Deputy Director - United Nations, United States, Deadline: May-12-2014

Posting Title:  Deputy Director, D1 
Job Code Title:  DEPUTY DIRECTOR, POLITICAL AFFAIRS 
Department/ Office:  Department of Political Affairs 
Duty Station:  NEW YORK 
Posting Period:  13 March 2014-12 May 2014 
Job Opening number:  14-POL-DPA-33415-R-NEW YORK(G) 

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.
		Org. Setting and Reporting
	This position is located in the Middle East and West Asia Division (MEWAD) of the Department of Political Affairs. Information on the activities of MEWAD can be found at http://www.un.org/wcm/content/site/undpa/main/activities_by_region/middle_east The incumbent reports directly to the Director of the Division.
		Responsibilities
	The Deputy Director acts as a principal adviser to the Director of MEWAD in formulating and implementing the substantive work programme. In support of the Director and within delegated authority, the incumbent will: • Oversee the management of the Division in the core programmed activities of the Division in the areas of conflict prevention, conflict resolution and post-conflict peacebuilding. In particular, ensuring that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion and co-ordinating work in the different areas both within the Division and Department, and with other organizations of the United Nations System, as appropriate; • Formulate comprehensive inter-departmental and inter-agency strategies and policy recommendations for preventing emerging disputes and conflicts in the vulnerable countries of the region; • Plan and implement good offices and other political missions related to the mandate of the Secretary-General, including fact-finding missions; • Undertake fact-finding, preventive and peace-making missions; • Supervise the activities of post-conflict peacebuilding and special political missions in the Middle East and West Asia sub-region by assisting them in formulating their long-term strategies and providing daily guidance for all aspects of the operations; • As required, attend and provide substantive input to consultations and formal meetings of the Security Council, the General Assembly and its committees; • Participate in the implementation of relevant resolutions of the legislative bodies; • Co-ordinate and oversee the preparation of reports for presentation to intergovernmental bodies such as the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budget Questions, Committee for Programme Coordination, Economic and Social Council, the General Assembly and other policy-making organs, as appropriate; • Report to intergovernmental bodies on budget/ programme performance or on programmatic/ substantive issues, as appropriate, particularly those presented in biannual and/or annual reports; • Ensure that the outputs produced by the Branch/Service/Division maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data; • Assist the Director in preparing the work programme of the Division, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery; • Undertake or oversee the programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Division, including preparation of budgets, reporting on budget/ programme performance, evaluation of staff performance (PAS), interviews of candidates for job openings, evaluation of candidates and preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting; • Recruit staff, taking due account of geographical balance; • Coach, guide and develop the performance of the staff of the Division; • Foster teamwork and communication among staff in the Division and across organizational boundaries; • Develop and maintain relations with senior government officials and other relevant actors, agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations system, as well as regional organizations; • Perform other duties as required.
		Competencies
	• Professionalism: Knowledge of the substantive field of work in general and of specific areas being supervised. Ability to produce reports and papers on technical issues and to review and edit the work of others. Ability to apply UN rules, regulations, policies and guidelines in work situations. 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 audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. Ability to provide leadership and take responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives into the substantive work; commitment to the goal of achieving gender balance in staffing and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; active contribution to the realization of the Department of Political Affairs’ commitments regarding Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) in the Division. 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. 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.  • 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 & 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. • Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly. • Judgment/Decision-making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes tto 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.
		Education
	Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in political science, international relations, international law, social sciences or related area. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
		Work Experience
	A minimum of fifteen years of progressively responsible experience in political science, international relations, law, disarmament, security, development management, conflict resolution or related area. Experience in dealing with international political issues within an international organization is required. A minimum of five years of experience working on Middle East and West Asia  issues is required. Proven management experience, including in supervising teams, projects and operations, is required. Relevant field experience is highly desirable.
		Languages
	English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Arabic and or Russian is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.
		Assessment Method
	Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
		United Nations Considerations
	The United Nations shall place 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. (Charter of the United Nations - Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Candidates will be required to meet the requirements of Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter as well as the requirements of the position. The United Nations is committed to the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity for all its human resources, including but not limited to respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to whether they have committed, or are alleged to have committed criminal offences and/or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law. See original posting at Click here