Close Protection Officer (Temporary Job Opening) , Africa


Employer: United Nations
Location: Abidjan

Closing: 26 Jan 2016
Job Opening Number: 51291


Special Notice
Notes:

•A current staff member who holds a fixed-term, permanent or continuing appointment may apply for temporary positions no more than one level above his or her current grade. However, a current staff member who holds an appointment at the G-6 or G-7 level may also apply to temporary positions in the Professional category up to and including the P-3 level, subject to meeting all eligibility and other requirements for the position. A staff member holding a temporary appointment shall be regarded as an external candidate when applying for other positions, and may apply for other temporary positions at any level, subject to section 5.7 below and staff rule 4.16 (b) (ii). Therefore, a staff member holding a temporary appointment in the General Service or related categories may only apply to positions within those categories. For full information on eligibility requirements, please refer to section 5 of ST/AI/2010/4Rev.1 on Temporary Appointments. In its resolution 66/234, the General Assembly further “stressed that the Secretary-General should not recur to the practice of temporarily filling posts in the Professional and higher categories with General Service staff members who have not passed the General Service to Professional category examination other than on an exceptional basis, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure that temporary occupation of such posts by the General Service staff shall not exceed a period of one year, effective 1 January 2013…” Consequently, eligible candidates in the General Service or related categories for temporary job openings in the Professional category that have not passed the competitive examination may be selected only on an exceptional basis endorsed by the Office of Human Resources Management where no other suitable candidate could be identified.

•Upon separation from service, including, but not limited to, expiration or termination of, or resignation from, a fixed-term, continuing or permanent appointment, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment on the basis of a temporary appointment for a period of 31 days following the separation. In the case of separation from service on retirement, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment for a period of three months following the separation. This equally applies, mutatis mutandis, with respect to a former or current staff member who has held or holds an appointment in another entity applying the United Nations Staff Regulations and Rules and who applies for a temporary position with the Secretariat.

•Subject to the funding source of the position, this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.

•While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. An external candidate selected for this position is bound by the prevailing condition of the staff selection system under ST/AI/2010/3, as amended, and ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1. A staff member holding a temporary appointment who is recruited in the Professional and above categories on a temporary appointment, and placed on a position authorized for one year or longer may not apply for or be reappointed to his/her current position within six months of the end of his/her current service. This provision does not apply to staff members holding temporary appointments and placed on positions authorized for one year or more in duty stations authorized for peacekeeping operations or special political missions.

•The expression “Internal candidates”, shall mean staff members who have been recruited after a competitive examination under staff rule 4.16 or after the advice of a central review body under staff rule 4.15.

•Please note that candidates will be required to meet the requirements of Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter as well as the requirements of the position. The United Nations is committed to the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity for all its human resources, including but not limited to respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to whether they have committed, or are alleged to have committed criminal offences and/or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

•For information on special post allowance, please refer to ST/AI/1999/17. For more details on the administration of temporary appointments please refer to ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1.

•The Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and administrative issuances governing staff appointments can be viewed at: http://www.un.org/hr_handbook/EnglishOrg. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the United Nations Operation in Côte d' Ivoire (UNOCI). The Close Protection Officer at FS-5 level reports to the Close Protection Officer (Detail Leader), on all close protection issues. Please note that UNOCI is in a draw-down period. This position is available until 30 June 2016. Extension is subject to budget approval.Responsibilities

Within delegated authority and under the general supervision of the Chief Security Advisor (CSA) the Close Protection Officer at the FS-5 level will carry out the following duties:

