CHIEF OF SERVICE (Chief of Staff)

Org. Setting and ReportingThe Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) is responsible for leadership, operational support and oversight of the United Nations security management system (UNSMS) globally. As a global leader in security risk management principles, UNDSS enables the safe and effective delivery of United Nations programmes and activities in the most complex and challenging environments, while maximizing precious resources. To this end, the work of the Department is aligned under a clear mission, to enable United Nations system programme activities through trusted security leadership and solutions. This role provides is a unique opportunity to join a diverse, dynamic and changing organization. For more information on the Department, and how we make an impact on the world in enabling the achievement of SDGs, visit: https://www.un.org/undss/ This post serves as the Department’s Chief of Staff in the Office of the Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security (OUSG). Under the general guidance of the USG, who is responsible for formulating the primary vision, strategic direction for the UN Security Management System (UNSMS), the Chief of Staff serves as principal adviser to the USG and UNDSS leadership on these matters, collaborates with, coordinates, and creates coherence and cross-functionality among Divisions, liaises with stakeholders and leads, manages Departmental work on strategic planning, performance measurements, communications, gender and inclusivity, risk management, compliance, evaluation and lessons learned. ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities: Formulates and implements the substantive work programme of the Office of the Under-Secretary-General. Oversees the policy, partnerships, resource mobilization, strategic planning, communication, compliance and evaluation and monitoring functions, and ensures outcomes that support the Department’s results. Co-ordinates work in the different areas both within the Office of the Under-Secretary-General and across the Department, and with other organizations of the United Nations System, as appropriate. • Assists the USG in the executive direction and management of the Department, facilitating the translation of strategic intent and high-level direction of the Department’s leadership into viable tasks; work with Divisions and the Executive Office to support their effective implementation and resourcing. Preparing the work programme of the Department, determining priorities, allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery; assists the USG with development and implementation of Departmental strategy and associated action with a focus on coordination and coherence of work across the Department; • Assists the USG and Department’s senior leadership with expert advice on the substance, design and implementation of forward-leaning strategies and approaches to support and enable the UN’s work, towards a Department that focuses on UN results and a HQ that supports partners and the field; assists the USG with driving organizational change across the Department and hand in hand with the Department’s Directors, including the identification of associated risk mitigation strategies; Co-ordinates and oversees implementation of the Department’s approach to results-oriented planning, linking UNDSS actions and input to UN results. • Leads, supervises and carries out the work programme of the strategic planning, communication, gender and inclusion, compliance, evaluation and monitoring functions. • Reports to intergovernmental bodies on budget/programme performance or on programmatic/ substantive issues, as appropriate, particularly those presented in biannual and/or annual reports. • Ensures that the outputs produced by the Service maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensures that all outputs produced by the teams under his/her supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates. Ensures strategic alignment of the divisions and field programme of work with UNDSS vision and USG priorities,. • Co-ordinates and oversees all aspects of the Department’s strategic communications including the communications strategy, including by working with other Divisions/Units to plan, coordinate and develop communications products, and oversee content management, in line with the Department's vision and communications strategy. • Co-ordinates and oversees the process of monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of, and compliance with, UNSMS policies and framework, procedures and guidelines; co-ordinates and oversees strategic and thematic evaluations and promote knowledge management, including lessons learned and best practices in safety and security-related matters. • Co-ordinates and oversees corporate strategic planning, enterprise risk management, and liaises with oversight bodies in support of audit and external evaluations, and coordinates follow up and implementation of approved recommendations from oversight bodies. • Undertakes or oversees the programmatic tasks necessary for the functioning of the Service, including preparation of budgets, reporting on programme performance, evaluation of staff performance, interviews of candidates for job openings, evaluation of candidates and preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting. • Recruits staff, taking due account of geographical balance. • Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under his/her supervision. • Fosters teamwork and communication among staff in the Office of the USG, the Department’s Divisions, and across organizational boundaries. • Leads and supervises the organization of meetings, seminars, etc. on substantive issues. Manages the substantive preparation and organization of such meetings or seminars. • Participates in international, regional or national meetings and provides programmatic and substantive expertise, or holds programmatic/substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions, including to provide