Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Single Regional Political Operational Structure of the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) and Peace Operations (DPO). The Principal Political Affairs Officer/Chief of Unit oversees the African Union Partnership Unit and reports to the Assistant Secretary-General for Africa.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Principal Political Affairs Officer will oversee and coordinate the operationalization of resolution 2719 (2023). S/he will also act as the Team Leader of the African Union Partnership Unit. • Co-ordinates the work of the United Nations Task Force for the inter-departmental coordination of implementation of Security Council resolution 2719; • Liaises with key stakeholders, including the African Union, Member States, and various United Nations entities for implementation of the joint AU-UN roadmap for the operationalization of Security Council resolution 2719; • Provides high-level advisory support to senior leadership and ensure the effective delivery of the mandate of Security Council resolution 2719; • Advises senior leadership, DPPA/DPO regional divisions and the UN Task Force members in their efforts to implement Security Council resolution 2719 in a country specific situation, including by ensuring strategic, policy and operational consistency; • Oversees the activities undertaken by the African Union Partnership Unit, ensures that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion and co-ordinates work in the different areas both within the Unit and with other organizations of the United Nations System, as appropriate; • Oversees the strategic, political and operational backstopping for the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU), and the oversight and support to the United Nations-African Union Framework for Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security; provides programmatic/substantive reviews of the drafts prepared by others; • Co-ordinates and oversees the preparation of reports for presentation to intergovernmental bodies, as appropriate; • Reports to intergovernmental bodies, as appropriate; • Ensures that the outputs produced by the African Union Partnership Unit maintain high quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data; • Prepares the work programme of the African Union Partnership Unit, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery; • Undertakes or oversees the programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the African Union Partnership Unit, including preparation of budgets, reporting on budget/programme performance, evaluation of staff performance (PAS), 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 African Union Partnership Team 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/substantive expertise on an issue, or holds programmatic/substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions; • Represents the African Union Partnership Unit at international, regional or national meetings as required; • Performs other duties as required.
Competencies
Professionalism: Knowledge of the work of the United Nations, its related bodies concerned with political, economic, social and related matters, as well as of the African Union. Ability to manage and coordinate many different levels of participants. Ability to produce reports and papers on technical issues and to review and edit the work of others. 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. 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. Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable. 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. 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.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in political science, international relations, international economics, public administration, law, social sciences or related area. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job - Specific Qualification
Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of fifteen years of progressively responsible experience in political science, international relations, law, disarmament, security, conflict resolution or related fields is required. Experience in peace and security issues in and on Africa is required. Experience with regional and/or sub-regional organizations in Africa, the African Union in particular, is required. Experience working at the headquarters of an international organization on African matters is required. Experience in managing at the senior level a diverse team in an international organization is required. Experience in managing or supporting complex field missions is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position(s) advertised, fluency in both oral and written English and French is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
• This position 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. • 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. • Staff members appointed to the current position are required to submit a financial disclosure statement upon assignment or appointment and annually thereafter. • Recruitment is subject to classification, which is approved by DMSPC. Internal applicants should note that the granting of SPA is contingent upon classification of the 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. • 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. • While this temporary assignment / appointment 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.