Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Community Liaison Office of the United Nations Interim Security Force in Abyei (UNISFA), duty station Abyei. The incumbent will report directly to the Chief, Community Liaison Office or their designate.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Community Liaison Officer will be responsible for the following duties: Coordination and Communication - Provides information and analysis for the Mission, on issues affecting conflict dynamics at the local level. - Ensures that the concerns and perceptions of the local population are effectively communicated to the Mission, as well as other actors where appropriate. - Represents the mission at the local level as required. - Provides support to the work of the substantive sections of the mission and assists with the general management and administration of work. - Contributes to a shared understanding of the Mission environment, mandate and operations amongst Mission actors at the local level, in particular uniformed components, to support consistency and coherence of approach. - Fosters effective working relations with the United Nations Country Teams (UNCT), - Coordinates with and works with humanitarian stakeholders to address conflict affected and climate change induced displaced persons and issues, - Works to ensure protection of civilian mandates are enshrined and adhered to. - Supports fulfilment of youth, peace and security agenda for peacebuilding and conflict resolution through dialogues and conferences. - Contributes to the formulation of recommendations concerning Mission actions and approaches required at the local level and assists with mobilizing responses from other actors where appropriate. Monitoring, analysis and reporting - Contributes to overall mission monitoring and planning as required - Promotes coherence and cooperation between different offices and components in implementation - Supports the design, development and implementation of sector strategies within the framework of the Mission’s strategy ensuring consistency of approach and efficiency of output. - Supports planning and budgetary processes for current and future field operations. - Monitors, evaluates and reports on outcomes. - Interacts closely in preparing summary and analytical documents, including situation reports, background notes, talking points, options papers, issue papers, code cables and input for the reports of the Secretary-General and other sensitive and confidential official communications to UNHQ. Conflict Management - Supports dialogue between groups in conflict in the area of responsibility by convening structured meetings and similar activities - Promotes and protects the interest of excluded and/or threatened groups through advocacy in full respect of humanitarian, human rights and international law. - Supports civil society groups and/or traditional institutions at the local level that promote a culture of peace and reconciliation. - Supports migration conferences in coordination with relevant peace partners, for peaceful co-existence of migrant herders and host communities. - Facilitates traditional leaders peace conferences and dialogues and supports local community-based disputes settlements and conflict resolution mechanisms, including customary law and traditional justice systems. - Oversees cross-border issues of peace and security affecting the local population, including seasonal dry season cattle migrations in assigned sectors.

Competencies

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. 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. 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.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in social science, political science, business administration, economics or a related field. A first level university degree with a combination of 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 (5) years of progressively responsible experience in community liaison-related work, political affairs, civil affairs and civil society engagements with UN Peacekeeping Operations, UN Funds, Agencies and Programmes, International or National NGOs, community-based organizations or research institutions is required. At least 3 years of experience of political engagements with national level and local authorities is required. Of these, a minimum of 2 years should have been in a conflict management and reconciliation position requiring facilitation, mediation or negotiation skills and work on rapid onset emergencies programming with a focus on humanitarian, peace and development nexus and impact in the region. Experience in facilitating structured dialogues events between different parties and reconciliation activities and processes is required. Practical experience in supporting youth efforts for peacebuilding, conflict resolution and early warning is required. Proof of facilitating traditional leaders’ peace conferences and dialogues and support to community-based conflict resolution mechanisms is required. Experience in human rights capacity building and monitoring is desirable.

Languages

Assessment

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

Special Notice

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. • This position is temporarily available for a period of 364 days. 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. Please note that pursuant to the Staff selection system policy (ST/AI/2025/2): (1) Applicants for positions in the Field Service category cannot be of the nationality of the country where the position is located, and (2) Applicants for positions in the Professional and higher categories in a mission, field operation, or resident coordinator’s office cannot be of the nationality of the country where the position is located. For currently serving staff of a United Nations Common System organization, only the UN-recognized nationality will be considered for the purposes of these restrictions.

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.