Principal Coordination Officer, Political Affairs, D1

The Principal Coordination Officer provides strategic advice to the SRSG and senior leadership on diplomatic, political, and security matters, supporting mandate implementation and renewal. The role involves coordinating mission-wide initiatives, supporting peace processes, and liaising with various stakeholders to ensure effective mandate delivery.

Responsibilities

• Provides strategic advice to the SRSG and Senior Leadership Team on diplomatic, political, security, and related matters, formulates options and develops and implements policy and operational strategies to support effective mandate implementation and renewal.
• Provides direct support to the SRSG and the Senior Leadership in the implementation of the Mission mandate with regard to support to peace processes, support to ceasefire implementation, diplomatic initiatives, dialogue among key stakeholders, and the coordination of peace, security, diplomatic and confidence-building initiatives.
• Develops, oversees, coordinates and streamlines plans/initiatives of various entities/pillars of the Mission in accordance with the relevant policies and procedures and the priorities of the mission ensuring coordinated and balanced approach of the delivery of mission's mandate.
• Aligns priorities and support capacities towards planned organizational change and in coordination between components ensures the use of best methods/practices.
• Enhances the implementation of the Delegations of Authority to the SRSG and their implementation in the mission and strengthens oversight and accountability regarding the management of resources including Enterprises Risk Management and Results Based Management.
• Oversees mission-wide, procedures and systems, including evaluation of the impact of planned organizational change, identifying risks and developing risk mitigation.
• Coordinates the development of strategic reports, options papers, reports of the Secretary-General, materials supporting strategic decision-making, analytical products and other materials in support of the efforts of the SRSG, the Mission senior leadership, and UN Headquarters.
• Serves as a strategic and operational link between senior leadership and various mission components, the UNCT, Government counterparts, the diplomatic community and other actors.
• Provides regular reports and advises senior leadership on significant matters, including challenges and achievements.
• Liaises, facilitates and participates in international, regional or national meetings in consultations with representatives of other entities and local government and other external stakeholders related to implementation of the mission mandate.
• Manages the staff under his/her supervision including guiding evaluation and mentoring.
• Fosters teamwork and communication among staff in the mission and across organizational boundaries.
• Performs other duties as required.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or higher degree, or equivalent) in political science, international relation, economic diplomacy, law, social sciences, management or other relevant fields is required.
• A First-Level university degree (Bachelor's degree) in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of advanced University Degree.
• A Minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible experience in diplomacy, international relations, political outreach, analysis, coordination, administration, budget, finance, human resources management, and reporting or related field is required.
• Experience with inter-agency or inter-organizational collaboration or building and maintaining effective partnerships across organizations is required.
• Experience in a large multi-functional team or office in a United Nations common system field operation (inclusive of peacekeeping, political missions and UN agencies, funds and programmes) or a comparable international organization in a conflict or post-conflict setting is required.
• Extensive experience in supporting senior officials in priority-setting, forward planning, strategic analysis, and management and/or implementation of organizational development initiatives in a UN peacekeeping mission, political mission or similar operation of a large international organization is required.
• Extensive experience in directly supporting senior UN officials in diplomacy, mediation, peace process facilitation, ceasefire implementation, political outreach, facilitation among conflict parties, analysis and reporting is required.
• Extensive experience working in the Great Lakes Region and proven knowledge of working on conflict-related issues and peace processes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is required.
• English and French are required at UN Level III and UN Level II respectively for reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Skills

• Diplomacy
• International Relations
• Political Outreach
• Strategic Analysis
• Conflict Mediation
• Peace Committee Facilitation
• Ceasefire Implementation
• Interagency Collaboration
• Partnership Building
• Organisational Development
• Budget Management
• Human Resources Management
• Reporting
• Administration
• Support for Senior Officials
• Mandate Implementation
• Multi-functional Team Coordination
• Experience in UN Peacekeeping
• Experience in Political Missions
• Knowledge of Great Lakes Region
• Knowledge of Conflict-related Issues

Languages

English, French