The position is located in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
The United Nations Security Council adopted resolution 2567 (2021) deciding that UNMISS’s mandate is designed to advance a three-year strategic vision to prevent a return to civil war in South Sudan, to build durable peace at the local and national levels, and to support inclusive and accountable governance and free, fair, and peaceful elections in accordance with the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS). Furthermore, Security Council Resolution 2625 (2022) called on the UNMISS to provide technical assistance, to include capacity-building, and logistical support for the electoral process, as appropriate, in coordination with the United Nations Country Team and regional and international partners as well as security support to facilitate the electoral cycle, consistent with the R-ARCSS.
The position is based in Juba and is located in the Integrated Electoral Assistance Team. The Electoral Officer reports to the Principal Electoral Affairs Officer.
Within delegated authority the Electoral Officer will perform the following duties:
• Compile and provide regular briefings and reports on electoral developments and UN electoral assistance;
• Facilitate inter-agency coordination mechanisms and integration of UN electoral assistance;
• Facilitate international coordination mechanisms on electoral matters;
• Provide project and programme management and support, including budget management and monitoring, and reporting of results to national counterparts, donors and UN bodies;
• Provide overall donor liaison and management;
• Establish and maintain professional and productive partnerships with national counterparts and other key stakeholders in the electoral process, including national authorities, political entities, civil society organizations, media, regional and international organizations, observer groups;
• Contribute to capacity-building of national counterparts and strengthening of national institutions;
• Monitor the impact of domestic and international norms and processes on female participation and provide advice to relevant authorities on appropriate corrective measures;
• If required, supervise and manage the performance of national and international staff assigned to the area of responsibility;
• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
• Perform other related duties as required.
Professionalism: Demonstrates in-depth understanding of and ability to evaluate electoral processes; knowledge of all aspects of electoral processes and their technical and political implications. Strong analytical and evaluative skills Understanding of electoral operations in a UN or similar multilateral environment. 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. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of peace operations. The ability to analyse and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management.
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
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 the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) degree in Political Science, International Relations, Law, Public Administration, or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is an advantage.
A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in elections and related areas in at least three (3) countries is required.
At least three (3) years of experience in supervising, implementing, supporting or advising on electoral processes is required.
United Nations electoral experience in a peacekeeping operation, political mission and/or a UN agency or other relevant international electoral experience is required.
Knowledge of strategic and operational partnership issues with regional organizations, and experience in building such partnerships is required.
Experience working and liaising with donors and international partners is required.
Experience working in Sub-Saharan Africa is required.
Experience in developing countries is required.
Experience in post-conflict situations is desirable.
Experience in bilateral or multilateral negotiations is desirable.
At least Two (2) years of experience in data analytics, or a related area, is desirable
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required.
Previously rostered candidates are not subject to any further assessment and as such, will not be invited for such an assessment.
This "Recruit from Roster" job opening is only open to roster applicants who are already placed on pre-approved rosters, following a review by a United Nations Central Review Body. Only roster applicants who were placed on rosters with similar functions at the same level are considered to be eligible candidates. Eligible applicants receive an email inviting them to apply. Rostered applicants are encouraged to apply only if they are interested and available to take up the position at the duty station/s specified in the Job Opening. Applying to this job opening carries an expectation to accept the offer, if selected.
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.
According 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.
The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side 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.
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