MINE ACTION OFFICER

The United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU) was created in 2010 to strengthen the United Nations’ interaction with the African Union. UNOAU is mandated to contribute to enhancing the partnership between the United Nations and the African Union in the area of peace and security, provide coordinated and consistent United Nations advice to the African Union on both long-term capacity-building and short-term operational support, and streamline the United Nations presence in Addis Ababa to be more cost-effective and efficient in delivering United Nations assistance to the African Union.

UNOAU plays a key role in the implementation of the Joint UN-AU Framework for Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security, signed by the United Nations Secretary-General and Chairperson of the African Union Commission on 19 April 2017.

This position is located in the United Nations Office for the African Union (UNOAU). The Mine Action Officer reports to the Chief of the Operational Planning and Advisory Section (OPAS) of the Institutional and Operational Partnership Service (IOPS) of UNOAU with an additional reporting line to the UNMAS Director in New York for wider mine action technical and policy issues.

The Operational Planning and Advisory Section provides technical and expert support to the African Union Commission in developing its mission operational capabilities to strengthen the African Standby Force and the planning and management of peace support operations on the African continent. facilitates the planning and implementation of smooth transitions between the African Union and the United Nations; and enhances coherence of the United Nations and African Union policies and procedures on mission operational issues.

The Mine Action officer will support the AU in the development and implementation of the AU Mine Action and Explosive Strategic Framework project.

• Advise AU on the development of Mine Action and Explosive Management policies and strategies;

• Support AU Technical Assessment Missions (TAM) and advise on mission requirements in terms of size, composition and level of expertise of mine action components;

• In close cooperation with the UNMAS Threat Mitigation Advisory Team; Advise and assist AU and its T/PCCs in development of specific Mine Action, Weapons and Ammunition management (WAM) and Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) mitigation policies and capabilities;

• Advise on enhancing the connection between the AU and existing national mine action structures in Africa that can be called upon to support future AU deployments;

• Provide guidance to the AU on International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) and WAM guidelines;

• Provide advice to the AU regional Training Centers on IMAS and accreditation standards and systems in coordination with the UNMAS Design, Operational Support and Oversight Team;

• Provide guidance on African-specific training capacities that could be leveraged to support AU Mine Action activities in coordination with the UNMAS Threat Mitigation Advisory Team;

• Advise on building capacity in the area of mine action information management, and the use of Information Management System for Mine Action;

• Advise on landmine and ERW safety for peace operations personnel and Mine Risk Education and Victim Assistance aimed at the local population within the mission areas;

• Advise on the inclusion of mine action language in AU mandates, cease-fire and peace agreements mediated by the AU in accordance with DPO established guidance;

• Advise the AU on promotion of gender mainstreaming in mine action;

• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provides insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.

• Perform other tasks as required

Professionalism: Knowledge of the work of intergovernmental bodies, the work of the United Nations and its related bodies concerned with political, economic, social and related matters; Ability to evaluate international political situations in area of assignment; Ability to manage and coordinate many different levels and participants in operations in both the field and UN common system; Broad substantive knowledge of post conflict challenges and peacekeeping operations; The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. 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.

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.

Planning and 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.

• This post is financed by the Support Account for Peacekeeping Operations

• Appointment or assignment against this position is for an initial period of one year.

• The appointment or assignment and renewal therefore subject to the availability of the post or funds, budgetary approval or extension of the mandate.

• 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.

• 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 30 November 2024, are strongly encouraged to apply: Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Grenada, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Sao Tome and Principe, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, China, Cuba, Germany, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Libya, Malta, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Republic of Korea, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Turkmenistan, United States of America.

• Education qualification exceeding the specified requirement of this job opening including university degrees and certificates shall not give rise to additional entitlements or benefits or facilitate a move to the Professional category. The movement of staff members from the General Service and related categories to the Professional category in the United Nations Secretariat is exclusively allowed through the Young Professionals Programme competitive examinations. Only a few staff members pass the competitive examinations. Passing the competitive examinations does not guarantee movement to the Professional category. For further information, please visit https://careers.un.org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=GP.

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.

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.