relevant specialized support and expertise across the UN system. • Represents the Department at international, regional or national meetings as requested . Competencies• Professionalism: Demonstrates substantial knowledge of the priorities, working methods, and cultures of the UN system, including its security, development, humanitarian, political and policy components. Demonstrates effective interpersonal skills and creates an environment in which others can talk and act without fear of repercussion; projects credibility; places confidence in and builds trust with colleagues, staff members and stakeholders. Demonstrates strong strategic planning skills, sound judgment and vision. Demonstrates knowledge and experience in policy development, ability to develop and articulate policy and conceptual frameworks to enable operations. Possesses excellent drafting ability and strong communications skills. Demonstrates strong analytical and problem-solving skills to resolve a wide range of complex issues. Demonstrates networking skills and an ability to build and maintain good relations with all stakeholders; shows excellent negotiating skills and is able to influence others to reach agreements. Ability to apply UN rules, regulations, policies and guidelines in work situations. 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. • 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. • Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client. Managerial Competencies • Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing. • Vision: Identifies strategic issues, opportunities and risks; clearly communicates links between the Organization’s strategy and the work unit’s goals; generates and communicates broad and compelling organizational direction, inspiring others to pursue that same direction; conveys enthusiasm about future possibilities. EducationAdvanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business or public administration, international 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 QualificationNot available. Work ExperienceA minimum of fifteen years of progressively responsible experience in social sciences, international relations, diplomacy, development, conflict resolution, law, humanitarian affairs, public administration or related field is required. At least five years of experience in leading multidisciplinary strategic planning in an international context is required. At least five years in management roles, in development, humanitarian, and peace and security coordination management, including in a multi-cultural setting and of cross-functional teams is required. Experience providing wide-ranging strategic advice and direct support to a senior public official in relation to international humanitarian, development, human rights, or peace building and security programmes is required. Experience in leading comprehensive change management and/or driving implementation of organizational development initiatives in a large international organization is required. Demonstrated leadership of wide-ranging corporate risk management processes and strategies is required. At least four years of field experience working within the UN Common System or comparable international organization or nongovernmental organization in a conflict, post-conflict or natural disaster setting is desirable. LanguagesFluency in English (both oral and written) is required. Fluency in French is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable. Note: Fluency equals a rating of \"fluent\" in all four areas (speak, read, write and understand). Knowledge of equals a rating of \"confident\" or \"fluent\" in at least two of the four areas. AssessmentEvaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview. Special Notice• Appointment or assignment against this position is for an initial period of one year. The appointment or assignment and renewal thereof are subject to the availability of the post or funds, budgetary approval or extension of the mandate. • For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 31 March 2025, are strongly encouraged to apply: Un-represented: Brunei Darussalam, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Grenada, Kiribati, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Sao Tome and Principe, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu. Under-represented: Andorra, Angola, Belize, China, Cuba, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Libya, Malta, Monaco, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Turkmenistan, United States of America . • 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. The United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) is taking efforts to improve gender parity, including full implementation of the UN-wide, and Departmental Gender Strategies. We are committed to providing an inclusive culture and exciting opportunities for women in the security and operations field. • An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. • Those candidates who apply and are subsequently recommended and endorsed for the job opening, but are not selected for the current vacant position, will be placed on the roster for similar functions at the level and category of the job opening for possible future selection. Roster membership does not guarantee selection. • Applying to this job opening carries an expectation to accept the offer, if selected. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. • Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position. • The selection process for this job opening will be conducted pursuant to ST/AI/2010/3 on the \"Staff Selection System\" and include the compliance review process by a review body described in staff rule 4.15. The Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and administrative issuance governing staff appointments can be viewed at: http://www.un.org/hr_handbook/English. United Nations ConsiderationsAccording 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 FeeTHE 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.