Principal Coordination Officer

Job Posting Organization:
The position is located within the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). MONUSCO was established to support the Congolese government in maintaining peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security in the region. The organization operates with a mission to stabilize the country and assist in the transition to sustainable peace and development. The UN has a significant presence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with various programs and initiatives aimed at promoting human rights, governance, and economic development.

Job Overview:
The Principal Coordination Officer plays a crucial role in providing strategic advice to the SRSG and the Senior Leadership Team on various matters including diplomatic, political, and security issues. This position involves developing and overseeing operational strategies that align with the mission's mandate. The officer is expected to coordinate initiatives across different entities within the mission, ensuring that all activities are aligned with the mission's priorities. The role requires a strong focus on enhancing communication with headquarters and ensuring that all reports produced meet high-quality standards. The officer will also serve as a link between senior leadership and various components of the mission, providing regular updates on significant matters and challenges faced by the mission. Additionally, the officer is responsible for managing staff, fostering teamwork, and ensuring effective communication across organizational boundaries.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Principal Coordination Officer will be responsible for a wide range of duties including: providing strategic advice to senior leadership, developing and coordinating plans and initiatives, aligning priorities with organizational changes, enhancing communication with headquarters, overseeing mission-wide procedures and systems, managing staff, and fostering teamwork. The officer will also be expected to evaluate the impact of organizational changes, identify risks, and develop mitigation strategies. Regular reporting to senior leadership on significant matters, participation in international and regional meetings, and ensuring that all outputs from the teams meet required standards are also key responsibilities. The role requires a proactive approach to problem-solving and the ability to navigate complex political environments.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a strong understanding of management principles and techniques, as well as knowledge of the institutional mandates and policies of the United Nations. The role requires strong analytical skills, the ability to develop policy options, and sound political judgment. Candidates should demonstrate leadership qualities, including the ability to empower others and drive for change. A commitment to gender balance and the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work is essential. The officer must also exhibit excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, and the ability to tailor messages to different audiences.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in political science, international relations, economic diplomacy, law, social sciences, management, or other relevant fields is required. Alternatively, a First-Level university degree (Bachelor's degree) combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.

Experience:
Candidates must have a minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible experience in areas such as coordination, administration, budget, finance, human resources management, international relations, political outreach, analysis, and reporting. Experience in inter-agency collaboration and building effective partnerships is desirable. Candidates should also have experience in strategic analysis, management of organizational development initiatives, and working in field operations, particularly in conflict or post-conflict settings.

Languages:
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, proficiency in both languages is required, with specific levels outlined in the UN Language Framework. Candidates must demonstrate a high level of proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking in both languages.

Additional Notes:
This position is temporarily available until 30 June 202

• If the selected candidate is a current staff member of the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. The United Nations is committed to achieving gender balance and encourages female candidates to apply. The position may be limited to internal candidates and those based at the duty station. The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.