Principal Programme Management Officer

The Principal Programme Management Officer serves as the focal point for peace support operations planning and strategic advice to the African Union, coordinating activities related to military and police operations, security sector reform, and peacekeeping support. The role involves providing strategic leadership, managing partnerships, and ensuring coherence in support to the African Union's peace and security efforts.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the focal point on overall peace support operations (PSOs) planning and strategic advice, as well as technical support to the African Union (AU).
• Coordinate and supervise the activities of the Institutional and Operational Partnerships Service in delivering expert advice and technical support to the AU in military and police operations, mine action, security-related matters, mission support planning, training, security sector reform (SSR) and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR).
• Ensure operational outputs are translated into inputs for strategic decision-making in the planning, deployment, management, and liquidation of ongoing AU peace support operations within the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA).
• Provide overall guidance in operationalizing financing mechanisms and support processes for AU PSOs and their oversight mechanisms.
• Manage day-to-day interaction with the AU on peacekeeping-related matters and maintain coordination with Member States, the European Union, United Nations partners, regional and sub-regional organizations, donors, and other stakeholders.
• Provide strategic leadership and management to ensure operational activities are underpinned by political imperatives.
• Contribute to strategic political and operational engagement with the AU, RECs/RMs, and partners on peace and security issues in Africa, ensuring adequate reporting and coordination with UN Headquarters and other UN entities.
• Assist in strengthening strategic and operational coordination between the AU, partners, and the UN system on ASF development and ongoing AU PSOs.
• Provide policy guidance to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on strategy development and implementation related to AU PSOs, SSR, and DDR.
• Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with relevant UN PKOs, SPMs, UNHQ departments, and other UN entities and partners for harmonized approaches and coordinated support to AU PSOs.
• Coordinate preparation of inputs and reporting for results-based budgeting and staff performance evaluation for the Service, and participate in recruitment and selection.
• Oversee development and implementation of partnership strategies and work plans with the AU and other partners.
• Provide programmatic and substantive reviews of drafts contributing to reporting to intergovernmental bodies on budget/programme performance or programmatic/substantive issues.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in management studies, social sciences, public administration, military studies or related area.
• A first-level university degree in combination with four additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• At least fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible experience in political affairs, military, police, public or business administration is required.
• Experience in planning and providing strategic advice is required.
• Operational experience with a peacekeeping or peace enforcement or peace support mission is required.
• Relevant experience within the United Nations system and/or in another organization on peace and security matters, is desirable.
• A proven track record of leadership and management in multicultural settings, including coordination of interdisciplinary teams is required.
• English language proficiency at UN Level IV in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Skills

• Strategic Planning
• Peacekeeping Operations
• Peace Enforcement
• Peace Support Missions
• Political Affairs
• Military Operations
• Police Operations
• Security Sector Reform
• Programme Management
• Leadership in Multicultural Settings
• Interdisciplinary team coordination
• Strategic Advice
• Partnership Management
• UN Peace and Security Experience
• Public Administration
• Military Studies
• Social Sciences
• Management Studies

Languages

English