Org. Setting and Reporting

This post is located in the Department of Peace Operations (DPO), Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions (OROLSI), Justice and Corrections Service (JCS). The Corrections Officer reports to the Chief of the Justice and Corrections Service or his/her designate.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Corrections Policy Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

• Providing advice and support to the Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions and to DPO on corrections/prisons issues in peace operations.
• Supporting OROLSI/JCS in planning corrections aspects of new, evolving or transitioning peace operations. This involves participating in field planning/assessment missions, drafting planning documents, participating in planning meetings/processes, and organizing focused sub-group planning meetings on corrections.
• Supporting the periodic review of corrections programmes, drafting programme review documents that identify areas of success, areas of needed improvement, and concrete recommendations to address those needs in the particular operation.
• Keeping OROLSI/JCS appraised of key corrections developments in field operations through regular contact with field staff, analysis of internal and external reports and, in consultation with the corrections team, developing recommendations as to possible approaches for addressing identified issues.
• Providing operational and strategic support and advice to field staff and organizing briefing visits of senior field staff to headquarters.
• Contributing to the ongoing development of the programme management and evaluation framework for corrections in peacekeeping.
• Supporting the development of lessons learned and contributing to the development of best practices, guidance materials, training modules, and corrections strategies, policies and programmes. This includes drafting project proposals, advancing initiatives in support of the United Nations System Common Position on Incarceration, obtaining donor funding, working to select and support project consultants, and organizing seminars, workshops and conferences.
• Preparing talking points, background and briefing notes for DPO headquarters, and contributing to reports of the Secretary-General.
• Overseeing that preparation and dissemination of policies, lessons learned studies and other guidance materials, including for pre-deployment and personnel induction purposes.
• Participating in the design and delivery of corrections / prison related training for a wide range of corrections / prison stakeholders.
• Assisting Member States in developing a capacity to contribute corrections officers to peace operations.
• Performing other tasks, as required.

Competencies

Professionalism:
Ability to plan, support and provide advice on corrections/prisons reform activities. Knowledge of applicable international standards in the corrections/prisons area. Excellent conceptual, analytical and evaluative skills. Ability to conduct independent research and analysis, identify issues, develop lessons learned, identify best practices, formulate options and make recommendations. Excellent communication skills (written and verbal) including the ability to prepare succinct reports and guidelines and to articulate ideas in a clear and concise manner. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Planning & 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.

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 joining responsibility for team shortcomings.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law or social sciences. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Graduation from a certified prison academy or other similar law enforcement training institution is desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in a corrections or prison matters in one or more areas such as strategic planning, policy development, reforms, alternatives to incarceration, or training is required.

Experience working in a peacekeeping or special political mission of the United Nations or similar international organization is required

One year of professional experience providing technical assistance for strengthening corrections and or prison systems in a transitional, development, conflict or post-conflict setting outside the applicant’s country of origin is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of any other official United Nations language is an advantage.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

• This job opening is advertised to fill a temporarily vacant position created by the assignment of the regular incumbent for an initial period up to 15 October 2023. An extension of appointment or temporary assignment of the selected candidate for this job opening will depend on extension of assignment of the regular incumbent.

• 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.

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.