Apply by: August 13, 2014
Organization: United Nations
The Young Professionals Programme examination in Political Affairs covers a wide range of topics in the areas of peacemaking and preventive diplomacy, political analysis, electoral assistance and other related areas covered by the political affairs arms of the United Nations. If you are successful in the examination, you could be assigned to a job that covers any or a combination of these areas. Some of the key responsibilities of an Associate Political Affairs Officer would be (These duties are generic and may not be carried out by all Associate Political Affairs Officers):
• Conducts research and analyses information contained in communications and publications received from different sources, including the press; maintains up-to-date knowledge of events relating to political issues in a specified area or subject matter.
• Prepares briefing notes, background papers and talking points for senior officials.
• Prepares summaries of articles from a wide variety of sources and draft a variety of correspondence, and sections of reports.
• Monitors political, socio-economic and other politically relevant developments in an assigned area, and prepares reports.
• Provides input into political, humanitarian and economic efforts and programmes.
• Creates databases that track project progress and provides other information relevant to assigned area.
• Performs other related duties as required.
Education
At least a first-level university degree in one of the following fields of study:
1. Field of study: Economics, Political Science, International Relations, International Economics, International Studies, Human Rights, Peace & Conflict Studies, Sociology (These fields of study can be found under the main course of study “Social & Behavioural Science”.);
2. Field of study: General Law, History of Law, International Law, Jurisprudence (These fields of study can be found under the main course of study “Law”.);
3. Field of study: Institutional Administration, Public Administration (These fields of study can be found under the main course of study “Business & Administration”.);
4. Field of study: Modern History, History, Philosophy, Area studies (These fields of study can be found under the main course of study “Humanities”.);
Work Experience
No work experience is required.
Languages
Fluency in one of the working languages of the UN Secretariat, English or French, (both oral and written) is required; knowledge of the other is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.
Assessment Method
Applications will be screened on the basis of the eligibility criteria. Only up to the 40 most qualified applicants per job family and per nationality/member state will be convoked for the written examination. The cost of traveling to the examination centre is to be covered by the examinee.
The written examination shall consist of:
(i) a general paper, which tests drafting and analytical skills; and
(ii) a specialized paper, which tests the substantive knowledge of the particular job family for which the examinee is being tested.
All examinees in all job families shall complete the same general paper. The general paper and/or specialized paper shall be eliminatory. The paper that is going to be marked first shall be eliminatory, and only examinees successful in that paper of the examination shall have the other paper marked. Each part of the specialized paper may be eliminatory. The Specialised Boards of Examiners shall decide on the part(s) of the specialised paper that will be eliminatory.
Only examinees who are successful in the written examination will be invited to the oral examination. The oral examination will be conducted via online video conference.
United Nations Considerations
The United Nations shall place 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. (Charter of the United Nations – Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
Candidates will be required to meet the requirements of Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter as well as the requirements of the position. The United Nations is committed to the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity for all its human resources, including but not limited to respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to whether they have committed, or are alleged to have committed criminal offences and/or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
