Mediator Position at the UN Office of the Ombudsman
Dear HumanDHS network friends
Please find below information on a position open at the UN office of the Ombudsman.
Kind regards
Brian Ward
Job: Mediator position at the UN Office of the Ombudsman
Mediator, P-5
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: 30 Dec 2008
DATE OF ISSUANCE: 31 Oct 2008
ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT: Office of the Ombudsman
DUTY STATION: New York
VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: 08-OMB-OMBUDSMAN -419576-R-NEW YORK
(G)
Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfill the
lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy.
Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral moves
in their Personal History Profile and cover note.
Remuneration
Depending on professional background, experience and family
situation, a competitive compensation and benefits package is offered.
More Info
United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for
Diversity
Responsibilities
Under the general authority of the United Nations Ombudsman and
under the immediate supervision of the Director, the Mediator will be
responsible for the following duties: • Support the Director by
providing mediation services to staff members and related personnel
as applicable, of the United Nations Secretariat, the United Nations
Development Programme, the United Nations Population Fund, the
United Nations Children’s Fund and the United Nations Office for Project
Services; • Inform, and where necessary guide, parties in potential
or active disputes about the mediation process and assist them to
initiate it; • Conduct mediation by helping all parties to resolve
workplace conflicts in a voluntary and confidential process, acting
as a neutral third-party, facilitate and help conflicting parties to
discuss issues and negotiate an agreement; • Maintain neutrality and
impartiality towards all parties and confidentiality within the
process, gather information as appropriate, and help parties
identify and understand issues and interests, explore options, and generate
solutions to which all parties agree, draft agreements when
requested;
• Participate in establishing and maintaining a panel of external
mediators;
• In consultation with the Director, recommend appropriate mediators from panel for mediation cases;
• Assist in identifying systemic issues encountered during mediation and make proposals
towards relevant actions to be taken;
• Perform extensive research and analysis and prepare opinions, studies, briefs, reports and
correspondence;
• Participate in developing and delivering outreach and learning activities on mediation and conflict management to help
all parties to efficiently utilize mediation;
• Work collaboratively with relevant actors in the various UN offices to achieve mediated solutions to employment related problems raised by the parties when
requested;
• Develop relationships with clients and advise on all aspects of the Mediation Division’s Dispute Resolution Services, by
telephone or meetings with parties.
• Offer creative and expert advice on the best service or dispute resolution technique to meet the
client’s needs and requirements;
• Where required, assist in following up with the parties after mediations to receive feedback and to advise clients of further services
• Assist in maintaining a case / referrals database;
• Attend forums and other events and attend mediations as an observer and take further training when required;
• Perform other duties to support the Office of the Ombudsman in its core functions, as assigned.
Competencies
• Professionalism: Knowledge of alternate dispute and conflict resolution systems, especially mediation. Knowledge of the United Nations activities and organisational structure; ability to establish and maintain confidentiality. Ability to prepare reports, formulate
positions on issues, articulate options concisely conveying maximum
necessary information. Established record for integrity and for
dealing fairly, comfortably and responsibly in all professional
interactions. Ability to exercise sound judgment in the context of
cases and assignments given. Ability to work in a multi-cultural,
multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for
diversity.
• Communication: Ability to speak and write clearly and effectively;
Ability to listen to others, correctly interpret messages and
respond appropriately. Interpersonal and communication (spoken, written and
presentation skills)
• Teamwork: Works collaboratively with
colleagues to achieve organizational goals. Ability to establish and maintain
effective working relations with people of different national and
cultural backgrounds, with respect for diversity • Client
orientation:
Ability to establish and maintain productive relationship with
clients by gaining their trust and respect; identify client’s needs and
matches them to appropriate solutions; meets timeline for delivering
services to clients. • Leadership: Ability to establish and maintain
relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and
gain support. Ability to collaborate with others to achieve results.
Demonstrate ability to provide leadership and take responsibility
for incorporating gender perspectives in substantive work; commitment to
the goal of achieving gender balance in staffing.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in
alternative dispute resolution, administration, human resources
management, law, social sciences or related field. A first
university degree with the relevant combination of qualification and experience
may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Training
in conflict resolution including mediation required.
Work Experience
A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience
including five at the international level in legal, managerial or
dispute resolution or related fields. Experience in conflict
management and different approaches to mediation are required. UN
field experience is an asset.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations
Secretariat. For this post, fluency in oral and written English is
required. Working knowledge of a second official language of the
United Nations is an asset.
Other Skills
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). English and French are the
two working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. The United
Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE
RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING,
TRAINING OR ANY OTHER FEES). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN
ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON BANK ACCOUNTS.
PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THE DEADLINE WILL NOT
BE ACCEPTED.
How to apply
All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online as soon as
possible after the vacancy has been posted and well before the
deadline stated in the vacancy announcement. Because applications
submitted by United Nations (UN) staff members are considered first,
provided the eligibility requirements set out in ST/AI/2006/3 are
met and the application is submitted in a timely fashion, staff members
should apply within 15-day or 30-day mark.
Online applications will be acknowledged where an email address has
been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement
within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received.
In such cases, please go to “My UN” page and check the status of
your application by clicking on “View Application History”, and resubmit
the application, if necessary.
To start the application process, applicants are required to register
by opening a “My UN” account. Go to Login, and Register as a User.
Fill in the form and choose a User Name and Password.
After opening the account, applicants may apply for vacancies using
the Personal History Profile (PHP) provided. Once the PHP has been
completed for a particular vacancy, it can be saved and used for
future applications. The PHP may be up-dated, when necessary, for
future applications.
In completing the PHP, please note that all fields marked with an
asterisk must be completed.
UN staff members must submit scanned copies of their two latest
Performance Appraisal System (PAS) reports at the time of
application to the appropriate Human Resources Office (HRO)/Personnel Office
(PO) to the email address below, clearly indicating the vacancy
announcement number. In case you have no access to the digitizing
equipment, please submit hard copies of the two latest PAS reposts
to the relevant HRO/PO via fax.
E-mail: staffing[@]un.org
Fax: 1-917-367-0524
Please see the Frequently Asked Questions, if you encounter problems
when applying.