Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located within Office of the SRSG of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). The Senior Joint Operations Officer (SJOO) reports directly to the Chief of Staff. The Senior Joint Operations Officer is responsible for the coordination, and supervision of the responsibilities and services provided by both the JOC and the JMAC, including the management of an integrated team comprising staff from across the mission, including military, police, and security components.
Responsibilities
Under the authority of the Chief of Staff, the Senior Joint Operations Officer, will be responsible for the following duties: 1. Manages the JOC and the JMAC, including: – Overseeing management (including performance management), running, recruitment and training of the JOC and the JMAC. – Responsible for mission-level standard operating procedures, tools and templates (for reporting, crisis management, communications, etc., reflecting DPKO policy and guidance) and ensuring their implementation (including through training and evaluation). – Briefing the SRSG and senior leadership, as well as high level delegations and diplomatic corps. – Sharing information and maintaining relations with the mission’s components, sectors, regional offices, and the United Nations Headquarters (in particular, the UN Operations and Crisis Centre/Peacekeeping Situation Centre). (e) Providing input to management meetings and processes, including for budgets, reviews, SG’s reports, etc. 2. Monitoring and reporting while manning a 24/7 operations Center: – Overseeing that the JOC and JMAC inform and maintaining relations with stakeholders. – Accountable for JOC products and reviewing the final versions of integrated reports (including daily and weekly situation reports). – Responsible for ensuring incident (“flash”) reports about important, urgent events and new developments are sent. – Overseeing the preparing of special report and drafting of code cables and official e-mails, in response to information requests. – Responsible for ensuring the JOC and JMAC maintains relevant databases and SAGE maps, accessible by, and for the use of, mission components; and – Approving the exchange of operational information with external partners. 3. Crisis management support: – Managing the crisis management Centre for the SRSG and other members of the Mission’s core Crisis Management Team, providing them with an effective and uninterrupted channel of communication, reporting and information management. – Organizing crisis management meetings within the mission and with New York headquarters. – Ensuring that the mission and key actors (CMT members, JOC staff, etc.) are prepared for crises and familiar and that SOPs and other guidance are up to date; and – Liaising regularly with mission and UNCT leadership to ensure a timely flow of information during a crisis 4. Coordination: – Chairing operational coordination meetings, as required, liaising with mission components, mission support, and the UNCT. – Overseeing JOC and JMAC support to regular operational coordination mechanisms (e.g. flight and special flights requests). – Liaising with mission sections, mission support, and Force elements regularly. – Ensuring close collaboration with the Security Operations Cell/Centre and Joint Logistics Operation Centre; Provide mission leadership with timely situational analysis on strategic issues on operational developments, in coordination with all mission components. 5. Perform other tasks as required by the Chief of Staff or the Special Representative to the SG.• Leads team members efforts to collect and analyze data and provides insight to identify trends or patterns for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. Ensures that everyone can discover, access, integrate and share the data they need.
Competencies
Professionalism :Strong analytical skills, and experience in information collection, planning and coordination in multiple UN peace operations. Excellent drafting and editing skills with the proven ability to integrate different perspectives inter alia political, military, security, development into analytical products. Strong knowledge of both military and UN peacekeeping best practices and procedures; Ability to develop work plans that support the mandate of the peacekeeping operations and its strategic objectives. Ability to effectively conduct presentations by clearly summarizing and articulating operational issues, proposing options and concisely conveying information – 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. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing. 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. 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. 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. Building trust: Provides an environment in which others can talk and act without fear of repercussion. Manages in a deliberate and predictable way. Operates with transparency; has no hidden agenda. Places confidence in colleagues, staff members and clients. Gives proper credit to others. Follows through on agreed upon actions. Treats sensitive or confidential information appropriately.
Education
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in political science, international relations, international relations, security, foreign affairs, law or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Formal training in military or government staff colleges would be an advantage.
Job – Specific Qualification
Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.
Work Experience
A minimum of ten (10) years with a master’s degree or twelve (12) years with Bachelor’s degree of progressively responsible experience in political or international affairs, military, police, security, civil affairs, humanitarian affairs, human rights, crisis operations and management, or related field is required. Experience in UN peacekeeping or similar mission environments is required Experience supervising teams is required Experience working in both field and headquarters environments is desirable. Experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency (in oral and written) English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable.
Assessment
Previously rostered candidates are not subject to any further assessment and as such, will not be invited for such an assessment.
Special Notice
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. MINURSO is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.
United Nations Considerations
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. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.