Senior Special Assistant

UN Secretariat; New York (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

UN Secretariat’s Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) leads the UN security management system globally and supports safe program delivery. This role leads development, implementation, and evaluation of strategic initiatives, and oversees budgets, staff, and outreach across member states and UN system counterparts.

Requires a Master’s or equivalent, ten years in project management, five international, plus front-office support to senior officials; experience in humanitarian, development,

Qualifications

• Ten years of progressive experience in project/program management in international relations, security, development, or related fields.
• At least five years at the international level and five years supporting a senior official in a front-office setting.
• Experience advising senior officials on humanitarian, development, human rights, or peace and security programs.
• Two years of field experience in a UN or similar organization.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of assigned programs and projects within the USG's office, directing project lifecycle management and spearheading special initiatives.
• Oversee the review of documents, identify priorities, and propose corrective actions, liaising with relevant parties.
• Ensure gender mainstreaming by assessing implications for men and women in all planned actions.
• Direct research and program evaluation, synthesizing information to support the USG's strategic vision.
• Manage compliance, monitoring, and evaluation processes, including personnel and resources, and review assessments of issues and trends.
• Supervise the preparation of various written outputs, including background papers, analyses, and reports for special initiatives.
• Provide substantive support for consultative meetings, including agenda setting and document preparation.
• Lead field missions, provide guidance and drafting mission summaries, and coordinate budget and funding activities.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Data analysis

Planning & Organizing

Negotiation

Mentorship

Interpersonal skills

Accountability

Judgement/Decision-making

Professionalism

Team coordination

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent)

First-level university degree with two additional years of qualifying experience

Job description

Organizational context: The Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) leads and oversees the UN security management system globally, enabling the safe and effective delivery of UN programs in challenging environments. This role is within the Office of the Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security (OUSG), reporting directly to the USG, and contributes to peace, security, and the SDGs.

Job purpose: The Senior Special Assistant (Senior Programme Officer) is responsible for leading the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs and projects aligned with the USG's office and the Department's strategic vision. This includes directing project development, monitoring, and assessment, managing special initiatives, and ensuring gender mainstreaming. The role involves conducting research, evaluating programs, and preparing comprehensive reports and analyses. Additionally, the position requires managing compliance, monitoring, and evaluation activities, providing substantive support for meetings, and coordinating outreach efforts with member states and UN system counterparts. The Senior Special Assistant also leads field missions, manages budget and funding coordination, acts as a spokesperson, and supervises staff, fostering a collaborative and data-driven approach to planning and decision-making.

Responsibilities: Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of assigned programs and projects within the USG's office, directing project lifecycle management and spearheading special initiatives. Oversee the review of documents, identify priorities, and propose corrective actions, liaising with relevant parties. Ensure gender mainstreaming by assessing implications for men and women in all planned actions. Direct research and program evaluation, synthesizing information to support the USG's strategic vision. Manage compliance, monitoring, and evaluation processes, including personnel and resources, and review assessments of issues and trends. Supervise the preparation of various written outputs, including background papers, analyses, and reports for special initiatives. Provide substantive support for consultative meetings, including agenda setting and document preparation. Manage outreach activities with member states and UN system counterparts, design and conduct training, and deliver presentations. Lead field missions, providing guidance and drafting mission summaries. Coordinate budget and funding activities, ensuring alignment with the USG's vision. Serve as a spokesperson, building trust and partnerships. Ensure effective staff utilization, supervision, development, and mentorship. Lead data collection and analysis efforts for planning and decision-making. Undertake information-gathering initiatives, guide data collection instrument design, and analyze responses to identify issues and prepare conclusions. Perform other duties as required.

Education: An advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in business administration, management, economics, political science, international relations, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree with two additional years of qualifying experience may substitute for the advanced degree.

Work experience: A minimum of ten years of progressive experience in project/program management within international relations, security, diplomacy, development, or related fields, with at least five years at the international level. Requires at least five years of experience supporting a senior official in a front-office setting, including on security matters. Experience in providing strategic advice to senior officials on humanitarian, development, human rights, or peace and security programs is essential. At least two years of management experience within the UN common system or a comparable international organization is required. Five years of field experience in a conflict or post-conflict setting within the UN or a similar organization is also required. Experience liaising with Permanent Missions or local actors and data analytics are desirable.

Skills: Professionalism, Planning & Organizing, Accountability, Managing Performance, Judgement/Decision-making, Strategic thinking, Communication, Negotiation, Data analysis, Leadership, Mentorship, Interpersonal skills.

Required languages: English

Desired languages: Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian