SPECIAL ASSISTANT, POLITICAL AFFAIRS, Bogota, Colombia

## SPECIAL ASSISTANT, POLITICAL AFFAIRS, Bogota, Colombia - Organization:UNVMC - United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia - Office:UNVMC in Bogotá, Colombia Organizational Setting and Reporting This position is located in the office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia (UNVMC). The incumbent will report directly to the SRSG. Within delegated authority, the Special Assistant, Political Affairs will be responsible for the following duties: - Provides specialized advice and technical support to the office of SRSG and the Principal Political Affairs Officer in identifying, analyzing and monitoring political developments and emerging issues with respect to the implementation of the Mission’s mandate, the Colombian peace process and Final Peace Agreement. - Brings to the attention of the SRSG all matters requiring the SRSG’s personal attention, assists in formulating options as to how those matters might be handled, and ensures appropriate follow-up, as directed. - As requested, handles incoming and outgoing correspondence of the SRSG. - Drafts correspondence for the SRSG’s signature, as well as other documentation including code cables and reports to the Security Council. - Liaises and maintains close working relationships with officials of state institutions, political parties, civil society organizations, religious actors. - Plans, organizes and manages conferences, meetings, seminars and workshops as directed by the SRSG. - Coordinates, as required, actions related to the transition towards the United Nations agency-led commitment, depending on the mission’s mandate and the situation in the country concerned. This includes liaising with bilateral donors and other international organizations, with a view to realizing greater synergy and coordination, specifically regarding post-mission activities in the country. - Supervises, mentors, and evaluates staff, participates in the selection of new personnel. - Performs other duties as required. Professionalism: 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals. Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others. Places team agenda before personal agenda. Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position. Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. Planning and 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. 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. Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Political Science, Management or Development, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Job - Specific Qualification Professional training in the areas of planning, facilitation and/or coordination is desirable. A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in political affairs, diplomacy, conflict resolution, or related field is required. Extensive experience in political outreach, facilitation, analysis, advice and reporting is required. Experience working in disarmament, peace and security, development management, conflict resolution or related area is required. Experience working in Latin America issues, in particular supporting mediation, good offices and peace processes, is required. A minimum of (01) one year's working experience in a special political or peacekeeping mission, or any other related international organization, in a conflict or post-conflict setting is desirable. Previous experience working in the office of a senior public official and/or as a Special Assistant (or similar) to a senior public official is desirable. English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. Spanish is required. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details). Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by an informal interview. - This position is temporarily available until 31 December 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. - 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. - 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 decisi