Home Vacancies SENIOR LIAISON OFFICER, P5

SENIOR LIAISON OFFICER, P5

Department/Office: United Nations Environment Programme
Duty Station: ADDIS ABABA
Deadline: 02 November 2023
Job Opening Number: 23-Political Affairs-UNEP-217144-R-Addis Ababa (X)
Staffing Exercise N/A
United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, UNEP has a network of country, liaison, sub-regional and regional offices facilitating the relevant country, sub-regional and regional processes, and coordinating the coherent delivery of UNEP’s programme targeting the causes of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste through seven interlinked sub-programmes for action. These are: Climate Action, Chemicals and Pollution Action, Nature Action, Science-Policy, Environmental Governance, Finance and Economic Transformations, and Digital Transformations.

UNEP’s Africa Office supports environmental governance institutions and processes and engages a broad range of partners that include governmental, non-governmental, academic, and private sector entities on multilateral environmental agreements and sustainability programmes and projects in response to national, sub-regional and regional needs and priorities. UNEP’s support to countries, sub-regions and Africa is guided by reforms of the UN Development System including the UN Resident Coordinator and UN Country Team systems.

The UNEP Liaison Office was established with the objective to strengthen collaboration with the African Union (AU), the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and to serve as a UNEP country office for Ethiopia and is based in Addis Ababa, Under the supervision of the Director, Regional Office for Africa, and in close collaboration with UNEP’s relevant Divisions, Convention Secretariats and the Executive Office, the incumbent will perform the following duties:

Responsibilities

1. The African Union (AU) and its individual component organs and institutions: Develop strategic linkages with the AU Commission, particularly on mechanisms for integrating UNEP’s contribution to the work of the relevant organs of the Commission; Keep under review the AU agenda, its priorities and programmes including its environment related flagships; Work closely with the AU Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (DARBE) and align its areas of work to UNEP’s MediumTerm Strategy and Programme of Work (MTS/PoW); Engage with the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) to support implementation of AU programmes, projects and activities; Establish mechanisms for policy exchange between UNEP and AU/AU’s component institutions, including facilitation of annual consultations between the two organizations; Prepare briefs and organize meetings between the UNEP Executive Director and AU senior officials; Organize public environmental events, undertake environmental advocacy actions, present UNEP’s work and enhance its visibility within the AU; Promote and facilitate co-coordinated follow-up actions on joint decisions by AU and UNEP.

2. The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA): Strengthen collaboration between UNEP and UNECA, including through the identification of common areas of interest and development and implementation of joint interventions; Work with UNECA to enhance collaboration between AMCEN and the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development; Maintain regular dialogue with relevant UNECA offices and officers; Monitor the implementation of joint activities, anticipating and identifying solutions to environmental challenges; Regularly review the co-operation between UNEP and UNECA, ensuring it remains relevant in a rapidly changing region.

3. The UN Development System in Ethiopia: Coordinate UNEP’s engagement with the UN Resident Coordinator, UN Country Team and other UN coordination and collaborative processes, mechanisms and platforms at national level and mobilize UNEP expertise to contribute to the integration of climate action, nature action, pollution action and environmental sustainability in the development of common country analysis (CCA) and the UN sustainable development cooperation framework (UNSDCF) as well as to specific initiatives by the UN Development System in the Ethiopia;

4. Political Engagement: Undertake regular consultations with the Government of Ethiopia as appropriate; Gather and provide information on national priorities and in close collaboration with the regional sub-programme coordinators and division leads, contribute to the preparation of specific interventions for the country in line with UNEP’s Medium Term Strategy and Programme of Work; Serve as a liaison between UNEP and the African Diplomatic Missions in Addis Ababa and keep them informed of UNEP’s work and other developments in the area of the environment.

5. Information gathering and networking: Gather information on new developments in the African environmental including policies and initiatives; Set up and maintain networks with relevant organizations; Represent UNEP at meetings of AU or its component institutions, at meetings of UNECA, those of the Government of Ethiopia, and those of the United Nations Country Team in Ethiopia; Maintain information flow between UNEP and the Addis Ababa based institutions and organizations; Enhance, inter alia through media activities, UNEP’s visibility in Addis Ababa.

