SENIOR COORDINATION OFFICER

Org. Setting and ReportingThis position is located in the United Nations Office of the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO). The Senior Coordination Officer will report directly to the Deputy Special Coordinator of UNSCO. The focus of this position is to oversee and to provide strategic advice and support to UNSCO's senior leadership and the UN Country Team (UNCT) on matters of coordination and international development aid policy. ResponsibilitiesWithin delegated authority the Senior Coordination Officer is responsible for the following duties: Partnerships, Planning and Programming/Support to the UNCT: Leads the provision of strategic guidance to the DSC/RC/HC and UN Country Team (UNCT) on effective, quality and timely UN support for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda through the Common Country Analysis (CCA) and UN Sustainable development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF); Initiates, establishes and coordinates external partnerships and joint resource mobilization efforts for the UNSDCF; Coordinates the Business Operations Strategy and develops business innovations; Manages and directs knowledge management and capacity development activities in and outside the UN System; Leads and coordinates overall management of the RCO to ensure efficient and effective substantive coordination support to the RC/UNCT and adherence to organizational policies and procedures; Facilitates UN Agency joint programming efforts; Provides substantial and practical support to related activities, meetings and events; Monitors and evaluates actions implemented through these frameworks; Manages the implementation of UN common programming processes; Advises the DSC/RC/HC on the identification of potential areas or issues for common UN approaches and in the development of proposals/actions for enhancing inter-agency cooperation and coordination; Works closely with the local aid coordination structure to improve services to donors and to the Government, in order to further promote coherence among the various programmes as well as enhance efficiency; Supports alignment of UN programming with government priorities and programmes; Liaises with government's substantive teams on all issues related to UN programming and development, political, governance, and security initiatives in the context of the Mission's mandate; Monitors, evaluates and reports on outcomes of programmes and initiatives; Interacts closely with other sections of the mission in the production of briefings, background notes, talking points, code cables, media statements and speeches; Plans and organizes UNCT and other meetings chaired by the DSC/RC/HC; Provides support and coordination as required to the Sector Working Groups; Coordinates and prepares agendas alerting the DSC/RC/HC to pending issues; Prepares records and conclusions and ensures appropriate follow up: Maintains working relationships with agency representatives, UN colleagues and other relevant partners, such as Government counterparts and NGOs at all levels; Represents UNSCO in interagency meetings, ensuring feedback is adequately reported and reflected in the work of UNSCO; Identifies and recommends actions for enhancing interagency coordination and initiate their implementation as requested by DSC/RC/HC; Provides guidance on United Nations policies and procedures. Analysis, Advice, and Reporting: Fosters positive relationship with Government counterparts; Liaises with senior Israeli and Palestinian officials to identify issues requiring attention by donors and/or UN agencies and advises the UN Special Coordinator and the Deputy Special Coordinator/ RC/HC on identifying priority areas of international support; Liaises with national and international partners to tailor humanitarian and development programming in accordance with identified needs; Identifies and analyzes pertinent developments, issues and challenges for UNSCO and the UNCT; Supports the development of strategies, policies and other measures to address programmatic and coordination issues among UNCT members; Provides up-to-date analysis and advice to the UN Special Coordinator and the DSC/RC/HC Deputy Special Coordinator on economic, social, human rights and humanitarian trends and operationalization of the Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) Nexus; Monitors, evaluates and reports on outcomes of programmes and initiatives; In coordination with the Chief of UNSCO Regional Affairs Unit, provides inputs for background briefs, policy notes, talking points and other materials in support of the political activities of the UN Special Coordinator, including briefings to the Security Council; Coordinates the development and implementation of cross-cutting and management policy among the various components of the UNCT, when required; Provides strategic advice on the relationship with senior Government officials to ensure close reporting and partnership between UN and host Governments; Develops and maintains strategic partnerships with Agency representatives, UN Colleagues, Government counterparts of all levels, bilateral and multilateral donors, private sector, and civil society through the establishment of a coordination mechanism; Ensures regular, timely and high quality reporting to UNSCO leadership on pertinent developments and issues. Prepares briefing notes and talking points for the Special Coordinator and other senior staff. Supports the DSC/RC/HC and the UNCT in engaging bilateral and multilateral donors, including for resource mobilization, and directs the initiation and development of related preparatory and follow-up action; Provides strategic advice on resources required to implement programs and projects; Analyzes donor priorities and funding opportunities; Leads UNSCO preparations for international donor meetings; Identifies issues for policy discussion, participates to meetings of donor groups and follows up to ensure