Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is based in the ISA Liaison Office in New York. The International Seabed Authority is an international organization established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 1994 Agreement relating to the Implementation of Part XI of UNCLOS. The Authority organizes and controls activities in the Area (the seabed and ocean floor beyond national jurisdiction), particularly with a view to administering the resources of the Area. The Associate Liaison Officer provides substantive, administrative, protocol and liaison support to strengthen ISA’s engagement with the United Nations, Permanent Missions and other external stakeholders in New York. The role ensures effective coordination of diplomatic outreach, reporting, official communications, protocol support, office administration and operational liaison between ISA Headquarters and the United Nations system, including during visits and engagements of the Secretary-General.

Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance and the direct supervision of the Head of Office / designated supervisor and within delegated authority, the Associate Liaison Officer will be responsible for the following duties: A. Liaison, Reporting and Diplomatic Coordination 1. Participates in meetings, briefings, side events and other relevant proceedings at United Nations Headquarters and prepares timely reports and summaries for ISA Headquarters. 2. Supports ISA’s engagement with Permanent Missions, United Nations offices, intergovernmental bodies and other stakeholders in New York. 3. Drafts, processes and disseminates Note Verbales, event notices, official correspondence and related communications. 4. Upholds diplomatic protocol standards in official interactions and engagements. 5. Responds to inquiries from Permanent Missions, United Nations offices and external stakeholders in a timely and professional manner. 6. Maintains regular liaison and follow-up with Permanent Missions and relevant United Nations counterparts. 7. Tracks Member State contributions and prepares follow-up communications as required. 8. Assists in the preparation of briefing materials, background notes and related documentation for meetings and engagements in New York. B. Office Administration and Operational Support 9. Serve as Ex-Officio Secretary to the Senior Management Group (SMG), including agenda preparation, minute taking, and follow up on decisions. 10. Manages official correspondence and ensures timely routing, follow-up and distribution. 11. Facilitates the issuance and tracking of United Nations Laissez-Passer and related travel documentation, ensuring compliance with applicable procedures. 12. Manages petty cash, invoices and office expenditures in accordance with ISA rules and procedures. 13. Coordinates pouch services, shipments, customs clearance and related logistics. 14. Maintains office filing systems, schedules, directories, records and liaison activity tracking tools. 15. Coordinates information technology support arrangements with the United Nations under applicable service-level arrangements. 16. Supports emergency and crisis coordination with the United Nations and relevant authorities. 17. Maintains readiness for emergencies by reviewing contingency arrangements and participating in preparedness activities. 18. Provides administrative and logistical support for official events, meetings and visits in New York. C. Protocol, Host Country and Stakeholder Support 18. Coordinates and facilitates visits of the Secretary-General, bilateral meetings and ISA-hosted events in New York. 19. Organizes protocol arrangements for official ISA meetings and events, including in-person and virtual engagements. 20. Liaises with United States authorities and relevant counterparts on host country matters affecting ISA staff, where applicable. 21. Supports compliance with the Host Country Agreement and matters relating to privileges and immunities. 22. Assists the Office of Administrative Services and relevant offices on legal, regulatory and administrative matters involving entitlements, immunities and privileges. 23. Relays emergency, security and crisis information between the United Nations and ISA Headquarters as required. D. Other Duties 24. Promotes an inclusive, respectful and professional office culture consistent with ISA values. 25. Identifies and circulates training opportunities offered through the United Nations system where relevant. 26. Provides guidance to ISA staff on United Nations administrative procedures and related matters, as required. 27. Performs other related duties as required

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Sound judgment, confidentiality, organizational excellence, ability to manage multiple priorities. Clear, diplomatic, and effective written and oral communication. Strong coordination, prioritization, and time management skills. Provides guidance and ensures quality outputs where applicable. 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. 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 audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. 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.

Education

An Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Public Administration, International Relations, Management, Law, or a related field is required. A first-level degree (Bachelor's degree or equivalent) in the specified fields of studies, with two (2) additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job - Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

• Minimum of two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in executive office management, administration, protocol, or related fields is required • Experience in international or intergovernmental organizations is required • Strong office systems and coordination experience at executive level is required • Proficiency in Microsoft Office and digital communication tools 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 for 364 days. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the International Seabed Authority/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. Only candidates from ISA Member States are eligible for consideration. The International Seabed Authority/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. At the International Seabed Authority/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 International Seabed Authority/United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The International Seabed Authority/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.