Main Purpose of Job:

The British Government’s Mission to the United Nations in New York has an exciting opportunity for a dynamic and driven person to join the Humanitarian, Peacebuilding and Development Section as Policy Adviser – Peacebuilding (70% of the role) and humanitarian (30% of the role). This opportunity is a rewarding role that supports and advances the UK’s priorities at the United Nations, working at the forefront of multilateral diplomacy to make a real difference to international peace and security.

The UK Mission to the United Nations offers a unique career enhancing opportunity and is committed to supporting its staff through a variety of benefits including generous leave, insurance packages and a highly competitive 401k programme.  It also promotes a culture of flexibility, which enables people better to maintain wellness through an excellent work/life balance approach that encompasses hybrid working, including working from home and flexible hours, where possible. In this role, you would be working in a diverse international environment with UK diplomats, armed forces personnel and other country based staff, UK government officials based in the UK and across the UK overseas network, foreign diplomats and UN officials.

This is a chance to contribute directly to the United Kingdom’s work to advance international peace and security, development and human rights at the United Nations. The successful candidate will act as a policy adviser and focal point for a range of conflict prevention, peacebuilding and governance issues, and take a leading role in high-profile issues on the agenda of the General Assembly, the Security Council, and the Peacebuilding Commission. S/he will support the UK Mission Conflict Adviser to deliver UK priorities on conflict prevention and peacebuilding, including in response to the UN Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace and the process leading up to the 2025 Peacebuilding Architecture Review.

The ideal candidate will have excellent interpersonal and written communication skills; a go-getting attitude; strong analytical and organizational abilities; the ability to prioritize and deliver results on multiple areas of work.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Policy adviser and UK Mission expert-level lead on conflict prevention, mediation, peacebuilding and governance.
• Lead, and often represent the UK, on the Peacebuilding Commission, as well as working with relevant parts of the UN and other Member States to improve UN delivery on preventing, building and sustaining peace.
• Provide policy leadership on UN transitions (reconfiguring UN presence from peacekeeping to development). This could entail tracking geographic developments in coordination with desks in HQ and at Posts, negotiating in the Council on Mandate renewals and other council products.
• Lead on Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals, promoting peaceful, just and inclusive societies. Engaging in Member State forums to advance delivery of SDG 16 and shape UN system engagement. With diplomatic lobbying, UK projects and internal networking the post holder will also drive forward the UK objectives in the UN on tackling corruption and strengthening rule of law and good governance.
• Work with relevant FCDO HQ Departments, inputting to policy development and feeding back on political developments, negotiate statements and mandates, and prepare UK Ambassadors or other senior UK officials for meetings.
• The postholder will also represent the UK and negotiate resolutions in the General Assembly on peacebuilding, conflict mediation and governance issues.
• Supporting humanitarian colleagues, as relevant. Leading on a specific file and providing administrative support to the humanitarian team.
• The postholder will need to work collegiately in a fast-paced and changing environment and be willing to support other team members and priorities as needed.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills with a good understanding of the challenges and sensitivities of working with other UN Member States.
• Reliable, capable under pressure, able to complete multiple tasks and high volume of work on deadline with colleagues and with considerable autonomy.
• An ability to build rapport with colleagues and wider stakeholders to enable excellent working relationships, with relevant experience to demonstrate this.
• An understanding of the United Nations system