implementation of effective strategies; Leads liaison with DOCO in all matters related to HQs' support; Supports the mission leadership and the UNCT in engaging civil society, media and other external partners for UN thematic days; incorporates an integrated approach that includes a rights-based dimension, conflict prevention sensitivity, and a gender perspective into the policy, planning and operational activities of the Area Office. Access of People and Goods: Serves as UNSCO/RCO strategic lead on access issues and the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM). Advise on, develop, and review UNSCO's policy on and approach to these issues. Lead and support UN-wide policy discussions and negotiations with relevant authorities on access, focusing on political and development/economic aspects and dual-use/ GRM/Gaza. Ensures effective implementation of the tripartite GRM agreement and adaptation of the mechanism to Gaza's current needs and other recommendations of the 2021 Gaza access review. Engages regularly with relevant stakeholders, including GoI, PA, the private sector, international partners on the GRM and access issues; Oversees guides and ensures effective implementation of the Access Coordination Unit and Project Management Unit (PMU) projects and; Mobilizes political and financial support for both projects. Supports the Humanitarian Notification System for OPT; contributes to SOPs development and to notification efforts in time of escalation. Information Management and Communication: Ensures that advice and information on crosscutting issues is coordinated with all relevant components of the mission and the UNCT; Ensures effective functioning of coherent communications structures and systems and serves as the focal point for communication with the United Nations Headquarters in New York; Maintains an effective system of information management designed to guarantee accessibility and utility of information on UN programming; Promotes and facilitates the flow of information between stakeholders. Promotes coherence in communication strategies among UN agencies; Ensures efficient flows of information between the DSC/RC/HC and the UNCT as well as the UN global system; Oversees the coordination and preparation of inputs into United Nations reports, including reports of the Secretary-General and the DSC/RC/HC; Oversees the implementation of knowledge management approaches throughout the mission, such as handover notes, after-action reviews and end-of-assignment reports. Management: Oversees the day to day operations of the UNSCO Coordination Unit/RCO. Formulates and manages the implementation of the programme of the unit. Supervises, mentors, and evaluates staff; As required, participate in senior staff meetings, recruitments panels, internal boards of inquiry and other management duties associated with the post; Coordinates all activities emanating from the unit, sets priorities, supervises and ensures follow-up and feedback; Represents UNSCO/RCO in official functions, as required; Establishes internal controls to ensure the integrity of financial transactions, systems and reports for the RC's budget; Keeps the RC informed and reports to DCO on a regular basis. Performs other duties as required. CompetenciesProfessionalism: Ability to identify problems and propose policy options. Drafting ability and negotiation skills. Ability to use diplomacy and judgment in dealing with others. 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. Judgement/ Decision-making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to 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. Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decisionmaking authority; Ensures 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. Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be \"clients\" and seeks to see things from clients' point of view; Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; Identifies client's needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; Keeps clients informed of progress or setback in projects; Meets timeline for delivery of product or services to client. EducationAdvanced university degree (Master's or Equivalent) in social sciences, political science, international studies, or a related field is required. 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 QualificationNot available. Work ExperienceA minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible professional experience with international organizations in humanitarian, post-conflict, development contexts, or related fields is required. At least five (5) years of experience in the Levant region, demonstrating a deep understanding of its political, social, and cultural dynamics, is required. At least five (5) years of experience in a UN field operation or a similar multilateral or non-governmental organization in a conflict or post-conflict setting is required. At least two (2) years of experience with UN inter-agency coordination, military actors, and access issues/negotiations is desirable. At least two (2) years of experience in a political mission, experience in the Middle East, and donor liaison experience are desirable. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Arabic or Hebrew is highly desirable. AssessmentEvaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview. Special NoticeAt 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. 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. For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or under-represented in the UN Secretariat as of 30th November 2024, are strongly encouraged to apply:Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Germany, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu. United Nations ConsiderationsAccording 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. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date. No FeeTHE 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.