6. The African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN): Support the secretariat of AMCEN by ensuring its work is well coordinated with the AUC through DARBE; Provide assistance in the preparation, documentation and logistics for meetings of the Conference; Provide regular briefings to the African Diplomatic Corps in Addis Ababa on AMCEN events, decisions, flagships and other areas of policy and political interest.

7. Partnerships Building: Develop partnerships including with government entities, UN agencies, regional and sub-regional organizations, donors, private sector, NGOs, and other major groups and stakeholders to enhance opportunities to address environmental challenges in Ethiopia and Africa at large, as well as support implementation of UNEP’s Medium Term Strategy and Programme of Work.

8. Resource mobilization: Undertake resource mobilization from both bilateral and multilateral sources to support implementation of UNEP’s Programme of Work.

9. Data collection and analysis: In collaboration with the Science-Policy sub-programme and the World Environment Situation Room (WESR), lead efforts to collect and analyze data on environmental performance in Kenya and provide insights to identify trends or patterns for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. Ensure that the data collected is discoverable, accessible, can be integrated in analyses and is shared.

10. Perform any other relevant duties as may be delegated by the Regional Director and senior UNEP management.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to identify key strategic issues, opportunities, and risks. Ability to establish and maintain relationships with a broad range of individuals and institutions to understand needs and gain support. Ability to generate and communicate broad and compelling organizational direction; Ability to develop strategies and communicate clearly links between the organization’s strategy and programme of work the region’s and sub-region’s and countries’ goals; Demonstrated ability to provide innovative technical leadership by performing and/or overseeing the planning, development, and management of operation; Demonstrated ability to negotiate, apply good judgment and the ability to influence others to reach agreement; Mastery of diverse scope of capacity building and a clear vision of UNEP’s role at the national, sub-regional, regional and global levels; Ability to resolve complex and politically sensitive problems with governments, cooperating institutions, and other stakeholders. 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.

TEAMWORK: Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity. 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.

COMMUNICATION: Highly developed communication skills (spoken, written, public speaking and presentational), including the ability to present sensitive issues/positions and prepare reports on short notice. 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.

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.

LEADERSHIP: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow; Empowers others to translate vision into results; Is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; Establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; Anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; Drives for change and improvement, does not accept status quo; Shows the courage to take unpopular stands; Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives into substantive work and commitment to the goal of achieving gender balance in staffing.

Education

  • An advanced university degree (master’s equivalent) in Political Science, International Affairs, Environmental Sciences, Economics, Law, Social Sciences, or a related discipline is required.

  • A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying years of experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

  • Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.

Work Experience

  • At least ten (10) years of progressively responsible work experience in environmental management and policy development are required.

  • At least five (5) years relevant work experience in the Africa region at the international level equivalent to the United Nations is required.

  • Experience in liaising with other UN agencies, inter-governmental organizations and non-governmental organizations is desirable.

  • Experience in implementing country-level or organizational environmental policies,
    Guidelines and standards are desirable.

  • Experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

  • Experience in resource mobilization is desirable.

Languages

  • English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable.

  • NOTE: “Fluency equals a rating of “fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and “knowledge of” equals a rating of “confident” in two of the four areas.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

Appointment against this position is for an initial period of one (1) year and may be subject to extension.

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfil the lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy. Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral moves in their Candidate Profile (CP) and motivation statement.

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.

Internal Applicants – When completing the Candidate Profile form, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you.

Individual Contractors and Consultants who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months, irrespective of the administering entity, are ineligible to apply for or be appointed to any professional and higher temporary or fixed-term positions, within six months of the end of their current or most recent service. For such positions, at least six months need to have elapsed between the end of a consultancy or individual contract and the time of application and consideration for an appointment as a staff member under the Staff Rules and Regulations of the United Nations.

Applicants, who successfully go through a competitive recruitment process and are recommended for selection and/or inclusion in the roster of pre-approved candidates for subsequent job openings at the same level and with similar functions, may have their application information and roster status shared with other UN Organizations. Such applicants may be contacted by other UN Organizations for similar job openings, subject to the confirmation of their interest. Placement on the roster is no guarantee of a future selection.

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.

On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira “Contact Us” link.

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.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side 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.

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.

 

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