Org. Setting and Reporting

This position located in the Joint Operations Centre (JOC) of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Juba. Juba is classified in the “E” category and as a non-family duty. station. The incumbent reports to the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) through the Mission Chief of Staff.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Senior Joint Operations Officer (Chief JOC) will be responsible for the following duties:

• Direct, coordinate and supervise the work of the Joint Operations Centre (JOC), including preparing, implementing, and monitoring the JOC work plan and managing the JOC staff which is comprised of an integrated team including military, police, and civilians with a range of expertise and to include seconded personnel from other Mission components.
• Management responsibilities will include the prompt recruitment and selection of staff, management of staff (including performance management), development of a roster of coverage for the JOC, and oversee the development and promulgation of standard operating procedures for the work of the JOC.
• The Senior Operations Officer is responsible for the accuracy, consistency and quality of JOC products and performance. The Senior Operations Officer ensures that the Mission. leadership has a common situational overview and oversee the Mission’s integrated daily and weekly situation reports for approval by the Head of Mission and transmittal to UN Headquarters; timely production of Significant Incident Reports (‘Flash Reports’) and exceptional ad hoc reports on current operations; and that the JOC maintains appropriate databases of submitted reports for ready access by appropriate Mission components.
The senior operations officer with delegated authority of mission leadership, coordinates integrated mission response planning mechanism, including compiling, and disseminating recommendations from field officers, substantive sections and UN Country Teams.
• The Senior Operations Officer manages the day-to-day functioning of the JOC, its relations with other Mission components and UN Headquarters, and the processing and timely dissemination of operations reports. He/she provides briefings on current operations to senior UN staff and visiting delegations, maintains contact with heads of Mission components to indicate, and respond to, needs that may arise within the Mission.
• He/she also oversees the coordination of Requests for Information between the JOC, other
Mission components, the UN Country Team, and UN Headquarters, at the same time ensuring an appropriate level of confidentiality for UN operations.
• In crisis situations, the Senior Operations Officer also, serves as the secretariat of the Crisis Management Team and Crisis Management Working Group.
• The Senior Operations Officer also serves as the focal point for information coordination in response to casualty evacuation (CASEVAC).
• Supports sections and the field offices in the development of contingency plans and conducts Table Top Exercise and Field Training Exercise.
• Performs other relevant duties as directed by the Mission Chief of Staff.

Competencies

Professionalism:
Sound operational comprehension, effective analytical skills, and appropriate operations experience in information collection, management, and representation. Excellent drafting and editing skills, with the proven ability to produce cogent reports often under strict time constraints, and to critically review and edit the work of others. Ability to identify politically sensitive and operationally significant issues. Ability to coordinate with various actors including Mission components, the UN Country Team, government officials, civil society organisations, regional and intergovernmental organisations. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all areas of work. Expertise in crisis management, particularly in an operations room context at the Mission (theatre) level. Comprehensive understanding of UN peacekeeping operations, and a good knowledge of the UN system. Take responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives in their work 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; and demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Client Orientation:
Considers all those to whom services are provided to be ‘clients’ and seeks to see things from the clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; and meets timelines for delivery of products or services to clients.

Judgement/decision-making:
Identifies key issues in complex situations and comes to the heart of problems quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; 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.

Building trust:
Provides an environment in which others can talk and act without fear of repercussion; places Confidence in colleagues, staff members and clients; gives proper credit to others; operates with transparency; follows through on agreed upon actions; treats sensitive or confidential information appropriately.

Education

Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in political science, international relations, foreign affairs, law, or related area. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job – Specific Qualification

Formal training in the conduct of operations at the operational and strategic levels (military or government staff colleges) is desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in peacekeeping, military operations, intelligence work or related field is required.

At least two years of experience in a UN peacekeeping mission is required.

A proven track record of management in multi-cultural settings, including management and coordination of multi-disciplinary teams, and complex operations in Africa, is required.

Experience managing a joint operations centre/situation centre is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in oral and written English is required.

Assessment

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

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.

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.

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.