• Provides supervision to a close protection team to conduct close protection operations for a Senior UN Official;
• Provides advice on operational requirements within the mandated area of operations and the time of assignment;
• Maintains security coverage for the working office and personal residence of the Senior UN Official;
• Ensures that mitigating measures are in place at all time to deter or deny identified threat and to preserve the security, safety and wellbeing of the Senior UN Officials;
• Ensures that continued effectiveness of the close protection team remains in relation to the changes of the local threat level;
• Conducts close protection operations;
• Accompanies the Senior UN Official during official travels and coordinates all related security requirements;
• Reports to the Close Protection Officer (Detail Leader) on official moves of the Senior UN Official;
• Within delegated authority, liaises with relevant security focal points and briefs members of the CP Team;
• Prior to initiating a deployment, coordinates with representatives of mission units or departments on issues of the location, current threat and political climate and assesses, plans, coordinates and executes close protection operations;
• Conducts pre-deployment briefings with the Close Protection Officers and coordinates with the staff in the office of the Senior UN Official under the Close Protection Officer (Team Leader). Provides guidance on changes that might occur whilst on duty;
• Deploys CP officers, in advance, for official moves to ensure implementation of security arrangements;
• De-briefs CP Officers and assesses each move upon conclusion;
• Contributes to the forecasting, planning and executing security training for his/her team and liaises with other UN Missions to keep abreast with current training methods;
• Maintains the qualification records and ensures that security officers are certified according with the UN standards;
• Contributes to supervise the performance of Close Protection Officers, Close Protection Drivers;
• Identifies gaps in existing capability and makes recommendation for amendment;
• Monitors team equipment and ensures minimum equipment requirements are supplied, maintained and deployed;
• Assists the Close Protection Officer (Team Leader) or equivalent in drafting the Statements of Requirement and provides technical specifications for the procurement of unit and team equipment.
• Determines equipment, facility and supply needs based on operational requirements;
•Performs any other duties as required.Competencies

•Professionalism: Excellent knowledge of close protection technique combined with a solid background of military, police or security specialization; well-developed analytical skills; able to recognize and evaluate the seriousness of threats; capacity to effectively coordinate close protection operations; ability to effectively deal with stress factor when encountered in security management and close protection operations; Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

•Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

•Judgment and Decision Making: Identifies the key issues in complex situation of close protection operations; Gathers relevant information before making a decision; Considers positive and negative impact on others and on the Organization; Proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; Checks assumptions against facts; Determines that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; Makes tough decisions when necessary.Education

• High school diploma or equivalent technical or vocational certificate
• A valid driver’s license is required
• UNDSS Close Protection Officer Certification (CPOC) is highly desirable (and will be expected for future advancement in this field)
• Completion of an international, national or commercial close protection training is desirable
• Recent (within two years) successful completion of an emergency trauma bag certification or equivalent of an first aid certification is desirable
• High standard of physical fitness is desirable
• Training in martial arts and/or specialised security practices is an asset.Work Experience

• A minimum of eight years with high school diploma or equivalent of progressively responsible experience in the military, police or security management is required.
• A minimum five years of progressively responsible experience in close protection with a national, private or international security organization is required.
• A minimum two years of experience in close protection management at least at the level of a close protection shift leader with a national, private or international security organization is required.
• At least one year experience and exposure at the international level and in a conflict or a post conflict environment is required.
• Experience and proficiency in the use of close protection weapons, communications, surveillance equipment, and vehicles is required;
• Desirable experience: close protection of one or more principals; static and mobile protection; close protection command post operations; close protection response techniques; conduct of close protection training.Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable.Assessment Method

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.United Nations Considerations

Candidates will be required to meet the requirements of Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter as well as the requirements of the position. The United Nations is committed to the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity for all its human resources, including but not limited to respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to whether they have committed, or are alleged to have committed criminal offences and/or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

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). The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the At-a-Glance on "The Application Process" and the Instructional Manual for the Applicants, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of inspira account-holder homepage.

Applications are pre-screened by the system according to the published requirements of the job opening on the basis of the information provided in the application. In relation to the requirements of the job opening, applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their qualifications, including their education, work experience, and language skills. Each applicant must bear in mind that submission of incomplete or inaccurate applications may render that applicant ineligible for consideration for the job opening. Initial screening and evaluation of applications will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted. Applications cannot be amended following submission. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to a reference-checking process to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at midnight (New York time) on the deadline date.


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