Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the DPPA- DPO Peacebuilding and Peace Support Office (PBPSO), Justice and Corrections Service (JCS). JCS serves as a centre of expertise on justice, corrections and related rule of law areas within the United Nations Secretariat and supports the work of justice and corrections components in United Nations peace operations and other United Nations entities. It assists host countries to deliver essential justice and prison services, strengthen criminal justice systems, and facilitate rule of law reforms. The incumbent will report to the Chief of Service.

Responsibilities

Reporting to the Chief of JCS (D-1) or his/her delegate, the Corrections Officer (P-3) will undertake the following functions: Policy and Guidance: • Contributes to the ongoing development of the programme management and evaluation framework for corrections in peacekeeping. • Supports development of lessons learned and contributes to the development of best practices, guidance materials, training modules, and corrections strategies, policies and programmes. This includes drafting project proposals, advancing the initiatives in support of the United Nations System Common Position on Incarceration, obtaining donor funding, working to select and support project consultants, and organizing seminars / workshops / conferences. • Prepares talking points, background and briefing notes for DPPA- DPO headquarters, and contributes to reports by the Secretary-General. Mission Planning and Support: • Supports PBPSO/JCS in planning corrections and other rule of law aspects of new, evolving or transitioning peace operations. This involves participating in field planning/assessment missions, drafting planning documents, participating in planning meetings/processes, and organizing focused sub-group planning meetings on corrections. • Supports the periodic review of corrections programmes, drafts programme review documents that identify areas of success, areas of needed improvement, and concrete recommendations to address those needs in the particular operation. • Keeps PBPSO/JCS appraised of key corrections developments in field operations through regular contact with field staff, analysis of internal and external reports etc. and, in consultation with the corrections team, develops recommendations as to possible approaches for addressing the issues identified. • Provides operational and strategic support and advice to field staff and organizes briefing visits of senior field staff to headquarters. Staffing: • Participates in all aspects of recruitment for professional staff, support staff and interns. • As required, works with the PBPSO/JCS Capacity Generation Cell to develop specialist Government Provided Personnel (GPP) job descriptions, and assists in conducting interviews to place suitable candidates on the GPP roster. Coordination Mechanisms and External Partnerships: • Assists with the establishment and operation of coordination mechanisms and external partnerships. This includes supporting workshops and seminars of corrections system field officers; identifying external partners to provide direct support to corrections programmes in peace operations; and strategic, technical and logistical assistance to the Group of Friends of Corrections in Peace Operations. • Engages with other relevant entities in the Secretariat and counterparts at Agencies, Funds and Programmes.

Competencies

Professionalism: • In-depth knowledge of justice, penal and corrections systems. • Demonstrates excellent drafting skills. • Shows conceptual, analytical and evaluative skills. • Shows the ability to conduct independent research and analysis, identify issues, formulate options and make recommendations. • Shows pride in work and in achievements and demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter. • Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results and 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 their 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.

Education

An advanced university degree (Master's Degree or equivalent) in law, criminal justice or social sciences is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job - Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible professional experience in corrections or other parts of the justice sector is required. At least one year of experience providing technical assistance for the development of prison systems or other parts of the justice sector in a transitional, developmental or post-conflict setting is required. Experience in developing corrections policy in a domestic or international setting is desirable. Experience in the support, development, or administration of alternatives to incarceration is desirable. Experience working in a United Nations peace operation is desirable. Experience in supporting criminal justice reform initiatives or policies is desirable. Experience in project management is desirable. At least one year of experience in United Nations Headquarters is required.

Languages

Assessment

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

Special Notice

• This position is temporarily available until 30 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. Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to 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 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.

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. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section ‎2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. 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.