Senior Political Affairs Officer

Org. Setting and ReportingThe position is located in the Peacebuilding Commission Support Branch in the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA). The incumbent will report directly to the Chief of the Branch. Established in 2005, the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) helps to sustain peace by fostering international support for nationally owned and led peacebuilding efforts. The Office assists and supports the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), manages the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) on behalf of the Secretary-General, and works to enhance system-wide coherence and partnerships with UN and non-UN actors in support of building and sustaining peace in relevant countries. The Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) focuses primarily on five action areas in international peace and security, ensuring sound analysis and early warning, preventing conflict and engaging in peacemaking, managing political crises and violent conflicts, sustaining peace, and enhancing partnerships. The Department's mandate is to prevent and resolve conflict through inclusive political solutions. ResponsibilitiesUnder the direct supervision of the Chief of the Branch, the incumbent will be responsible for the following: 1. Guidance and Supervision of Country Support Unit • Provides guidance to desk officers and ensures effective backstopping to the various desks, including support to the PBC Chair, Chairs of the Country Configurations and PBC members; • Leads the formulation of Unit annual work plans and their regular monitoring, and contributes to the elaboration of the work plan of the Branch; • Coordinates the day-to-day work of the Desks, ensuring timely and effective implementation of work plans; • Leads and coordinates the development of tools of engagement of the PBC with countries on its agenda and periodic review exercises, as well as the development of methodologies for tracking progress in the peacebuilding process; • Leads and/or coordinates the development of high quality policy papers, briefs and discussions papers for consideration; • Contributes to the reporting to intergovernmental bodies such as PBC, General Assembly, Security Council, ECOSOC and other bodies. • Performs duties relating to the administrative effectiveness of the Branch. 2. Monitoring Political Situations • Monitors the overall trends in the countries on the agenda of the PBC, with a view to identifying opportunities and emerging threats to the peacebuilding process, and recommend appropriate course of action to the Chair and/or to the leadership of PBSO; • Contributes to and support the process of the identification of possible candidate countries for inclusion on the agenda of the PBC; monitor the key peacebuilding issues and support the PBSO leadership in their dealings with those countries; 3. Establishing/Strengthening Partnerships • Identifies opportunities of strategic partnerships between regional or global stakeholders and the PBC and takes the lead in establishing or strengthening them; • Takes lead in strengthening related partnerships with other UN entities, including PBSO’s participation in inter-agency for a and mechanisms; • Supports PBSO’s leadership in their dealings with the UN leadership at country level; • Participates in national, regional or international meetings, as necessary. CompetenciesProfessionalism: Ability to analyze and identify peacebuilding challenges and offer proposals for addressing such challenges in the countries and regions under the consideration of the PBC; Ability to integrate knowledge of country- and region- specific contexts with broader policy and operational objectives; Understanding of inter-agency and inter-governmental processes relating to peacebuilding; Ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; Ability to negotiate and seek and reach agreement in inter-agency and intergovernmental processes; Ability to improve processes and procedures relating to PBC engagement with countries under its consideration. Shows pride in work and in achievements; 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 clam in stressful situations; demonstrates professional competence and master of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results. 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 formal to match the audience; Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. 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. 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. 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 international relations, political or social sciences, public or business administration, development studies, or related field is required. 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 ten years of progressively responsible professional experience in political science, international relations, development management or related area is required. Experience in the provision of substantive advice and support to Member States is required. Experience in international or multi-lateral organization including supporting intergovernmental or political processes is required. Experience in working on political issues, policy and in devising political strategies for senior-level officials is required. Experience in managing and supporting complex political operations involving a wide array of national and international stakeholders in conflict or post-conflict settings is required. A minimum of two years of experience in the field, in particular in UN peace operations or complex settings, is required. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English, (both oral and written) is required. Knowledge of French is desirable. 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 temporarily available until 1 March 2026. 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. • 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. • For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are un-represented or under-represented in the UN Secretariat as of 31 May 2025, are strongly encouraged to apply: 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. Andorra, Angola, Belize, China, Cuba, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Libya, Malta, Monaco, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Turkmenistan, United States of America. 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.