Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located at the Office for Disarmament Affairs in New York. The Chief of the Regional Disarmament, Information and Outreach Branch reports to the Director and Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs. The Branch is responsible for promoting, facilitating and strengthening regional cooperation among States and regional and subregional organizations and arrangements, and facilitating the coordination of efforts in matters related to confidence building measures, disarmament, peace and security. The Branch oversees and coordinates the activities and operations of the three United Nations regional centres for peace and disarmament and the Vienna Office. The Branch is responsible for the information and outreach work of the Office, including communications and public information activities, as well as strategic partnership-building on behalf of the Office. The Branch provides substantive and Secretariat support to the Secretary-General’s Advisory Board for Disarmament Matters.

For more information, please visit: http://www.un.org/disarmament/

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Chief of the Regional Disarmament Branch shall be responsible for the following duties:

•Formulates, implements and supervises the substantive work programme of the Branch.

•Oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Branch, ensures that all programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion and in coordination with different departments, offices and agencies of the United Nations, regional organizations, Member States, and diverse partners, as appropriate.

•Leads, supervises and carries out the work programme of the Branch under the Chief’s responsibility. Coordinates the work carried out by different work units under the Branch, including the three regional centres for peace and disarmament and the Vienna Office, and provides programmatic/substantive reviews of the drafts prepared by the same.

•Coordinates the work and implementation of activities of the three United Nations regional centres for peace and disarmament and the Vienna Office, including fundraising strategies and efforts, and reviews project proposals and makes recommendations, as appropriate.

•Coordinates and oversees the preparation of reports for presentation to intergovernmental bodies such as the General Assembly and its First Committee, Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budget Questions, Committee for Programme Coordination, and other policy-making organs, as appropriate, and appears before such bodies as necessary.

•Ensures that the outputs produced by the Branch and the three United Nations regional centres for peace and disarmament and the Vienna Office maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensures that all outputs produced by the entities under the Chief’s supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with relevant mandates.

•Prepares the work programme of the Branch, determining priorities, and allocating adequate resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery.

•Undertakes or oversees the programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Branch, the three regional centres and the Vienna Office, including preparation of budgets, reporting on budget/programme performance, resource mobilization, evaluation of staff performance (PAS), interviews and evaluation of candidates for job openings, and preparation of inputs for results- based budgeting.

•Recruits staff, taking due account of geographical balance, gender parity and other factors related to diversity and inclusion.

•Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under the Chief’s supervision.

•Fosters teamwork, collaboration and communication among staff in the Branch, as well as the three regional centres and the Vienna Office and across organizational boundaries, and promotes an enabling environment.

•Leads, coordinates and supervises the organization and management of meetings, seminars, outreach activities etc. on substantive issues.

•Participates in international, regional or national meetings and provides programmatic/substantive expertise on an issue, or holds programmatic/substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions.

•Represents the Office for Disarmament Affairs at international, regional or national meetings.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of policy-making and programming, including regional approaches, in the field of international peace and security. 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. 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.

PLANNING & ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; Identifies priority activities and assignments and 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

ACCOUNTABILITY: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; Supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.

LEADERSHIP: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow; Empowers others to translate vision into results; Is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; Establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; Anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; Drives for change and improvement; does not accept the status quo; Shows the courage to take unpopular stands; 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.

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

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in international affairs, economics, life sciences, business administration, political 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 international relations, disarmament, international security, development, conflict resolution or related area is required, at least five of which at the international level.

Experience in team management, including strategy, budget and human resources management, is required.

Experience in leadership in a multi-cultural setting, including coordination of cross-functional teams, is required.

Experience in managing strategic partnerships with diverse stakeholders is desirable.

Experience designing and delivering regional or country-specific projects/programmes, including resource mobilization, is desirable.

Management experience in the UN system or a comparable international organisation is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required; and knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

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.

Appointment at the United Nations is subject to mandatory adherence to the United Nations Financial Disclosure programme.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 31 July 2021, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belarus, Belize, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Central African Republic, China, Comoros, Cyprus, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Montenegro, Mozambique, Nauru, Norway, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Suriname, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

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 decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

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.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side 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.