United Nations – UN-Secretariat

Junior Professional Officer Program (JPO) Chiffre Nr. 2025-1-06

TERMS OF REFERENCE

I. General Information

Title: JPO in Political Affairs

Sector of Assignment: Political Affairs

Organization/Office: United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) / Political Affairs Service (PAS)

Country and Duty Station: Tripoli, Libya

Duration of assignment: 2 years with possibility of extension for another year. The extension of appointment is subject to yearly review concerning priorities, availability of funds, and satisfactory performance

Please note that for participants of the JPO-Programme two years work experience are mandatory! Relevant work experience can be counted. In order to assess the eligibility of the candidates, we review the relevant experience acquired after obtaining the first university degree (usually bachelor’s degree).

II. Supervision

Title of Supervisor:

Head, Political Affairs Service

Content and methodology of supervision:

Establishment of a Work Plan: During the first month of the assignment, the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) will work jointly with his/her direct supervisor to finalize an agreed upon work plan. The final work plan will be discussed and mutually agreed to by the JPO and his/her supervisor.

Evaluation: The United Nations Performance Evaluation System (e-performance) will serve as a primary platform to evaluate of the JPO’s performance.

III. Duties, Responsibilities and Output Expectations

Within delegated authority, the Junior Professional Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

Political Analysis and Advice

• Monitor and analyze political and economic developments in Libya.
• Identify potential and emerging trends which might affect the implementation of the Mission’s mandate.
• Gather, select, and analyse information contained in communications and publications received from different sources, including press and social media.

Political outreach and coordination

• Develop and maintain working relations at the appropriate level with UN counterparts, Government representatives, civil society actors, academic and research institutions, and other national and international partners.
• Support preparations for official meetings, events, visits including through the provision of secretariat services, talking points and any other substantive materials for senior UN officials.
• Prepare written summaries of meetings/visits and assist with follow-up activities, as appropriate.

Reporting and Information Management

• Assist in the preparation of analytical reports, briefing notes and talking points, note to files, presentations, options papers, code cables, political profiles as well as inputs for the reports of the Secretary-General to the Security Council, General Assembly or other bodies.
• Perform other relevant duties as assigned.

IV. Qualifications and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in Political Science, Political Economy, International Relations, International Law, Public Administration, or related fields.

Work experience:

A minimum of 2 years of relevant work experience in political affairs, international development, diplomacy, conflict resolution, foreign relations, or related area. Experience in peace and security issues related to the Middle East and North African region is desired.

Languages:

English and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English and working knowledge of Arabic is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

UN 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; Incorporates gender perspectives and ensures 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 the audience; Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

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 joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

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.

Workforce Diversity

The United Nations believes that an inclusive culture attracts the best talent and encourages all qualified applicants, regardless of gender, disability, sexual orientation, cultural or religious backgrounds, to apply.

V. Learning Elements

On completion of the assignment, the JPO will have a good foundation as an associate political affairs officer, including the ability to monitor and analyse complex developments and translate the information into quality products, including briefing materials, analytical notes etc. He/she will also gain good grasp of various processes and documents produced in the UN system, including the Secretary-General’s reports, the Security Council briefings, code cables etc. 

VI. Background Information

On 30 October 2023, the Security Council, by its resolution 2702 (2023) extended the mandate of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) until 31 October 2024, as set out in resolution 2542 (2020) and paragraph 16 of resolution 2570 (2021).

Political Affairs Service (PAS) is responsible for providing support to the Mission leadership on their mediation and good offices mandate, in particular to facilitate a Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process that will lead to inclusive and credible national elections. This includes closely monitoring political and politico-economic developments, providing analysis and advice to the Mission leadership, as well as liaising with Libyan, regional and international stakeholders in support of the Mission’s mandate.

PAS is headed by Principal Political Affairs Officer (D1) and is composed of 13 international staff positions and 5 national staff positions. While majority of the positions are based in Tripoli, PAS has small presence in Benghazi and Sebha. The associate political affairs officer (JPO) position will be part of the team based in Tripoli, Libya.

Bitte senden Sie Ihre JPO-Bewerbung direkt an das Büro Führungskräfte zu Internationalen Organisationen (BFIO) unter Angabe der Chiffre Nr. 2025-1-06 auf dem Bewerbungsbogen

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