Political Affairs Officer

Job Posting Organization:
The job is linked to the Office of the Special Envoy on Myanmar, which operates under the United Nations framework. The organization focuses on political issues related to Myanmar, particularly in the context of the Rohingya crisis and the broader regional dynamics. The team is involved in analyzing the political landscape, providing recommendations, and supporting the Secretary-General's mandate for good offices. The organization is committed to addressing the humanitarian and human rights crises in Myanmar, especially following the military takeover on February 1, 202

• The team collaborates with various stakeholders, including Member States, NGOs, and academic institutions, to enhance its analysis and recommendations. The UN's mission emphasizes the importance of democratic transition, peace processes, and national reconciliation in Myanmar, and the team plays a crucial role in these efforts.

Job Overview:
The Political Affairs Officer position is integral to the Myanmar Team within the Asia and the Pacific Division of the UN's Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. The incumbent will be responsible for providing technical and substantive support to the Office of the Special Envoy on Myanmar, particularly in relation to the Secretary-General's good offices mandate. This includes gathering and analyzing political, security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security, human rights, and socio-economic developments in Myanmar and the surrounding region. The officer will assess trends that may impact UN engagement in Myanmar and present findings and policy recommendations through written and visual products. The role also involves liaising with think tanks and academic institutions to support internal brainstorming exercises and monitoring political developments at both national and regional levels. The officer will provide advice to senior officials and maintain contact with various UN departments and external stakeholders to ensure coherence on policy matters. Additionally, the officer will prepare materials for meetings involving senior UN officials and contribute to the annual report of the Secretary-General on Myanmar.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Political Affairs Officer will undertake a variety of responsibilities, including:

• Providing technical and substantive backstopping to the Office of the Special Envoy on Myanmar, including support for the regular budget process and timely reporting to donors.
• Gathering, distilling, and analyzing political, security, human rights, and socio-economic developments in Myanmar and the region, with a focus on Women Peace and Security (WPS) and Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) issues.
• Assessing trends and events that may affect UN engagement in Myanmar and presenting findings and policy recommendations in clear written and visual formats.
• Supporting internal brainstorming exercises and liaising with think tanks and research institutions.
• Monitoring national and regional political developments and advising the Office of the Special Envoy and the Resident Coordinator's Office as needed.
• Keeping abreast of trends and developments in the area of assignment and providing inputs to senior officials.
• Maintaining contact with UN Departments, Agencies, Funds, and Programmes to exchange information and coordinate on policy matters.
• Preparing meetings for senior officials with Member States and NGOs, including drafting briefing notes and other correspondence.
• Supporting the preparation of the Secretary-General's annual report on Myanmar and drafting inputs for other reports. 1
• Performing other related duties as required.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in political science, international relations, law, disarmament, security, development management, conflict resolution, or related fields. Experience in preparing political analysis specifically on Myanmar or the region is required. Additionally, candidates should have experience in backstopping Special Political Missions (SPMs) or other UN field missions. Experience working in Myanmar or Southeast Asia is considered desirable. Candidates should demonstrate the ability to prepare political analysis with actionable recommendations and integrate various perspectives on complex issues.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in political science, international relations, international economics, law, public administration, or a related field is required. Alternatively, a first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in relevant fields such as political science, international relations, law, disarmament, security, development management, or conflict resolution. Candidates should have specific experience in preparing political analysis on Myanmar or the region and in supporting Special Political Missions or UN field missions. Experience in Myanmar or Southeast Asia is advantageous.

Languages:
Fluency in English (oral and written) is required for this position, as English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Knowledge of another UN official language is considered an advantage.

Additional Notes:
This position is funded through extra-budgetary resources and is temporarily available until December 31, 202

• If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. The position may be limited to internal candidates who have been recruited through a competitive examination or selection process. The United Nations is committed to achieving gender balance and encourages female candidates to apply. The organization emphasizes the importance of diversity and inclusion in its workforce and provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities upon request.