POLITICAL AFFAIRS OFFICER

Org. Setting and ReportingThe Myanmar Team is linked to and provides backstopping to the Office of the Special Envoy on Myanmar and supports the Special Envoy in the delivery of the Secretary-General’s good offices mandate. The Myanmar Team prepares analysis, briefings and recommendations for UN senior officials on political issues pertaining to Myanmar, the Rohingya crisis and the larger region, focusing presently on the disruptions to the fragile gains that Myanmar had made in the areas of democratic transition, peace process and national reconciliation caused by the military takeover on 1 February 2021 and the protracted political, humanitarian and human rights crisis that followed. As the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) chairs two internal coordination mechanisms on Myanmar – the Permanent Monitoring Group on Myanmar and the Inter-Agency Working Group – the incumbent will support the Myanmar Team in liaising and coordinating with other sectors of the UN on policy matters, as well as with Member States, other international and regional organisations and non-governmental stakeholders, including researchers/think tanks and academia with a view to complement internal analysis. This position is located in the Myanmar Team of the Asia and the Pacific Division (APD), under the Regional Structure of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Department of Peace Operations (DPPA-DPO) at Headquarters in New York. Under the overall supervision of APD’s Director, the incumbent reports to the Myanmar Team Leader/Senior Political Affairs Officer. ResponsibilitiesThe Political Affairs Officer will be responsible for the following duties: • Provides technical and substantive backstopping of the Office of the Special Envoy on Myanmar in support of the Secretary-General’s good offices mandate, including the regular budget process, and support timely reporting to extrabudgetary donors and recruitment processes as needed; • Gathers, distills and analyses political, security, human rights and socio-economic developments in Myanmar and the region as well as Women Peace and Security (WPS) and Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) issues concerning Myanmar; assesses trends and events that may affect UN engagement in Myanmar and presents findings and related policy recommendations in clear and accurate written and visual products; • Provides support to internal brainstorming exercises, including through liaison with think thanks, academia and research institutions with expertise on Myanmar; • Monitors national and regional level political developments and provides advice to the Office of the Special Envoy on Myanmar, as well as the Resident Coordinator's Office as needed. • Monitors actions taken by intergovernmental groups, UN organisations, government and non-governmental organizations. • Keeps abreast of latest trends and developments in the area of assignment and provides inputs on issues to senior officials and colleagues in missions and elsewhere in the Secretariat. • Maintains up-to-date knowledge of events and assesses trends relating to political, security and human rights issues in Myanmar and the larger region, and flags key developments for inclusion in Myanmar team updates and notes to senior leadership. Attend meetings and in-person briefings as requested; • Maintains contact with UN Departments, Agencies, Funds, Programmes and Special Mandate Holders to exchange information and coordinate coherence on policy matters, and supports the convening of internal coordination mechanisms on Myanmar; • Prepares meetings of the Special Envoy, SG, DSG, USG, ASG and other senior officials with Member States, NGOs and other stakeholders, including through the drafting of briefing notes, background materials, talking points, speeches, code cables and other correspondence for senior officials; Coordinate closely within DPPA and the DPPA-DPO shared structure to exchange information on regional and thematic issues related to Myanmar. • Supports the preparation of the annual report of the Secretary-General on Myanmar, while also drafting inputs for other reports of the Secretary-General; • Performs other related duties as required. CompetenciesProfessionalism: Shows ability to autonomously prepare political analysis with actionable recommendations for UN senior officials, and to integrate various aspects of and perspectives on complex issues/phenomena in analysis and reporting. 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. 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 the 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. EducationAdvanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in political science, international relations, international economics, law, public administration or other related. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Job - Specific QualificationNot available. Work ExperienceA minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in political science, international relations, law, disarmament, security, development management, conflict resolution or related fields is required. Experience preparing political analysis on Myanmar or the region is required. Experience in backstopping of Special Political Missions (SPMs) or other UN field missions is required. Experience working in Myanmar or Southeast Asia is desirable. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English (oral and written) is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage. AssessmentEvaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview. Special Notice• This position is funded through extra-budgetary resources and is temporarily available until 31 December 2025. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. • 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. • 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. • 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. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. 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. 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. 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. 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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. 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