forces and local authorities, to identify threats to civilians and implement joint prevention and response plans and strengthen civil-military cooperation, to ensure the protection of civilians from abuses and violations of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, including all forms of sexual and gender-based violence and violations and abuses committed against children and persons with disabilities.
• Strengthens community engagement with civilians to raise awareness and understanding about MONUSCO’s mandate and activities to protect civilians.
• Strengthens local early warning mechanisms, including to prevent disinformation campaigns and misinformation aimed at undermining the mission’s credibility and hindering the implementation of its mandate.
• Supports local mediation efforts, support activities to counter hate speech, disinformation, and misinformation. Initiate, organize and take part in Joint Assessment Missions and Joint Protection Teams (JPT) missions, together with the substantive sections of MONUSCO, protection actors and humanitarian & development partners.
• Formulates and follow up on the implementation of recommendations resulting from field trips and missions.
• Contributes to the development of local protection plans, including early warning mechanisms, and follow up & monitor their implementation through liaison with military, humanitarian, and local leaders.
• Assess the impact of protection activities and monitor improvement of the protection situation.
• Supports logistics needs for humanitarian, CSO and local authority key partners for the implementation of the Mission’s protection mandate.
• Supports management of Community Liaison Assistants (CLAs), Community Alert Networks (CANs), Local Protection Committees and Community Protection Plans.

Conflict Management
• Directly or indirectly through Field Teams, supports dialogue between groups in conflict in the area of responsibility by convening structured meetings and similar activities.
• Directly or indirectly through Field Teams, supports, promotes and protects the interest of excluded and/or threatened groups through advocacy in full respect of humanitarian and international law.
• Directly or indirectly through Field Teams, 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
• Directly or indirectly through Field Teams, 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 and with the objective of transitioning responsibilities from MONUSCO to State Authorities.
• 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
• May manage a local field office or team, undertaking or overseeing the programmatic and administrative tasks necessary for its functioning.
• May manage or support the management of a 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.
• May serve 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.

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.

Client orientation:
Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view. Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect. Identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions. Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems. Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects. Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

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 qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

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 any or a combination of work within the United Nations Common System (UN peacekeeping political missions, or UN agencies, Funds, and Programmes) or a comparable international organization or non-governmental organization in a conflict or post-conflict environment, the protection of civilians, community engagement and developing an operational relationship with local authorities (Administration, Security Services etc.) is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in both English and French 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 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.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance 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.