Responsibilities
Reporting to the Special Envoy, the Chief of Staff is responsible for ensuring the integrated and coherent functioning of the mission across all areas and components. To that effect the Chief of Staff oversees the core mechanisms and processes that enable the integrated delivery of the mission's mandate in particular strategic and operational planning, policy and coordination, senior-level decision-making and follow-up, and information management. Within the limits of delegated authority, the Chief of Staff will be responsible for performing the following duties: Management:
Ensures the effective direction and integrated management of all the mission's activities in line with the strategic vision and guidance of the Special Envoy.
Oversees the internal management of the mission on behalf of the Special Envoy, including providing advice on and the promotion of policies on management issues, including risk management.
Facilitates the translation of policy intent and direction of mission leadership into viable tasks and works with components to ensure their effective implementation.
Directs and oversees core integrated processes and mechanisms that enable the delivery of the mission's mandate, including programme management, reform/change management, information management and crisis management.
Oversees the coordination of and support from UNHQ and UNCT in the field, ensuring the implementation of a well-articulated policy for collaboration in the implementation of mandates and the reporting and management of meetings and interactions between the Mission and Headquarters.
Oversees the activities of all entities located in the Chief of Staff Pillar and/or the Office of the Special Envoy, as delegated by the Special Envoy.
Serves as the focal point in the Office of the Special Envoy for all sensitive personnel and management issues, as well as for contacts with the Office of Internal Oversight Services and the Resident Auditor.
Serves as management interface between the Office of Special Envoy and the relevant Headquarters, UNON, and RSCE entities.
Provides support on all personnel matters and oversees the recruitment of senior mission management appointments.
Planning and Budgeting: Oversees planning and budgetary processes, including Mission-wide planning processes, ensuring coherence is maintained between mandated tasks, component plans/concepts of operations and, where appropriate, United Nations-system-wide integrated planning processes (such as Integrated Strategic Frameworks), as required by policies, guidelines and best practices on planning, in particular the Integrated Mission Planning Process (IMPP) and risk management, and incorporates mandated cross-cutting issues, such as gender mainstreaming; and, supervises and provides managerial guidance to mission planning staff to this effect.
Ensures the proper conduct of processes critical to the delivery of mandate implementation, particularly strategic planning, policy coordination and senior level decision-making; ensures a clear understanding between substantive priorities and support capacities; and, liaises with all components to advise and ensure the use of best methods for achieving the objectives and priorities of the Mission.
Facilitates the translation of policy intent and high-level direction by the leadership of the Mission into viable work plans and ensure the implementation of those work plans.
Provides guidance and direction to the Senior Programme Management Officer and Administrative Officer to ensure an integrated approach to the results-based budget process, including alignment with strategic and operational plans and adequate provisions to meet resource requirements, and oversees the process as it relates to substantive mission components.
Education
Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in one of the following disciplines: international relations, political science, business administration, public administration, management, law, or military studies is required.
A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Work Experience
A minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible experience in areas such as: management and administration; political, social, civil, military or legal affairs is required.
Experience in both inter-agency and operational programme management and/or planning and analysis is required.
Experience in preparing documents for the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) and Fifth Committee or similar bodies in a comparable international organization is required. A minimum of seven years' experience in the United Nations system or a comparable international organization is required.
A proven track record of leadership and management in multicultural settings, including coordination of interdisciplinary teams is desirable.
Experience serving in a senior advisory or managerial capacity in support of or in a field operation of the United Nations Common System or a comparable international organization is desirable.