View Vacancy - Senior policy advisor & negotiator, Management and Reform team, UK Mission to the United Nations, New York

The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer.  We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)
Political

Main purpose of job:

 

As a core part of the UK Mission to the UN’s Management, Reform and Finance team, the individual negotiates on behalf of the UK in the UN General Assembly’s Fifth Committee, as well as providing policy advice and furthering UK objectives on a variety of operational, administrative, and budgetary issues relating to the UN, including, but not limited to, peace operations, international courts and UN accountability mechanisms.

 

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?

 

·       Negotiate on behalf of the United Kingdom in the UN General Assembly Fifth Committee on operational, financial, management and reform issues likely to include: accountability mechanisms for UN governance and oversight; financing for international courts and peace operations; UN accommodation; information & communications technology, and other issues as required.

 

·       Build expertise on specific issues which may include UN reform initiatives, provide policy advice and written or oral reports as needed, and pro-actively engage UN Secretariat and other member states to advance UK priorities. There are opportunities to grow the role over time, including to advise on MRF policy issues relating to security council mandates or take on additional issues.

 

·       Lead on preparing UK/US co-chaired Geneva Group meetings of top contributors to the UN, working closely with colleagues in HQ, Geneva, USUN and DC.

 

·       Work collaboratively with colleagues in the UK Mission, across UK Government departments and network of overseas posts to advance UK objectives in the UN and multilateral sphere. Engage and build constructive relationships with a network of member states and UN contacts.

 

·       Contribute to corporate activities in the team and mission. 


Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

 

Negotiate budgets which make up the United Kingdom’s c.$400m a year contribution to UN Regular and Peacekeeping budgets. There may be opportunities to engage on programmes or projects in support of UK priorities including reform (funding can range from $1,000s to $100,000s), for example providing policy direction and some programme management, working with HQ and programme implementers.

 

Build people management skills through coordinating negotiating teams or sessions, or leading corporate activities. Occasional line management of team intern.

 

·       Bachelor’s degree with 3-5 years of work experience or more;

 

·       Good communicating & influencing, collaborative team-working, and networking skills, with the ability to develop and maintain constructive relationships with UN and other Member State officials.

 

·       Strong organisational, time management skills.


·       Good analysis/decision-making skills including awareness of strategic, policy and tactical context, and attention to detail;


·       Flexible, resilient under pressure, and decisive, with a proven track record of delivering results to a high standard within tight deadlines;

 

·       Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office including Word and Excel;

 

·       Fluent in spoken and written English.

 

A successful candidate will need to hit the ground running, swiftly absorbing technical information while understanding the wider tactical and political context. Willingness to work additional and unsociable hours as necessary due to Committee schedules during Fifth Committee peak periods in March, May-June and December (as a team we try to offset these somewhat outside of committee sessions) and to work flexibly across the team to provide wider cover for other colleagues where necessary, for example due to annual leave.

Knowledge of another UN official language and/or experience of:

- negotiation, including multilaterally

- working with budgets or numerical data

- public sector, including UN, UK, Government, policy or diplomacy;

- organisational change programmes, for example resource, personnel or operational management.

16 September 2021
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Full-time, Permanent
40
Americas, Caribbean & Overseas Territories
United States
New York
British Government Office
1
$78,090
8 November 2021

The UK Government operating in the US offers a substantial benefits package including generous leave, a choice of medical insurance, 401(k) matching up to 7%, extensive learning opportunities and a great work/life balance.


Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary, eg some non-local national staff and some spouses or partners of UK diplomatic staff, will have their salaries abated by an equivalent amount.


Internal candidates must inform their supervisor before they apply to a different position.
Only successful candidates will be contacted. Please no phone calls. Due to the high volume of resumes we receive, we cannot guarantee consideration of your application if the submission instructions are not properly followed.

The British Embassy is committed to a policy of equal opportunities and to creating a diverse working environment, free from discrimination, where everyone is included and treated fairly, based on merit alone. We are an equal opportunity employer, making all employment decisions without regard to race, gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, citizenship, disability, age, sexual orientation, political affiliation or any other criterion protected by law.

Any other information (or specific local Post requirements):

 

This role provides an exciting, challenging opportunity to influence the UN organisation on reform, management and budgetary matters, encompassing priority issues for UN leadership.

 

General Assembly Fifth Committee negotiations lead to resolutions that set UN budget levels, and influence UN operations, to which the UK is the fifth largest contributor at around $120m a year for the Regular Budget and $350m a year for the Peacekeeping Budget. The Management & Reform team lead in the UK Mission on the UN Regular and Peacekeeping Budgets, UN management reform, governance and oversight, elections, and senior appointments, and contributes actively to corporate activities in the Mission.

 

You will work in a fast-paced and changing environment and must be willing to support other team members and priorities as needed. You will work autonomously on dossiers and will need to be confident in negotiation and leading / influencing others. You should be able to draft at speed, and draw on technical and numerical data.

 

The portfolio will evolve and grow as the job holder gains experience in the role and as UN issues and priorites evolve. The UK Mission will shortly conduct a strategic workforce review, so the role and responsibilities may differ in some aspects to those outlined above, but will remain consistent in terms of the types of activities and level of responsibilities.

 

Under US State Department requirements, the Mission may only employ, as non-diplomatic staff, persons who are US citizens, US Green Card holders or A or NATO visa holders with EAD cards. If you hold a visa other than an A or NATO visa you are not currently eligible to work at the Mission. Please refer to our website for information on exceptions to this policy at

www.gov.uk/government/world/usa. All candidates will be subject to background checks and security clearance.

 

The British Embassy Network offers a strong benefits package.   This package includes medical, dental, vision, life, long term and short term disability insurance, a 401(k) retirement savings plan, generous vacation and leave time, and an enriching training package. Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary, eg some non-local national staff and some spouses or partners of UK diplomatic staff, will have their salaries abated by an equivalent amount.

 

To Apply

Resume and a cover letter should be submitted by 16 September. Internal candidates must inform their supervisor if they intend to apply. Only successful candidates will be contacted. Please no phone calls. Due to the high volume of resumes we receive, we cannot guarantee consideration of your application if the submission instructions are not properly followed.

 

The UK Mission to the United Nations is committed to a policy of equal opportunities and to creating a diverse working environment, free from discrimination, where everyone is included and treated fairly, based on merit alone. We are an equal opportunity employer, making all employment decisions without regard to race, gender, religion, national origin, citizenship, disability, age, sexual orientation, political affiliation or any other criterion protected by law

 

Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Country Based Staff roles with the British Government through this official tal.net site (operated by Oleeo). Jobs may be advertised on third party websites, however our adverts will always link back to the official tal.net site. If you complete and send an application through any other site, we will not receive it.

This opportunity is closed to applications.