CHIEF OF SERVICE, CIVIL AFFAIRS

Org. Setting and ReportingThis position is located within the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), based in Naqoura, South Lebanon. The Chief Civil Affairs reports to the Deputy Head of Mission/Director of Political and Civil Affairs. ResponsibilitiesWithin delegated authority, the Chief of Service, Civil Affairs, will be responsible for the following duties: • Leads on Civil Affairs policy and programme formulation and strategic vision. • Ensures that Civil Affairs work is clearly conceptualized in support of the Mission's mandate implementation priorities, in line with the evolving situation on the ground and in accordance with the DPO Civil Affairs Policy Directive as well as the WPS and YPS agendas. • Manages the staff and oversees the budget of the Civil Affairs section. • Develops, formulates and leads on the implementation of the substantive work programme of the Civil Affairs section, in consultation with key partners inside and outside the Mission, taking into account of gender considerations and ensuring that the component functions as one part of a coherent overall UN effort to support the peacebuilding/recovery and reconstruction process. • Designs and institutes effective partnership and information-sharing arrangements with both relevant Mission and non-Mission actors, including the UN Country Team (UNCT). Oversees and ensures effective cooperation and coordination on the ground with all partners by Civil Affairs component staff. Ensures that all Mission and non-Mission partners are clear about the role and contributions of the Civil Affairs component. • Ensures that the Mission and its mandate is effectively and consistently represented to relevant interlocutors at the sub-national level by the Civil Affairs component (and other Mission actors where appropriate), and that the perceptions and concerns of all segments of the population are accurately fed into Mission-wide situation analysis and planning processes with full understanding of the complex operations and multiple stakeholders. • Provides the Mission's leadership with high-quality information and consistent analysis concerning conflict dynamics at the sub-national level and progress with or obstacles to the countrywide political process, including via mechanisms for information-sharing, consistent conflict mapping, crisis response and protection of civilians, as well as identification of critical peacebuilding gaps, as needed. • Oversees the programme management system for Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) in line with the DPO's Policy Directive on QIPs; including through setting up project management and approval mechanisms, proposing mission-specific priorities and ensuring impact evaluation. • Oversees and manages the programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of Civil Affairs, including; preparation of budgets, reporting on budget/programme performance, evaluation of staff performance, evaluation of candidates, and preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting. Ensures an appropriate balance of skills and specializations are recruited to the Civil Affairs section, in accordance with (and where possible anticipating) evolving requirements over time. • Fosters team spirit among Civil Affairs staff, ensures they are provided with the requisite guidance and training to fulfil their tasks (including mission-specific induction and skills training), oversees the systematic identification of lessons learned and good practice and the sharing of these with Civil Affairs section in other Missions, and encourages free and active participation by all component staff in the online Civil Affairs Community of Practice. • Supports the Mission's Protection of Civilians (PoC) efforts by facilitating community engagement, gathering early warning information, and coordinating with relevant stakeholders to address local protection concerns and enhance civilian access to essential services in line with the mission's mandate. • Adapt civil-military coordination and outreach strategies to the evolving security environment, ensuring the safety of personnel while maintaining meaningful engagement with local communities and authorities, and supporting conflict-sensitive programming that contributes to stability and community resilience. • Perform other duties as required. CompetenciesProfessionalism: Knowledge of Civil Affairs, ability to translate theoretical concepts into concrete actions for the extension of state authority. 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. 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 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. 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 improvement; 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. Judgement/decision making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation and comes to the heart of the problem quickly. Gathers relevant information before making a decision. Considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them. Takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization. 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. EducationAdvanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in social science, political science, international relations, public administration, anthropology, law, economics or related area is required. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree Job - Specific QualificationNot available. Work ExperienceA minimum of 15 years' experience in Civil Affairs, Political Affairs, Public Administration, or related field, with a minimum of five (5) years in or in support of a field operations of the United Nations Common System or a comparable international organization, or National or International NGOs, international bilateral organizations is required. A minimum of five (5) years of experience in a position requiring conflict management, facilitation, mediation or negotiation skills, with an emphasizes on analytical and strategic planning functions; experience in facilitating structured dialogue events between different parties, and reconciliation activities and processes is desirable. Relevant experience in the Middle East, peacekeeping field operations, and serving in a military environment is desirable. A minimum of five (5) years should be in a management position with responsibility for developing and implementing a strategic programme with both personnel and resource management responsibilities is required. A minimum of five (5) years in working on governance, support to core government functions, or related areas; experience in policy advice in the area of institution strengthening and governance support in post-conflict setting is desirable. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. Arabic is desirable. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).