Senior Support Officer

Org. Setting and Reporting

In line with the Secretary-General’s report on Shifting the Management Paradigm in the United Nations (A/72/492/Add.2), this position from the Department of Operational Support (DOS) is embedded in the Central African Republic Integrated Operational Team (IOT) in the Department of Peace Operations (DPO), Central and Southern Africa Division, Africa Office, to support the Under Secretary-General for Peace Operations. The Senior Support Officer (SSO) reports to the Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support through the Director of the Division for Special Activities, DOS, while the Deputy Director, DPO, heading the IOT acts as additional reporting officer.

Responsibilities

Under the direction of the Deputy Director, DPO, heading the IOT and within delegated authority, the Senior Support Officer (SSO) is responsible for providing expertise and facilitating delivery of solutions on issues pertaining to operational support to MINUSCA as first tier responsibilities. The SSO serves as the principal focal point for all support aspects of integrated planning and operational issues concerning field missions within the IOT’s area of responsibility and plays a key role in ensuring that support issues are effectively integrated in the activities and planning of DPO with respect to MINUSCA. These responsibilities are to be carried out in close consultation with DOS, which is kept informed of issues which impact on support, and field mission counterparts. Key duties and responsibilities of the SSOs include, but are not limited to: • Within their assigned IOTs, take full carriage of key strategic support issues requiring the attention of DOS for the IOT itself, while also working closely with other teams supporting peacekeeping operations; • Represent the policies and positions on behalf of DOS within the IOT and provide expert advice, and perform the same representation and liaison functions from the IOT back to DOS; • Establish and maintain effective liaison with internal and external partners, in support of the implementation of peacekeeping mandates, including but not limited to DOS; • Support the Secretary-General, USGs/ASGs, as well as the Security Council and other organs, on issues related to DOS and missions-specific issues; • Represent the IOTs and DOS in selected working groups, task forces and outside meetings; • Provide essential operational support advice, facilitate the flow of critical information to and from assigned missions to address critical operational support requirements, inform the planning process, the budget process and implementation of operations; • Facilitate and oversee a range of specialized and cross-cutting activities to support development of integrated operational support strategies and plans to advance the UN’s objectives and mandates for the assigned peacekeeping operations as first tier assignment, and special political missions as second tier; • Provide advisory support to IOTs and facilitate coordination on strategic cross-cutting elements with DOS, DMSPC and within DPO on the missions’ resourcing requirements and advise on integrated operational support requirements, to facilitate alignment with overarching mandated priorities; • Provide regular situational awareness across DOS and DPO-DPPA including escalated monitoring and reporting as needed on emerging issues, incidents and other evolving situations with a major operational support perspective affecting mission mandates; • Liaise, coordinate and engage with DPO-DPPA and across DOS in support of major cross-cutting operational issues as per assigned field missions and areas of responsibility; • Coordinate and contribute to development of information products for DOS and DPO principals such as Secretary-General reports, policy documents, background and briefing notes as well as information-sharing with senior management on relevant peacekeeping operations, among other duties. • Lead/participate in strategic, operational and/or technical missions. • Perform other duties as required.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to provide specialized advice in a broad range of integrated support services to the IOT. Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of problems. Conceptual analytical skills to conduct independent research and analysis. Ability to apply UN rules, regulations, policies and guidelines in work situations and prepare reports or rationale with respect to key support decisions. Shows pride in work and in achievements; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Reconcile substantive and integrated support requirements. 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. CREATIVITY: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches. BUILDING TRUST: Provides an environment in which others can talk and act without fear of repercussion; manages in a deliberate and predictable way; operates with transparency; has no hidden agenda; places confidences in colleagues, staff members and clients; gives proper credit to theirs; follows through on agreed upon actions; treats sensitive or confidential information appropriately.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in business or public administration, logistics, finance, economics, accounting, law or related area. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

• A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience across logistics, administration, finance and budget, human resources and communications and information technology functions is required. • At least one year experience working in administration or logistics in a UN peacekeeping operation or other similar field operation is required. • Experience in logistics or other operational support to field missions is desirable. • Experience in working with the major occupational areas of multi-dimensional peacekeeping, or in an integrated civilian-military-police context is desirable. • Experience in the integrated planning, including strategic, and support of multi-dimensional operations is desirable. • Experience in liaising and building support for critical and sensitive issues is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required; and knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another 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 position is temporarily available for a period of six months with a possibility of an extension. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. • 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. • The expression “Internal candidates”, shall mean staff members who have been recruited after a competitive examination under staff rule 4.16 or after the advice of a central review body under staff rule 4.15. • For information on special post allowance, please refer to ST/AI/1999/17. For more details on the administration of temporary appointments please refer to ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1. • A staff member holding a temporary appointment shall be regarded as an external candidate when applying for other positions, and may apply for other temporary positions at any level, subject to section 5.7 below and staff rule 4.16 (b) (ii). Therefore, a staff member holding a temporary appointment in the General Service or related categories may only apply to positions within those categories. For full information on eligibility requirements, please refer to section 5 of ST/AI/2010/4Rev.1 on Temporary Appointments. In its resolution 66/234, the General Assembly further “stressed that the Secretary-General should not recur to the practice of temporarily filling posts in the Professional and higher categories with General Service staff members who have not passed the General Service to Professional category examination other than on an exceptional basis, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure that temporary occupation of such posts by the General Service staff shall not exceed a period of one year, effective 1 January 2013…” Consequently, eligible candidates in the General Service or related categories for temporary job openings in the Professional category that have not passed the competitive examination may be selected only on an exceptional basis endorsed by the Office of Human Resources Management where no other suitable candidate could be identified.• The expression “Internal candidates”, shall mean staff members who have been recruited after a competitive examination under staff rule 4.16 or after the advice of a central review body under staff rule 4.15. • 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. An external candidate selected for this position is bound by the prevailing condition of the staff selection system under ST/AI/2010/3, as amended, and ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1. A staff member holding a temporary appointment who is recruited in the Professional and above categories on a temporary appointment, and placed on a position authorized for one year or longer may not apply for or be reappointed to his/her current position within six months of the end of his/her current service. This provision does not apply to staff members holding temporary appointments and placed on positions authorized for one year or more in duty stations authorized for peacekeeping operations or special political missions. • The Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and administrative issuances governing staff appointments can be viewed at: http://www.un.org/hr_handbook/English • 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. • 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 • 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. • At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

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. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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.